Come summers and most of us will start making plans for that perfect Indian summer holiday where we can step away from the scorching heat and enjoy a cool retreat in the hills. Before the mercury starts rising, gather your travel companions and make your way to a dreamy destination where you can enjoy the pleasant weather, explore interesting sights, and indulge in fun activities. Here are our recommendations from a mix of off-beat and popular summer destinations you can consider for the ultimate vacation of 2021.
- Coonoor: A picturesque haven snuggled in the Nilgiris, Coonoor is the second largest hill station in the Western Ghats. An offbeat summer holiday destination, it is blessed with lush tea estates, manicured hills, and charming colonial structures.
Ideal Duration: 2 days
How to Reach: While Coonoor does not have its airport, you can fly to the closest domestic airport which is in Coimbatore at a distance of about 45 km. - Gangtok: The capital city of Sikkim, Gangtok is a popular tourist destination in North East India, thanks to its abundant natural beauty, peaceful monasteries, and adventurous trekking trails. Wreathed in clouds and carpeted with blooming rhododendrons, this hill station is a dynamic and breathtaking paradise.
Ideal Duration: 3 days
How to Reach: Travellers can fly to the recently opened Pakyong Airport, which is located at a distance of roughly 31 km south of Gangtok. - Kanatal: If you are someone seeking peace and solitude, then this beautiful hamlet in Uttarakhand will win you over with its calm ambience, salubrious weather and pristine beauty. Named after the Kanatal lake that once existed there, this pretty village is bestowed with majestic hills, fruit trees, lush forests and apple orchards.
Ideal Duration: 2 days
How to Reach: The best way to reach by air is by taking a flight to Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport that is about 32 km away from Kanatal. - Manali: Undoubtedly, the most well-known holiday destination on this list, Manali continues to attract tourists from far and wide. The perfect combination of thrilling adventure offering activities such as trekking, river rafting, paragliding, zorbing and soul-soothing natural wonders like snow-capped peaks, awe-inspiring glaciers, gushing blue streams, scenic flower meadows make it such a loved tourist haunt.
Ideal Duration: 4 days
How to Reach: Kullu Manali Airport in Bhuntar is the nearest airport at a distance of roughly 52 km from Manali and 11 km from Kullu. - Mount Abu: West India’s best entry to the list of summer holiday destinations in our country, Mount Abu in the Aravalli Range is the only hill station in Rajasthan. A must-visit destination for history and architecture enthusiasts, this refreshing oasis in the middle of a desert has age-old temples, dense green forests, gorgeous lakes and even waterfalls.
Ideal Duration: 2 days
How to Reach: The nearest domestic airport is in Udaipur which is about 185 km away from Mount Abu.
Book Your Summer Escape on IRCTC Air
Tired of browsing cheap air travel sites to get the best deals for your online air ticket booking? Switch to IRCTC Air today and get the best price on all your flight tickets without any hassle. Book an air ticket from Mumbai to Guwahati or from Delhi to Dehradun anytime using the IRCTC Air app and unlock exclusive benefits such as free air travel insurance, lowest convenience charge, multi-city booking, concessionary fares, and lots more. Book a summer retreat to an airport closest to your dream destination like the closest airport to Gulmarg, Manali, Coorg, or any other city in India in a matter of minutes. To get started, visit www.air.irctc.co.in or download the IRCTC Air app today.