Wanderlust! This has probably become the latest anthem of most people in India.
Well, I blame the movie ‘yen jawani hai deewani’!
But, if you truly want an experience that might change you for good, we have the answer for you!
Here, with these below mentioned 7 best places in India, we are giving you a reason to pack your bags and leave for a solo trip now!
1. Shimla
The summer capital of brits India, Shimla is undoubtedly one of the most popular hill stations of India.
If you want to see a beautiful mix of nature and a well-planned town then, Shimla should be on the top of your list.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
Dorje Drak Monastery, Lakkad Bazaar, Seven Hills, Tattapani, Kufri, Mashobra, Fagu,Rothney Castle, Himalayan Bird Park are some of the major tourist attractions of Shimla .
However, if you start hunting for more places to visit here, you will not be disappointed.
· When to visit?
Well, even though the beauty of Shimla can be admired throughout the year, the months between September to June are considered to be the most satisfy period for the travelleres.
· Where to stay?
You can easily find places of accommodation like star studded hotels to lodges in Shimla for any budget. However, during peak seasons especially winters, finding a good hotel can be troubling.
· How to get there?
It is possible to reach Shimla by air, road and rail as well.
If you are planning to go to Shimla by air from a major city in India then, many domestic flights go to jubbarhatti which is an airport in Shimla.
You can visit Shimla in your car or bike via national highways that are connected through New Delhi and Chandigarh.
It isn’t possible to take a direct train to Shimla from major city. You will have to take a train from your state to Kalka which is the nearest station to Shimla. You will then have to board a train from Kalka to Shimla station.
2. Leh-ladakh
If you want to visit a place that is not only an epitome of beauty but is rich with different cultures at the same time then, you need to visit Leh-ladakh and experience all its glory first hand.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
Panging lake, Gravity hill, Tsomoriri lake, Lamayuru Monastery, Shey monastery, Kargil, Tso Kar Lake, Thiksey Monastery, Khardungla pass, Hemis National Park are some of the places you shouldn’t miss when you visit leh-ladakh.
· When to visit?
Unarguably, the best time to visit this place is from May to July. However, apart from these months September and October is another favourable time to visit Leh-ladakh.
If you are one of those adventurous types, then you should visit here between November and April to experience trekking to its fullest.
· Where to stay?
Hotels, lodges and small cottages fitting all budgets can be found here.
· How to get there?
Basically, there are two major routes through which you can visit Leh-ladakh.
You can either go through the route of manali-leh via kellong or jispa or jammu-shrinagar-kargil-leh by air or by road. Whatever you are most comfortable with!
3. Goa
Trust us, goa is so much more than just a party hub of India. Not that, there is anything wrong with it!
But, Goa can promise you a lot more than that including a surreal taste of the Portuguese culture, beautiful beaches, an incredible nightlife and much more.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
When we talk about goa, the amazing list of beaches that it has including Kerim Beach, Morjim Beach, Baga Beach, Colva Beach, etc always come to mind.
however, apart from the beaches, Basilica of Bom Jesus Fort Aguada, Chapora fort, Arvalem Waterfall, Dona Paula,Mangeshi Temple, Dudhsagar Falls, Naval Aviation Museum and Arpora Night Market,etc are some of the places you should miss when you come here.
· When to visit?
It might seem evident that goa can be visited at any time of the year due to its vast popularity. However, this isn’t quite true.
If you truly want to celebrate goa then, you should definitely visit it during the winters. From the months of October to march not only weather is pleasant but also different festivals and events held during this time attract tourists from all over the world.
However, if you love the monsoons and not the parties then, the months between Junes to September would be perfect for you. During this time you can experience the goa abundance of natural beauty.
· Where to stay?
Goa can be a little on the pricey side when it comes to accommodation.
Here, you can easily find guest houses, resorts, hotels or beach shacks, etc. you can also find backpacking hostels that could be relatively cheaper for you.
· How to get there?
You can easily reach goa by any means of transport.
If you are travelling to goa by air then, you can take a flight from major cities to dabolim airport. From there, you can take either a taxi or a bus to your destination.
If you are travelling by road then, you can reach goa from any major city. Go is very well connected by road.
There are four major rail heads by which you can access goa easily. They are the Margaon Railway Station, Vasco-da-Gama Railway Station, Thivim Railway Station and, Karmali Railway Station. From here, you can always opt for local taxis or buses to reach your main destination.
4. Darjeeling
Covered in the amidst of nature and history, Darjeeling is a hill town that ois going to make you fall in love with it.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
When you visit Darjeeling Batasia Loop,Rock Garden,Japanese Peace Pagoda,Tiger Hill,Nightingale Park are some of the places you shouldn’t miss. Apart from these the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway journey is an absolutely divine experience in itself.
· When to visit?
The best time to visit Darjeeling is between the months of February and March. Also the months from September to December are quite ideal for witnessing the beauty of Darjeeling.
· Where to stay?
Hotels and local lodges suiting all budgets can be found here.
· How to get there?
If you plan on going to Darjeeling by train then, you can take a train to New Jalpaiguri from any major city and then take toy train from there to Darjeeling.
In order to reach Darjeeling by air, you can a flight to bagdogra airport and then hire a taxi for Darjeeling from there.
There are many bus services that go to Darjeeling from cities like siliguri, kurseong and kalimpong. You can also drive to Darjeeling via these cities.
5. Udaipur
Udaipur, the first capital of mewar and the current epitome of beauty is one city that you do not want to miss!
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
Lake Pichola, Lake Garden Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli, Shilpgram, Saheliyon Ki Bari, etc are some of the places you should definitely visit in Udaipur. Apart from all the beautiful places in Udaipur, there are quite a lot of beauty around this city including Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Mount Abu,etc
· When to visit?
In order to make the most out of Udaipur, visiting it during September to march is recommended.
· Where to stay?
Even though accommodation can be quite expensive in Udaipur, you can easily find hotels in Udaipur.
· How to get there?
There are quite a few express trains that go to Udaipur including the Bandar-Udaipur SF Express, Gwalior-Udaipur Express, Chetak Express, Mewar Express, etc.
If you want to visit Udaipur by road then, you can take the national highway 8 from Delhi or Mumbai.
By air, you can take a flight from any major city to the Maharani Pratap Airport and then take bus or a local taxi to reach your destination. However, as a solo traveller you can always cut down on expenses by hunting for Yatra coupons on transportation as well as hotels.
6. Varanasi
The next city on our list is the holy city, Varanasi or Banaras of uttarpradesh.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
Manikarnika Ghat, Assi Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyan Vapi Well, Ramnagar Fort & Museum, Chunar Fort, Dashashwamedh Ghat are some of the gems of Varanasi that you need to visit to get the taste of Varanasi.
· When to visit?
The best time to visit Varanasi is during the winters preferably from November to February.
· Where to stay?
Here, you will easily find guest houses and featured hotels that are going to ensure a great stay for you.
· How to get there?
By air, you can take flights from major cities like Mumbai and Delhi to the Varanasi airport. You can even hire buses that go straight to Varanasi or even drive there by yourself. Apart from these, many express trains go to Varanasi.
7. Hampi
Located in the central Karnataka, hampi is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO and all its glory shall be justified once you visit this beauty.
· Places you shouldn’t miss!
Daroji Bear Sanctuary, Krishna Temple, Hemakuta Hill Temples, Underground Temple, Queen’s Bath, Royal Enclosure, Vijaya Vittala Temple, Archaeological Museum,etc are some of the places to visit in hampi.
· When to visit?
The best time to visit hampi is during the winters preferably between November and February.
· Where to stay?
Even though you’ll find a quite a few hotels in hampi, they aren’t of good quality. You can find better hotels and resorts in hospet instead.
· How to get there?
Hospet is the closest railway station to hampi. There are a lot of trains that that go to hospet from goa and Bangalore. Also a lot of buses and taxis go to hospet from Karnataka, goa and Bangalore. Once you reach hospet, you can take an autoricksahw to hampi.
Going on a solo trip, isn’t all that easy. Let’s just admit that unless you have some money saved up in your bank account, solo trip can be quite daunting.
But, now that we have given you our curated list of best places to visit alone, what are you waiting for?