Best hill escapes for the summer holidays

Chail, Ranikhet and Lansdowne lead a list of 20. Cool places that are at their best in May and June, when the plains are hottest, and that don't need a trek.

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. 1Himachal · SolanChail2,250 m, 2 days. Quiet in season.A former princely summer capital with the world's highest cricket ground and deodar forest all around.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Small; the palace and cricket ground are the main draws.
2. 2Uttarakhand · Almora, KumaonRanikhet2,100 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.A cantonment hill station of pine and oak forest, golf greens and colonial-era quiet.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Deliberately uneventful; not a place for activities.
3. 3Uttarakhand · Pauri GarhwalLansdowne1,800 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.A quiet Garhwal cantonment town of pine ridges, a golf course and the Garhwal Rifles museum.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Limited stay options and almost no adventure activities.
4. 4Kashmir · BudgamDoodhpathri2,900 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.The 'Valley of Milk' — a broad grassy bowl at 2,730 m with a milky-white stream and grazing Gujjar herds.Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep · Why not: Narrow, winding access road; nothing to do but walk and sit.
5. 5Uttarakhand · Bageshwar, KumaonKausani2,000 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.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.
6. 6Kashmir · BudgamYusmarg2,600 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.A bowl of alpine meadow in the Pir Panjal, 47 km from Srinagar, with pine slopes and pony trails.Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: Facilities are minimal and it is often done as a rushed day trip.
7. 7Himachal · Banjar, KulluJibhi & Tirthan Valley3,120 m, 3–5 days. Moderately busy in season.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 · Almora, KumaonJageshwar Dham1,900 m, 1–2 days. Moderately busy in season.A cluster of over 100 ancient stone temples inside a deodar forest, dating to the 8th–12th century.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Small — a half day is enough unless you combine it with a nearby trek.
9. 9Uttarakhand · Tehri GarhwalKanatal & Dhanaulti2,590 m, 2–3 days. Moderately busy in season.Forest and meadow country on the Mussoorie–Chamba road, with camping and ziplining.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Nothing grand — it is a forest-and-camp destination, not a peak destination.
10. 10Himachal · ChambaDalhousie & Khajjiar2,340 m, 3–4 days. Moderately busy in season.Five hills of colonial charm plus the 'Mini Switzerland' meadow of Khajjiar at 1,920 m.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov · Why not: Far from everything else; a long detour from Manali or Shimla.
11. 11Kashmir · AnantnagPahalgam2,400 m, 3–4 days. Busy in season.Lidder river valley of meadows, pine forest and pony rides — Kashmir's family favourite.Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: Crowded during the Amarnath Yatra (July–August) with heavy security.
12. 12Kashmir · GanderbalSonamarg3,000 m, 2–3 days. Busy in season.The 'meadow of gold' and Thajiwas glacier — snow you can touch even in May.Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Sep · Why not: Often done as a rushed day trip from Srinagar; stay a night for the real thing.
13. 13Himachal · MandiBarot Valley2,200 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.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.
14. 14Uttarakhand · DehradunChakrata2,300 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.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. 15Kashmir · AnantnagChatpal2,200 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.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.
16. 16Uttarakhand · UttarkashiHarsil2,900 m, 2–3 days. Quiet in season.A Bhagirathi-side village of apple orchards and deodar forest, once called 'Mini Switzerland'.Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: Almost no infrastructure — homestays only, and the road closes in heavy winter snow.
17. 17Himachal · KinnaurKalpa3,400 m, 3–4 days. Quiet in season.An old Kinnauri village of slate-roofed houses facing the Kinner Kailash range across the Sutlej.Best months: May, Jun, Sep, Oct · Why not: A small village; two nights is enough unless you're using it as a base.
18. 18Kashmir · KupwaraKeran1,700 m, 3–4 days. Quiet in season.A riverside border village on the Kishanganga, with India on one bank and Pakistan-administered territory on the other.Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep · Why not: Directly on the LoC — access can change with the security situation.
19. 19Uttarakhand · Mussoorie, DehradunLandour2,290 m, 2–3 days. Moderately busy in season.The quiet cantonment above Mussoorie — deodar walks, old bakeries and writers' cottages.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Oct, Nov · Why not: Mussoorie below is crowded and traffic-heavy on weekends.
20. 20Kashmir · KupwaraLolab Valley2,000 m, 3–4 days. Quiet in season.A green orchard valley of walnut and apple groves, with the Kalaroos caves and the Nag Marg spring.Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct · Why not: Far from Srinagar, and facilities are very basic.