India is a country with unity in diversity. Diversity, let’s say in the field of culture, language, literature, religion, community, food habits, and travel locations. India has always been a center of attraction for travelers and tourists all around the world. History itself describes many foreign travelers who paved their way into India to see the glorious diversity of this country. Among them the popular were Hiuen Tsang ( 630 to 645 A.D), Ibn Battuta(1333 to 1347 A.D), Marco Polo ( 1254 to 1324 A.D), Megasthenes (302 to 298 B.C), Fa Hien(405 to 411 A.D), Nicolo Conti( 1420 to 1421 A.D), Fernao Nues(1535 to 1537 A.D), Vasco De Gama(1497, 1502, 1524 A.D) and many more. here are the best 19 Offbeat Travel Destinations in India.
India is loaded with numerous travel destinations throughout the country; right from the frozen Jammu and Kashmir in the North to breezy Kanyakumari in the South and from Arunachal Pradesh in the extreme East to the massive Kutch in the West. There are high mountains and deep-sea trenches, snow-covered regions and spectacular deserts, heavy rainfall areas, and some of the unbelievably dry regions. Despite being a nation with huge diversities and variations, there can be seemed extreme unity within the people. The sense of one nation is deeply incarnated within the roots of every Indian.
Everyone loves to travel in their own way, be it for research purposes, the curiosity of exploring the unexplored places on earth, or for enjoying their vacations to get mental relief.
In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best offbeat travel locations in India. We are in such a country, where there are no limitations of travel locations, almost in every state there can be seen locations worth traveling. Earlier in our previous articles, we have discussed many popular travel destinations in India, but this we have brought something different for you. We will show you the locations which are a bit uncommon for the tourists and many of the people are unaware of them, but they have some of the most awesome landscapes and picturesque scenes.
Table of Contents
Roopkund Lake
Roopkund Lake, commonly called the “Lake of Mystery”, is present in Uttarakhand. This Lake is basically a glacial lake that can be found at an altitude of about 16,470 ft i.e 5,020 m above the mean sea level and it is present amidst snow-clad mountains and glaciers. The Roopkund has a diameter of about 40 m and an area of approximately 1500 sq. meters. The reason behind calling this lake Mystery Lake is that earlier many human skeletons have been excavated from this lake and many of them are still visible at the bottom of the lake as soon as the melting of the snow begins.
Trekking near Roopkund Lake has been quite popular these days and it is popularly known as the Roopkund Lake Trekking route. The best time to visit Roopkund Lake starts from the Middle of September to the last week of October. Roopkund Lake depicts a great landscape that is highly appreciated by tourists all over the world.
Khajjiar
Khajjiar is a small hill station that can be found in the district of Chamba of Himachal Pradesh. This location is popularly known as the “India’s Mini Switzerland ”, almost 24 km away from Dalhousie. Khajjar is located at an altitude of about 6,300 ft i.e. 1,920 m above the mean sea level. The whole area is surrounded by beautiful mountains, valleys, forests, green grasslands, and meadows, making it no less than a replica of Switzerland. In addition, there are beautiful lakes and pastures in Khajjiar, enhancing its beauty further.
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Malana
Malana is basically a small ancient village which is located in Himachal Pradesh. This is famous for its peaks namely Deo Tibba and the Chanderkhani. This is situated at an altitude of about 2,652 m which is approximately 8,701 ft above the mean sea level. The people inhabiting the Malana village have their own style and way of living, culture, traditions, and customs. Most interestingly, they have a unique and different language that is spoken and understood only by the inhabitants of the village.
This language is known as the “Kanashi” Language. It has also been reported that Malana is the oldest democracy that can be found in the world. People in the village believe that they are the descendants of the glorious soldiers of Alexander the Great and are with pure racial blood of Aryans. Malana is famous for its unique product, called “Malana Cream”, this is made from the Cannabis sativa plant found in the Parvati valley.
Sandakphu
Sandakphu is basically a mountain peak that can be found in the ridges of Singalila present in the borderline of Nepal and India. It’s is actually known as “ the Height of the Poison Plant”. The reason behind this name is the presence of many aconite plants in the nearby valleys and the peak. The Sandakphu peak is located at an altitude of about 3,636 m which is about 11,930 ft above the mean sea level. Sandakphu is a part of the Singalila National Park.
These are a specialty, from this summit some of the highest mountain peaks in the world can be seen; they are namely Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and the Kangchenjunga. Trekking in Sandakphu has become quite famous these days. It has basically 2 trekking routes. The 1st trekking route begins from Manebhajan at a distance of 28 km from Darjeeling in West Bengal to Meghma and the altitude reaches 2600 m above the mean sea level. The 2nd one begins from Meghma to Gairibas which can be found at an altitude of 2621 m.
Spiti Valley
The next on our list is the Spiti Valley of which falls in the Spiti and Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh. Spiti Valley is basically a cold desert mountain that is present in the location that shares the boundary between India and Tibet. Spiti Valley has been reported to be found at an altitude of about 9,680 ft to 13,450 ft above the mean sea level. The population density is very sparse near the valley because of the harsh climatic conditions. There can be the influence of both Hinduism and mostly Buddhism in the locality. The Spiti valley is surrounded by the ranges of mountains and valleys.
There are many Buddhist monasteries in this valley and some of them are many years old. Tabo Monastery and the Key Monastery are regarded as the favorite monasteries of the Dalai Lama and they are one of the world’s oldest Buddhist monasteries. It can be noted that this valley has been a part of many famous Bollywood movies. Some of the major places to visit in this valley are Dhankar lake, Chicham Bridge, Kaza, Kibber, Kunzum Pass, Hikkim Village, Lhalung Monastery, Pin Valley National Park, Langza village, Mud Village, and many more. Spiti valley’s trekking route has gained the attention of tourists lately. The total trekking length of the Spiti Valley trekking route is about 55 km which basically starts from the Langza and ends at Dhankar. The trekkers need around 4 to 5 days to complete the trekking route.
Phugtal Monastery
The Phugtal Monastery is present in the Lugnal Valley in Ladakh. Phugtal is basically a Buddhist monastery that can be found on the Chadar trekking route near the Zanskar river. Phugtal monastery has a rich history, where many scholars and Buddhist religious followers i.e monks had gained knowledge and meditated in this monastery. The Phugtal Monastery is believed to be around 2500 years old. The surroundings of the Phugtal monastery are awesome.
Kangra Valley
Kangra Valley is located in the Western Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. The best time to visit the valley is from March to April. Kangra Valley is famous for its Masroor Rock Cut temple( Himalayan Pyramids) and they are expected to be enlisted in the UNESCO world heritage sites. The valley is about 2000 ft above the mean sea level. The Valley has a beautiful natural aura with beautiful streams, high peaks, meadows etc.
The major river present in this valley is the Beas river and the most notable peaks are found in the Dhauladhar mountain range. The languages that are spoken in this valley are Kangri languages. There are certain major attractions that can be found near the valley, they are McLeod Ganj, Triund Trek, Balh valley, etc. There is a popular fort in this valley known as Kangra fort which is 20 km away from the Dharamsala. Kangra fort covers a total of about 4 km area and can be found beside the joining center of the 2 rivers, Bangana and Majhi.
Chadar Lake
Chadar Lake is basically a frozen lake that can be found in the Ladakh of Himachal Pradesh. The total length of the Zanskar river is approximately 105 km. The Chadar lake trekking route is quite famous for the trekkers because of the challenges that the trekkers have to face during the journey. It usually takes 8 to 9 days to complete the trekking route. The maximum altitude that can be reached during trekking is about 11,123 ft. The best time to visit the Chadar lake trekking route is between early January to Early February. The major places of attractions of this trekking route are Chadar lake, snow-clad mountains, and lanes, Zanskar river, Gyalpo, Tibb cave, Naerak, Leh, Shingra Yokma, etc.
Khajuraho
Khajuraho is located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh and at a distance of 175 km away from the Jhansi. It’s is basically a group of temples belonging to the Hindus and Jains. This has been enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The temples at Khajuraho were mostly built during the Chandela dynasty that existed from 885 A.D to 1050 A.D. Currently, there are around 25 temples present at Khajuraho. This temple is world-famous for its unique style of sculpture and art. The erotic art and sculptures, well known as “Kamasutra” are world-famous.
Orchha
Orchha is basically a town which is located in the district Niwari of Madhya Pradesh. The town is present at an altitude of 1,811 ft above the mean sea level and near the river Betwa. This town was established during the reign of Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501 A.D(16th century). Rudra Pratap Singh was the first king of this town Orchha. The main source of attraction in Orchha is the massive Orchha fort that was built by Rudra Pratap Singh. There are many buildings or Mahals that are interconnected with each other that can be found in the fort, the most important of them are Raja Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, Ram Raja temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, Uth khana, and many more. This fort clearly depicts the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the Indian Kings at that time.
Vihigaon Falls
The Vihigaon falls is found in a small village named Vihigaon in Nashik of Maharashtra. This waterfall is located at a distance of about 14 km from Igatpuri. The Vihigaon Falls are called Ashoka waterfalls. The best time to visit the waterfall is during the Monsoon when there will be greenery everywhere with a few showers. There are many small streams and waterfalls near the Vihigaon Falls. The Vihigaon Falls was part of a Bollywood feature film named “Ashoka”, from then it gained much popularity and tourist attraction. The whole surrounding is full of dense forests, beautiful streams, mountains and valleys, massive rocks, etc.
Rann of Kutch
Rann of Kutch is basically present in the Thar desert of the district Kutch in Gujarat. The Rann of Kutch covers a total of about 7500 km square area which is approximately 2900 square miles. The temperature in this area remains usually high and can be considered as one of the hottest places in India. The people inhabiting this region belong to different religions namely Hindu, Muslim, Jain, and Sikhs.
The specialty of this place is that it marks the international borderline between India and Pakistan. The area is under tight security and heavy patrolling by the Border security forces of the Indian Army. Earlier this place was full of vegetation and grasslands because of the flowing of the river Indus, but due to the earthquake that took place in 1819 led to the change in the course of the river. This resulted in the formation of this massive desert. Rann of Kutch is a major tourist attraction. Every year the famous “Rann Utsav” is held in Dhordo village from December to February.
Bhangarh
Bhangarh is basically a village which is located in the district Alwar of Rajasthan. Sariska Tiger Reserve is present near the village. Bhangarh is mostly famous for the haunted fort of Bhangarh popularly known as the “Bhangarh Fort ”. This fort was built in 1573(16th century) by Bhagwant Das who was the son of Madho Singh. Many haunted stories can be found related to this fort. This fort is a major tourist attraction and tourists from all over the world. The Archeological Survey of India has used many signboards outside the fort to warn the tourists or other people from trespassing into the fort after sunset to before sunrise. The Bhangarh Fort has been listed as Asia’s most haunted place.
Living Root Bridge of Meghalaya
The living root bridge of Meghalaya is one of the major tourist attractions of the state. Every year thousands of tourists come to this place to experience its uniqueness and beauty. The total length of the bridge is recorded as 50 meters and the width is around 1.5 meters. Such kinds of root bridges are formed from the roots of the Banyan tree( Ficus elastica). These root bridges are formed naturally, while many of them are handmade. Such kinds of short-living root bridges can be found in Nagaland.
Cherrapunjee
Cherrapunjee is basically a small town in the district of East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Nowadays, this town is known as Sohra. This town is located at an elevation of about 1,430 m which is 4,690 ft above the mean sea level. Cherrapunjee is just 50 km away from Shillong. This place was earlier known as the Wettest place on Earth, now has been listed as the most rainfall recorded place in one calendar year on earth. The major attractions of Cherrapunjee are Seven Sister Falls, Double Decker living root bridge, Mawsmai caves, and many more.
Mawlynnong
Mawlynnong is basically a small village which is located in the District of East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. This village can be found 90 km away from Shillong. The village is famous for its cleanliness and 100% literacy rate of the inhabitants of that village. The best time to visit the place starts from the monsoon season.
Majuli
Majuli is basically a small island in the river Brahmaputra in Assam. The island had a total area of about 340 square miles which is about 880 km2. But due to constant erosion of the river Brahmaputra, this island has lost a large portion of its land area leaving only a 553-kilometer square area at present. This island is present at an altitude of about 277.2 ft above the mean sea level. The population density of this island is around 300 per square kilometer. Majuli presents unity in diversity; as large numbers of ethnic tribes and communities live together on this island; they are Mishing, Sonowal, Kachari, Koch, Deori, Ahom, Kalita, Chutia, Mattak, Keot, Brahmin, Nath, and many others.
But the majority of the people on this island speak the Assamese language. Majuli river island is the smallest river island in the world and every year a large number of tourists come to this island all over the world. This island is approximately 300 to 400 km away from Guwahati(Dispur) which is the capital city of Assam. The major attraction of Majuli is the Satras. Satras are the religious temples established by Shankardeva and his followers. At present 22 Satras are there at Majuli. Some of the notable Satras are : Dakhinpat Satra, Auniati Satra, Garamurh Satra, Kamalabari Satra, Narasingha Satra, Benegenaati Satra, Shamaguri Satra, Bhimpur Satra etc. Sankardeva was the founder of the Neo-Vaishnavite religion. This religion has its own art and culture, religious scripts, religious songs, languages, dances, rules, and regulations, etc.
Champai
This is basically a district in Mizoram. it’s is referred to as the Rice Bowl Of Mizoram. Champai has a total area of about 3,185.83 meters square. The major attractions in the district of Champai are Murlen National Park, Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary, etc. Champai is a home to rich flora and fauna.
Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is basically a coastal town present in Tamil Nadu. This is an extremely beautiful tourist place. It covers a total area of about 25.89 km square. Kanyakumari train station is the last train station of India and has no railway connections beyond this station; so it is popularly referred to as the Land’s End”. Kanyakumari is famous for its beautiful sunrise and sunset and every year a large number of tourists from different countries visit Kanyakumari. The major attractions of Kanyakumari are Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Gandhi Memorial Mandap, Tsunami Memorial Park, Bhagavathy Amman Temple, Monument of Kama rajar Mani Mantapa, and many more.
Vivekananda rock memorial is one of the major tourist attractions. Swami Vivekananda has gained knowledge and enlightenment on this rock, in order to preserve the memory and to give tribute to Swami Vivekananda, this rock was built in the year 1970. The statue of Thiruvalluvar is another major attraction of Kanyakumari. The statue is about 29 meters tall and was built on a rock that measures 11.5 meters. The total weight of this statue is about 7000 tons. The statue was completed in the year 2000. This statue has experienced many natural calamities like Earthquakes and the great Tsunami of 2004 but is still standing intact.
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