Places that one can visit during winter in India

“With the thick layer of fog gradually covering the lanes, the winters                              are about to begin!”

While the rest of the world enjoys a deep sleep in their warm blankets, the globetrotters pack their                                       bags for an excursion. If you are also one of those who love to explore different places, especially

during the chilled weather, India is the best destination for you.

Goa

Loud night parties, crazy crowd and delectable dishes, everything that defines an electrifying atmosphere is
available in Goa. With Christmas Carnival and New Year Eve around the corner, the high spirits of Goa are
best displayed in winters. Be it a bash alfresco at the beach or a high profile get-together in a restaurant,

exuberance can be seen in every nook and corner of Goa.

Shimla

The cozy feel provided by the chilled weather turns the atmosphere romantic. So if in case you are looking for a romantic getaway, visit Shimla. This city is adorned with beautiful snow-clad mountains that make it the hottest destination for love couples.

Further, it’s not that the place is meant only for love birds; tourists seeking some thrill can also visit the city. Shimla is highly popular as a skiing destination and thus, entices adventurists from different parts of the globe.

Andaman

Completely different from Goa, Andaman is a place which is tailor-made for those who are looking for relaxation in the lap of Mother Nature. The tranquility of the place works as the main crowd puller. Besides serenity, travelers can enjoy exotic wildlife, especially the aquatic species.

In addition to this, visitors can also indulge in snorkeling and other water sports, so as to add some thrill to their vacation.

Auli

Located in Uttarakhand, Auli is a home to various perfect skiing slopes. An adventure junky would never miss a chance to visit this place, as the skiing experience offered at Auli is simply matchless. Though the trip to Auli is short, the experience earned provides memories that last forever.

Rajasthan:

Hitting the deserts in winter sounds like a wise idea! Let’s face it; the charm of Rajasthan can never fade, be it any time of the year. Ideal places to visit in Rajasthan winter months would be Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. A part of the Thar Desert, these glorious cities reflect the authentic culture of vivacious Rajasthan. These two cities have pleasant climate during the winters; so, while your friends swell with layers of woolen clothing, you can climb the sand dunes in t-shirt and a pair of jeans. A camel ride is a must along with watching puppet show and folk dance in Rajasthan.

Kerala:

You will not understand Kerala, until you visit this impeccable place. This southwestern state is like the Santa Claus’s gift bag! There is something for everyone here, beaches for the sun-worshippers, backwaters for the leisure-seekers, wildlife reserves for wildlife enthusiasts, hill stations for nature lovers, ayurveda massages for the rejuvenation of body and yoga for the peace of mind. One can choose the kind of holiday that he wants without being restricted to the limitation of options.

North East:

The winter sun is undoubtedly magical…especially if you are experiencing it in the eastern part of the country. Yes, North East India can be one of the best places for winter holiday in India. The emerald beauty glows brighter during the winter season and the warmth of hospitality can be clearly felt. Pelling, Gangtok, North Cachar Hills, Shillong and Lachung can be some of the best places to visit in North East. If you like adventure and want to try your hands at skiing, Phuni Valley and Lachung are the best place to go.

Lakshadweep:

If you don’t feel like spending your winter snuggling in a blanket, then trust me you don’t have to. Plan a holiday to Lakshadweep where you can, instead of getting draped in blankets and quilts, splash in the azure water! Situated about 300kms off the coast of Kerala, Lakshadweep is nothing short of an adventure island. Enjoy a dive into the crystal clear water of the Indian Ocean and watch the underwater life; you can even choose to get a harmless sun tan or enjoy water sports like yachting and kayaking.

Rann of Kutch:

Sprawling white desert! Ideal compensation for snow in winter! Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is the perfect place to visit in winter and I will definitely give the reason why. Well, during the monsoon season the salt in the area submerges in the water, it is only till November and December the complete area dries up again to become the white desertSo, it is advisable that one visits Rann of Kutch by mid-December; also it is that time of the year when Gujarat organizes the Rann Utsav. A camel ride on a moonlit night is a must here.

Gulmarg:

Adventure seekers, you cannot miss out on Gulmarg in winter season. This gorgeous winter destination in India is situated in Kashmir and is best known for skiing. I wouldn’t be boasting, if I didn’t have to but Gulmarg is truly a paradise for adventure freaks. During the winter season, the entire town of Gulmarg is blanketed with a thick layer of snow. The lofty mountains thus convert into a skiing arena. There are two points (Kongdori and Apparwath ridge) from where one can try skiing in Gulmarg and both these points are connected by a cable car called Gulmarg Gondola (Asia’s largest cable car project). The snow-clad town of Kashmir is indeed a perfect destination for a winter holiday in India.

Nainital:

This glistening town in Uttarakhand is amongst the most preferred winter destination in India. Like many North Indian hill stations, Nainital receives a good amount of snowfall, making it look even more stunning. The snow-covered city looks nothing short of fairyland and if you are a honeymoon couple couple, there can be no better place for you than this!

Manali:

Dressed in snow, Manali looks absolutely gorgeous! This beautiful hill station in Himachal Pradesh can give you oodles of reasons to be here. The breathtaking scenery enhanced by snow wins every visitors heart. Although, you will miss out on visiting Rohtang Pass (As it closes down in winter season), do not be dismayed because you have excellent places like Solang Valley, where you can go for skiing and other winter sports.

जयपुर और उदयपुर-

राजस्‍थान में स्थित जयपुर और उदयपुर अपनी कलात्‍मक और वास्‍तु सुंदरता के लिए जाने जाते हैं। उदयपुर में स्थित लेक पैलेस दुनिया के सबसे सुंदर स्‍थानों में से एक हैं। जयपुर में ही हवामहल भी है जो वास्‍तुकला का उत्‍कृष्‍ट उदाहरण माना जाता है।

कन्‍याकुमारी -

कन्‍याकुमारी को केप कोमोरिन के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। यहां पर हिंद महासागर, अरब सागर और बंगाल की खाड़ी के जल का मिलन होता है। यहां से दिखने वाला सूर्यास्‍त का दृश्‍य मनोरम होता है।

गोवा -

गोवा भारत का सबसे छोटा राज्‍य है जो कि समुद्री बीच के लिए जाना जाता है। यहां का सी-फूड, जल में खेले जाने वाले खेल इसे एक आनंद के स्‍थान के रूप में पहचान देते हैं। यहां स्थित अलोना का किला, गोवा म्‍यूजियम, चापोरा का किला अन्‍य पर्यटन आकर्षण हैं।

कश्‍मीर 

अपनी जीवंत सुंदरता के लिए कश्‍मीर दुनिया भर में प्रसिद्ध है। कश्‍मीर के दर्शनीय स्‍थलों में से श्रीनगर, गुलमर्ग, डलझील, नागिन झील, परी महल और पहलगाम है। अपनी सुरम्‍य वादियों और पहाड़ों पर बसे गांवों के लिए यह पर्यटकों के बीच अलग ही स्‍थान रखता है।

आगरा ऐतिहासिक इमारत ताजमहल के कारण आगरा हमेशा से ही पर्यटकों के आकर्षण का प्रमुख केंद्र है। राजनयिक सम्‍बन्‍धों के लिए भारत आने वाले मेहमान भी इसे देखने जरूर आते हैं। आगरा में ताजमहल के अलावा आगरा का किला, फतेहपुर सीकरी, अकबर का मकबरा, रामबाग और सिकंदर का किला दर्शनीय स्‍थलों में से हैं।

Places to See in Jaipur (Jaipur Tour)

Jaipur -  , the glistening Pink City, was founded by and named after Sawai Jai Singh II. It beckons tourists with a magnificent display of its royal Rajput heritage in its imposing forts and impressive palaces.

Added bonus is the warm hospitality of its colorful people and of course a plethora of handicrafts to shop for. Tourists can enjoy watching and participating in various festivals that Jaipur hosts-from the modern Jaipur Literary festival to the traditional Teej, Gangaur and Kite festival.

Summers are very hot in Jaipur, with temperature almost 45°C while the winters are cool and ideal to plan for a holiday, although the temperature may dip down to 8.3°C in winter.

Jaipur is well connected by Air with Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Trains are available from the states of Delhi, Agra, Mumbai , Chennai, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

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Places to See in Jaipur

Amer Fort

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Category : History & Culture Popularly known as Amber Fort, this beautiful fort built by Maharaja Man Singh depicts the artistic Hindu architecture through its cobbled pathways and large entrances. This four-level fort, built with red marbles and sandstone, consists of the royal legacy of Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas (water cascades making wind blow to create an artificial cool weather) and a temple of Sila Devi. For generations, the royal families used to stay here, and it was secretly connected to the Jaigarh fort for emergency escapes during attacks. More...

Jaigarh fort

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Category : History & Culture This beautiful creation by Maharaja Jai Singh, located at Amber, Jaipur stands on the Cheel Ka Teela (Hill of Eagles), a promontory of the Aravalli Hills. Located 400 metres above and similar in structure with the famous Amber Fort, it was meant to protect the latter. One can reach the Amber Fort through the secret subterranean passage from Jaigarh Fort. This fort is 3 km long and 1 km wide. It has the world's largest cannon on wheels, called Jaivana; a few palace complexes which served as the residences of the royal families; a well maintained garden; and a museum.More...

City Palace

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Category : History & Culture This gigantic fort includes two more forts inside, and is located on the north-east part of Jaipur. City Palace was the seat of the kings. It has a huge array of buildings, courtyards, temples and gardens. Its construction was started by Jai Singh following a perfect blend of Indian and European styles of architecture. The magnificent grid pattern encloses Mubarak Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Mukut Mahal, Palace of Maharani, Govind Temple and City Palace Museum. Chandra Mahal, one of the inner forts of City Palace, has a museum of its own and is still a residence of the royal family members.More...

Hawa Mahal

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Category : History & Culture Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, built by Maharaja Pratap Singh, is located on the southern part of Jaipur. This beautiful five-storeyed building, designed to replicate the crown of Lord Krishna, looks like a honeycomb having about 1,000 small windows. These have latticework that encouraged cool air or doctor breeze to enter the palace, air-conditioning the whole area during the summers. The pink and red sandstone on the exterior gives it a magnificent look in the morning. The palace is part of the royal City Palace extending till the Zenana or the chambers of women. More...

Nahargarh fort

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Category : History & Culture Standing on the edge of the hills of Aravalli, the Nahargarh Fort gives a mesmerizing view of the pink city of Jaipur. Nahargarh literally means "abode of tigers", evoking the royal legacy of Rajasthan. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, who founded Jaipur, built this fort. The fort has been part of important historical events: treaties of the Marathas were signed here, and it was the refuge of British women during the Sepoy Mutiny. The fort served as a hunting residence for the kings. The rooms of this beautiful fort are linked with long corridors.

Jantar Mantar

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Category : History & Culture
Built by Maharaja Jai Singh, this observatory, officially declared as the national monument, has a huge collection of astronomical instruments. Beautifully crafted in marble and local stone, it is one of the largest buildings in the country that is dedicated to the exploration of celestial bodies. It consists of around 14 fixed and focused devices that measure time, predict eclipses, track stars, and locate earth orbits around the sun.

Jagat Shiromani Temple

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Category : Religious
This beautiful temple was erected by the mother of King Jagat Singh, Shringar Devi Kankawat and the construction took nine years to complete, from 1599 to 1608. The west-facing temple is dedicated to the Hindu gods Radha and Krishna, and the building consists of a gaduda chatri, marble torana, a vestibule, a square sactrum crowned with sikhara, a mandapa that lies on a decorated pitha followed by the jangha and vedibandha. The holy mandap has several pillars decorated with lateral transepts and a vaulted ceiling with religious paintings.

Jal Mahal

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Category : History & Culture
Literally translated to "Water Palace", this beautiful architecture is situated in the middle of a lake called the Sagar Lake, in the city of Jaipur. Both these were renovated as well as enlarged by King Jai Singh in the 18th century. The halls inside the palace at the first floor are well decorated, but cannot surpass the aromatic beauty of the Chameli Bagh upstairs. The area is surrounded by the Aravallis, other forts, temples, and mesmerizing natural beauty. The lake has well established drainage system, required depth for fishes to be alive, and five man-made islands for attracting migratory birds. More...

Albert Hall

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Category : History & Culture
It is one of the oldest museums in Jaipur as well as in India, and was built by Sir Samuel Jacob in the 19th Century. It is known as the state's museum for Rajasthan and is also well known as the Government Central Museum. The beautiful building is located in the Ram Niwas garden, and stands as the epitome of the conglomeration of the Indo Saracen architecture. Here one can find a rich collection of numerous artifacts like carpets, paintings, stones, ivory, sculptures made up of metal, crystal works decorated with colours and every item that depicts the royal culture of Rajasthan.

Govind Devji Temple

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Category : Religious
Govind Devji Templelies inside the City Palace. The Krishna deity, said to be the facial image of Lord Krishna, is originally from Vrindavan and was re-installed here by Jai Singh II. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple lies close to Moti Doongri Palace.

Sisodia Rani Palace

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Category : History & Culture
Other interesting spots some distance away are Sisodia Rani Palace, newly renovated with beautiful gardens, and Gaitor, a memorial to former Maharajas. At Galtaji there is a sun temple.

Statue Circle

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Rajasthan's most vibrant city, Jaipur, is enveloped in myriad colours. Known across the country for its sheer splendour and royalty, the Pink City's most famous landmark is the bustling Statue Circle. Located centrally, the busy spot may seem like an ordinary traffic intersection but is truly far from it. A popular hangout for locals and tourists, the Statue Circle surprisingly owes its name to its shape and not the grand Sawai Jai Singh statue it houses. More...

Raj Mandir Cinema

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The famous Raj Mandir cinema hall, known for its archaic architecture is the pride of the city. The magnificent architectural wonder has been honoured with the title of 'Pride of Asia'. If this is your first time in the Pink City, it is highly unlikely that you won't visit Raj Mandir. The hall has witnessed thousands of visitors vying a glimpse of old classics in its vicinity. With a charm unlike any other, it's a must visit for newbies.

Boasting of intricate detailing both within and outside, Raj Mandir is reminiscent of a by-gone era. The hall reminds one of a royal palace with huge Chandeliers dangling from the main hall. The lighting system is another of its many attractions with exquisite lighting in the lobby before every show. More...

Tourist Destinations Near Jaipur

Excursions from Jaipur can be made to interesting places around Jaipur.

• Bagru, 35 km south of Jaipur is famous for its hand printed cloth industry while Sanganer, at a distance of 16 kms from Jaipur is famous for its traditional crafts. There is also a Digamber temple dedicated to Lord Parswanth here.
• Pushkar is an important pilgrimage destination for the Hindus and is also famous for the cattle fair called the Pushkar fair.
• Ramgarh Lake, 32 km north east of Jaipur is a good picnic spot with its huge artificial lake.More...
• Samod, 40 km north west of Jaipur has an old place, which is a perfect example of the Rajput haveli architecture.
• The wild life enthusiasts can head for Ranthambore and Sariska, which are famous wild life sanctuaries.