Lot of friends who visit me in Delhi are not able to explore the city well because of weird weather (don't take it personally if you are a Delhite). Winter is probably best time to explore various architectural marvels of Delhi, some of the most interesting food shops/streets, shopping areas and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Even in winters, there are times, when smog makes it impossible to enjoy the places well. If you are prepped up well with N95 masks and love hazy views, you don't need to worry a lot about which months see smog in Delhi. Anyways, September, October (before Diwali) and then Feb are probably best months to explore Delhi.
Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi
Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi
As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends.
Weekend Destinations around Delhi :
The list shared above is very small as compared to things Delhi can offer to explorers and travellers. In fact, Delhi itself is full of various interesting options, which we shall try to compile again. This list can further be divided for different types of travellers as per their tastes, ages and their travelling habits.
Rajaji National Park
Shekhawati region - Heritage Tour of Churu & Ramgarh
Mandawa
Kasauli (A quick road-trip)
Manali & Rohtang Pass (3 Days)
The list shared above is very small as compared to things Delhi can offer to explorers and travellers. In fact, Delhi itself is full of various interesting options, which we shall try to compile again. This list can further be divided for different types of travellers as per their tastes, ages and their travelling habits.
Delhi has different kinds of weekend getaways in various northern states of India. All these destinations include hills, deserts, strong cultural influences, natural beauty, ghats, rivers, wildlife, national parks, historical locations and lot more. Many of the destinations mentioned in this blog have very good connectivity through roads and you can choose to drive as well.
Main places to explore in Delhi during Winters :
Jaisalmer : The Golden City of India is also a World Heritage Site. The town is located around Thar desert and has a beautiful Jaisalmer Fort which has royal palace & various jain temples. The exposure to Thar desert and beautiful heritage in terms of architecture & culture makes it very special destination. But one needs to plan for at least 5 days from Delhi. Let's quickly talk about how to reach and main things to do in Jaisalmer.
How to reach : Delhi to Jaislmer distance if ~820 kms.
1. Driving to Jaisalmer directly can be very tiring unless you plan other places on the way & take overnight break, given you have enough time.
2. Train is a good option in terms of time & money. There is overnight train from Delhi to Jaisalmer.
3. Jaisalmer has airport, so one can also take direct flight but usually flights to Jaisalmer are expensive.
4. Lot of folks plan Jodhpur & Jaisalmer. So flying to Jodhpur and then driving from there is another option depending upon time in hand.
Check out Jaisalmer Travel Guide here.
Related post - How to make the most of a weekend in Delhi - the capital city of India
Jodhpur : Jodhpur is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert.
The old city circles the fort and is bounded by a wall with several gates.
Udaipur is approx 650+ km from Delhi and approximately 800 km from Mumbai, placed almost in the middle of two major Indian metro cities.
Besides, connectivity with Gujarat ports provide Udaipur a strategic geographical advantage. Udaipur is well connected with nearby cities and states by means of road, rail and air transportation facilities, including Maharana Pratap Airport.
How to reach : Delhi to Udaipur distance if ~650 kms.
1. Driving to Udaipur directly can be tiring unless you plan other places on the way & take overnight break, given you have enough time.
2. Train is a good option in terms of time & money. There is overnight train from Delhi to Udaipur. Overnight buses are also available.
3. Udaipur has airport, so one can also take direct flight.
Jaipur : Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, is one of the most visited cities by Tourists in India. Rajasthan is one of the most popular state for it's culture, art, heritage, geography, sand-dunes , Wildlife and a very different life. Most of the foreign tourists have Rajasthan as one of the main destinations in India apart from Kerala and Himalayan States. Jaipur being a capital city of the state has lot to offer for travellers and tourists coming to the state. Jaipur is also very well connected with capital city of India- Delhi. In fact, Jaipur is one of the favorite destination for Delhi/NCR people, especially during winters. This Photo Journey is sharing some of the exciting places to be explored and things to do in Jaipur.
How to reach : Delhi to Jaipur distance if ~280 kms.
1. Driving to Jaipur directly is very convenient and one can start early morning to have pleasant drive.
2. Bus is a good option in terms of time & money. Overnight buses are also available.
3. Jaipur also has airport, so one can also take direct flight.
Churu : After reading various posts about Churu & Ramgarh, lot of viewers have asked very questions in past – how to reach Churu, what’s good time to visit these place, any recommended place to stay, main things to see/explore or something which shouldn’t be missed when in Churu region of Rajasthan, India. All these questions make me think about the quality of my earlier posts :), but then I found reasons to justify it. Anyways, all my earlier posts were more about the experience of various places in Churu & Ramgarh and I hardly talked about the way I reached there etc.
How to reach Churu, Rajasthan - So we chose to drive from Delhi to Churu, but I don’t recommend that. Haryana roads are pathetic and frustrates you to the core. Although roads in Rajasthan are amazing. Since there is railway station is there in Churu, why not travel comfortably and hire a taxi for local commute. And in fact, try out local transport system to enjoy the trip in better way.
Bhangarh :
Pushkar
Pushkar is a beautiful town in Rajasthan state of India and is popular for it's annual international Came Fair in the month of November and that certainly makes it a good winter destination. Apart from Camel Fair, Pushkar has it's own character - it has a beautiful lake with World's only Brahma Temple (fact may have changed as some new temple of Brahma may have come up) and streets full of shops with Rajasthani crafts and interesting food options. A perfect town to walk around and get a feel of Rajasthani culture and lifestyle.
How to reach Pushkar, Rajasthan - So we chose to drive for sure. Roads in Rajasthan are amazing. Since there is railway station is there in Ajmer, why not travel comfortably and hire a taxi for local commute. And in fact, try out local transport system to enjoy the trip in better way. Overnight buses are also available for Pushkar from Delhi and you can also find sleeper buses for best comfort.
Ranthambore (3 Days)
Ranthambore is one of the most popular Tiger reserves in the country and especially in Rajasthan state of India. I experienced my first Tiger sighting in Ranthambore and there is a lot of explore apart from Tigers for sure.
How to reach Ranthambore, Rajasthan :
Train is most convenient way to reach Ranthambore as Sawai Madho Singh Railway station is very close-by. If you are a reasonable group to commute from Delhi or other surrounding cities, Tempo traveler can also be a good option.
Sariska National Park
Sariska is another nearby place and if you enjoy driving without feeling tired, Sariska can also be planned in a day from Delhi. I have done that once with my office friends. Although I recommend to plan for 2 days, so that its relaxed and you experience the place well. While coming back from Sariska, one can visit Siliserh Lake . Sariska is a wildlife sanctuary although tiger sighting is rare but you can enjoy varieties of birds and other wildlife animals.
How to reach Sariska from Delhi : Road is best way to reach Sariska from Delhi. Distance is around 200 kms and one can reach there in 4.5 hrs.
SurajGarh is one of the beautiful towns of jhunjhunu region of Rajasthan state of India. Instead we write again about the place, do check out the link and you would also find details about how to reach Surajgarh and places to stay etc.
A Weekend Trip to Bharatpur, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri :
Winters is best time to plan road trips in North India and especially if you are in Delhi, there are highways which make your travel even more relaxing. Destinations around one of the best roads around Delhi are Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Taj Expressway makes the drive super quick and comfortable and in a weekend you can explore these places. If you like relaxed vacations/outings, you can chose any 2 of these options. Please do check out links below to know about specific details about these places. Ideal sequence can be : explore Taj early in the morning on first day, move to Fatehpur Sikri and then stay in Bharatpur. Start you day early as birds are more visible during early mornings. Spend time as per your choice and leave back for Delhi.
1. Agra
2. Bharatpur
3. Fatehpur Sikri
Sultanpur (for Birding opportunities)
Sultanpur is one of the closest Bird Sanctuaries around Delhi and it's even closer to folks in Gurgaon. A day road trip is more than enough of Sultanpur during Winters. Try to chose a clear day, so that you locate distant birds as well.
Sultanpur is another close-by wetland where you can plan a day trip and enjoy watching migratory birds. It's even closer to folks in Gurgaon. Above map shows the location, distance and time to reach Sultanpur from Delhi and other parts of National Capital Region.
Birding Paradise - Pong Dam (for Birding opportunities and more)
Winters and Wetlands together ring a bell when we think about birding opportunities in North India. In the past, we have shared about birds and the wetland experiences from different parts of the country, but one of the lesser known wetland with brilliant birding opportunities is Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh. We have shared multiple times about Pond Dam and its birds, but we never shared about planning a birding trip to Pong Dam and other important places to explore around this beautiful place in Himachal Pradesh.
Where is Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh and how to reach there?
Pong dam is part of Kangra district region of Himachal Pradesh which has Punjab on other side. It has moderate hills and a huge lake which makes it a perfect place for migratory birds. One can see thousands of bar headed geese and cormorants at same time. Without digressing much on this let's talk about how to reach Pong Dam from Delhi.
If we are talking about weekend trip, I highly recommend taking overnight Volvos (the ones which go to Kangra, Dharmshala, Palampur or Baijnath) and chose the same while coming back.
Nagrota Suriyan is the place for which you need to book the bus. Not all Volvo buses go to Nagrota Suriyan and Volvo can be booked for only selected stops. So what you need to do is book your ticket for Kangra. When you board the bus, talk to your bus conductor and inform that you want to go to Nagrota Suriyan, so that he remembers to drop you at right place if bus is not going to Nagrota Suriyan. From the place, where they would drop you, you have 2 options - wait for next bus towards Nagrota Suriyan or take taxi. You will find taxis around the place you get down.
Chandigarh : Chandigarh is one of the few planned cities of India and a union territory. Apart from that Chandigarh is also a capital city of Punjab and Haryana states of India. The city is certainly very beautiful and there are quite a few things worth exploring in the city. At times, folks also plan a visit to nearby hill station Kasauli, although planning a winter visit to Kasauli may not be a great idea though Chandigarh is still a place worth considering for road-trip from Delhi during winters. While on the highway, you may also want to take a stop at Murthal for paranthas with white butter ( a hyped thing but still worth a try :) )
1 Day Agra Trip from Delhi
At times I have seen people thinking about Taj Mahal & Jaipur over a weekend. Initially I was little surprised, but when I talked more I understood their viewpoints. People visiting Delhi for work and have a weekend, they certainly want to explore Taj Mahal and Jaipur is something where everybody wants to visit & see the grand forts of Rajasthan. If it’s a long weekend with holiday on Friday or Monday, the plan makes even more sense. For such plans, one need to be really passionate about exploring places and in such cases, you just find reasons to celebrate the places on the way and don’t worry much about places to spend nights. In this post, I am trying to share a reasonable travel-guide for folks who are keen on exploring Taj Mahal and Jaipur over a weekend.
Distance estimates :
Delhi to Agra - ~235 km
Agra to Jaipur - ~240 km
Jaipur to Delhi - ~270 km
Local commute within Jaipur - ~50km
Haridwar
Shimla used to be summer capital of Britishers while it doesn't disappoint in winters as well. In fact you can be lucky to see snowfall if visiting during Jan end or Feb beginning. Christmas is also a time when Shimla sees snowfall but certainly all unpredictable and varies from one year to another.
And there is a lot of to do in Shimla. For more you may want to check out the link above.
How to reach Shimla from Delhi - There are few ways and self-drive can be very interesting option expect that traffic in Shimla town can disappoint you and for local sightseeing you may still need to opt for local cab.
There are overnight & day-time Volvo/Scania luxury buses, These are semi-sleeper and comfortable.
One can also chose to take train to Kalka and then take toy-train from Kalka to Shimla, which is heritage railway line. It may take more time but depends what kind of priorities you have while travelling.
There is airport near Shimla but flights can be expensive unless you plan in advance.
And there is a lot of to do in Shimla. For more you may want to check out the link above.
How to reach Shimla from Delhi - There are few ways and self-drive can be very interesting option expect that traffic in Shimla town can disappoint you and for local sightseeing you may still need to opt for local cab.
There are overnight & day-time Volvo/Scania luxury buses, These are semi-sleeper and comfortable.
One can also chose to take train to Kalka and then take toy-train from Kalka to Shimla, which is heritage railway line. It may take more time but depends what kind of priorities you have while travelling.
There is airport near Shimla but flights can be expensive unless you plan in advance.
Mcleodganj for experiencing the Budhism culture :
Dharmshala & Mcleodganj have been very popular Hill Stations in Himlayan State of India (Himachal Pradesh) and it's more popular now because of wonderful Cricket Stadium there.
Palampur is another interesting place, which is not as commercialized as Mcleodganj is. Palampur is rich in terms of natural beauty and also known as Tea Estate of North India. Wonderful landspaces with snow covered hills of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges and widely spread Tea gardens. There is a famous temple on the way from Dharmshala to Palampur - Chamunda Devi !
Dharmshala & Mcleodganj have been very popular Hill Stations in Himlayan State of India (Himachal Pradesh) and it's more popular now because of wonderful Cricket Stadium there.
Palampur is another interesting place, which is not as commercialized as Mcleodganj is. Palampur is rich in terms of natural beauty and also known as Tea Estate of North India. Wonderful landspaces with snow covered hills of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges and widely spread Tea gardens. There is a famous temple on the way from Dharmshala to Palampur - Chamunda Devi !
Overnight Buses can be best option unless you want to self-drive or go in a taxi. Nearest train is either in Una or Pathankot. There is early morning flight from Delhi to Gaggal, which relatively close to Dharmshala/Mclepdganj.
Lucknow has it's own charm because of it's heritage, culture, food and a unique lifestyle of people around this part of the country.
There is good connectivity between Delhi and Lucknow through trains and aeroplanes. One can also find luxury buses or drive on one of the finest highways in the country.
There is good connectivity between Delhi and Lucknow through trains and aeroplanes. One can also find luxury buses or drive on one of the finest highways in the country.
If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -
1. Manage your waste well and don’t litter Use dustbins.
2. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.
3. Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.
4. Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.
5. Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite
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