Serene Hill Stations Where Snow Fall is Predicted for New Year

Known For : Key Monastery Chandratal Lake Pin Valley National Park

Long winding roads and valleys that present unforgettable glimpses of cold desert and snow-crowned mountains welcome you when you set foot into Spiti Valley. Bordered on all sides by the Himalayas, Spiti Valley, located in Himachal Pradesh, has an altitude of 12,500 feet above sea level, and gets just around 250 days of sunshine in the year, making it one of the coldest places in the country. With the thick Himalayan snow cutting Spiti off from the rest of the country for around 6 months a year, the summer months are the only time Spiti is directly accessible via motorway.

Best Time: Mid May to Mid Oct

40 Spiti Attractions

Known For : Panchpula Khajjiar Dainkund Peak

The tiny tinsel town Dalhousie tucked away in the lap of Himachal Pradesh is a piece of paradise for all the travellers. It boasts of old world charm, mesmerising natural landscape, pine-clad valleys, flower bedecked meadows, fast flowing rivers, magnificent misty mountains and some of the most spectacular views in the world. The air smells of the Scottish and Victorian architecture and the ambience reminds you of the pristine British flavours.

Best Time: Throughout the year

28 Dalhousie Attractions

Known For : Aru Valley Betaab Valley River Rafting in Pahalgam

With untouched and gorgeous natural beauty, Pahalgam is a feast to the eyes and senses. Submerged in lush greenery and alluring Himalayan ranges, it calls for some moments of requiescence at nature's own home. You will be wonderstruck by the sumptuousness of Pahalgam the moment you arrive at this pristine land. Little houses, green fields and farms of saffron, the valleys are green and very beautiful. You can go on fishing trips or trek on one of the plenty mountains that cover this place. 

Best Time: Throughout the year

21 Pahalgam Attractions

Known For : Skiing in Auli Trishul Peak Auli Ropeway

Dotted with the apple orchards, old oaks and pine trees there is no dearth of natural beauty in Auli. Apart from skiing you can also go for numerous treks in the hills of Garhwal Himalayas and enjoy the spellbinding views of the snow-draped mountains. Auli is a popular hill resort in the Himalayan range dating back to 8th Century AD.

Best Time: December - February

12 Auli Attractions

Known For : Nathatop Skiing in Patnitop Naag Mandir

With endless meadows and panoramic views of the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas, Patnitop is a perfect place to experience nature at its picturesque best and widest. Along with the widespread abundance in sceneries, the area is accessorized with activities like skiing and trekking as well as water springs, all together making it a popular tourist destination. Sanasar, located 17 kms away is also popular for a paragliding base, golf courses along with extended sightseeing options.

Best Time: Throughout the year

13 Patnitop Attractions

Known For : Tawang Monastery Sela Pass Madhuri Lake

Located at a height of about 3048m, is known for many important and beautiful monasteries and is famous as the birth place of Dalai Lama. The beautiful town of Tawang, also pronounced as Dawang has many sceneries to make your trip a picturesque one. However, what begins to define the area is its significance for Buddhist monks. 

Best Time: March - June; September - October

13 Tawang Attractions

Known For : Gulmarg Gondola Alpather Lake Apharwat Peak

Situated at an altitude of 2730 m above sea level, Gulmarg is a popular skiing destination located in Pir Panjal Range of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Surrounded by snow-covered lofty Himalayas, meadows of flowers, deep ravines, evergreen forested valleys, Gulmarg also has the world's second-highest Gondola ride.

Best Time: October to June

30 Gulmarg Attractions

When heading to Manali for a vacation, two absolutely essential destinations in the itinerary are Rohtang and Solang Valley. 14 kilometres to the north west of the main town of Manali, Solang Valley is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh. Situated on the way to Rohtang from Manali, every year the valley welcomes tourists in huge numbers. A favourite for adventure enthusiasts, parachuting to paragliding, horse riding to driving mini-open jeeps specially available for tourists of all age groups, Solang Valley has it all.

Known For : Thajiwas Glacier Baltal Valley Kashmir Great Lakes Trek

Sonamarg is a town in Jammu and Kashmir, with snow-laden fields, surrounded by majestic glaciers and serene lakes which casts subtle spells on the visitors. Translating into 'the Meadow of gold', Sonamarg is a picturesque town located 80km north-east of Srinagar at an elevation of around 2800 km from sea level. Nilagrad, a colony of the Baltics, is a picturesque location that one can always visit. Various mountain lakes such as Gangabal, Vishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Kishansar are situated in and around Sonamarg. 

Best Time: May to October

17 Sonamarg Attractions

Known For : Rudradhari Falls and Caves Gwaldam Trek to Pinnath

Kausani is a hill station located in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, 51km from Almora. The panoramic snow-clad view of Himalayas in Kausani is dominated by Trisul, Nanda Devi and Panchuli peaks. Situated at an altitude of 1890m with Pine tree forests, meandering creek, Kausani is ideal for honeymooners, nature lovers and travellers. Kausani receives snowfall during the winter months.

Best Time: April to June, September to December

11 Kausani Attractions

Known For : Solang Valley Hadimba Devi Temple Manali Mall Road

Nestled in between the snow-capped slopes of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges, Manali is one of the most popular hill stations in the country. With jaw-dropping views, lush green forests, sprawling meadows carpeted with flowers, gushing blue streams, a perpetual fairy-tale like mist lingering in the air, and a persistent fragrance of pines and freshness -  Manali has been blessed with extraordinary scenic beauty. From museums to temples, from quaint little hippie villages to bustling upscale streets, river adventures to trekking trails, Manali has every reason to be the tourist magnet it is, all year round.

Best Time: October to June

53 Manali Attractions

Known For : Tungnath Temple Deori Tal Tungnath and Chandrashila Trek

Chopta, a small hamlet located in Uttarakhand, is a trekker's heaven. The base camp of treks like Tugnanath, Deoria Tal and Chandrashila, Chopta is an ideal destination for intermediate trekkers to go on a guided trek and brush up their skills. The third temple of Panch Kedar is located in Tugnanath, around 3.5 km away from Chopta. Camping in the open grassy meadows of Chopta that slopes on softly, among alpine, pine, deodar and rhododendron trees is something that you will experience only in Chopta. 

Best Time: March to June

5 Chopta Attractions

Known For : Skiing in Narkanda Hatu Peak Hatu Mata Temple

Surrounded by forests and woodlands, Narkanda is a quaint little town in Shimla district which is popular for skiing in winters. Situated at a height of 9000 feet, this town attracts tourists for its ethereal natural beauty and its beautiful apple orchards. Surrounded by tropical forests and majestic hills, this is one place that tourists to Himachal Pradesh should not miss. Narkanda also has a lake called the Tannu Jabar Lake which is one of the most important tourist attraction here. 

Best Time: Throughout the year

11 Narkanda Attractions

Known For : Jakhu Temple Mall Road, Shimla Rashtrapati Niwas (Viceregal Lodge)

Situated at a height of 2200m, Shimla is the capital and the largest city of Himachal Pradesh in India. Set amidst beautiful hills and mystical woods, Shimla has been a very popular hill-station among Indian families and honeymooners since the last 50 years. British loved this city so much that they made Shimla their summer capital in 1864 and used to rule the sub-continent from here whenever the temperature rose in the nearby plains. Shimla still retains its old world charm with beautiful colonial architecture, pedestrian-friendly Mall Road and beautiful churches.

Best Time: October to June

65 Shimla Attractions

Known For : Zero Point Jageshwar Kasar Devi

Cradled in the wilderness of Himalayan ranges, the sprawling town of Almora shaped like a horse-shoe is a hill station that boasts of a pre-British heritage and an adyllic vibe. Famous for its rich cultural heritage, unique handicrafts, sumptuous cuisine and magnificent wildlife, coupled with an easy accessibility, Almora promises its tourists a visit full of fun and unforgettable moments. This agrarian town has two major rivers- Koshi (Kaushaki) and Suyal (Salmali) flowing through it.

Best Time: Throughout the year

16 Almora Attractions

Known For : Dal Lake Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden Shalimar Bagh Mughal Garden

Famously known as ‘Heaven on Earth’, Srinagar is located in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, on the banks of river Jhelum. As picturesque as the most stunning painting to ever be painted, Srinagar is known for the stationary houseboats and colourful Shikararas on Dal Lake. The gondola-type rowboats, Shikaras are used by the tourists to see attractions like the Floating Vegetable Market, and the Mir Bahris – a lively community of people who live on the lake itself.

Best Time: April to October

56 Srinagar Attractions

Known For : Pangong Lake Khardung La Nubra Valley

A land like no other with a superabundance of attractions to visit and fabulous landscapes, amazing people and culture, Ladakh is truly a heaven on Earth. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram, it lies athwart two other, the Ladakh range and the Zanskar range. Ladakh is mystical in all the spheres it covers, from nature, geography, sceneries to the modest cultures that it fosters. 

Best Time: April - Mid-July

70 Ladakh Attractions

Known For : Gurudongmar Lake Yumthang Valley Lachen

One of the most uninhabited areas of the country, yet extremely beautiful and charming, North Sikkim shares its boundary with China and Nepal. Mangan is the headquarters of the North Sikkim district. It is one of the most mystically beautiful though unexplored areas due to the harsh conditions found here. Located at an altitude of 956 meters the town of Mangan serves as a base for trekking and hiking trips in the mountains and forests. 

Best Time: April to June, October to December

13 North Sikkim Attractions