Suggestions for a low budget holiday near Delhi

As you all know kids are on holidays and like every child my children also want to go somewhere on holiday. This year we are low on budget and thought that we would drop the idea of going on holiday, but as the kids are insisting we may have to go. I need advise from forum members to provide me with details of a holiday which would be low on budget and is near Delhi.
Thanks in advance.

 

You can go to some resort like Neemrana Fort, which is close by and wont cost a lot. Another option is Surjivan resort which is on the Delhi Jaipur highway.

 

If that is not something which bothers you then you can go on the HOHO bus ride, I haven't been on it myself but it is something which kids would love as they would get to see a lot of places and monuments in Delhi. Neemrana Fort is also a very good option as it is open spaced and a lot of greenery around.
When you mean near Delhi how near do you mean? You can easily go to Shimla, Nainital by bus which would work out to be cheap than taking your own vehicle or a taxi.

 

I don't know about the places around Delhi which you can visit, but I would like to give some advise. If you want a budget holiday you can control two things first the mode of transport (choose the cheapest) you take and the hotel you choose (choose the cheapest which includes breakfast as well), which make quite a difference in the amount spent on a holiday. If these two things are considered then you can easily choose any destination near Delhi.

 

Manali or Mussoorie are a good option as they are not far from Delhi and you would easily find cheap accommodation there as well.

 

You can do two day trips which would cover seeing something like Jim Corbett Park and the next day seeing the surrounding area, this would not just be an outing but also be in a low budget.

 

Rather than taking your own vehicle it would be best to take public transport which would work out to be much cheaper, you can then choose any destination like Manali, Shimla, or Mussoorie. Instead of planning a weeks holiday you can also opt for a 4 day holiday.

 

Neemrana Fort is near Delhi but is not low budget, I would put it as a mid range - high range holiday destination. Such resorts actually work out to be costlier than holiday destinations.

 

Thank you everyone for your input and apologies that I was not able to reply to the thread. In the end I did manage to plan a low budget holiday according to the suggestions given. Instead of taking our own car we took public transport and chose a low budget holiday, worked out to be perfect. Point is that you can go anywhere (near by obviously) and make your holiday a low budget one.

 

It sounds like your budget is too low. You should choose a cheap method of transport over the expensive one. If you have any family relatives living in Delhi, you can go there and if this is not the case, you can choose any cheap hotel (There are many cheap ones available in Delhi). After the place of living is set, you can visit some awesome places in New Delhi like Akshardham, Jama Masjid, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Hauz Khas Complex on a very low budget.

 

I am not an expert myself but Fatehpur Sikri and Bharatpur seems like a grand idea. I stayed at Gulistan tourist complex at Fatehpur sikri and it cost me 1500 Rs per night and food and drinks were cheap. Gulistan tourist complex is a government run hotel and has a small bar where they serve local Indian beer (Kingfisher) and some Whiskey, dont expect anything fancy there but it is a very good budget option if you want to look at it. Bharatpur as someone above mentioned is only a short drive from there and there is public transport available.

 

If you are really trying low budget, I think you should search for free lodging. Go to a forum or community site, and look for people to stay with. There are options for cultural exchanges. You might even find a program you like that provides this, and will do so with safety. If not, a hostel can be had cheaply. But there are so many options, you will need to plan you stay and go with the closest.

 

Hello there!

Here are my suggestions for a low-budget getaway near Delhi:

1. Sohna - This is just 64 kms from Delhi. It is located in the Gurgaon District of Haryana. You can ride a bus going to Gurgaon and from there, ride a bus going to Sohna. It's a short journey time between two to three hours. Sohna is a great weekend getaway especially for families. Some attractions to see here are:

• Damdama Lake - This is one of the largest lakes in Haryana, covering over 3,000 acres of land. Here, you'll find families having a picnic and enjoying the view. For the adventure lovers, parasailing and kayaking can also be done here. For the nature lovers, Damdama Lake is home to about 190 species of local and migratory birds. A few of the popularly seen birds here are: water fowl, cranes and cormorants.

• Ancient Shiv Temple - This is a hundred year old ancient temple in Sohna. It was built by Raja of Gwalior and this temple is a popular attraction in the city. Festivals like the Gangasnan Fair and the Teej Fair are also held here. You can also visit the nearby Kund- Baba Sakhamjati Maharaj or water tank here.

• Sohna Sulphur Hot Spring - The temperature in this spring ranges between 46°C to 51.7 °C. It is believed that the sulphur hot spring can heal skin diseases and infections. According to Hindu mythology, this hot spring was dug by Arjuna when he was thirsty.

• Sohna Hill Fort - The Bharatphur Sohna Hill Fort was built by the King of Bharatphur State. As you trek higher in the hills, you'll find the unfinished ruins of the supposed Sohna Fort built during 1700 - 1857 CE.

• Shah Nazam Al Haq Tomb - This tomb is believed to have been built during the reign of Bahlul Khan Lodi. It was built after the temple on the site was destroyed and the materials from the temple were used to build the tomb. This tomb houses the remains of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's grandfather.

Since Sohna is not that far, you can opt for a day trip and be back home by evening. If you'd like to stay the night, there are plenty of options in Gurgaon which is about 24 kms from Sohna. You can find guest houses which are a lot cheaper than hotels. This can help you in saving some money. Plus, all of the attractions I've mentioned are free so you won't have to pay to enjoy these attractions. So in summary:

• Transportation Fare - Estimate of Rs. 300 per person (One-way).

• Food - Rs. 150 per person.

• Hotel - Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,000 for a good budget hotel or Rs. 1,000 and lower for guest houses.

• Sightseeing Fees - None.

• Total - Rs. 4,000 more or less.

2. Manesar - This is also in the Gurgaon District of Haryana, about 58 kms from Delhi. Some attractions here are:

• Mata Sheetala Devi Temple - This temple is dedicated to the Mata Sheetala Devi or Lalitha, the wife of Guru Dronacharya. She took care of people stricken by small pox, hence her other name is Goddess of Small Pox.

• Tau Devi Lal Stadium - This is a sports complex for football and cricket. It is also the home ground of the Amity United Football Club.

• Heritage Transport Museum - Here you'll find collections of transportations and automobiles in India. The collections range from railways, aviation, two wheelers, maritime and even heavy mechanised transportations. For adults, the ticket price is Rs. 300 and for children under 12 years old, it's Rs. 150.

You can reach Manesar in two hours or less so you won't need to spend the night here. But there are plenty of options in Gurgaon if you decide to do so. So in summary:

• Transportation - Estimate of Rs. 200 per person (One-way).

• Food - Rs. 150 per person.

• Hotel - Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500.

• Sightseeing Fees -Rs. 1,000.

• Total - Rs. 2,500 more or less.

3. Garhmukteshwar - This is about 100 kms from Delhi. It is located in the Hapur District of Uttar Pradesh. You can visit various temples here like:

• Ganga Mandir - This is a famous pilgrim attraction in the city. Here, you'll find a white stone idol of Brahma. Supposed to be, there are 100 steps here leading to the river but only 85 steps are intact today.

• Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple - This is a temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Inside the temple, there is a shivalinga, believed to have been constructed by the sage, Parshuram.

• Nahush Koop - This is a well in the village, from which its waters originate from the Ganges River. It is believed that it was King Nahusha who built this well.

• Meerabai Ki Reti - This is just nearby the Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple. It is believed that the Hindu Saint, Meera Bai, stayed here.

You can ride a bus or train to reach Garhmukhteshwar. Buses are very cheap, especially the ordinary ones. Trains are more expensive but convenient. You have many options for hotels or guest houses in the city as well. In summary:

• Transportation - Estimate of Rs. 98 per person (One-way on Ordinary Bus). And an estimate of Rs. 300 to 400 for a train or AC Bus.

• Food - Rs. 200 per person.

• Hotel - Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000.

• Sightseeing Fees - None.

• Total - Rs. 3,000 more or less.

I hope this helps!

 

Well you seem to have got a lot of responses. I hope you have made your decision about where you are going to holiday. But I would like to stress that it's really important for your overall budget to choose the cheapest mode of transport and the cheapest accomodation that also offers breakfast. I noticed someone did advise you on that but I had to stress the importance of that. If you are holidaying on a budget, then those two things are where you are going to save the most money.

 

I'm glad to hear that you have planned your holiday and it worked out well. Sometimes we have to do things on a budget especially when you want to include the whole family. What is important isn't how much you spend on your holiday, but how much quality time you invest in. I hope you and your family really enjoy your holiday. Let us know how it went.