Heavenly Mountain in India

The mystical hills...
Misty, mystical, serene, sensual - hill stations in India are a perfect vacation option for those who want to shoo-away their big city blues. Situated at heights ranging from 600 m above the sea level to 3500 m above the sea level, most of the hill stations or resorts of India are certainly heads and shoulders over other tourist centers. What is most unique about these hill stations in India is the fact that their existence is confined to India - a contribution of colonial India. Popularly known as Hill Stations in India, these resorts provide welcome break from the daily chores of life and take us closer to the nature.

Ideal holiday spots...
Not only do these hill stations offer relief from the heat and dust of the plains, but their beautiful green surroundings, solitude, salubrious weather and spectacular views also make them ideal holiday spots offering quick relief from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The seven principal mountain ranges...
And with seven principal mountain ranges all over the country available to them they had the opportunity to explore each one of them and create their retreat towns, many of which are well maintained and retain their old-world charm.

• In the North, the Himalayan ranges stretch 2500 kms across the breadth of the subcontinent, and house some of India's oldest and most charming hill stations.
• The most popular of these is Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, which was the erstwhile summer capital of British India. Also popular are Kasauli - a cantonment town also developed by the British, Nainital - famous for its beautiful lake, and Mussoorie, popularly known as the queen of the hills.
• Towards the East, in the lower Himalayan ranges, are hill stations which produce the world's finest tea - the most famous of them being Darjeeling. Also well known are Shillong, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
• A little further south of the Himalayas are one of the world's oldest mountain ranges - the Aravallis that stretch along the West of the country from Delhi to Gujarat. The most popular hill resort in these ranges is Mount Abu.
• In Central India, the Vindhyas separate the wide Northern plains from the South. Though the ranges aren't very high, a few small hill stations dot them offering retreat from the heat. The Satpura ranges, which run parallel along to the Vindhyas, have quaint and charming hill resorts like Pachmarhi.
• Along the West coast the Sahyadri ranges have many pretty hill stations - many of them near Mumbai like Mahabaleshwar and Matheran.
• In the South, the Nilgiris have beautiful hill-towns such as Ootacamund, commonly known as Ooty. Further south are the hill stations of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and Munnar in Kerala.