Destinations

A vast twin meadow — Bodh Bangus and Lokut Bangus — ringed by fir forest near the LoC in Kupwara.

A deodar-forest village in the Bringi valley, developed as a community-tourism model village.

The 'Valley of Milk' — a broad grassy bowl at 2,730 m with a milky-white stream and grazing Gujjar herds.

A riverside border village on the Kishanganga, with India on one bank and Pakistan-administered territory on the other.

A green orchard valley of walnut and apple groves, with the Kalaroos caves and the Nag Marg spring.

Lidder river valley of meadows, pine forest and pony rides — Kashmir's family favourite.

The 'meadow of gold' and Thajiwas glacier — snow you can touch even in May.

Houseboats, shikaras, Mughal gardens and old-city food.

A huge high meadow below the Pir Panjal, formerly an army artillery range and long closed to visitors.

A bowl of alpine meadow in the Pir Panjal, 47 km from Srinagar, with pine slopes and pony trails.

One of Ladakh's oldest monasteries, above the eroded 'moonland' cliffs.

The old trading town of Ladakh — Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa and the monasteries of the Indus valley.

Home of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile, and a strong cafe-and-monastery scene.

A small colonial cantonment town on a ridge an hour above Chandigarh, with pine walks and old churches.

The sub-divisional capital of Spiti — base for Key Monastery, Kibber, Langza, Hikkim and Komik.

A high village around a turquoise lake on the old trade route to Tibet, with a 1,000-year-old monastery.

Kangra tea gardens and pine forest below the Dhauladhar, with the Neugal Khad at its edge.

The former summer capital of British India — the Mall, Ridge, Jakhoo temple and the toy train.

The first Lahaul village past the Atal Tunnel — waterfalls, the Chandrabhaga river and bare high mountains.

The cultural capital of Kumaon — a horseshoe ridge town of temples, bazaars and Kasar Devi.

Two quieter Kumaon lakes 20 minutes below Nainital, with paragliding and lakeside cottages.

A Bhagirathi-side village of apple orchards and deodar forest, once called 'Mini Switzerland'.

A ridge town facing a 300 km wall of peaks — Nanda Devi, Trishul and Panchachuli all in one frame.

The 'Queen of Hills' above Dehradun — Kempty Falls, Gun Hill, Camel's Back Road and the Mall.

The classic Kumaon lake town — Naini Lake, the Mall Road, Snow View and Naina Peak.

Often called the wettest place on earth, with a limestone cave and a natural Shiva-linga stalagmite.

Plunging waterfalls like Nohkalikai, limestone caves and gorge views over Bangladesh.