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Weekend getaways · From Delhi

Places to Visit Near Delhi: 13 Underrated Trips by Distance, with Real Costs

Eleven underrated places and two treks, sorted by road distance from Delhi. Each one says which crowded place it swaps for, the cheapest train or bus there, the good months and what three days cost one person.

By GokulUpdated 4 November 202613 min read

Forested Kaudia ridge near Kanatal in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand — The ridge country around Kanatal, about 300 km from Delhi by road and a quieter swap for Mussoorie.

The short answer

The best underrated places to visit near Delhi, by road distance: about 300 km, Chakrata and Kanatal in the Garhwal hills; 450–500 km, Orchha, Bundi, Tirthan Valley and Chopta–Tungnath; 550–620 km, Chanderi, Sangla–Chitkul, Kalpa, Khajuraho and Munsiyari. For a winter trek, Nag Tibba and Kedarkantha start from Dehradun. Three days cost one person from about ₹5,300 (Khajuraho) to ₹9,700 (Kanatal), mid-range, with the train or bus both ways.

13trips, all underrated

294–619 kmby road from Delhi

₹5,300cheapest 3-day trip

3distance bands

Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Rishikesh, Jaipur and Agra are the weekends everyone in Delhi already knows, and their traffic jams show it. This list sorts eleven quieter places and two treks by how far they are by road, so you can match the trip to the time you have.

How we worked it out. Road distances come from OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), run on 4 November 2026 from central Delhi. Train fares are the cheapest sensible class on the listings for Thursday 5 November 2026; fares change and seats run out, so check IRCTC before you plan. The 3-day cost is one person, mid-range: the train or bus both ways plus three days of Trip Under's ground cost (bed, food, local travel, fees). Trip Under is not a travel agency; you book each piece yourself.

Infographic · 3-day cost per person

What three days cost one person, cheapest first

Khajuraho₹5,300

Bundi₹5,500

Orchha₹6,100

Chopta₹7,000

Munsiyari₹7,500

Chanderi₹7,800

Tirthan Valley₹8,500

Chakrata₹9,200

Kalpa₹9,600

Kanatal₹9,700

Mid-range, one person, train or bus both ways. Sangla is left out because we could not confirm its bus fare; treks are left out.

All 13 trips near Delhi at a glance

Road distances: OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), 4 November 2026, rounded. Fares: Delhi train or bus plus the onward leg. Costs: mid-range, one person.
Place	By road	Fare, one way	Good months	3 days, 1 person
Chakrata	294 km	₹1,127	Mar–Jun, Sep–Dec	₹9,200
Kanatal	300 km	₹345	Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov	₹9,700
Orchha	455 km	₹180	Jan–Mar, Jul–Dec	₹6,100
Bundi	458 km	₹340	Jan–Mar, Sep–Dec	₹5,500
Tirthan Valley	492 km	₹1,400	Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov	₹8,500
Chopta	497 km	₹950	Mar–Jun, Sep–Dec	₹7,000
Chanderi	567 km	₹310	Jan–Mar, Oct–Dec	₹7,800
Sangla	593 km	Not confirmed	Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov	–
Kalpa	601 km	₹876	Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov	₹9,600
Khajuraho	610 km	₹390	Jan–Mar, Sep–Dec	₹5,300
Munsiyari	619 km	₹765	Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov	₹7,500
Nag Tibba (trek)	via Dehradun	–	Oct–Mar	2 days, ₹2,500 from the base
Kedarkantha (trek)	via Dehradun	–	Dec–Apr	6 days, ₹9,000 from the base

About 300 km: the Garhwal hills via Dehradun

The Jan Shatabdi gets you from New Delhi to Dehradun in under six hours for ₹175 in second sitting, and both hill stations are a few hours on from there. Chakrata is the cheaper of the two, at about ₹9,200 for three days.

Photo: Manojpanchal90, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Chakrata

₹9,200 / 3 days294 km by roadMar–Jun, Sep–Dec

Instead of Mussoorie. A quiet army hill station in deodar forest, about three hours from Dehradun, with no mall road, few hotels and a big waterfall at the bottom of a steep path. Winters drop to about 2°C, with the odd snowfall on Deoban.

Getting there: Jan Shatabdi from New Delhi to Dehradun (5 h 45 m, second sitting ₹175), then the AC minibus to Chakrata (₹952). Fare: about ₹1,127 each way (the ordinary bus via Vikasnagar and Kalsi is cheaper, but we could not confirm its fare).

Plan ChakrataFull place page →

Photo: Kalsigaurav, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2. Kanatal

₹9,700 / 3 days300 km by roadMar–Jun, Oct–Nov

Instead of Mussoorie. A pine-and-oak ridge on the Chamba–Mussoorie road, with a hilltop goddess temple above it and the Tehri reservoir below. Late December to February can bring snow, January most often, but not every year, and heavy snow can shut the road.

Getting there: Jan Shatabdi to Dehradun (5 h 45 m, ₹175), then the UTC hill bus to Kanatal (₹170). Fare: about ₹345 each way.

Plan KanatalFull place page →

450–500 km: Bundelkhand, Rajasthan and the Kullu side valleys

A day train or an overnight bus. Orchha and Bundi are easy by rail; Tirthan and Chopta take a long road day. The cheapest here is Bundi & Kumbhalgarh, at about ₹5,500.

Photo: Sharvarism, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3. Orchha

₹6,100 / 3 days455 km by roadJan–Mar, Jul–Dec

Instead of Agra. A Bundela capital of palaces, temples and riverside cenotaphs on the Betwa, small enough to walk end to end. It is 17 km from Jhansi station, so it fits a long weekend by train. Avoid April to June, when the open stone palaces bake.

Getting there: Taj Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Jhansi (6 h 50 m, second sitting ₹180), then an auto for the last 17 km. Fare: about ₹180 each way (the auto is extra).

Plan OrchhaFull place page →

Photo: Daniel VILLAFRUELA, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

4. Bundi & Kumbhalgarh

₹5,500 / 3 days458 km by roadJan–Mar, Sep–Dec

Instead of Jaipur and Jodhpur. A blue town under a palace with some of the best murals in Rajasthan, and stepwells that fill in the monsoon. Kumbhalgarh's 36 km fort wall, about 200 km south, is the second half of our Bundi page.

Getting there: Mewar Express from New Delhi, reaching Bundi at 1:28 am (sleeper ₹340), or the Jan Shatabdi to Kota (₹215) and a bus on. Fare: about ₹340 each way.

Plan BundiFull place page →

The Tirthan river rushing over boulders between forested slopes

Photo: Ankitwadhwa10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

5. Tirthan Valley

₹8,500 / 3 days492 km by roadMar–Jun, Sep–Nov

Instead of Manali. A trout river, wooden villages and the buffer zone of the Great Himalayan National Park, an hour off the Manali highway. Go March to June or September to November; most guesthouses close from December to February.

Getting there: Overnight bus from Delhi to Aut, then a local bus or jeep to Banjar and the valley. Fare: about ₹1,400 each way (our planning fare; a private AC bus to Kullu was ₹397 on 5 Nov 2026, but drops you past Aut).

Plan Tirthan ValleyFull place page →

Photo: Varun Shiv Kapur, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

6. Chopta & Tungnath

₹7,000 / 3 days497 km by roadMar–Jun, Sep–Dec

Instead of Kedarnath in season. Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world, at the end of a three-kilometre walk with the Garhwal range in front of it. The temple closes for winter around November and the deity moves down to Mukku. From December to March the path is under snow: beautiful, and only with proper gear.

Getting there: Jan Shatabdi to Haridwar (4 h, ₹150), then on to Rishikesh and the bus and shared jeep via Ukhimath (about ₹800). Fare: about ₹950 each way (the Haridwar–Rishikesh hop is extra).

Plan ChoptaFull place page →

550–620 km: overnight trains and the high valleys

An overnight train or bus each way, which also saves two nights of rooms. Take a long weekend. Khajuraho & Orchha is the cheapest in this band, at about ₹5,300.

Photo: Asit Jain, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

7. Chanderi

₹7,800 / 3 days567 km by roadJan–Mar, Oct–Dec

Instead of Maheshwar. A hill fort over a weavers' town, where Malwa sultans' gateways and Jain rock-cut figures sit a few lanes from the handlooms. November to March is the time. MP Tourism's eco retreat tents ran from late November to March last winter.

Getting there: Kalinga Utkal Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Lalitpur (8 h 20 m, sleeper ₹310), then by road. Fare: about ₹310 each way (the Lalitpur–Chanderi road leg is extra).

Plan ChanderiFull place page →

Photo: Vishalnagula, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

8. Sangla & Chitkul

Fare not confirmed593 km by roadApr–Jun, Sep–Nov

Instead of Manali. Wooden villages and apple orchards along the Baspa, ending at Chitkul, the last village on the road before Tibet. The Sangla–Chitkul road usually closes by mid-December and reopens in March, so this is a spring and autumn trip.

Getting there: Overnight to Shimla (a non-AC bus was ₹446 on 5 Nov 2026), then HRTC up the Sutlej to Sangla; HRTC also runs Sangla–Chitkul (₹110). We could not confirm the HRTC fares on this road, so we have not priced it.

Plan SanglaFull place page →

Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9. Kalpa & Reckong Peo

₹9,600 / 3 days601 km by roadApr–Jun, Sep–Nov

Instead of Shimla or Manali. An old Kinnauri village of wooden temples and orchards, looking across the Sutlej at the Kinner Kailash range. September and October are the apple harvest and the clearest skies. Keep two spare days for landslides on NH-5, and note the HPTDC hotel shuts from December to March.

Getting there: Overnight bus to Shimla (₹446 non-AC, 5 Nov 2026), then the HRTC ordinary bus to Reckong Peo (₹430) and a short ride up to Kalpa. Fare: about ₹876 each way.

Plan KalpaFull place page →

Photo: StonesThatRemember, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

10. Khajuraho & Orchha

₹5,300 / 3 days610 km by roadJan–Mar, Sep–Dec

Instead of the Golden Triangle. Eighty-five temples built in a hundred years and forgotten in a forest for eight centuries. The overnight train makes it a long weekend from Delhi. The dance festival is in February.

Getting there: Gita Jayanti Express overnight from New Delhi to Khajuraho (13 h 40 m, sleeper ₹390), or the Vande Bharat from Hazrat Nizamuddin in 8 h 20 m (chair car ₹1,690). Fare: about ₹390 each way.

Plan KhajurahoFull place page →

Photo: SudiptoDutta, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

11. Munsiyari

₹7,500 / 3 days619 km by roadMar–Jun, Sep–Nov

Instead of Nainital. The five Panchachuli peaks filling the window of a cheap homestay, at the end of a ten-hour mountain road from Haldwani. October has the clearest views. Winter brings snow to Khaliya Top and the road can close after a heavy fall.

Getting there: Uttarakhand Sampark Kranti from Delhi to Kathgodam (6 h 45 m, second sitting ₹125), then the KMOU bus from Haldwani to Munsiyari (₹640, about 10 h). Fare: about ₹765 each way.

Plan MunsiyariFull place page →

Two treks from Delhi via Dehradun

Both start with the train to Dehradun. Each trek page has the permit rules, the gear list and the season: all treks.

Photo: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

12. Nag Tibba

₹2,500 from the base2 daysEasyOct–Mar

Swap a crowded Mussoorie weekend for a snowy summit camp. The easiest Himalayan summit within a weekend of Delhi, with snow on the ridge in winter. No permit is needed for the standard route.

Getting there: Train to Dehradun, then a shared taxi to Pantwari, about three hours. Cost is from the base (Pantwari, via Dehradun); travel from Delhi is extra.

Nag Tibba trek pageFull place page →

Photo: Kanthi Kiran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

13. Kedarkantha

₹9,000 from the base6 daysMediumDec–Apr

The classic first snow trek, in season from December. A six-day winter trek through snowy pine forest to a 3,810 m summit. A forest camping permit is needed, usually arranged by whoever you walk with.

Getting there: Train to Dehradun, then a ten-hour shared taxi to Sankri. Cost is from the base (Sankri, via Dehradun); travel from Delhi is extra.

Kedarkantha trek pageFull place page →

Spiti is not on this list on purpose: the valley is snowed in from November to April and the Manali side pass is shut. From June to September it is the best long trip from Delhi. See our Spiti page.

Which one is best for you

Cheapest weekendKhajuraho, at about ₹5,300 for three days, then Bundi (₹5,500).

CouplesKanatal (about ₹8,100 each for three days as a couple), Chakrata (₹7,900), Orchha (₹5,000) or Bundi (₹4,600). All score 5 out of 5 for couples on our pages.

FamiliesKhajuraho scores 5 out of 5 for families. Orchha, Bundi, Kanatal and Chakrata score 4. Skip the high valleys with small children in winter.

Mountains without the crowdsMunsiyari for the Panchachuli peaks, Kalpa for Kinner Kailash, Chopta for Tungnath (spring and autumn).

History by trainOrchha (Jhansi), Khajuraho (overnight train) and Chanderi (Lalitpur). Go October to March.

Month by month: where to go when

Our month scores for these places, Good or Best:

November: Chakrata, Kanatal, Orchha, Bundi, Tirthan Valley, Chopta, Chanderi, Sangla, Kalpa, Khajuraho and Munsiyari.
December: Chakrata, Orchha, Bundi, Chopta, Chanderi and Khajuraho. Kanatal and Chakrata can get snow from late December.
January and February: Orchha, Bundi, Chanderi and Khajuraho. The hill roads can close after heavy snow.
March to June: the hills open up: Chakrata, Kanatal, Tirthan Valley, Chopta, Sangla, Kalpa and Munsiyari in May.
July to September: monsoon landslides on the hill roads. Orchha in August.

April to June: Orchha, Khajuraho, Chanderi and Bundi pass 40–45°C, with no shade at the temples and palaces. Go to the hills instead.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best places to visit near Delhi within 300 km?

Chakrata (about 294 km by road) and Kanatal (about 300 km), both via Dehradun. The Jan Shatabdi reaches Dehradun in under six hours for ₹175 in second sitting.

Which places near Delhi are good for a weekend trip?

Chakrata and Kanatal by the morning train to Dehradun, Orchha by train to Jhansi, or Bundi by the evening Mewar Express. Three days cost one person from about ₹5,300, mid-range.

What are the best offbeat hill stations near Delhi?

Chakrata and Kanatal instead of Mussoorie, Munsiyari instead of Nainital, and Tirthan Valley, Sangla and Kalpa instead of Manali or Shimla.

Where can I see snow near Delhi in winter?

Kanatal and Chakrata can get snow from late December to February, January most often, though not every year. For sure snow, the Nag Tibba and Kedarkantha treks via Dehradun.

Which heritage places near Delhi can I reach by train?

Orchha (Taj Express to Jhansi, then 17 km), Khajuraho (Gita Jayanti Express overnight, or the Vande Bharat), Bundi (Mewar Express) and Chanderi (train to Lalitpur, then by road).

Where should I go near Delhi in December?

Chakrata, Orchha, Bundi, Chopta, Chanderi and Khajuraho all score Good or Best in December on our pages. Chopta's temple is closed for winter then.

Is Spiti a good trip from Delhi in winter?

No. The valley is snowed in from November to April and the Manali side pass is closed. June to September is the season.

How far is Khajuraho from Delhi?

About 610 km by road (OSRM, 4 Nov 2026). The Gita Jayanti Express takes about 13 h 40 m overnight; the Vande Bharat from Hazrat Nizamuddin takes about 8 h 20 m.

Sources and how we priced this

Road distances: OSRM driving routes over OpenStreetMap data (router.project-osrm.org), run 4 November 2026 from central Delhi (28.6139, 77.2090) to each place's coordinates in our data. Sangla is measured to Sangla town.
Delhi train fares and times: ConfirmTkt route listings for Thursday 5 November 2026 (New Delhi to Dehradun, Haridwar, Jhansi, Bundi, Kota, Lalitpur and Khajuraho), checked 4 November 2026; Kathgodam from ixigo (undated). Delhi–Shimla and Delhi–Kullu bus fares: EaseMyTrip listings for 5 November 2026.
Onward fares, ground costs, month scores and who each place suits: Trip Under place and trek pages, and our cost model. Tirthan's Delhi–Aut bus fare is our planning fare from that page.

Keep reading

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