I have a good friend of mine coming from the USA with his family. They are keen on going to a hill station during their stay here. I would like to take them to the best hill station which is near Delhi. The only hill stations I have been to are Shimla, Manali, and Dalhousie. I have not been anywhere in Uttarakhand, so can not say if there are any good hill stations there. I would like a member of the forum who has been to both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, recommend the best hill station that I can take my family and my friend and his family to. I don't mind the distance as long it is a driving distance, anything up to a 9-10 hour drive is fine.
Hi SethiSaab, There are many hill station in Uttarakhand where you can enjoy your holidays with friends and family, you can go Mussoorie, Nainital etc. If you want I can send you the links where you can get more information about the hill station in Uttarakhand. Thanks
You see, Mussoorie and Shimla are overcrowded because everyone goes there. Mcleodganj and Nainital on the other hand are at a little distance and so are amazing. I understand that you want to go to someplace that's 9-10 hours away max, so I would say Nainital. Rent a villa there - people give out a section of their bungalow on rent, if you have the coin for it. Enjoy your stay. Go boating, check out the lakes, and enjoy the fact that the place still feels like a secluded tourist destination.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! In Uttarakhand alone, there are about 55 hill stations you can choose from. The commonly chosen hill stations are Nainital and Mussoorie. But there are also some hill stations that are not as explored like these ones. Himachal Pradesh has 36 hill stations and the ones you have visited, Shimla, Manali and Dalhousie are some of the popular ones. Best Hill Stations in Uttarakhand Near Delhi 1. Mussoorie - This hill station is about 2,000 metres above sea level. Mussoorie is about 324 kilometres away from Delhi, so driving time would be around 6 and a half hours. Being dubbed as the Queen of Hills, it is one of the most popular getaways from Delhi. The hill station provides commanding views of the Himalayas. Along with that, you'd be greeted by mansoor plants, from which the hill station got its name from. It also has plenty of tourist attractions to keep you and your family busy. The main attractions are the waterfalls, which are quite abundant in the region. Being a Tibetan settlement, there are also some Buddhist monasteries and temples that you can visit. There are also some viewing points in the hill station, most noteworthy of which are Lal Tibba and Gun Hill, the first and second highest points in Mussoorie, respectively. There's even a ropeway to reach Gun Hill which can be a fun ride for the family. Must visit places - Lal Tibba, Gun Hill, Kempty Falls, Jharipani Falls, Happy Valley, Shedup Choepelling Temple, Mussoorie Lake and many more. Related threads - Mussoorie & Delhi To Mussoorie. 2. Nainital - This hill station is about 296 kilometres away from Delhi. Driving that distance would take around 6 and a half hours. It is about 2,080 metres above sea level. The most famous attraction here is the Naini Lake, from which the hill station derived its name from. The views of the lake, along with the backdrop of the mountain can be quite breath taking. Boating facilities within the lake are available which add to the beauty of experiencing Nainital. There are plenty of accommodation options as well just beside the lake, ranging from budget ones to luxury ones. For the wildlife lovers, do visit the Pant High Altitude Zoo, in which the elusive snow leopard resides. Nainital is another famous hill station near Delhi so do book in advance as during peak season, hotels might be fully booked already. Must visit places - Naini Lake, Pant High Altitude Zoo, Cheena Peak, Tiffin Top, Gurney House and many more. Related thread - Places to see in Nainital. 3. Dhanaulti - This hill station is about 317 kilometres from Delhi. It is also just 27 kilometres away from Mussoorie. At an altitude of about 2,280 metres above sea level, it's another hill station that deserves a mention in Uttarakhand. However, unlike its famous counterpart, Mussoorie, Dhanaulti is less talked about. So if you're looking for a hill station that isn't as crowded nor commercialised, yet not that far away from Delhi, consider the alpine forests of Dhanaulti. The main attraction of Dhanaulti is its eco-parks, which have an abundance of deodar and alpine trees. There are tourist lodges within the forests as well that guests can stay in. Activity-wise, there are some adventure parks offering activities such as flying fox, Burma bridge or net climbing. Must visit places - Eco Park, Surkanda Devi Temple and Dhanaulti Adventure Park. Related thread - 20 Weekend Getaways From Delhi. 4. Auli - This little hill station is about 3,050 metres above sea level. It is about 391 kilometres away from Delhi, so can take around 9 hours or more to reach. Surrounded by snow-capped hills, this is a major skiing destination in the country. In fact, an annual skiing tournament is held here and you can also find a skiing school within the hill station. It is best visited during the winter season so you can experience snow at its finest. During the summer though, it still attracts tourists for the trekking activities that they can do here. The second longest and highest ropeway in Asia can also be found here, locally known as the Gondola. This ropeway connects Auli to its neighbour, Joshimath. Must visit places - Chenab Lake, Auli Artificial Lake, Gondola, Gurso Bugyal, Kwani Bugyal and Trishul Peak. Related thread - Auli. 5. Lansdowne - This is perhaps one of the nearest hill stations in Delhi from Uttarakhand, at about 247 kilometres away. It is about 1,700 metres above sea level, surrounded by oak and pine trees. It is not a well-known hill station although it does have many attractions within it. The primary attractions are its colonial style buildings, because this was once home to the British. It is also a very serene hill station, away from the crowds and the noise of the city. Must visit places - Tip in Top Point, St. Mary's Church, St. John's Church, Durga Devi Temple, Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple, Darwan Singh Museum and many more. Related thread - Nearest Hill Station from Delhi. Best Hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh Near Delhi 1. Mcleodganj - This is about 482 kilometres away from Delhi. Driving that distance can take you around 10 hours to 11 hours. This hill station is about 2,600 metres above sea level. This is the place where the current Dalai Lama resides. The hill station is home to many Buddhist temples and Tibetan settlements. But aside from the spiritual aspect of the place, it also boasts of many natural attractions like peaks and waterfalls. Another important aspect of the place is its food. Yes, delicious Tibetan foods like momos and noodles are best tasted here. The atmosphere here is very laid-back, thus, perfect for a relaxing vacation. Must visit places - Kalachakra Temple, Tsechokling Gompa, Bhagsu Waterfalls, Sunset Point and many more. Related thread - Places to visit in McLeodganj. 2. Dharamkot - This hill station is just a few kilometres away from Mcleodganj. It is about 479 kilometres away from Delhi. The little hill station is about 2,000 metres above sea level. Even though it's just a walking distance from Mcleodganj, it's not a popular destination for tourists. Thus, you get to enjoy the serenity of the place. You can even opt to stay here as guest houses here are cheaper. And then, you can explore Mcleodganj during the day time. Unlike Mcleodganj, this hill station is not a Tibetan settlement. In fact, most of the residents here are Punjabis and Haryanas. The main occupation of residents here are cattle grazing and crop production. So if you'd like to truly witness rural life, then stay here, instead of staying in Mcleodganj or in Dharamsala. Must visit places - Lakshmi Temple, Bakluddu Cave and Lahesh Caves. Related thread - Unexplored Tourist Places In Himachal Pradesh. 3. Kasauli - This is about 348 kilometres from Delhi, which can be covered by 6 hours to 7 hours of driving. This was once the home to British soldiers, so you'd find traces of the colonial era in here. From the background, the Dhauladhar mountain can be seen. The hill station is nothing short of lush greenery, as everywhere you look, you'd be surrounded by forests and plants. Trekking and nature trailing are the major tourist activities done here. Another famous attraction here is the toy train, which takes you up to Barog, yet another beautiful hill station in the region. A less commercialised but a wonderful option for a hill station, that's Kasauli for you. Must visit places - Monkey Point, Sunset Point, Christ Church, Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir and Gurka Fort. Related thread - 5 star hotels in Kasauli. 4. Solan - This is about 297 kilometres away from Delhi. It can take you 5 hours to 6 hours to cover this distance by driving. Solan is a quiet hill station, there's not many residents here, nor hotel options. That's the beauty of the place, it's far from the maddening crowds of tourists. It's the best offbeat hill station for trekking or just for having some serenity. This was once a British cantonment region, so you'd also find colonial-style buildings and structures here. The Shoolini Devi Temple is its main attraction, whereas Shoolini Devi is the presiding deity of the town. Must visit places - Mohan Shakti Heritage Park, Jatoli Shiv Temple, Nalagarh Palace, Darla Ghat and many more. Related thread - Honeymoon in Himachal. 5. Chail - This is about 336 kilometres from Delhi or about 6 hours to 7 hours of driving. It is also just about 45 kilometres away from Solan. At an elevation of 2,200 metres above sea level, this is an ideal offbeat family destination. Despite its proximity to Shimla (44 kilometres), Chail is not a popular tourist destination. You can enjoy exploring the hill station without worrying about the crowds. One of the main attractions here is the Chail Palace, built by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, after his exile from Shimla. This is now a heritage palace where guests can stay in. The highest cricket ground in the world can also be found here, which was built by Maharaja Bhupinder as well. There's so many things that you can do and places that you can explore in Chail that a day won't be enough to stay here. Must visit places - Chail Palace, Chail Cricket Ground, Kali Ka Tibba, Gurudwara Sahib, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumbh Shiv Temple and many more. Related thread - Honeymoon Destination In Himachal Pradesh. There you go. I hope this helps you!
The best off the beat mountainous retreat close to Delhi would be Binsar,lansdowne and Mukteshwar.Lesser tourists. Grand views of the peaks. Peaceful environment.
