Looking for white winter vacations? Here are the top destinations to see snowfall in India

With the change in seasons and a drop in the temperature, most people start packing their bags during this time of the year. India is full of tourist places which include great summer destinations to beaches, the sea, the sand, the tropical forests, and the snow-capped mountains.

However, if you are among the one who wants to go at higher altitudes for a vacation to experience the snowfalls and the mountains, check out these white destinations.

These hill stations – Shimla, Dharamshala, Auli, Kullu, Manali, Gangtok, and Dalhousie are perfect for people wanting to enjoy the snowfall and experience adventure sports.

Shimla-Known as ‘The Queen of Hills’, Shimla is packed with destinations where you can experience the perfect snowy winter. Though this place is an all-year-round destination, winters have its own charm in this city. Everything here is covered in white during this time.

Places like Kufri, Narkanda are among the top tourist attractions of Shimla. Kufir is 16 km from Shimla. At a much higher altitude, Narkanda brings out better panoramic views of the valley. at just 2-hours’ drive from Shimla, this place is best known for skiing. In the month of December, the HPDTC (Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation) conducts skiing courses here, starting from beginners to experienced skiers. Other attractions in this area include ice skating, horse riding, and visit to the Himalayan Nature Park.

Manali-One of the country’s most popular hill-stations – an ideal retreat for snow lovers. This place is also known for trying out various snow sports like skiing and snowboarding. Other tourist attractions include Bhrigu Lake, Hidimba Devi Temple, and the famous Rohtang Pass.

The scenic beauty is enhanced with towering deodar trees, sky-high mountains, long curve roads, and heavy snowfall. Manali is one of the best places in India during the winters. Popular adventure sports in Manali include ice skating, rock climbing, rappelling, and paragliding. Some nearby treks are the Solang Valley, the Koshla-Treeline and the Lamadugh Meadows trek.

Dharamshala-Known as ‘the land of Lamas’, the Tibetan culture adds to the charm of this place. Although the winters in Dharamshala have its own distinctive charm. Preferred by travelers for its trek lines, the valley gets covered by deep snow, making it one of the best places to visit during the winters. Other attractions include the Tibetan Market, St. John in the Wilderness, Triund trek and Kareri Lake.

Auli-Uttarakhand has many tourist spots for all seasons, due to its proximity to the Great Himalayas. Also known as ‘The Skiing Capital of India’, Auli is preferred among travelers for skiing during the winter months. However, it is not limited to skiing, you can indulge in various other activities such as trekking, snowboarding, and the longest cable car ride during the trip there.

Dalhousie-With chilly breeze and a view of snow-capped mountains, Dalhousie becomes a picturesque town. The most popular attraction being snowflake covered Deodar forests. The National Himalayan Winter Trekking Expedition makes Dalhousie a must visit for the trekking enthusiasts during the winters. This year it is being held from 10th of December’18 to 6th January’19.

North-East India also makes a perfect place to visit during the winters. It’s a total package having extensive nature views, waterfalls, lakes, caves, lush greens of the valleys, national parks, snowcapped mountains and the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.

From some of the oldest standing monasteries in the world to the pretty markets, gondolas, and the snow-capped peaks, Gangtok in Sikkim is in every hill-station lovers list. The MG Marg in Gangtok that was declared as the litter-free and spit-free zone, adds to the beauty of the place. Adventure sports here include paragliding, ropeway cable ride, white river rafting in Teesta and Yak Safari Tsongmo Lake, and attend the international flower festival which takes place during this time of the year. Popular places to visit are the monasteries such as Rumtek Monastery, Pemayangtse Monastery, Namgyal Institute of technology, Trek to Nathula pass, Hanuman Tok, and the Tashi viewpoint.

Best known for its tea plantation across the world and its meandering toy trains, Darjeeling also leads when it comes to some of the best hill stations. This place also experiences snowfall in the winters. This place also celebrates the Teesta Tea & Tourism festival along with the Darjeeling Orange Festival that is organized during this time of the year. Other popular attractions include the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Tiger Hill, Ghum Monastery, Batasia Loop, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, and Peace Pagoda.