Let’s be honest, Delhi’s heat is getting more and more unbearable each year. The temperature on an average has been recorded to shoot up to 41 degrees celsius and it’ll only shoot up more come May and June. Apart from the garmi, summer holidays are a great excuse to take a break from your daily routine and spend some time with your loved ones. Are you with us? If yes, we have just the list for you. Here are four exciting and fun summer escapes for you and your entire squad.

Manali

Situated in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Manali is one of the most popular places for a summer holiday. It is around a 12-hour drive from Delhi, so it’s not too far and doesn’t require too much pre-planning. All you need to do is pack your bags a day in advance and you are good to go. Try to leave early in the morning, so that you can roll down the windows and enjoy the fresh morning breeze. Now, Manali is home to a lot of tourist spots which attract both adults and children. There’s the Manali Sanctuary for all the nature lovers, Mall Road for the shopaholics, Museum of Himachal Culture and Folk Art for history buffs, Himalayan Nyinmapa Tibetan Buddhist Monastery for the people who like to have a bit of peace. Further, you must try Manali’s delicacy called mittha made with rice and raisins and garnished with dry fruit.

Estimate Cost: INR 8000 to INR 11000 for two people for a week

Munnar

Munnar in Kerala should be on your travel list if you like tea and nature. This place is endowed with marvellous and breathtaking landscapes that you don’t want to miss. We are sure that if you make a plan to go to this place for a vacation, it will be a vacation of a lifetime; Munnar in summer is absolutely gorgeous. You will find many trekking trails, if you are adventurous at heart and also the Eravikulam National Park. When not admiring the beautiful waterfalls and viewpoints, you should visit what Munnar is truly famous for: The Kolukkumalai Tea Plantation. You can also visit the Tea Museum but don’t substitute the plantations with it. The only downside of visiting Munnar is that it’s quite far from Delhi so you can’t be too spontaneous about this trip. However, we would urge you to look into this place if you have more time in your hands as this place is not going to disappoint you at all. It’s only a three-hour flight from the capital.

Estimate Cost: INR 25,000 to INR 30,000 for two people for a week

Darjeeling

This is again a place where tea is of paramount importance. Situated in West Bengal, Darjeeling offers beautiful landscapes as well as ancient monasteries that contain colourful mural and libraries with rare texts. This is a great place for readers and writers alike, given the serenity. Some of the best monasteries and temples that you should visit are Ghum Monastery, Peace Pagoda, Japanese Buddhist Temple, and Bhutia Busty Monastery. Further, you can also explore the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Happy Valley Tea Estate that was established in 1854 and is the second oldest tea estate in Darjeeling and Tiger Hill which is declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Darjeeling is also quite far from Delhi, so you need to keep some time in your hand if you are planning to take a trip to Darjeeling. It takes around two hours by flight.

Estimate Cost: INR 30,000 to INR 40,000 for two people for a week. But you can find a lot of Darjeeling holiday deals on the internet.

Dharamshala

What is the purpose of travelling if one does not learn something different from what one already knows? We choose Dharamshala for this list as apart from being situated at the foothill of the Himalayas and boasting of cool weather, it is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. So this is a place where you can observe, experience and educate yourself regarding another culture and custom that is different from what you are familiar with while escaping the Delhi  heat. You can start with the Tibet Museum, then go on to visit the various monasteries such as Thekchen Chöling Temple, and then visit the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives that is home to many precious manuscripts. Moreover, you can, of course, visit the popular viewpoints and waterfalls which are the main attractions of Dharamshala. Another plus point of taking a vacation at Dharamshala is that it’s relatively close to Delhi. It takes about 10 hours by road. You can also take a flight which will take you around 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Dharamshala.

Estimate Cost for your Dharamshala holiday: INR 13,000 to INR 15,000 for 2 people for a week

So guys this summer we urge you to plan a trip to one of these destinations, instead of staying in Delhi and allowing it to literally roast you. So, drop the mic and travel this summer to these places that have more in store for you than just nice weather.

Happy Vacation!