WINTER IS no reason to stay inside all day. Just because the sun is hiding doesn’t mean it’s time to hunker down and hibernate. In fact, winter is one of the best seasons to travel around the country and experience the breathtaking beauty of nature, be it snow-clad mountains or frozen lakes, besides partaking in winter sports activities.

Winter is one of the two peak periods for leisure travel and is extremely popular for shorter breaks to relatively nearby destinations, says Sharat Dhall, president of travel portal Yatra.com. “Also, since the set of destinations that people seek out is completely different from the popular summer getaways, it provides a good opportunity for travellers to check out newer places as well,” he adds.

Mohit Gupta, chief business officer-holidays, MakeMyTrip.com, adds: “Indians love winters and this is the ideal time to plan a holiday. We see a variety of groups planning winter holidays—families, honeymooners and even solo travellers taking off to different destinations in India and overseas. Many Indians want to travel to cold destinations to experience snow in winters. This year, we are seeing more and more people planning short winter vacations (especially around Christmas) compared to summer holidays.”

The typical Indian tourist likes to have an active vacation full of sightseeing, good food, shopping and great photo opportunities for social-networking sites. “With the growing popularity of adventure tourism in India, winter snow sports have become a hot tourist attraction. India is considered to be one of the best destinations for winter sports in the world,” adds Gupta.

However, you must have gotten tired of making umpteen visits to hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie and Nainital (if you’re living in the national capital); ditto for travel junkies in Mumbai going to Khandala and Lonavala, and Kolkata residents taking refuge in the Himalayan wonder of Darjeeling. If that’s the case, it’s time you gave your travel itinerary that extra zing this holiday season.

For those who love to take the road less travelled, north-east India is the place to be in the near future, say industry observers. The ‘eight sisters’, as the region is officially called now, are gaining in popularity due to their pristine locales and pleasant weather. “Christmas, especially, is worth checking out, as the festival is celebrated with much fervour. Secondly, the upcoming Hornbill Festival in Kohima, scheduled from November 30 to December 10, is already attracting a lot of attention,” says Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings.

Shillong, also known as ‘Scotland of the East’, is another beautiful destination with clear blue skies and lush green mountains. “Another fine location in the region is the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, home to the great Indian rhino and popular among wildlife enthusiasts,” adds Dhall of Yatra.com. Once in the region, you can also check out the neighbouring country Bhutan, which is just a few hours from Guwahati in Assam, the gateway to the region. “This is one of the most well-kept secrets during the winter months. People prefer this destination for its pleasant weather and pristine nature,” explains Anand of Cox & Kings.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head, Expedia India, too, bats for the north-east this season. “Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is among the new travel destinations and has a well-preserved monastery. The Jang waterfall is famous for its beauty and the Sela Pass remains covered with snow for most part of the year,” he says.

Although north-east India is increasingly finding a spot on the Indian tourist’s map, it was not so till a couple of years ago. “It’s only the advent of tourist traffic that helps the development of travel infrastructure and facilities in newer destinations owing to the increasing demands and business opportunities. Currently, there is very little awareness about the region and its beauty. It has only started to attract tourists recently and it will take some time for them to be able to cope up with the increasing awareness and tourist traffic,” explains Ahluwalia of Expedia India.

Requests for unexplored destinations and tourist spots have certainly been on the rise, especially among DINKs (double income no kids), HNIs (high net-worth individuals), young group travellers and solo travellers, says Neelu Singh, COO of travel portal Ezeego1.com. “There is a shift in people’s travel patterns. Travellers are getting bolder and inquisitive about newer destinations,” she adds.

Talking about the quest for all things unique, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is another region that has seen traction among travel enthusiasts. “The year-round warm tropical climate of Andaman & Nicobar Islands makes it a desirable destination for adventurers, honeymooners and leisure travellers alike,” says Singh of Ezeego1.com.

While people flock to this destination during summers, it is fast catching up among leisure seekers wanting to have a nice time in this historic landmark, which was made famous by the British for housing freedom fighters in the prisons, offers Anand of Cox & Kings.

Tourism has grown manifold in India in recent times and the basic infrastructure is good in most tourist destinations, be it the popular ones or the far-off destinations. The only hindrance that one might experience is the absence of a mobile network or electricity from time to time.

“Every destination has recreational activities suited to its topography. For example, destinations with mountains promote adventure activities such as trekking, bird watching and so on. Many of the islands and beaches have developed sophisticated water sports. Andaman, in particular, is known for scuba diving and snorkelling,” adds Singh of Ezeego1.com.

Despite the craze for offbeat destinations, the northern parts of India are still synonymous with winters. They are fortunate to experience a white Christmas and every year, a slew of travellers heads north to experience snow in all its glory, says Neelu Singh, COO of travel portal Ezeego1.com. “Some of these destinations gaining rapid popularity are Auli, an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand, McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh and Gulmarg in Kashmir, which is a popular skiing destination for Indians and foreigners alike,” she says.

“We have seen heightened tourist interest for Gulmarg since the destination has not been impacted by the recent J&K floods, though the hotel capacity is limited,” says Gupta of MakeMyTrip.com. The travel portal also witnessed a 400% year-on-year growth in winter bookings for Bhutan due to the nature of the destination along with great hotel deals in premium properties.

Bookings for Leh-Ladakh have been busy almost throughout the year now; however, the Chadar winter trek over the frozen Zanskar river and the snow leopard safari are a must-do on every adventure traveller’s list, Singh of Ezeego1.com adds.

For those wishing to go down south, the Konkan region of Maharashtra has been attracting a lot of tourists, especially those from Maharashtra. Here, you can find glorious beaches, forts and lots of places to hang out. Konkan Kada is also regarded as a challenge for trekkers. Residents of Mumbai can also visit the Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. “The tiger reserve has the highest number of tigers and is at a short distance from Mumbai. It is a must-visit for adventure seekers and wildlife enthusiasts. Very few travellers know about this place and, of late, we have seen a lot of interest among them,” adds Anand of Cox & Kings.

TAKE FIVE

Some of the destinations to check out this season…

l Shillong, Meghalaya: Referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’, it is known for its clear blue skies and lush green mountains; Christmas, especially, is worth checking out, as the festival is celebrated with much fervour.

l Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh: It has a well-preserved monastery. The Jang waterfall is famous for its beauty and the Sela Pass remains covered with snow for most part of the year. It also has a handicrafts centre that promotes small-scale industries for local artisans.

l Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Its year-round warm tropical climate makes it a desirable destination for adventurers, honeymooners and leisure travellers alike. It is famous for being a historic landmark as well—it served as a prison for freedom fighters during the British Raj. Also known for scuba diving and snorkelling.

l Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir: The place is noted for having one of the world’s highest gondolas (cable cars). Gulmarg has seen heightened tourist interest, as it has not been impacted by the recent J&K floods, though the hotel capacity is limited. The main activity is skiing.

l Konkan coast, Maharashtra: Here, you can find glorious beaches, forts and lots of places to hang out. Konkan Kada is also regarded as a challenge for trekkers.