Jammu and Kashmir
Srinagar is the largest city and the summer capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natural environment, gardens, waterfronts and houseboats
Tourist Attractions: Dal Lake, Shalimar Bagh, Tulip Garden, Pari Mahal and Chashme Shahi.
Best Time To Visit: April to October
Leh & Ladakh, a high-desert city in the Himalayas, is the capital of the Leh region in northern India’s Jammu and Kashmir state. Originally a stop for trading caravans, Leh is now known for its Buddhist sites and nearby trekking areas. Massive 17th-century Leh Palace, modeled on the Dalai Lama’s former home (Tibet’s Potala Palace), overlooks the old town’s bazaar and mazelike lanes
Tourist Attractions: Shanti Stupa, Tso Moriri Lake, Leh Palace, Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Hall of Fame Museum, White water rafting in Zanskar River and Spituk Monastery
Best Time To Visit: June to September
Himachal Pradesh
Shimla is the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan foothills. Once the summer capital of British India, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. It’s also known for the handicraft shops that line The Mall, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts
Manali is a high-altitude Himalayan resort town in India’s northern Himachal Pradesh state. It has a reputation as a backpacking center and honeymoon destination. Set on the Beas River, it’s a gateway for skiing in the Solang Valley and trekking in Parvati Valley. It's also a jumping-off point for paragliding, rafting and mountaineering in the Pir Panjal mountains, home to 4,000m-high Rohtang Pass
Tourist Attractions: Jakhoo Temple, The Ridge, Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla Heritage Museum, Christ Church, Solang Valley, Hidimba Devi Temple and Manali Sanctuary
Dharamshala is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by cedar forests on the edge of the Himalayas, this hillside city is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. The Thekchen Chöling Temple Complex is a spiritual center for Tibetan Buddhism, while the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives houses thousands of precious manuscripts.
Tourist Attractions: Namgyal Monastery, Kareri Dal Lake, Dharamshala Cricket Stadium, Kangra Fort and St. John In The Wilderness Church
Best Time To Visit: March to October
Rajasthan
Udaipur, formerly the capital of the Mewar Kingdom, is a city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559, it’s set around a series of artificial lakes and is known for its lavish royal residences. City Palace, overlooking Lake Pichola, is a monumental complex of 11 palaces, courtyards and gardens, famed for its intricate peacock mosaics
Tourist Attractions: City Palace, Jag Mandir, and Lake Palace
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. It evokes the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or “Pink City” for its trademark building color. At the center of its stately street grid (notable in India) stands the opulent, colonnaded City Palace complex. With gardens, courtyards and museums, part of it is still a royal residence.
Tourist Attractions: Hawa Mahal, Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal, Amer Fort, Man Sagar Lakeand Nahargarh Fort
Best Time To Visit: November to February
Jaisalmer is a former medieval trading center and a princely state in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, in the heart of the Thar Desert. Known as the "Golden City," it's distinguished by its yellow sandstone architecture. Dominating the skyline is Jaisalmer Fort, a sprawling hilltop citadel buttressed by 99 bastions. Behind its massive walls stand the ornate Maharaja's Palace and intricately carved Jain temples.
Tourist Attractions: Lakshman Jhula, Neelkantha Mahadev temple, Geeta Bhawan
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Goa
Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda.
Tourist Attractions: Dudhsagar Falls, Fort Aguada, Museum of Christian Art, Church of St Cajetan, Naval Aviation Museum, Casino, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Calangute Beach, Baga Beach and Anjuna Beach
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Uttarakhand
Nainital is a Himalayan resort town in the Kumaon region of India’s Uttarakhand state, at an elevation of roughly 2,000m. Formerly a British hill station, it’s set around Nainital Lake, a popular boating site with Naina Devi Hindu Temple on its north shore. A cable car runs to Snow View observation point (at 2,270m), with vistas over the town and mountains including Nanda Devi, Uttarakhand’s highest peak.
Tourist Attractions: Nainital Zoo, Naini Peak, Cave Garden, Hanuman Garhi, Jama Masjid Mosque, Boating at Nainital Lake, Ropeway ride and Birdwatching at Sattal.
Best Time To Visit: April to June and September to October
Rishikesh is a city in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River. The river is considered holy, and the city is renowned as a center for studying yoga and meditation. Temples and ashrams (centers for spiritual studies) line the eastern bank around Swarg Ashram, a traffic-free, alcohol-free and vegetarian enclave upstream from Rishikesh town.
Tourist Attractions: Lakshman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Triveni Ghat, River rafting, Bungee jumping, Paragliding
Best Time To Visit: Anytime of the year
Karnataka
Kodagu, also known as Coorg, is a rural district in the southwest Indian state of Karnataka. In the area’s north, Madikeri Fort has 2 life-size elephant statues at its entrance, plus a Gothic-style church with a museum on its grounds. Nearby, the Hindu Omkareshwara Temple dates back to the 19th century. Farther north are the domed Raja’s Tomb, a burial place of Kodava kings, and cascading Abbi Falls.,
Tourist Attractions: Abbey Falls, Nisargadhama, Irupu Falls, Madikeri Fort, Sri Omkareshwara Temple, Pushpagiri & Nagarhole National Park
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Tamil Nadu
Ooty (short for Udhagamandalam) is a resort town in the Western Ghats mountains, in southern India's Tamil Nadu state. Founded as a British Raj summer resort, it retains a working steam railway line. Other reminders of its colonial past include Stone House, a 19th-century residence, and the circa-1829 St. Stephen’s Church. Its 55-acre Government Botanical Garden lies on the slopes of Doddabetta Peak.
Tourist Attractions: Doddabetta Viewpoint, Rose Garden, Botanical Garden, St. Stephen’s Church and Pykara Lake
Best Time To Visit: October to June
Kodaikanal is a hill town in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s set in an area of granite cliffs, forested valleys, lakes, waterfalls and grassy hills. At 2,000 meters above sea level, the town centers around man-made, star-shaped Kodaikanal Lake, bordered by evergreen forest. Rowing boats can be hired, and hikers and cyclists follow the 5k Lake Road path around the shore.
Tourist Attractions: Kodaikanal Lake, Berijam Lake, Mannavanur Lake, Guna Cave and La Saleth Church
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Kerala
Alappuzha (or Alleppey) is a city on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It's best known for houseboat cruises along the rustic Kerala backwaters, a network of tranquil canals and lagoons. Alappuzha Beach is the site of the 19th-century Alappuzha Lighthouse. The city's Mullakkal Temple features a traditional design. Punnamada Lake's snake boat races are a well-known annual event.
Tourist Attractions: Vembanad backwaters, Pathiramanal, Krishnapuram Palace, Basilica of St. Mary, Marari Beach
Best Time To Visit: November to February
West Bengal
Darjeeling is a town in India's West Bengal state, in the Himalayan foothills. Once a summer resort for the British Raj elite, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train,” completed in 1881. It's famed for the distinctive black tea grown on plantations that dot its surrounding slopes. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, among the world’s highest peaks
Major Tourist Attractions: Batasia Loop, Himalayan Zoological Park, Peace Pagoda, Samsing, Bhutia Busty Monastery, Rock Garden Toy train, Monasteries at Mirik and Tiger Hill.
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Meghalaya
Shillong is a hill station in northeast India and capital of the state of Meghalaya. It’s known for the manicured gardens at Lady Hydari Park. Nearby, Ward’s Lake is surrounded by walking trails. North, the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures features displays on the region’s native people. Waterfalls include the Elephant Falls to the southwest. East of here, forested Shillong Peak offers city views.
Tourist Attractions: Mawlynnong, Shillong Peak, Ward’s Lake, Mawsynram, Lady Hydari Park and Don Bosco Museum
Best Time To Visit: September to May
Sikkim
Gangtok is the capital of the mountainous northern Indian state of Sikkim. Established as a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the 1840s, the city became capital of an independent monarchy after British rule ended, but joined India in 1975. Today, it remains a Tibetan Buddhist center and a base for hikers organizing permits and transport for treks through Sikkim’s Himalayan mountain ranges
Tourist Attractions: Rumtek Monastery, Tsomgo Lake, Ganesh Tok, Ban Jhakri Falls, Tinkitam Rayong and Do Drul Chorten
Best Time To Visit: September to June
Andaman
Havelock Island is part of Ritchie’s Archipelago, in India’s Andaman Islands. It’s known for its dive sites and beaches, like Elephant Beach, with its coral reefs. Crescent-shaped Radhanagar Beach is a popular spot for watching the sunset. On the island’s east side, rocky sections mark long, tree-lined Vijaynagar Beach. The island's forested interior is home to birdlife such as white-headed mynas and woodpeckers.
Tourist Attractions: Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach, Laxmanpur Beach, Vijaynagar Beach, Kalapathar Beach, Sitapur Beach
Best Time To Visit: November to May
Gujarat
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,674 km², it is the largest district of India. The population of Kutch is about 2,092,371. It has 10 Talukas, 939 villages and 6 Municipalities. The Kutch district is home to the Kutchi people who speak the Kutchi language.
Tourist Attractions: Prag Mahal, Kalo Dungar, Kutch Museum, Archaeological Museum and Vijaya Vilas Palace, White Desert, i.e., the Great Rann of Kutch, Mandvi Beach and Sharad Baug Park
Best Time To Visit: November to February
Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Tourist Attractions: Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Dhamek Stupa and Ramnagar Fort
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Agra is a city in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. It's home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth in 1631). The imposing main building features a massive dome and intricately carved white marble inlaid with precious stones. This is set behind a reflecting pool inside a courtyard defined by 4 minarets.
Tourist Attractions: Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Odisha
Puri is a city and a Municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, 60 kilometres south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar
Tourist Attractions: Shree Jagannath Temple, Gundicha Temple, Ramachandi Temple and Puri Beach
Best Time To Visit: October to February