Cheapest mountain trips that are still worth it

Nag Tibba, Tosh & Kutla and Chatpal lead a list of 20. Ranked by daily cost on the ground for a mid-range traveller, among places that are good value.

Ranked from our own destination data on season, difficulty, altitude, cost and who each place suits. Not paid for, and not the same as “most popular”.

1. 1Uttarakhand · Pantwari, TehriNag TibbaAbout ₹1,800 a day each; roughly ₹5,400 for 3 days, before getting there.A two-day weekend trek a few hours from Dehradun, with a camp under the stars.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Modest views compared to the high Himalaya, and the trail can be littered on busy weekends.
2. 2Himachal · Parvati Valley, KulluTosh & KutlaAbout ₹1,800 a day each; roughly ₹7,200 for 4 days, before getting there.A steep village climb above Barshaini to Tosh, then a further walk to the Kutla meadows.Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: Heavily commercialised in season, and the road up to Tosh is rough.
3. 3Kashmir · AnantnagChatpalAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹6,000 for 3 days, before getting there.A deodar-forest village in the Bringi valley, developed as a community-tourism model village.Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep · Why not: Very basic stays and little infrastructure.
4. 4Assam · Dima HasaoHaflongAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹6,000 for 3 days, before getting there.Assam's only hill station — a lake town in rolling hills, on a spectacular hill railway.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar · Why not: Very little tourist infrastructure.
5. 5Uttarakhand · HaridwarHaridwarAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹4,000 for 2 days, before getting there.Where the Ganga leaves the mountains — Har Ki Pauri, the evening aarti, and the gateway to Char Dham.Best months: Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov · Why not: Hot, crowded and commercial from March to June.
6. 6Himachal · Parvati Valley, KulluKasol & KheergangaAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹8,000 for 4 days, before getting there.Riverside cafes in Kasol and a hike to hot springs at Kheerganga.Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: Crowded and party-heavy in season; not the quiet Himalaya.
7. 7Darjeeling hills · Darjeeling, West BengalMirikAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹4,000 for 2 days, before getting there.A lake town ringed by tea gardens and orange orchards, near the Nepal border.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Small — most people only spend a few hours.
8. 8Himachal · MandiPrashar LakeAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹6,000 for 3 days, before getting there.A floating-island lake and pagoda temple on a high grassy bowl.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov · Why not: Small; one or two days is enough.
9. 9Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalRishyap (Rishop)About ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹6,000 for 3 days, before getting there.A hamlet of homestays on a ridge with a wide Kanchenjunga panorama.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Mar, Apr · Why not: Very basic; you come for the view and the quiet.
10. 10Himachal · Dharamshala, KangraTriund & McLeodganjAbout ₹2,000 a day each; roughly ₹8,000 for 4 days, before getting there.A short ridge hike above McLeodganj with the Dhauladhar wall right in front of you.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov · Why not: Triund is crowded on weekends and camping rules change; check current permissions.
11. 11Himachal · MandiBarot ValleyAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹6,600 for 3 days, before getting there.A hidden Uhl-river valley of trout hatcheries, deodar forest and the Rajgundha trek.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Basic facilities and a slow 3-hour drive from Mandi or Jogindernagar.
12. 12Uttarakhand · DehradunChakrataAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹6,600 for 3 days, before getting there.A secluded cantonment above the Yamuna with Tiger Falls, deodar forest and Chilmiri Neck.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Military area restrictions on some roads, and very limited stays.
13. 13Uttarakhand · Sari, RudraprayagDeoria TalAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹8,800 for 4 days, before getting there.A short climb to a forest lake that mirrors Chaukhamba on a still morning.Best months: Sep, Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr, May, Jun · Why not: Very small; combine it with Chopta or Tungnath or it's over in a day.
14. 14Nepal · Gorkha, GandakiGorkhaAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹4,400 for 2 days, before getting there.The ancestral seat of the Shah dynasty, with the hilltop Gorkha Durbar and Gorakhnath temple.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Small and half-ruined post-2015; a half-day is usually enough.
15. 15Himachal · KangraKareri LakeAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹8,800 for 4 days, before getting there.A shallow freshwater lake at 2,934 m below the Minkiani Pass, through cedar and rhododendron forest.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: The last 3 km from the village to the lake is a steep, relentless climb.
16. 16Himachal · KangraPalampurAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹6,600 for 3 days, before getting there.Kangra tea gardens and pine forest below the Dhauladhar, with the Neugal Khad at its edge.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: No dramatic viewpoint; it's a base, not a destination in itself.
17. 17Nepal · Palpa, LumbiniTansen (Palpa)About ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹6,600 for 3 days, before getting there.A historic hill town of Newari traders between Pokhara and Lumbini, with a durbar and metalwork bazaar.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Small, with limited accommodation and few activities.
18. 18Arunachal · West KamengBhalukpongAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹4,400 for 2 days, before getting there.The foothill gateway to Arunachal on the Kameng river — angling, rafting and orchids.Best months: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar · Why not: Low and warm — it's the start of the mountains, not the mountains.
19. 19Uttarakhand · Chopta, RudraprayagChopta, Tungnath & ChandrashilaAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹11,000 for 5 days, before getting there.A short climb to the highest Shiva temple in the world and a 360° Himalayan summit.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov · Why not: Tungnath temple is closed in winter (roughly Nov–Apr), and the meadow is busy on long weekends.
20. 20Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalLava & LolegaonAbout ₹2,200 a day each; roughly ₹8,800 for 4 days, before getting there.Forest villages at the edge of Neora Valley National Park, with a canopy walk and birding trails.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Simple stays and very little nightlife; views come and go with the cloud.