10 Best Places To Visit In India During Winter

We don’t quite realize how fast time has flown past us until we find ourselves bidding farewell to summer and welcoming winters in India. It is then we realize how we are on the verge of winter and the beginning of the end of another beautiful year. We don’t experience much of a winter in Bombay, Bangalore, Hyderabad, or any South Indian Regions but North and North-East India are the main parts where you can experience chilling winters.

Shorter days and longer nights. A transition from cold lassi to piping hot coffee. Finally put the soft, oversized hoodies that had been tucked away to use. Cuddling up in a warm, fluffy blanket. Christmas. Hot chocolate. Holidays. No one can deny the magic of wintery nights. But the best part about winter will always be traveling. With the weather so pleasant, take a trip anywhere you like in India to enjoy the winters. Not a fan of cold and want to go someplace comfortably cool? No issues. Love cold and want to go someplace where it snowfalls? No issues. Living in cold areas and want to enjoy soothing warm weather? No Issues. India’s winter offers you a plethora of options.

Also see: Coldest Places in India

You can enjoy snowfall as well as beaches in India during winter. Following is a list of places you can take a trip to this winter.

Best Place to Visit in Winter Season in India

This is the list of best places to visit in India in the winter season. You can enjoy the sun in chilling winters and fun activities in the snow.

1. Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh in winter

This beautiful state has quite a few interesting places to visit during the winter. The top three are Shimla, Manali, and Dharamshala.

They promise the stunning scenery of tall, snow-clad mountains with lots of curvy roads and adventurous driving. There is scope for a lot of adventure sports like ice skating, paragliding, mountaineering, etc. Witness the picturesque and culturally rich blend of Tibetan and Hindu thought in Dharmshala, where quite a few from all over the world go to find their quiet.

Also see: Best Places For Paragliding In India

Himachal Pradesh also has the beautiful town of Dalhousie with its ancient and interesting infrastructure and beautiful scenery.

2. Darjeeling

places to visit in winter

Darjeeling is a wonderful destination for a winter vacation, nestled in the hills of the Indian state of West Bengal. This place is known for its breathtaking views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains. It offers a peaceful and scenic retreat for travelers seeking a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. The cool winter weather adds to the charm of this hill station, making it an ideal spot for those who enjoy crisp, refreshing air and cozy moments by the fireplace.

Visitors can explore the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, take a stroll through vibrant tea gardens, and savor the distinct flavor of Darjeeling tea. The Mall Road, with its shops and eateries, provides a perfect setting for leisurely walks and shopping for local handicrafts. With its unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and pleasant weather, Darjeeling is a perfect winter haven for holidaymakers of all ages.

Also see: Dawki Camping Complete Guide

3. Jammu and Kashmir

kashmir to visit in winter

They don’t call Jammu and Kashmir paradise on earth for no reason. Mostly visited in summer due to harsh weather conditions, Kashmir is even more breathtakingly beautiful in winter.

Kashmir promises you lots of
snowfall, beautiful gardens, and Shakira rides over the Dal Lake. It also has a lot of other possibilities for fun like skiing and walking over a frozen river, trekking, camping, etc. The state is also well known for its cable cars.

Jammu, the winter capital of the state, is visited for its temples like the Raghunath temple, museums like Amar Mahal Palace Museum, etc. This state also gives us Leh-Ladakh with its monasteries, palaces, and many tourist attractions like an ice trek, or Pangong lake, and other chances to camp along the way.

4.  Delhi

delhi to visit in winters

The capital state of Delhi is known to be very pleasant in winter with temperatures going as down as 2 degrees Celsius and is full of many opportunities for families and friends to relax and enjoy.

Delhi has monumental places to see like
the Red Fort, The Qutub Minar, India Gate, Jama Masjid, etc. Delhi is also very well known all over for its delightful street food and amazing shopping markets all over the streets like Sarojini Nagar etc. The city also has other places to visit such as Humayun’s tomb, National Rail Museum, National Gallery of Art, etc.

5. Uttarakhand

uttarakhand to visit in winters

Uttarakhand, also known as the adventure capital of the country has a lot of famous and old national parks and sanctuaries with opportunities for safaris and seeing tigers, elephants, etc.

The state also has many ancient temples and mountain peaks to climb up to for the perfect views.

Uttarakhand also has
Auli which is very popularly known as a paradise for skiing fans due to the presence of Mana Parvat, Neelkant, and Nandadevi and it also has Asia’s longest cable car.

Nanital is also a popular tourist destination that attracts lots of visitors in winter. It is surrounded by Himalayan ranges and gets too cold in winter.

Rishikesh, in Uttarakhand also gives people the chance to engage in adventure sports like rafting, bungee jumping, cliff jumping, etc. Uttarakhand also appeals to its peace lovers and romantics through Chopta which offers a brilliant panoramic view and just has love in the air. Binsar also offers a terrific view of sky-peeking mountains that are almost above the clouds in the sky.

6. Daman and Diu 

daman and diu in winters

Daman and Diu provide travelers with some of the most stunning virgin beaches, like Nagoa Beach to visit in the winter with very pleasant weather. It is a very popular honeymoon destination due to its beach festivals and bonfires along the beaches etc.

Diu hosts
Festa de Diu which is Asia’s longest beach festival.

 7. Goa

goa in winters

Goa has its most interesting events planned for the winter month. Sunburn festival, Film festival, EDM parties, New Year’s Eve Parties, and numerous beach parties around Anjuna Beach. It is also referred to as the Las Vegas of India because it just also happens to be the perfect place for gamblers with its high-end, posh-to-cheap, and shady casinos. Old Goa also has the prettiest Christmas celebrations.

Goa also has other tourist attractions like
Arpora which is its night market, water sports like windsurfing, parasailing, etc. Goa also seems to be the perfect place for the party animals with its happening clubs like TITOS club and bars and such near Baga beach, Calangute beach and Anjuna beach.

8. Andaman and Nicobar islands

Scuba Diving Andaman
Source: aroundtheglobeholidays.in

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are usually very warm and humid with temperatures up to as high as 37 degrees. However, the temperature goes down in the winter and makes it very pleasant, It is cold but not too cold.

Andaman and Nicobar islands are very
famously known for beaches like Elephant and Long Island, one of the most beautiful beaches Radhanagar beach along Havelock island.

Andaman and Nicobar also have a very famous cellular jail,
Kaala Pani where Indian prisoners were kept by the colonizers. The islands also have a lot of fun activities like snorkeling, bird watching, walking underwater, trekking, jet skiing, surfing etc.

9. Gujarat

gujrat in winters

The best time to visit Gujarat is somewhere between November to March i.e., the winter months. Gujarat has the Rann of Kutch which is known as the largest salt desert in the world. Another place to see is called Rann ki Pav which is a palace built in ancient times. It is pleasant to visit this place in the winter over summer.

The hometown of Krishna, Dwarka is also found here. Gujarat is also known for its very famous Gir National Park. A must-see place for religious people is Somnath temple which has been visited by millions of people all over India for years now.

Ahmedabad also is famous for the
Sabarmati Ashram which is where Mahatma Gandhi planned a lot of his freedom movements before independence.

10. Rajasthan

travel Rajasthan in winters

Rajasthan is more on the colder side compared to a lot of other places people like to visit, with the temperature mostly between 10 to 30 degrees and sometimes going as low as – 2 degrees in some places.

Mewar is one of Rajasthan’s most culturally rich places. Further, there are also other places like Mount Abu, Pushkar, Jaipur, Udaipur since all of these places have lots of festivals going on during the winter season.

People also like to visit the
Keoladeo National Park to observe the migratory birds during winter. There are also the sand dunes in Jaisalmer, Jawai leopard camp, Kumbalgarh festival, Bishnoi village, Bikaner which are very popular amongst tourists.

Read more: Best New Year Destinations In India

With the end of the year upon us, it is the perfect time to take trips with family and friends to celebrate and bond before as we get ready to say goodbye to another year. Remember to check the temperature of your destination and pack warm clothes accordingly. Go prepared with coats, mufflers, gloves, and beanies. It is better to keep away from places that are freezing cold in case of respiratory and other health problems. So pack your beloved ones up and set out! What are you waiting for?

Expert Answers to FAQs

Q. Where should I go in December in India?

A. December in India has many options to travel. In fact, December is the best time to explore India. You can visit the coastal areas as well as the snowy mountains in December. If you want to explore the desserts of India, December is the best time to explore Thar and Rann of Kutch.
Goa, Pondicherry, Rann of Kutch, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, and Kashmir are the best places to go in December in India.

Q. What are the best places to visit North India during winter?

A. Khajjihar, Shimla, Manali, Dhanaulti, Chakrata, Chopta, Chamba, Parvati Valley, Munsiyari, Tehri Garhwal, and many more are the best places to visit in north India during winter.

Q. What are the best places to visit in February in India?

Goa, Mount Abu, Udaipur, Nainital, Jaipur, Gangtok, Darjeeling, and Vaishno Devi are the best places to visit in February in India.

Q. What are the places to visit in December in India for a honeymoon?

A. There are many beautiful places in India to visit in December for a Honeymoon. Kerela and Andaman & Nicobar are the best places to visit in December in India for Honeymoon. But these places are very crowded. If you want to enjoy your honeymoon alone and in Peace, go to Meghalaya, Gangtok, Darjeeling, and Kashmir.

Q. Does it snow in Nainital in December?

Q. Yes, Nainital experiences snowfall in the last week of December to the first week of January. You can watch snowfall in Nainital in some places such as ChinaPeak, Killbery, & TiffinTop. Due to climate change, sometimes it does not happen at all. So, it completely depends upon your luck and weather conditions to experience snow in Nainital.