India is such an interesting country in so many ways! It has mountains, plateaus, plains, and seas. It hosts a variety of languages and cultural. Geographically India is very well protected on its northern part thanks to the Himalayas. The Indian climatic pattern is such that we mainly enjoy four seasons- summer, winter, monsoon, and spring. Autumn goes almost unnoticed here, and spring too is a combination of summer winds and fading winter chills, now. The heat is rising and making the Indian summers all the more painful than it already was!
So, what can we do about it? For starters, pack your bag and set out! To where? Well, you may not know it, but while you are sweating like crazy and struggling with the Loo in some parts of the country, there are some places, where it’s snowing!
So, let’s find out about a few places where it snows in summer, places to where you can escape from this sweltering heat:
Before we begin, it is important to remember though that when we mean ‘snowing,’ we don’t mean a heavy snowfall but a slight drizzle, but trust us; that would be enough to combat this heat!
Head out to Uttarakhand: This state is the land of some of the most famous hill stations in the country. You will find Ranikhet, Nainital, Almora, etc. in this state, but if you want some drizzle of snow, then the best place for you to head out to would be to Auli. This is quite remote, and you will have to make a few arrangements before hand to reach here. But it will be totally worth all the travel and trouble. If you head out to this place in the month of February, you might be lucky enough to catch a temp of less than -10 degrees! Summer months too experience snowfall, not heavy ones, but enough to cool you off.
Next stop-Himachal: Himachal Pradesh is another wonder when it comes to valleys and mountains. If snow is what you are interested in, then there is Kufri. People, generally, visit Shimla when they visit this state. Here’s suggestion, the next time you visit Shimla, you book a car, travel around 30 km, and you will reach Kufri. Tourists have often experience snowfall here.
Right to the north in Jammu and Kashmir: If you want to see what natural beauty actually is then you have to visit this state. There are plenty of places here where you can enjoy. Of all the places you visit, do go to Pahalgam. This little village nestled in the lap of the snowy Himalayas is the perfect summer getaway. You can also engage in a few adventure activities too if you like. Snow and fun- Pahalgam is the perfect destination for a summer retreat, especially if you stay in Delhi.
Trip to Rohtang in Himachal: Rohtang Pass is one the most frequented tourist spots of all times. Even if it does not experience snowfall in the summers, you will not be allowed to go there. When you go there, you will find it covered with snow. On the journey to the pass, you will have to stop at shacks on the way and get on rent warm clothes, not sweaters, but really heavy coats, snow boots and gloves. It is so cold up there that if you are not careful about your warm clothes, you just might get frost bite. You can all engage in some snow fun since you will find soft snow to make snowballs with! Sounds really tempting now right? Book your ticket to Himachal Pradesh today!
If not Rohtang then Solang it is: Solang is a little valley located a few meters below Rohtang. Sometimes it snows so heavily along this path that access to Rohtang gets closed off. So, you can head out to Solang instead. It is a wonderful little valley covered with snow and chilly (mind you chillier than the winds of the “windy city” Chicago, in winter). The beautiful countryside and the spots of green amongst all the snow really make it one of the most scenic places, eyes can behold.
The coldest place in India, it is: If the winds and snow of the Rohtang and Solang are not ‘cool’ enough for you, then visit Kashmir. There is a valley there, at some height of about 10990 ft above the sea level, known as Drass Valley. It is famous as the coldest place in India where people actually reside. It marks as an entry point to Ladakh, and hence, is sometimes referred to as its gateway.
Moving on to Sikkim: Another excellent summer destination is Sikkim. Snowfall is not guaranteed, but snow definitely is. It is ideal for trekking. Visit Lachen in Sikkim; it is a photographer’s delight. It says that green is soothing for the eyes, but here the placid waters of the Gurudongmar Lake, which you can travel to from the village of Lachen, is indeed a respite to the sore city eyes. If you are passionate about trekking, then take the route to her from Yumthang Valley. If you have not tried out trekking before, then this definitely not a route to cover on your first time.
Another one in Sikkim: Apart from Lachen in Sikkim, you can also visit Zuluk. It is a relatively new tourist destination in the eastern part of the region. There are quite a few tourist attractions here like the Gnathang Valley, the Kalpokhari Lake, and the ‘Thane Viewpoint’.
Back to Kashmir: Another wonderful place to visit, just for the sake of nature’s beauty and the bounty of snow is Gulmarg. You can engage in some fun snow activities and if it sounds too risky to you, well you can always make snowballs!
The last but certainly not the least: Manali is one of the major tourist attractions of Himachal Pradesh. Snow covered peaks and beautiful countryside make this place worth a visit.
So, if you are looking for a little snow in the summers in India, you can head out to any one of these places!