Higher Calling

Tired of the same old hill stations? Shake things up a bit this summer with our handpicked selection of eight off beat mountain retreats, where you can beat the heat and the crowds.

- Harini Sriram

From Shimla in the north to Ooty in the south, there’s no dearth of popular hill stations in India. But if crowds give you the jitters, you’re better off steering clear of these places, especially in summer. Instead, take the road less travelled: Go paragliding over pristine tea estates in Kerala; explore the rustic charm of high-altitude villages in the far reaches of the Himalaya; find peace in an unlikely hill station in central India that the British stumbled upon by accident; visit the only coffee-growing area in Maharashtra; trek to the valley of flowers in Northeast India. If discovering the unknown excites you, read on, as we round up eight lesser-known destinations in the hills for your next summer holiday. 

KURSEONG West Bengal

Kurseong is a little town that one crosses on the way to Darjeeling. But even as its more famous cousin bursts at its seams with tourists, Kurseong beckons with its calm environs and scenic views. It’s usually where most tourists headed uphill break for tea and snacks, but there’s more to Kurseong than meets the eye. Kurseong means ‘place of white orchids’ that one can spot in plenty. The place has hosted some of the greatest minds in the world: Rabindranath Tagore composed many poems here; Mark Twain is said to have spent time in Kurseong in the 1880s, and Subhas Chandra Bose was holed up in a bungalow in Kurseong by the British. To learn more about him, you can visit the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum that has photographs, letters, documents and interesting information on Netaji’s life. Kurseong is all about tea. Tea gardens are sprawled across hills and slopes and stopping by at these estates is a no-brainer.

Checklist Visit the Rock Garden, St Paul’s Church and Kunsang Choiling Monastery. There are many small waterfalls around town as well.