Summers in India are synonymous with prickly heat, mangoes…and holidays. It is the season when we put up a valiant struggle against the rising mercury levels and gorge on the golden ripe 'king of fruits'. And it is that time of the year when many of us take advantage of the vacations to pack our bags and flee to cooler climes in higher altitudes.

Since the British developed these hill-top towns at higher elevations to escape the scorching heat in the plains, hill stations have remained our favourite holiday solution to beat the heat.

The lure of the hills

While the most familiar, and admittedly most dramatic, images that come to mind are of the Himalayan destinations up in the north, India is blessed with scores of other—popular or lesser known—hill stations.

North

• Himachal Pradesh: Dalhousie, Dharamsala, Kasauli, Manali and Shimla
• Jammu and Kashmir: Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Patnitop
• Uttarakhand: Almora, Auli, Badrinath Bhimtal, Mussoorie, Nainital and Ranikhet

• Magalia: Cherrapunjee and Shillong
• Sikkim: Gangtok
• West Bengal: Darjeeling and Kalimpong

• Madhya Pradesh: Pachmarhi

• Gujarat: Saputara
• Maharashtra: Khandala, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Matheran and Panchgani
• Rajasthan: Mount Abu

• Andhra Pradesh: Horsley Hills, Ananthagiri Hills and Araku Valley
• Karnataka: Agumbe, Horanadu, Kudremukh and Nandi Hills
• Kerala: Devikulam, Munnar, Peermade, Ponmudi, Vellarimala and Wayanad
• Tamil Nadir: Coonoor, Kodaikanal, Madikeri, Udagamandalam (Ooty), Yercaud and Yelagiri

Hillside Activities

Apart from a pleasant climate and stunning scenery, hill stations provide visitors a variety of holiday activities to choose from:

Wild Adventure

For those of us escaping the drab monotony of life in the concrete jungle, a mountain holiday offers us a taste of high adventure.

• Rock climbing: Steep rocky cliffs and mountainsides are excellent for this sport which is as much a test of strength as of mental grit and teamwork. Manali, Darjeeling, and the Sahyadri hills in Maharashtra offer good climbing sites.
  
  
• Whitewater rafting: Steep craggy slopes and cascading rapids provide the ideal arena for whitewater rafting. The thrill of bounding over the rapids, as the spray hits your face, is complemented by the gorgeous scenery along the river. River rafting is possible in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka amongst other states.
  
  
• Trekking and hiking: Exploring on foot is a great way to appreciate the natural beauty, and unique geography, flora, and fauna around the hill stations. Tourists can enjoy easy hikes or plan more rigorous treks to nearby points.
  
  
• Paragliding: Suitable altitudes, terrain, and wind currents provide excellent paragliding opportunities. Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and the Nandi Hills in Karnataka are excellent locations for paragliding.
  
  
• Skiing: Gentle, expansive snowy slopes have made some Himalayan hill stations popular as skiing destinations. Gulmarg, Manali, and Auli in Uttarakhand are some of the places where this sport can be practised.
  
  

A Sense of History

You have heard the phrase, 'As old as the hills'. Hill stations in India often resonate with echoes of bygone ages. Caves in Pachmarhi and Lakhu-Udyar near Almora, have prehistoric wall paintings. Ancient temples and shrines commonly found in the hills around numerous Maratha fort ruins in the Sahyadri Hills command panoramic views of the surrounding plains. Many hill stations were important colonies of the British Raj and their relicts, in the form of imposing cathedrals or quaint bungalows, remain a common fixture here.