.jpg)
-1024x683.jpg)
We know you dread the ‘October Heat’, and that’s why finding an escape to a hill station is appealing. But there are so many places to spend your October than just the mountains. After the dampness of the monsoon and before the chilly winters begin, there are a ton of destinations in India worth a visit.
Watersports gear up pace in October after the long rainy months, making it ideal for some adventure. This month also welcomes some grand festivities in many parts of the country, calling for some colorful celebrations that should be experienced by every traveler. Many states in India have abundant natural splendor to offer in October; scenic views envelop both hill stations and coastal areas of India. We could go on about why this month is ideal for your travel plans, so let’s see which places to visit in October in India:
Stepping in Kolkata opens you to unique sights, and no we aren’t talking only about the Howrah Bridge. The streets of Kolkata are one-of-a-kind because of the yellow taxis and street food like Luchi-Alu Dom. One stroll around this city and you’ll see the ancient and modern come together in a beautiful blend. If you visit the Victoria Memorial and gawk at its architecture, consider visiting the ‘The Marble Palace’. This mansion, built in neoclassical style with interiors boasting of Victorian furniture, should be on every traveler’s itinerary if they visit Kolkata.
But before we go on about the attractions of Kolkata, let us tell you why visiting Kolkata in October is a great idea. The weather is pleasant around this month and October comes with lots of festivities in Kolkata. Heard of Durga Puja? The 10-day festival in October is a sight to behold. The entire city is decked up, people go pandal-hopping, relish sacred bhog and devour Bengali sweets.
Before you pack your bags and leave after the festivities, consider waiting until the last day of Durga Puja to witness ‘Sindur Khela’; married or not, you must check out the event. Grand pandals, puja bhog, and Sindur Khela are something you can’t witness if you visit Kolkata in October.
Shop for red-white sarees, witness some mesmerizing idols of goddesses, take a boat ride under the beautifully lit Howrah Bridge, click photos of the hand-drawn rickshaws, and lick some Mishti Doi clean off your fingers. If you are planning to visit Kolkata, October is the perfect month for your trip.
Nearest Airport: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (15 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Howrah Junction (4 km away)
Also read: The Durga Puja Experience
Bir Billing is almost synonymous with paragliding as it is Asia’s second-best paragliding site and sees many tourists visiting it to try paragliding. The mountains of Bir Billing are famous for trekking, mountain biking, and camping, a reason why Bir Billing is popular amongst adventure seekers. We bet you didn’t know that Bir Billing also hosts scenic attractions like the Sherablling Monastery, Chokling Monastery, and the Deer Park Institute. Just visiting the Deer Park Institute will fill you with calm, almost making you wish you took up a spiritual program here.
The names of Bir Billing are usually taken together since Billing and Bir are paragliding take-off and landing sites respectively. But Bir village in itself offers a plethora of things to do, like touring the Chowgan Tea Garden, shopping at Bir Bazaar, and hiking towards the Bangoru Waterfall. The reason why October is ideal to visit Bir Billing is due to its pleasant climate, which allows you to experience everything we mentioned above more comfortably.
Paragliding enthusiasts pick October to visit Bir Billing because of the World Paragliding Championship. The clear skies of October double your experience of hang gliding or paragliding in Bir Billing. The weather of October is just tailor-made to go paragliding or exploring the other adventure sports that Bir Billing offers. If adventure doesn’t appeal to you, consider exploring Bir on a toy train or try local delicacies in the cafes around Bir Billing.
Nearest Airport: Gaggal Airport (68 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Ahju (3 km away)
Also Read: 4 Hostels In Bir That Are A Backpacker's Paradise
We know you’re used to hearing the names Kullu and Manali taken together, but here, we are going to focus on Kullu. Kullu is more quaint than its sister town Manali, a tourist town just 40 km away. Sitting in a breathtaking valley between Manali and Larji, Kullu is famed for water sports thanks to the majestic Beas River. Kullu is well known for its temples like Raghunath Temple, Maha Devi Tirth Temple, Shringi Rishi Temple, etc. If you aren’t a fan of temples, check out the Great Himalayan National Park, India’s youngest national park and home to many animals, including the endangered species of pheasants.
The vast mountains surrounding the valley also is a sight to remember forever, not just in your camera rolls. These mountains are a reason why Kullu is the starting point for many treks that go around Kullu-Manali. If you want to witness all the sights Kullu Valley has to offer, October is the best time; it’s better than the chilly December-January. Another reason to visit Kullu in October is for witnessing the way Kullu Valley celebrates Dussehra. The valley is immersed in joy and festivities during the 7-day festival.
If you do plan to visit Kullu in October, make a detour to the Dhalpur Maidan; you’ll see locals carrying idols of the gods in grand processions. The colors of these processions multiplied with the excitement on the faces of the locals make October an ideal time to visit Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. Don’t miss the music and dance performances, especially the Lankadahan performance by the banks of Beas River. Around 4-5 lakh people from around the world visit Kullu to attend the Dussehra festival, making it the perfect destination to visit in October.
Nearest Airport: Kullu Manali Airport (10 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Joginder Nagar (125 km away)
Also Read: Best Homestays In Kullu
Famous for the tea growing on its slopes and for the view of mighty mountains, Darjeeling is popular amongst many tourists. Its rich cultural and natural heritage acts as a magnet for people looking for a retreat in the mountains. There’s no doubt about the utter beauty of Darjeeling’s landscape, one of the reasons why it is a preferred destination for movie shootings. You must be lying if you didn’t wish to visit Darjeeling after seeing it in Main Hoon Naa, Parineeta, or Barfi. No one can forget the toy train passing through the tea gardens of Darjeeling in the song ‘Kasto Mazza’ from the movie Parineeta.
If you plan to visit Darjeeling, do add riding on the toy train which is declared as a UN Heritage Site to your travel plan. The reason why you must visit Darjeeling in October is for the clear view of Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest. After the monsoon, skies are clear thus offering brilliant views of the famous Tiger Hill and the landscape around it. October is the month when Darjeeling is in full blossom and its rivers are calm but full after the monsoon. This is the best time to visit Darjeeling’s wildlife sanctuaries, and monasteries, or go rafting on the Teesta River.
Many tourists flock to Darjeeling between April to June; visiting in October gives you an upper hand over hotel deals. If you do go to Darjeeling around this month, try the Darjeeling Tea, produced locally on its slopes. Imagine sitting in a cafe taking in the crystal clear views with a cup of Darjeeling Tea and a plate of momos in your hand. That coupled with the cool breeze of October is sure to enhance your experience here!
Nearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport (70 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Siliguri Junction (38 km away)
Also Read: A Guide To Exploring Darjeeling
Mysuru, with its grand palaces, widespread gardens, and great temples should be on every traveler’s list. Many travelers who visit Coorg, a hill town just two and a half hours away, make it a point to visit Mysuru. There’s a lot to experience in this ‘City of Palaces’ in Karnataka - take a leisurely stroll around the Brindavan Garden, buy silk sarees at the Government Silk Weaving Factory, or relish the famous traditional sweet Mysore Pak in the markets of Mysuru.
Apart from the presence of 7 palaces, there are several temples in Mysuru. Every temple has a unique architecture and story behind it, something that will make any human stare in wonderment. Once you’re done visiting the palaces, check out the Bandipur National Park which served as the hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Mysuru. But it gets really hot touring the national parks and palaces in the heat of April to June, this is why October is an ideal time to visit Mysuru. The pleasant weather helps you cover more tourist attractions in the time you spend around the city.
October especially is the perfect time to visit Mysuru to see the way Dussehra is celebrated here. On Dussehra, the Mysore Palace is grandly decorated, there are military parades, athletic performances, and cultural performances around Mysuru. The famous ‘Jumbo Sarai’ procession, a highlight of the ‘Mysore Dasara’, should be witnessed at least once in a lifetime, where beautifully decorated elephants walk towards the Mysore Palace. You’ll feel like you have traveled in time and entered an era when Maharajas ruled the lands of India.
Nearest Airport: Mysuru Airport (11 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Mysuru Junction (3 km away)
When you see pictures of a blue city against the brown Thar Desert, you instantly know it’s Jodhpur. Travelers on a Rajasthan tour never leave without a trip to the iconic Jodhpur city. The palaces, forts, and temples of Jodhpur never fail to amaze the awe-struck tourists, making Jodhpur a well-known exotic destination worldwide. Before you think that Jodhpur is only about palaces and royalty, let us open a new thing a fort of Jodhpur offers, zip lining! Try the Flying Fox Zip Lining adventure located north side of the Mehrangarh Fort. This gives you a completely different view of Jodhpur.
A true traveler will love exploring the lanes and markets of Jodhpur; the area around the Clock Tower and Old City Market are great for checking out some local handicrafts, spices, and fabrics. Since Jodhpur sits sprawling in the Thar Desert, you can imagine how unbearable the summers and how chilly the winters of Jodhpur must be. October is the only month when the temperature in Jodhpur is balanced. Apart from the occasional cool breeze at night, days in October are pleasant.
The ideal October weather makes it a good time for desert safaris, spending hours at the Sardar Market, strolling around the Mandore Gardens, or exploring forts like Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jaswant Thada, etc. It’s tough to not fall in love with the gorgeous palaces of Jodhpur; they’re so picturesque that you just don’t want to leave the palace doors and go home. But you can actually stay at a heritage hotel and indulge in the experience of living in a palace. The Ranbanka Palace was the first palace in India to be converted into a heritage hotel. In addition to the luxurious heritage hotels, there are many splendid hotels in Jodhpur to spend your October in.
Nearest Airport: Jodhpur Airport (9 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Jodhpur Junction (9 km away)
Nestled between the Nilgiris, Ooty is a charming town in Tamil Nadu. The expanse of rivers, mountains, and forests offers tourists great sights all year long. Popular as a honeymoon destination, even singles will find solace in the scenery Ooty provides. Before we romanticize Ooty any further, let us elaborate on why Ooty is a sought-after destination in South India. Ooty’s natural abundance has resulted in many waterfalls, gardens, and spectacular lakes in the town.
Touring the tea estates for the tea plantations is always recommended on a trip to Ooty. Just like Darjeeling, Ooty too has a toy train that takes you through some beautiful bits of the town. The train cuts through some lush green landscapes and the Nilgiri mountains. Taking this train ride in October is a visual splendor since the landscape is spectacular after being blessed by the rains in the months prior to October. The month of October is perfect to see seasonal flowers blooming in the botanical gardens of Ooty.
Water bodies like the Avalanche Lake, the Emerald Lake, Kamraj Sagar Dam are full to the brim after the monsoon, inviting travelers to go boating, fishing, and bird watching. The pleasant October climate makes it a great time to explore the national parks of Ooty like the Mudumalai National Park and the Mukurthi National Park. As a cherry on the top, October is when the essence of moist soil lingers in the air of Ooty, which is made better when the aroma of fresh tea leaves adds to it.
Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport (90 km away)
Nearest Railway Station: Udagamandalam (1 km away)
When the yearly vacations fall around October due to the festivals, families look forward to visiting scenic places. The places we mentioned are going to leave a lasting impression on your mind, making you visit them again, discovering new things every time you visit the destinations.
Which Is A Budget Trip To Take In October?
Alleppey in Kerala, McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh, Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, and Gokarna in Karnataka are some budget trips you can consider embarking on in the month of October. Hikes and treks around Himachal Pradesh also fall within the budget if you’re looking for budget trips.
How Many Days Are Required To Visit Darjeeling?
You can tour the popular attractions around Darjeeling in 4-5 days. If you’re planning a short trip, even 2 days are enough to see Darjeeling. While you’re in Darjeeling, don’t forget to ride in the toy train and visit its beautiful monasteries.
Is A Trip To Jodhpur Very Expensive?
Yes, but only if you stay in luxury hotels and travel by private vehicle. A Jodhpur trip can be within budget if you plan it well: staying in a hotel around Old City and traveling by local transport will bring down the cost of your Jodhpur trip. A one-week vacation in Jodhpur costs approximately INR 15,000 for one person.
Are Hotels Easy To Book In October?
Unlike April to June, fewer tourists step out in October, causing less footfall in tourist destinations. Hotels are easier to book due to less crowd, resulting in better and cheaper hotel deals in October. You can even book hotels at the last minute in October.
Which Destinations To Visit In The Winter Holidays?
Nainital in Uttarakhand, Manali in Himachal Pradesh, Shillong in Meghalaya, and Munnar in Kerala are some of the best destinations to visit in the winter holidays. Many places in Himachal Pradesh are covered in blankets of snow in winters, attracting lots of tourists in the winter months.
What To Pack On A Trip In The Month Of October?
This depends on the place you are visiting. If you’re visiting a hill station, pack a woolen sweater or a jacket since mild winters begin by the end of October. If you’re visiting coastal areas in October, pack comfortable cotton clothes and a pair of jeans.
How Long Is Ooty From Mysore?
Ooty is 136 km from Mysore by road.
How Far Is Darjeeling From Assam?
Darjeeling is about 500 km from Assam.
