Source – flickr.com/sandeepachetan
India as a tour destination undergoes a bizarre irony. Diversity is the major famous adjective, which advertisers use to magnetize the tourists among other truisms. They try to coat this image of India as a one stop shop for all sort of travel experience. Although if you can talk to any off beat traveler, or follow the majority unusual voyage blogs, you will come to know some less popular travel destinations, which are different from another.
Let’s check some less popular travel destinations in India, which are best alternatives for the popular ones. Although these places are not necessarily substitutes, these places offer an experience that will make you feel to the original and that’s too without the maddening crowd, accompanying touts and pollution. You can also consider them as offbeat places to visit in India.
Less Popular Travel Destinations
Source – flickr.com/Ami Mathur
Why not make your vacation avoiding the crowd and enjoy these less popular travel Destinations. Here is the list of 10 best alternatives for the popular ones.
1. Looking for some High altitude serenity? Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim Instead of Pangong Tso in Ladakh
Source – flickr.com/soumyajit pramanick
No doubt That Pangong Lake itself is one of the extreme incredible sights of its kind, if you move to Eastern Himalayas you will find some something better potted secret. In northern Sikkim, near Gangtok there is the Gurudongmar Lake, its green water will surely hypnotize you with its beauty. This lake is situated at the height of 17,800 feet above the sea level. You will fall in the love with the majestic snow covered peaks and breathtaking surroundings. You can choose 2 days trek to reach this place. This is a sight you need to earn. The cold landscape and less popularity also make this place less popular Travel Destinations.
Distance from Nearest City – Lachen 171 Km
Best Alternative for – Pangong Lake – Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir
Major activities and attractions – Panoramic sight of the Himalayan Peaks, Camping at Lake, trekking.
2. Looking for a hasten shade in the middle of the Desert? The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat rather than Jaisalmer in Rajasthan
Source – flickr.com/travelling Slacker
Yes that’s right if you love the desert and want some calmness, peace and less travelers visit the Rann of Kutch.
This place is in the central Gujarat and experiences fewer travelers. Earlier Gujarat was the state where tourism was very less. Nowadays tourism is increasing here. There are many offbeat places to visit here. The Rann of Kutch is the desert land that holds a rough basic panache that is concurrently accommodating and charming. Although a salt marsh makes up major landscape, presenting some marvelous photos. Here you can also find creative tradition that trickles onto the decorated huts, cow bells and even clothing. Here you can spend night at the border of the desert in the mud huts and can get cozy during the bone fire at night. Earlier to experience this you need to visit Jaisalmer, which is quite overcrowded tourist place.
Distance from Nearest City – Bhuj 86 Km
Best Alternative for – Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Major activities and attractions – Shopping, Camel Safari, enjoy Kutch Festival, Camping and many more things.
3. Enjoy the charm of Mughal Splendor! Visit Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi Instead of Taj Mahal in Agra
Source – flickr.com/Jon Connell
Humayun’s Tomb is one of the major charms of the Mughal Splendor, which is located at Nizammuddin, Delhi. This is also one of the favorite sights in the world. Specially made by his first wife in tribute of her husband, Humanyun’s Tomb might not capable to match the amaze of the Taj Mahal and its fabulous marble, but its occurrence is no less remarkable. Its symmetry is brilliant. The expensive stones at the end of numerous gateways with the sandstones monument of red color combined with the fragile touch of marble will spectacularly amaze you with its first sight. To make it more stunning the lush green gardens and surroundings are excellent place to sit and enjoy the time with friends and family. This is one of the best places to enjoy your weekend getaways. This place is not so much crowed as Taj Mahal. You will find the surroundings are clean and tidy.
Distance from Nearest City – It is in main city of Delhi
Best Alternative for – Taj Mahal, Agra
Major activities and attractions – You can go for Shopping, historical monument and photography.
4. Why to pitch your tent at Khajjiar in Dalhousie when you can do it at Syalsaur in Uttarakhand.
Source – flickr.com/Nilanjan
The Mini Switzerland of India, Khajjiar is now over grazed populated land with tired horses and nagging hawkers. You don’t need to worry the Himalayas are full of gems is something of an understatement though. So you can easily find alternatives for every commercialized hill station. One of such idle hamlet is Syalsaur. Here you can find several government built travelers log huts urged on a gravel bed with Mandakini River murmuring by, its jovial transparent water with faultless lush green trees on the mountains and to make picture more perfect you will find snow covered peaks with the view of Kedar’s peak in the blue sky. Syalsaur is the entirely quiet and offbeat place to visit.
Distance from Nearest City – Rudraprayag – 20km
Best Alternative for – Khajjiar, Dalhousie
Major activities and attractions – You can enjoy the calmness and scenery, trekking, hiking and many other places to visit.
5. Enjoy Backwater experience at Thekkekadu in Kerala instead of Alleppey
Source – flickr.com/Erica_st
No doubt Alleppey has nice backwaters but they are always full of tourists and there are lots of houseboats, which are just few meters away from each other. You may not believe and this may come as revelation that you can experience the backwater in India without having to nudge your way around. 500 km from this houseboat jungle lay the much offbeat place to visit Kannur, Valiyaparambu backwater, lodging a smidgen of abandoned islands, profuse peace and vast waterways. While dreaming the honeymoon holding together on the deck of the houseboat with just beautiful and green palm edged water for company, this is the actual place you are dreaming of.
Distance from Nearest City – Kanhangad – 22km
Best Alternative for – Alleppey, Kerala
Major activities and attractions – Bekal Fort, Ananthapura Lake Temple, Madhur Temple, enjoy the backwater houseboat cruise and many other activities and attractions to visit.
6. View actual Tigers at Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh instead of Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand
Source – flickr.com/Phil Douglis
When was the last time you have seen tiger in Jim Corbett National Park. You can only witness some poops of tigers nothing more than that. No doubt the flora and fauna of Jim Corbett will surely attract you but what about tigers! Bragging one of the major densities of tigers of all the nationwide parks in Country, a jeep safari for a view of the royal stripped animal in the Bandhavgarh National Park is more probable to outcome in a real tiger. This national park is quite small in size comparative to Jim Corbett. You can easily navigate here and can witness the plenty of flora and fauna, which will keep you busy with your camera. To witness and to capture images of tigers this is the best weekend getaway for you.
Distance from Nearest City – Umaria – 35km
Best Alternative for – Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Major activities and attractions – There are lot of places to visit like Bandhavgarh Hills, Shesh-saiya, ancient caves and many other attractions to visit.
7. Interested in Lake studded scenery go for Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh rather than going for Nainital in Uttarakhand
Source – flickr.com/Biswajit_Dey
Nainital senses like a wistful annotation from your early days. Instead of getting bored there head towards Tawang, hovering at the end of a grimy strenuous way through Arunachal Pradesh. This is the last main site before you enter the China border. This place is next to the heaven. Its political and geological locations will need you to jig numerous routine and logistical loops, but once you reached there you will find this entire obstacle worth. This district has more than hundred lakes. If you are adventurous enough and have the passionate idea of Lake Picnic at 12,000 feet, you know where to go for enjoying your weekend getaway.
Distance from Nearest City – Tezpur- 320km
Best Alternative for – Nanital, Uttarakhand
Major activities and attractions – besides breathtaking lakes you can also visit Sela Pass, Monasteries, Nuranag waterfall, Jaswant Garh and many other beautiful places.
8. Want to try Paragliding why to go Manali when you can do it at Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh!
Source – flickr.com/Hari
Bir Billing is just few kilometers away from Kangra, this eco tourism place is the center of one of the most fabulous hang gliding and paragliding in India. In October 2015 this place hosted the Paragliding World Cup. Besides this you will get meditative and spiritual environment. You can enjoy your weekend getaway enjoying paragliding in more beautiful place. You can enjoy many other attractions here.
Distance from Nearest City – Kangra- 65km
Best Alternative for – Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Major activities and attractions – Some of the attractions are Tea Factory, Deer Park Institute and Chokling Monastery.
9. Seeking for some quiet immersion in History? Visit the Hoysala Temples of Hassan in Karnataka as an alternative to Hampi in Karnataka.
Source – flickr.com/sudeip
While moving approx 300 km from south of the Hampi, in the district of Hassan there is the leftovers of the Hoysala kings, one more immense Kannadiga empire. These leftovers are generally in the form of temples, which are dotted across the locality. The temples are in a well potted condition. You will get lost in the complexity of each delicate soapstone portico for hours on end. Here you will find fewer tourists, which can make your tour more fascinating and wonderful.
Distance from Nearest City – Bangalore – 187km
Best Alternative for – Hampi, Karnataka
Major activities and attractions – Historical sites and Temples
10. Enjoy Rafting at the Tirthan Valley in Himachal Pradesh rather than going for overcrowded and noisy Rishikesh in Uttarakhand!
Source – flickr.com/Sushant Singh
Tirthan Valley is located in the Great Himalayan National Park in the district of Kullu. This place is one of the best alternative places for river rafting lovers. You can enjoy quality of river rafting in the white river with some thrilling rapids. The Himalayan National Park is famous for its breathtaking picturesque trekking destinations. Enjoy the rafting or sit back next to your camp and enjoy the enormous beauty.
Distance from Nearest City – Kullu- 50km
Best Alternative for – Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Major activities and attractions– Rafting, camping and enjoy the natural beauty.