And see more-Outside Delhi NCR
Hill Stations
Shimla
Shimla is situated at an altitude of 2,159m. Shimla has been blessed with all the natural bounties, one can think of.
Dwelling on a panoramic location, the hilly town is surrounded by green pastures and snow-capped peaks. The spectacular cool
hills accompanied by the structures made during the colonial era create an aura, which is very different from other hill stations.
Best Time To Visit: April To August & December To January.
Mussoorie
It is located at a height of 2,500 meters in the green Himalayan range. Due to its location and beauty Mussoorie is
considered as the best hill station in the northern region. In 1820 Captain Young from the British army was influenced by the
beauty of this place and made this place as his residence. The name, Mussoorie, is derived from plants of 'Mussoorie' which
were found in abundance here. The modern bungalows, malls and well-laid gardens, which are located on the small hills around
the area, are enough to attract any tourist.
Manali
Situated at an altitude of 2,050m. The Kullu valley has an ancient town in its lap called Manali. Surrounded by towering
peaks at an arm length, Manali's major asset is its proximity to the snowline. It is a flourishing orchard industry, a
popular honeymoon destination and trailhead for numerous treks as well as a great countryside ideal for adventure sport lovers.
Best Time To Visit: May To October.
Kullu
Located in Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 1220m. Kullu was once known as Kulanthpitha, which means the end of the
habitable world. Beyond rose the forbidding heights of the Greater Himalayas, and by the banks of the shining river Beas, lay
the fabled 'Silver Valley'. The mountain-scapes remain spectacular whether in brilliant sunshine or in the haze of the mist.
The 'Silver Valley' has nature's treasures that lie carelessly scattered as flowers on the high meadows. The town of Kullu
has long been a centre of faith. In the 17th century, Raja Jagat Singh installed here an idol of Lord Raghunathji, which he
brought from Ayodhya. As a mark of his penance, he placed the idol on his throne and it became the presiding deity of the valley.
Best Time To Visit: Mid-May To Mid-October.
Pilgrimages & Spirituality
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is located in the northern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is 238 km northeast of Delhi and 24 km north of Haridwar and
spreads on the right banks of the Ganges, at its confluence with the Chandrabhanga stream. It is surrounded by hills on three
sides and is perched at an altitude of 356 meters above sea level. The name Rishikesh is loosely applied to an association of
five distinct sections encompassing not only the town but also hamlets and settlements on both sides of the river.
These include Rishikesh itself, the commercial and communication hub; the sprawling suburban Muni-ki-Reti or the "sands of
the sages"; Shivananda Nagar, north of Rishikesh; the temple section of Lakshmanjhula, a little further north; and the
assorted ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank. In Rishikesh, the winters last from November to March, when
temperatures fall below 0 C. The monsoons are generally experienced in the months of July and August.
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Haridwar
The Gateway of Four Pilgrimages - Haridwar is considered as the gateway to the four pilgrimages in the Uttrakhand region, The
Ganga leaves the mountains and enters the plains with Hardwar being the first major town on the plains. Though the Ganga does
not lose its rapids completely nevertheless it becomes very quite and calm here. The water is clean and people prefer taking
bath on the numerous ghats built on the river shores. It is said that taking bath here purifies the soul and opens the way
for the ultimate freedom, Nirvana.
Haridwar has earned fame as being the place, which has been blessed by the trinity of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is
also one of the major Shaktipeeths. Down the ages Hardwar has purified the mind, the body and the soul. Not only in spiritual
or religious terms Hardwar has come up as a major learning center for arts, science and culture. This place has maintained
the Gurukul tradition of teaching. This ancient tradition of teaching has maintained its fervor in Hardwar.
Haridwar has since ages been a source of Ayurvedic medicines and has been providing herbal remedies. Hardwar one of the first
towns to be developed on Ganga is still lush and green with forest and trees. With Rajaji Park in the vicinity Hardwar has
also been the destination for the wildlife and nature lovers. The city acquires a unique charm in the evening when the ghats
become breath taking beautiful with thousands of Diyas and Marigold floating in the waters of Ganga. About three and half 
lakh People reside in this city. Hindi, Punjabi, Garhwali and English are the main Languages of Communication.
Gangotri
The Eternal Gift Of Bhagirath's Penance
Be it man's urge to placate the Gods above or to quench his desire for adventure, Gangotri is an ideal location. Gangotri,
the origin of the sacred river Ganges, attracts tourists in large numbers every year. The confrontation with the daunting
rivers and attempts to unravel the mysteries of the supernatural world are ubiquitous sights here. Along with the thrill of
conquering nature, what one experiences here is the mystical aura that India is so famous for.
Heritage & Palaces
Taj Mahal: Agra
Located at Uttar Pradesh, Agra District.
An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory
of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of
the world's heritage.
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Hawa Mahal: Jaipur
Jaipur is a fascinating city, it has great palaces and other structures that are architectural wonders. Look you may from
whichever way - houses, shops and havelis - they are all pink. The long crenulated walls protecting the city and the huge
gateways guarding the entrance to the city are all in pink. Even the women who come to the city market from their
neighbouring villages are dressed in pink, gorgeous yellow, red and blue. Men dressed in white dhoti and shirts wear huge
magnificent turbans - mostly pink, red and yellow. Jaipur, like the entire Rajasthan, loves colour and pink more often than
not. Amidst this riot of colours, the City Palace of Jaipur stands at the centre. 
This royal residence is the tallest structure in the whole complex and received additions from various maharajas till all
further additions were ruled out. But even before this, within sixty years of its construction, the City Palace had to
accommodate a new extension of the zanana quarters. This was the Hawa Mahal.
To the north of the city's main road intersection, the Badi Chaupad, stands Hawa Mahal - the world famous landmark of Jaipur,
the best known specimen of fanciful architecture. Built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh, the aesthete among maharajas, it is an
integral part of the City Palace though standing away from the main complex. At first glance it looks rather whimsical in
design. From the roadside, where most visitors view Hawa Mahal for the first time, it looks a mere fa?ade. But there is much
more than meets the eye.
It is the last portion of an extensive place for the royal seraglio, a palace of winds away from the claustrophobic interiors
guarded by battalions of liveried sentries. Heat, the main problem of Rajasthan cities, causes little irritation at Hawa
Mahal. From the small-latticed windows, queens and princesses could watch processions on the road below without fear of being
observed by the common man. It provided a concealed grandstand view.
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Lake Palace: Udaipur
Legend says that Prince Jagat Singh II asked his father Maharana Sangram Singh II (1710-34) to give permission to take his
friends for fun and frolic to Jag Mandir .The permission was refused and the old Maharana said to go ahead and build his own
palace on the lake. The prince built a magnificent pleasure palace on a rocky island in the middle of Lake Pichola. Maharana
Bhagwat Singh converted Jag Niwas Palace into a luxury hotel in the year 1961. It is one of the most luxurious hotels in
India and is an experience in itself and well managed in best Taj style. It has 85 beautiful rooms and Special Suites.
Set amid awe-inspiring fairytale gardens, this 250-year old palace may be the most romantic hotel in the world. As a
testimony to courtly love, the palace brims with princely details including marble pillars, ornate glasswork, intricate
paintings, and much, much more.
Wildlife
Ranthambore National Park: Rajasthan
Near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the state of Rajasthan, Ranthambore National Park is an outstanding example of
Project Tiger's efforts at conservationin the country. The forests around the Ranthambore Fort were once, the private hunting
grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game in these forests for sport, was responsible for their
conservation, and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger.
The Park sprawls over an estimated area of 400 sq kms. Steep crags embracea network of lakes and rivers, and a top one of
these hills, is the impressive Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century. The terrain fluctuates between impregnable
forests and open bushland. The forest is the typically dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent tree. The
entry point to the Park, goes straight to the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi Mahal. The latter boasts of
the second-largest banyan tree in India.
The Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Milak Talab are some of the lakes in the area, that attract the tiger population. They have been spotted at the edges of these lakes, and Jogi Mahal itself. Old crumbling walls, ruined pavilions, wells,
and other ancient structures stand witness to the region's glorious past. 
The entire forest is peppered with the battlements and spillovers of the Ranthambore Fort - tigers are said to frequent these
ruins, too. As a result of stringent efforts in conservation, tigers, the prime assets of the Park, have become more and more
active during the day. More than in any other park or sanctuary in India, tigers are easily spotted here in daylight. They
can be seen lolling around lazily in the sun, or feverishly hunting down sambar around the lakes.
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Corbett National Park: Uttaranchal
The Corbett National Park is located in the terai region of the state of Uttar Pradesh, straddling the undulating Shivalik
foothills of the Himalayas. Located around 300 kilometres away from New Delhi, it is India's first ever national park. The
park was established in 1936 as the Hailey National Park, following the advice of the hunter-naturalist Jim Corbett. The park
covered 520 sq.kilometres in 1986, and a proposed extension of 588 sq. kilometres is under consideration. Project Tiger,
which was set up with the help of the World Wildlife Fund, was launched at Dhikala, in the Corbett National Park on April 1,
1973. This project was aimed at saving the Indian tiger (Pantheratigris tigris) from extinction.
Over 50 mammals, 580 birds
and 25 reptile species have been listed in the Corbett National Park. The insect life is also astounding, noticeably
specially after the monsoons. But undoubtedly, the jewel of the Corbettis the Indian tiger. It was estimated that in 1984,
the tiger population was 90 in this park. Leopards as well as lesser cats such as the leopard cat, jungle cat, fishing cat
are also found here.
Fauna: The sloth bear, Himalayan black bear, dhole, jackal, yellow throated martem, Himalyan palm civet, Indian greymongoose,
common otter, porcupine, clacktaped hare are the other attractionsof this area. It is possible to see elephants all over the
park. Four species of deer are found here. These are the chital, the well-known spotted deer, para, kakka, and the barking
deer. The goat antelopes are represented by the ghoral. There is a lot for the bird watchers in this park. It has over 580
speciesof birds. Most of the water birds are migrant, and arrive in winters. Someof these are the greylag, barheaded goose,
duck, grepe, snipe, sandpiper,gull and wagtail. The residents include darters, cormorants, egrets, herons, the blacknecked
stork and the spurwinged lapwings. Reptiles, which are residents of this area, are the gharial,the rare fish eating, long -
nosed crocodile, and a few species of turtlesand tortoises.
The Indian python, viper, cobra, krait and kingcobra also inhabit
the Corbett National Park. The National Park offers invaluable experiences for adventurous and serious-minded wildlife -
buffs, photographers and anglers. It is advantageous to have one's own vehicle here. Walking in some areas is permitted, but
only when accompanied by a guide. Elephant rides for wildlife viewing, in the mornings and evenings, can be booked in the
Dhikala complex.
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Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary: Rajasthan
It is located at Kankwari fort, near Alwar, on the Delhi Jaipur Highway. The terrain is predominantly hilly, as it lies in
the Aravalli range. It has total area of 788 sq. kilometres, with a core area of approx. 47 sq. kilometres.
Fauna: At last count in 1985, there 35 tigers were reported. Other carnivores of the area are the panthe, jungle cat, jackal
and hyena. Three caracals were also reported during the last census in 1985. Other animals include the sambhar, chital, wild
boar, hare, nilgai and umpteen porcupines.
The birdlife comprises of the peafowl, gray partridge, quail, sandgrouse, tree pie, white-breasted kingfisher, golden
woodpecker and great indian horned owl.
Keoladeo Ghana or Bharatpur National Park: Rajasthan
Keoladeo Ghana or Bharatpur National Park, one of the most spectacular bird sanctuaries in India, nesting indigenous water-
birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds. Sambar, chital, nilgai and boar also inhabit it. More than 300
species of birds are found in this small park of 29 sq. km. of which 11 sq. km. are marshes and the rest scrubland and
grassland.
Fauna: Over 350 species of birds find a refuge in the 29 sq km of shallow lakes and woodland, which makes up the park. A
third of them are migrants, many of whom spend their winters in Bharatpur, before returning to their breeding grounds, as far
away as Siberia and Central Asia. Migratory birds at Keoladeo include, as large a bird as Dalmatian pelican, which is
slightly less than two meters, and as small a bird as Siberian disky leaf warbler, which is the size of a finger.
Other migrants include several species of cranes, pelicans, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks, stints, wagtails, warblers,
wheatears, flycatchers, buntings, larks and pipits, etc. But of all the migrants, the most sought after is the Siberian Crane
or the great white crane, which migrates to this site every year, covering a distance of more than half the globe. These
birds, numbering only a few hundred, are on the verge of extinction.
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(source- incredibleindia.org)
