These Stunning Photos of India Will Inspire You To Go To The Hills Right Away!

If you are bored at your desk or have been looking for some inspiration to get out of your home, you have come to the right place. In this post, we’ll take you through some of the best captures of the destinations in India. Beware: some of them being unbelievably stunning! So come with us as if we take you through the Indian hill stations for summer through the pictures.

The Himalayas

India is gifted with one of the most astounding mountain ranges in the world – The Himalayas. It stretches for more than 2,000km through states in the north to east India. It is the abode for the souls seeking quaintness, solitude, peace, beauty, and joy. For the adventure seekers, the towering mountain ranges including the likes of the Dronagiri and K2 beckons, offering themselves to be conquered, but not without challenging people to their limits.

These are some of the pictures from various states that speaks, well, a thousand words!

Divine calling

A view from one of the remote temples located atop the mountains of Uttarakhand. The gorgeous valleys and the misty air coupled with the clouds that seem so close and no sign of civilization anywhere nearby – Isn’t it what travel dreams are made of?

Every stone has a story untold

In case you thought these stones are just a way of having fun, then you are wrong. These stone structures are little temple themselves or Pagodas as the Buddhists call them, and known by different names in the various provinces of the Himalayas. The Buddhists believe that arranging it this way on top of one another brings them luck and good fortune, along with inducing positivity and harmony in the air, which they believe would multiply to keep all the living beings in the universe well. It’s so deep, profound and a kind act, right? And what better to place to spread good vibes than the peak of the gorgeousness of the Himalayas!

Blue is the colour

A magnificent view of Pangong So lake, located in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir state. Once a hidden gem, today it attracts thousands of travelers who come to witness the shade of blue that matches with a clear sky, with the snow-capped Himalayan peaks as the backdrop. As enigmatic as it looks, Pangong is every nature lover’s delight.

Mount Dronagiri, Uttarakhand

Having a chance to witness the spectacle of the mighty Dronagiri peak that stands in the upper Himalayas is the wish of every trekker going through Kuari Pass, a remote stretch of land discovered by a foreign officer, which is covered with snow in winter. People opt for this trek starting from Joshimath to reach the villages to view the Dronagiri mountain ranges.

Well, the good news is even if you can’t see this during the summer for some reason, you can go to Joshimath or Auli, which is about 16km far to indulge in skiing. End the trip by driving through the narrow roads flanked by snowflakes and hike up the villages to get a view of Mt. Nanda Devi, one of the most revered mountains of Uttarakhand.

A life in the day of kids in a remote village in Himachal

These kids don’t seem to mind the fact there are on a narrow highway on the curves of a hill sprinkled with snow. And the make-shift wooden wicket and the bat only tells us how much cricket means to these kids who are enjoying without any worry even as the mountains covered with snow lurk behind. If you are still wondering, these things happen only in the secluded streets in the Himalayas!

In India’s Switzerland

There is a reason why Kashmir is called a paradise. Its valleys laden with tall pine, oak and cedar trees that seem to stretch forever as long as your eyes behold makes you fall in love with them instantly. Streams make their way through hills that finally join the rivers that have formed due to the melted glaciers in the upper Himalayas where humans can’t reach. People trek to lakes adjoining the snow peaks that are secluded up and away. Tarsar Marsar lake – the turquoise blue lake is the favorite among trekkers, along with the Great Kashmir Lakes trek.

Even if you don’t trek, head to the valleys of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar to bask in the views of India’s Switzerland.

Away from the city, there is my home in the hills

Say people in the villages inhabiting the mountains of the Himalayas. Many move to cities with dreams in their eyes. Many stay and a few come back. Well, some never leave because they simply can’t call anything as their home.

For those in the cities though, it’s a different story. They seek solitude and peace in the mountains, hidden hills, and valleys. So if you belong to the later, think less and just head to the mountains. Who knows what you might find?

Mirror or a river?

In a town called Dawki in the state of Meghalaya northeast India lies a river called Wah Umngot bordering India and Bangladesh. It is actually a lake to be precise. The water is so crystal clear and clean that you can see the bottom, and the blue colour only adds to it brilliance. Since the photos of the stunningly clear lake starting doing the rounds on the internet, it caught the attention of travelers in India and abroad, resulting in many people escaping there during the summer.

So why do you want to leave behind? Pack your bag to discover it for yourself along with the living root bridges, the giant waterfalls and the laid back Shillong in your journey to Meghalaya.

Tiger Hill

In Darjeeling, sunrise is magical every day. People flock with their gears, woollen clothes and gloves and gather on Tiger Hill, from where you can see two of the tallest mountains in the world – Mt. Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga, as the morning sun bathes them in vivid shades of yellow and red. Located about 11km from Darjeeling, it is also the summit of Ghoom, the highest railway station of Darjeeling, which is also a UNESCO heritage site. Head there to beat the heat and witness the views of the majestic peaks of the mightiest mountains.

The Deccan Odyssey – Of Nilgiris, tea gardens and lakes

Tea isn’t just a plantation

While the Himalayas rule the north of India, the Sahaydris and the Nilgiris attract the travelers with their own unique charm. While white is the predominant colour in the northern hills, it’s lush green that carpets the mountains and the valleys. And tea plantations are just a crop, but the crown of the hills in tea growing regions of Munnar, Conoor and Wayanad.

A walk amidst these plantations surrounded by hills covered by mist is a perfect way to get away from the hot cities. The best part is these places don’t dig too deep into your pockets.

When rocks become pillars

Kodaikanal, the highest peak in the Palani hills range is a hill station that’s cool almost every month of the year. What makes it dramatic is the mist that clouds the streets, hills and the entire valley, turning into a heavenly place. Tourists arrive in big numbers during the summer, but you can still find your sweet spot with a little quest to enjoy the blue colored valley of Palani hills engulfed in mist.

These are called Pillar rocks, a famous viewpoint in Kodaikanal. They say that there is a cave amidst the pillar, where humans haven’t set foot. This is infamous for the many suicides that used to occur before they raised barricades. Barricades or not, check this out when the sun is out to witness the dance of mist with these pillar rocks.

Who said Nilgiris is all about mountains?

The dense forests of the Nilgiris mountain are home to many freshwater lakes that are hidden in the hills. Some of them are touristy like the iconic Kodai Lake, which is in the city centre. But attracting many visitors doesn’t fade the charm of this lake, which looks resplendent with mist almost touching the waters. If you want to find a lake totally surrounded by lush green reserve forest, head to Berijam Lake. It can be reached by Jeeps run by the forest department of Kodaikanal.

A toy train isn’t just for kids!

Ooty is probably one of the most overrated hill stations of south India. It is beautiful of course, but you can’t miss how everything is commercialized and how you are constantly bugged by touts for buying tours. But skip these and find your own paradise in the terraced hills slightly away from the main town. And no matter how touristy the toy train ride is, hop on the train to pamper your inner child!

Do you need any more inspiration to know how gorgeous the hills stations in India are? Pick one and pack your bags now! Let us know how your trip was!

Check out this exclusive post to find the top 24 destinations you should visit this summer

Also, for a quick help regarding planning, travel tips and guidance from local experts, download Talk Travel, a free mobile app that will let you call & talk with travel experts from across the world. You don’t have to worry about planning or things to do. All you have to do is ask the local experts! Go ahead and click on the links to download on your Android and iOS mobiles.