Weekend getaways from Delhi NCR

14 weekend trips from Delhi NCR

1. 1

   Rishikesh

   240 km · 5–6 h via the Delhi–Meerut Expressway and NH-334; Shatabdi or Vande Bharat to Haridwar, then 45 min by cabSeptember–June (rafting usually pauses July–mid-September)Rafting, yoga, groups of friends

   Raft the 16 km Shivpuri–Rishikesh stretch (Grade II–III rapids) in the morning and catch the Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat by evening. Stay in Tapovan for cafés and walkable bridges, or in a riverside camp near Shivpuri if your group wants a bonfire. Avoid the Kanwar Yatra fortnight in July–August, when the Meerut–Haridwar highway is diverted and jammed.

   Plan Rishikesh
2. 2

   Mussoorie & Landour

   290 km · 6–7 h via Dehradun; Shatabdi or Vande Bharat to Dehradun, then 1 h by cabMarch–June and October–DecemberCouples, families, cool summer weekends

   Skip Mall Road after dark and spend your time in Landour: pancakes at Char Dukan, the walk round Lal Tibba and the quiet cantonment lanes. Book a stay in Landour or on the Kempty Road side rather than around Library Chowk. Saturday mornings in May–June bring long queues from Dehradun up to Kincraig, so start the climb before 8 am.

   Plan Mussoorie
3. 3

   Nainital, Bhimtal & Sattal

   310 km · 7–8 h via Moradabad and Haldwani; Kathgodam Shatabdi or Ranikhet Express, then 1–1.5 h by roadMarch–June and October–DecemberFamilies, lake boating

   Row on Naini Lake, take the ropeway to Snow View and walk the Mall, then base yourself at Bhimtal or Sattal, 20–25 km away, where rooms are calmer and better value. On long weekends the town sometimes holds traffic at the entry barriers, and parking runs out by mid-morning. The Kathgodam train is the simpler way to arrive.

   Plan Nainital
4. 4

   Jim Corbett

   250 km · 5–6 h via Moradabad and Kashipur to Ramnagar; Ranikhet Express or other trains to RamnagarNovember–June; most zones close for the monsoonWildlife, families with children

   Book jeep safaris on the official Uttarakhand forest portal as soon as dates open; weekend slots in Bijrani and Jhirna sell out weeks ahead. Most resorts sit along the Kosi river at Dhikuli, a short drive from the safari gates at Ramnagar. Tiger sightings are a matter of luck, so treat elephants, deer and birds as the main event.

   Plan Jim Corbett
5. 5

   Agra & Fatehpur Sikri

   230 km · 3–3.5 h via the Yamuna Expressway; Gatimaan Express or Vande Bharat in under 2 hOctober–MarchHeritage, first-time visitors, parents

   See the Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra Fort by mid-morning and Mehtab Bagh across the river at sunset, then add Fatehpur Sikri (40 km) on day two. The Taj is closed on Fridays, so plan a Saturday–Sunday visit. December–January fog on the expressway can be severe before 10 am; the train is the safer choice then.

   Plan Agra
6. 6

   Jaipur

   280 km · 4.5–5 h via NH-48 or the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway; Shatabdi or Vande Bharat in 4–4.5 hOctober–MarchHeritage, shopping, food

   Reach Amer Fort when it opens to beat the tour buses, see Nahargarh at sunset and spend an evening in the old-city bazaars around Johari and Bapu Bazaar. Stay in a walled-city haveli or in C-Scheme for easy cabs. On NH-48, the stretch from Gurugram to Manesar is the slowest part of the drive on a Friday night.

   Plan Jaipur
7. 7

   Shimla

   350 km · 7–8 h via NH-44 and Parwanoo; Kalka Shatabdi, then the toy train (5–6 h) or 3 h by cabMarch–June; December–February for snowFamilies, first hill trip, snow in January

   Walk the Ridge and Mall, climb to Jakhu temple and ride the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla toy train at least one way. Town-centre hotels mean steep walks and no parking; Mashobra or Shoghi stays are quieter if you have a car. Sunday afternoons bring long queues at Parwanoo and Zirakpur on the way back.

   Plan Shimla
8. 8

   Kasauli

   290 km · 5.5–6 h via NH-44, Zirakpur and Dharampur; Kalka Shatabdi, then 1 h by cabYear-round, except the heavy-rain weeks of July–AugustCouples, quiet walks

   A small cantonment town with no big sights, and that is the point: walk the Upper and Lower Mall, Christ Church and the Gilbert Trail, and watch the lights of Chandigarh from the ridge after dark. Most stays are heritage cottages or resorts on the Garkhal–Kasauli road. Monkey Point lies inside an Air Force area and may be closed or need ID.

9. 9

   Sariska & Bhangarh

   200 km · 4 h via NH-48 and Alwar; trains to Alwar, then 1 h by cabOctober–June; core zone closes for the monsoonShort wildlife break, history buffs

   Take a morning jeep safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve, then drive about 50 km to the ruins of Bhangarh, which the ASI keeps closed between sunset and sunrise. Stay in the resort belt near the Sariska gate or in Alwar city. It is the closest tiger reserve to Delhi, so even a one-night trip works.

10. 10

    Ranthambore

    380 km · 6–7 h via the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway; several daily trains to Sawai Madhopur (5–6 h)October–June; core zones close for the monsoonTiger safaris, photographers

    Book two or three safaris, a gypsy rather than a canter if you can, on the Rajasthan forest portal well ahead; weekend gypsy seats for the core zones disappear quickly. Hotels line Ranthambore Road between Sawai Madhopur and the park gate. April–May is hot (40°C and above) but gives the best tiger sightings at waterholes.

11. 11

    Vrindavan & Mathura

    160 km · 2.5–3 h via the Yamuna Expressway; Bhopal Shatabdi or Taj Express to Mathura in about 2 hOctober–March; Holi week for the experience, not for comfortSpiritual trips, parents and grandparents

    Do the Banke Bihari darshan early, see the ISKCON temple and Prem Mandir's evening lights, and spend a morning at Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura. ISKCON's guesthouse and the hotels on the Chhatikara road are practical bases. Weekends, Janmashtami and Holi bring crushing crowds in Banke Bihari's lanes; senior travellers should go on a weekday morning.

12. 12

    Lansdowne

    260 km · 6–7 h via Meerut, Bijnor and Kotdwar; trains to Kotdwar, then 1.5 h by roadMarch–June and September–DecemberQuiet escape, lesser-known pick

    A Garhwal Rifles cantonment town at about 1,700 m, with pine walks to Tip-n-Top, St Mary's Church, the regimental museum and Bhulla Tal. Stay at the GMVN guesthouse or a heritage cottage; there are few restaurants and almost no nightlife. The road after Kotdwar is narrow and winding, so arrive before dark.

13. 13

    Bir Billing

    510 km · 10–11 h by road; overnight Volvo to Bir or Baijnath on Friday nightOctober–November and March–May; flying stops mid-July to mid-SeptemberParagliding, backpackers

    Billing is one of India's best-known paragliding take-off sites; a tandem flight lasts 15–30 minutes and lands near Bir's Tibetan colony. Use operators registered with Himachal's tourism department and ask to see the pilot's certification. With a Friday-night bus you get two full days, but if you are driving, save it for a long weekend.

14. 14

    Amritsar

    450 km · 6.5–7.5 h via NH-44; Shatabdi trains in about 6 hOctober–MarchSpiritual trips, food lovers, history

    Visit the Golden Temple twice, once in the pre-dawn quiet and once lit up at night, eat at the langar, and see the Partition Museum on Heritage Street. The Attari–Wagah Retreat ceremony is 30 km away; reach 1.5–2 hours early on weekends. Stay within walking distance of the temple to skip the old-city traffic.

    Plan Amritsar

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