Best mountain trips to do alone

Bandipur, Bir Billing and Palampur lead a list of 20. Places where travelling alone is easy: company on the trail, places to stay, and no need for a group.

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. 1Nepal · Tanahun, GandakiBandipurEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.A preserved Newari hill town on a ridge above the Marsyangdi, between Kathmandu and Pokhara.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Small; two nights is plenty unless you're using it as a trek base.
2. 2Himachal · KangraBir BillingEasy, 3–5 days, about ₹2,500 a day.India's paragliding capital, with Tibetan monasteries and a slow cafe scene below.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov · Why not: Outside paragliding there's little high-mountain drama.
3. 3Himachal · KangraPalampurEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,200 a day.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.
4. 4Uttarakhand · Almora, KumaonAlmoraEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.The cultural capital of Kumaon — a horseshoe ridge town of temples, bazaars and Kasar Devi.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Not a scenic showpiece like Kausani; it's a working town.
5. 5Himachal · MandiBarot ValleyEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,200 a day.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.
6. 6Kashmir · AnantnagChatpalEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,000 a day.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.
7. 7Himachal · Banjar, KulluJibhi & Tirthan ValleyEasy, 3–5 days, about ₹2,500 a day.Wooden homestays by trout streams, Jalori Pass and Serolsar lake, Great Himalayan National Park at the door.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Oct, Nov · Why not: Not dramatic snow peaks; it's a forest valley experience.
8. 8Uttarakhand · Tehri Garhwal / DehradunRishikeshEasy, 2–4 days, about ₹2,500 a day.Yoga capital in the Himalayan foothills — ashrams, Ganga aarti, river rafting.Best months: Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov · Why not: It is the foothills, not the high mountains — no snow, and it gets hot from May.
9. 9Himachal · Parvati Valley, KulluTosh & KutlaEasy to moderate, 3–4 days, about ₹1,800 a day.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.
10. 10Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalKalimpongEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.A quieter hill town of flower nurseries, monasteries and old colonial buildings.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Lower and warmer; fewer big peak views from town.
11. 11Himachal · SolanKasauliEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,800 a day.A small colonial cantonment town on a ridge an hour above Chandigarh, with pine walks and old churches.Best months: Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Small; there is very little to do beyond walking and eating.
12. 12Nepal · Solukhumbu, KoshiPikey PeakModerate, 6–7 days, about ₹3,000 a day.A low-altitude ridge trek with a 180° panorama taking in Everest, Makalu and the Annapurnas.Best months: Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov · Why not: The drive from Kathmandu to Jiri or Dhap is long and rough.
13. 13Uttarakhand · Nainital, KumaonBhimtal & NaukuchiatalEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.Two quieter Kumaon lakes 20 minutes below Nainital, with paragliding and lakeside cottages.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Less to do in town; you'll want a vehicle.
14. 14Uttarakhand · DehradunChakrataEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,200 a day.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.
15. 15Himachal · KangraDharamshala & McLeodganjEasy, 3–4 days, about ₹2,500 a day.Home of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile, and a strong cafe-and-monastery scene.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Busy and full of traffic in season; parking in McLeodganj is difficult.
16. 16Nepal · Ilam, KoshiIlamEasy, 3–4 days, about ₹2,500 a day.Nepal's tea capital — emerald garden slopes, Antu Danda sunrises and Sandakphu views into India.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Long journey from Kathmandu and very little tourism infrastructure.
17. 17Uttarakhand · Bageshwar, KumaonKausaniEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.A ridge town facing a 300 km wall of peaks — Nanda Devi, Trishul and Panchachuli all in one frame.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Small and slow; two nights is usually enough.
18. 18Nepal · Rupandehi, LumbiniLumbiniEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,500 a day.The birthplace of the Buddha, with the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar and a monastic zone of world temples.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar · Why not: Very hot from April to June; the monastic zone is spread out and needs cycling or a rickshaw.
19. 19Uttarakhand · Pithoragarh, KumaonMunsiyariEasy, 5–7 days, about ₹2,200 a day.A remote Kumaon town facing the five peaks of Panchachuli.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov · Why not: Long drive — about 10–11 hours from Kathgodam on hill roads.
20. 20Himachal · MandiPrashar LakeEasy, 2–3 days, about ₹2,000 a day.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.