From magnificent treks, to snowy landscapes and misty hill stations; a June getaway can get as lazy and relaxed as you want or be pumped up with excitement and adventure. Here are a few places to visit in India in June and bid adieu to the hot summers.
1) Dharamshala
Picture credit: Pranav Bhasin
This Himalayan city has beckoned adventure freaks, culture enthusiasts, and nature lovers who head here every summer to get a taste of its mountains, monasteries and its outstanding Tibetan cuisine. Dharamshala, especially its cozy and petite McLeod Ganj, is the perfect escape and an ideal place to visit in summer in India. Home to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual calling of Dharamshala remains uncontested. A visit to the Dalai Lama Temple Complex, the HPCA stadium and Kangra Valley is a must, along with its other hills, waterfalls and monasteries that will keep you occupied.
2) Kerala
Picture credit: Sylvianism1
June marks an unofficial beginning of monsoon in Kerala. The lusty green hills of Munnar and the backwaters of Alleppey look even more tempting in the backdrop of a drizzling Kerala weather. Whether or not you are romantic, this destination will awaken the traveller poet in you. The magnificence of Kerala lies in its plurality, from tea plantations to wild life reserves, house boats to luxury villas; a trip to God’s Own Country is inevitable on the places to visit in India in June. Plus, June is also the time for one of the oldest and iconic boat races, the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race which is scheduled on 26 June 2016.
3) Kufri
Picture credit: Nishanth Jois
To ski and where to ski; Kufri is the coolest answer to this essential summer vacation question. The Kufri Ski resort is a coveted place on the places to visit in India in summer list, with its magnificent slopes that adapt to the needs of first time skiers and proficient ones. The resort also provides crash courses on skiing by various adventure companies. What’s more? The magnificent Himalayan National Park with its rare species of animals like the Tahr, Brown Bear and the enigmatic Snow Leopard is an essential visit.
4) Leh
Picture credit: Sandeep Achetan
There are a lot of ways you can make Leh the ultimate adventure trip of your life. You can take a road trip, bullet ride, trek, raft, and hike. The surreal landscape of Leh, with its majestic Pangong Lake its adrenaline-inducing Khardung La paas and the serene Hemis Monastery, captures not only the traveller’s itinerary but his imagination. Leh is almost like being transported into a parallel world. It is proof that travel can indeed be therapeutic.
5) Coonoor
Picture credit: Rainer Voegeli
If you want to skip the clichéd charms of Ooty and still enjoy the Nilgiri Hills, head to Coonoor. One of the most underrated and unrecognized places to visit in India in summer, Coonoor, entices the traveller with the comfort of heritage hotels, a cool climate and a rocky landscape that is a sight for sore eyes. You can go kayaking, take a stroll around its tea estates or just take a relaxing staycation.
6) Roopkund
Picture credit: Utsav Verma
Great things happen when men and mountains meet. A trek to this glacial lake amongst the mighty Himalayas is what travel memories are made of. If you want an exhilarating summer that can keep you excited until your next vacation, head to the challenging terrains of Roopkund. The walk to Roopkund is more than just a promise of adventure and beauty; it is a chance to make new friends, strengthen already existing friendships or even rediscovering yourself by travelling solo. In any case, this snowscaped beauty will make you forget all about the summers and is perhaps, the most recommended place to visit in India in June.
7) Kodaikanal
Picture credit: Vanila Balaji
There are fewer sights in South India that are as pleasing and refreshing as the green panoramic hills of Kodaikanal. This small little hill station is the proud possessor of the magnificent gems like the Berijam Lake. The views of Byrant Park, Chettiar Park and the like will keep you pleasantly occupied apart from its luxury resorts that are tried and tested stress busters.
8) Sikkim
Picture credit: Pranav Bhasin
The wild, vivid and raw beauty of the North east is an aspiration of every traveller. Sikkim is the most popular of the seven sister states with its sublime mountains and its invigorating lakes. Nathu La is your exclusive experience of the Indo-China border, the Rumtek Monastery is your introduction to the local Buddhist culture and the sights of the Tsomgo Lake belong to a different world altogether. Sikkim is you dream vacation, enhanced. It is where you should be in India this June.
9) Tawang
Picture credit: Prashant Ram
This frosted valley in the arms of Arunachal Pradesh is one of the better kept secrets of seasoned travellers. The valley is a laid out gospel for adventure seekers and for those who are looking for something out of the ordinary. Tawang, amidst the quilt of snow, manages to warm your heart. Its quaint villages and ever-welcoming locals will never make you feel out of place and its mountain passes, lakes and waterfalls feel foreign yet familiar. Whether it is climbing the Gorichen Peak or merely standing and taking delight at the sight of the Nuranang Falls, Tawang is that wild mix of adventure and nature that all June vacations should be made of.
10) Spiti Valley
Picture credit: Quinn Comendant
The backdrop to the ultimate road trip, Spiti and its partner-in-crime, Kinnaur together make the perfect summer vacation combination and a daring choice of a place to visit in India in June. The untamed valley of Spiti is a far cry from the commercialized destinations of Shimla and Manali. The mountains here get more beautiful in their ruggedness as the Spiti River becomes your navigator through the topsy-turvy landscapes of this valley. Its lineage compares well to its natural charm with some of the oldest monasteries from a thriving and well-preserved Tibetan Buddhist culture and some of the highest motorable villages in the country. Once you have been to Spiti, nothing else matches up.
11) Meghalaya
Picture credit: Masrur Ashraf
June marks the onset of rains in Meghalaya, which literally translates to “abode of the clouds.” Meghalaya’s charms work best in monsoons, with fog and rain enhancing every bit of its natural beauty. Most of the state is unseen in tourism ads, travel manuals or even postcards which is what makes it exciting; you can discover something, someplace of your very own here. It also has its fair share of wonders with the double decker living Root Bridge, Asia’s cleanest village (Mawlynnong) and the wettest place on the planet (Mawsynram). What better way to begin your monsoons than in the place known for its rains.
12) Mount Abu
Picture credit: Utsav Verma
Mount Abu is a refreshing break from the scorching heat of the desert. This mountain retreat in Rajasthan is brimming with luxury and comfort. The weather also peaks with the onset of monsoon in June with foggy hills and breezy lakes. While there are a number of treks you could take here, Mount Abu is more of the sit-back-relax-and-enjoy-the-view kind of a destination. There are a variety of luxury resorts here that will provide the much needed pampering that a vacation demands. It is one of those places to spend your summer in India that will spoil you for good.