Corbett National Park, Uttaranchal
The spellbinding Corbett National park holds the reputation of being the first national park in Mainland Asia. Inhabiting varied species, Corbett encloses the rich cultural and historical heritage of India. It has made successful progress in preserving wildlife and conserving natural heritage of India in last few years. The park remains open from November 15 to June 15. The national park boasts around 169 tigers, 600 elephants and 49 Leopards among other animals and birds.
Picture: Tourists spot a tiger during the Corbett Jungle Safari
Darjeeling, West Bengal
Darjeeling in West Bengal is a true paradise on Earth. People living in North Bengal will swear by the fact that it is the best hill station in the county. Darjeeling is famous for its lush tea gardens and is blessed with a stunning view of Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak.
Darjeeling has been the backdrop of many Bollywood movies and opened her arms to celluloid since Rajesh Khanna drove down in his jeep singing Mere Sapno Ki Rani Kab Aayegi Tu for Sharmila Tagore. The meandering route of the toy train was also seen in the movie Parineeta starring Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan.
Picture: View of Kanchenjunga from the Tiger Hill in Darjeeling.
Gangtok, Sikkim
The capital city of Sikkim, Gangtok was once an important transit point for traders traveling between Tibet and India. Today, this beautiful hill station offers an interesting mix of different cultures and communities.
If travelling throughout the state, do visit the Gurudongmar Lake, situated 173 km away from Gangtok. Located at an altitude of 17,100 ft., this fresh-water lake is one of the highest lakes in the world. The lake remains completely frozen in the winter months from November to Mid-May.
Picture: Gurudongmar Lake
Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
If you can't make it to the northern reaches of India, southern India also has some enchanting hill stations, such as Kodaikanal and Ooty in Tamil Nadu.
Kodaikanal is popularly known as the ‘princess of hill stations’. In Tamil, Kodaikanal means ‘the gift of the forest". This hill station situated in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu enjoys a subtropical highland climate with cool temperatures throughout the year. The average maximums stay mostly in lower twenties in the months of May and June, while the average minimum hardly goes below seven degrees.
The important tourist attractions here include the Kodai Lake, Bryant Park, Boat Club, Bear Shola Falls, Green Valley View and the Solar Observatory.
Picture: Beautiful Kodaikanal
