Head to the hills: Indian hillstations where you can escape the heat

INDIA’S former British residents utilized high altitude towns across the nation as a place of refuge from the intense summer heat of the plains. Many of these had a central mall or a focal point such as a lake, around which activities could be based. Today the idea of the hill station is not lost on modern day tourists with Indian and other visitors flocking to places in Kerala, Uttarkhand, Bengal, Tamil Nadu and other states for a little respite.

With high temperatures across the Indian sub continent this is the perfect time to take a look at one of its many hill stations. Here are some of the more well known stations to consider.

The capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh was also declared the summer capital of British India in 1864 as it only ever reaches a maximum temperature of 30 degrees. Today it is still filled with classic British architecture such as at the town hall, library, theatre, Christ Church and other buildings on the famed Mall Road. While there is no lake in Shimla there are beautiful forests which provide views over the Himalayan mountain range, and skiing and hiking is popular. If the views are wreathed in mist or it’s too cold to stroll, visitors often opt to shop as well and the shawls, jewelry, leather articles and other crafts of Shimla are often in demand. The other major attraction is the historic Kalka-Shimla railway line, constructed in 1906, which once added to Shimla’s accessibility and now its popularity and is UNESCO World Heritage listed. Other popular hill stations in Himachal Pradesh include Manali, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala and Kullu.

Christ Church, Shimla. Pic: Shashank Sharma, CC.

Often referred to as the “Queen of the hills”, Mussoorie lies in the foothills of the Himalayas and has excellent  views of its snow ranges plus fabulous views of the Doon Valley and Shiwalik ranges to the south. Visitors can easily make the most of Mussoorie’s hotels, shops, bookshops, restaurants, game parlours, cycle rickshaw or pony rides at pleasant hill temperatures during the hot summer months. There are also old churches and British era residences to marvel over and plenty of nice walking opportunities such as on Camels Back Road, up at Landour or further out on the Tehri Road. Mussoorie is also renowned for its educational facilities and you will come across numerous schools in and around the town. Other popular hill stations in Uttarkhand include Nanital, Uttarkashi, Kedarnath, the Valley of Flowers and Badrinath.

Mussoorie. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com

 

Darjeeling, West Bengal

Famed for its tea Darjeeling is more than a place to sip a good brew. It has a wonderful climate at just over 2000m and enjoys not only a profusion of flowers and tea but the perfect climate to enjoy the botanical gardens, a variety of fauna and even views of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain. This popular hill station is also home to Darjeeling’s famed Himalayan Railway and its toy train with a quaint steam locomotive that is now UNESCO World Heritage listed. Like many of the hill stations there are a collection of various British era buildings, numerous educational facilities and Nepali and Tibetan culture and food.  Kalimpong is another popular hill station in Darjeeling.

Pic: Batasia Loop of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Vikramjit Kakati, CC.

This popular station located in the Nilgiri Hills is located in south India, and unlike other hill stations featured here with views of the Himalayas and snow capped mountains, it is subtropical but still much cooler than much of the surrounding region. Thanks to this it has a number of gardens growing everything from tea to roses and various rare plant species. There are also lakes, churches, museums such as Wax World and the Tribal Museum and numerous waterfalls, pine forests and national parks to visit nearby. Like other hill stations it has a long winding road to provide access to the town or a famed railways. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) is one of the country’s oldest, dating back to 1980 and UNESCO World Heritage listed. Other popular hill stations in Tamil Nadu include Kodaikanal, Kolli Hills and Meghamalai.

Ooty Lake. Pic: Woodthought, CC.

The back waters and beaches of Kerala are not the only attractions in this splendid state in India’s south. Its hill stations are delightful and Munnar is a good example. Located about 1600m above sea level it has splendid gardens, winding lanes, tea estates, wildlife reserves and grasslands. It is also famed for its exotic fauna including the rare Neelakurinji flower that bathes the hills in blue every 12 years; it is next due to flower in 2018. Munnar is also famed for nearby attractioons such as Eravikulam National Park wich has rare butterflies, animals and birds. Anamudi Peak at over 2700m is also a popular place to go trekking. Other popular hill stations in Kerala include: Vagamon, Kodanad and Thekaddy.

Munnar’s hills. Pic: Kerala Tourism.

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