India Travel Trends 2025: Offbeat Escapes, Wellness Retreats & Weekend Getaways That Are Basically Netflix-Worthy

You know what's at the top of this year's Indian travel charts? It's not just about going to Goa with your ex (though, let’s be honest, that still makes the shortlist). Instead, Indians are binging on the experiences juicier than any of the WhatsApp meme groups—ranging from spiritual detoxes to adventures so offbeat even your Google Maps hesitates to provide directions.

Weekend Getaways from Delhi, You’ll Brag About Later (with food recommendations 🍴)

Delhi is amazing — it has history, culture, and food that makes your stomach cheer louder than India in a World Cup final. But by Friday evening, every Delhiite feels one thing: the need to get out. Whether you’re a family craving peace or friends wanting fun (and more Instagram reels), here’s your ultimate guide to 10 weekend getaways from Delhi.

Andorra: The Country That Went to War Without an Army

Have you ever wondered that the globe is too big? Do you long for a country you could probably walk across in a single, determined afternoon (if you don't stop for duty-free liquor)? Then allow me to introduce you to Andorra, the brave tiny country that is basically the charming, awkward love child of France and Spain due to its close proximity to both countries.

Andorra isn't just a country; it's a masterclass in living small and thinking strategically. For starters, it has no airport. That’s right. Landing here is less about a runway and more about a hero's quest, involving a very scenic, winding bus ride from either Paris or Barcelona. You don't just go to Andorra; you earn Andorra.

Kuala Lumpur Guide: 272 Steps of Batu Caves, Dodging Monkeys and Surviving KLCC

The Grand Departure: Powered by Buffet at Airport Lounge

Our grand family expedition began, as all great quests do, with a slightly questionable late-night flight and a heroic assault on the New Delhi airport lounge buffet. Fueled by caffeine, tiny samosas, and blind optimism, we boarded our six-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur, home to the famous Batu Caves, KL Tower, and the shiny twin rockets better known as the Petronas Towers.

 Arrival in Kuala Lumpur: Hitting the Ground (and the Stairs) Running

No naps, no breaks, our Kuala Lumpur adventure started the way all sensible trips should: with exercise so intense it made me question every life choice. Straight from the airport, bags barely dropped, we headed for the Batu Caves.

“It’ll be fun,” my wife said.

“It’s only 272 steps,” she added, with the casual tone of someone who considers Everest base camp a warm-up.

Sariska National Park Safari - What To Expect, When To Go & Wildlife Encounters

Eight months without a trip + a brand-new car with just 212 km on the odometer = a man desperate to leave Delhi. My car was basically a showpiece for school runs and mall discounts. Time to put it on a real road and give it some dust, like a true SUV advertisement. 

(Best time to visit Sariska? October–February. Skip monsoons unless you like wading.)

Roopkund Lake - The Skeleton Lake : Science, Myth & Adventure at 16,500 ft

Nestled at an elevation of almost 16,500 feet in the Indian Himalayas, Roopkund Lake, sometimes referred to as Skeleton Lake, is a frozen gem that has confounded scientists, hikers, and explorers for decades.

You read that correctly. The remnants of hundreds of human skeletons - bones that span generations and murmur tales of tragedy, mystery, and unsolved legends - lie beneath its frigid waters and strewn over its banks.

Nyepi Day AKA Silence Day, and My Accidental “Luxury Survival Retreat” in Bali

There are certain rookie mistakes travelers make: forgetting to pack sunscreen, trying to pet the “friendly” street monkey, or confusing Australian spring break with “peaceful yoga retreat week.” But me? I managed to book our vacation the same week of Nyepi day, moreover, I booked our return flight from Bali the morning after Nyepi Day —the island’s famous Day of Silence.

And of course, I wasn’t alone. Oh no, this wasn’t just my travel blunder. This was a full family production starring:

Me: the self-proclaimed travel genius who “triple-checks everything.”

My wife: the woman who absolutely pretends to triple-check everything, except she assumed I hadn’t booked our exit during an island-wide lock-down.

Our kid: a delusional boy who believes Wi-Fi is a basic human right, on par with food and oxygen.

What is Nyepi, anyway?

Goa: From Zoom Calls to Sunsets: Our Chaotic-But-Perfect Pandemic Escape

Remember the great indoor experiment of 2020? The year when "stay home" became the national mantra, and our weekends were a thrilling blur of Zoom calls, Dalgona coffee disasters, and trying to bake bread like we were in a survival series. After months of that, the travel-starved soul ached for freedom. So, in January 2021, when the world seemed to take a collective deep breath, our family had one thought: Goa. Our salvation, our promised land.

Why 'The Mona Lisa' is so Famous?

The worlds' famous smirk of The Mona Lisa, possibly the only woman in the history who has been stared at by millions without blinking once. She is googled more than your last crush, visited more than your neighborhood grocery store and, written about so much that even she might roll her mysterious eyes (if she could). But what makes her that famous? Sure she is gorgeous but lets be honest - so are cat videos and they don't live in bulletproof glass. So lets rewind to the renaissance and spill the paint...

Meghalaya Guide: Living Root Bridges & Endless Rain

 

We all have our own bucket list with all the fancy places we want to visit and experience by our own. I also have one, but to be honest, Meghalaya was there but not in my Top 3 destinations. I am more of a beach person who enjoys lazing at the quiet beach holding a beer under the sun looking at the waves. My wife though, wanted to go anywhere other than beach. Meghalaya is one destination we agreed on instantly. One of my friend also decided to join us along with his partner a day later.

Booking tickets and hotels didn't take much time, but deciding what all to cover in Meghalaya took lot of time. We had limited time and list of places to visit was huge. We spent lot of days in designing the itinerary and finalizing the places we would be able to cover within the limited time we have and trust me, this was most difficult part. Although we did cover most of the places, but if we had more time, we would have enjoyed a lot more. 

Goa, when it started to feel like Home - Chapter 3

My mind keeps telling me, “Explore new places! See the world! Try a different continent!” But my heart? My heart just whispers one word: Goa. It’s a conflict I’ve had for years. It’s not that I don’t love exploring, but when I think of a vacation, Goa feels less like a destination and more like a second home—a place where my soul exhales and my feet feel at peace.

I’ve been to many beach destinations, but the unique charm of Goa is something no other place has quite captured. This time, we decided to brave North Goa, a region I usually avoid due to the crowds. Our destination? The serene, laid-back haven of Arambol. I wanted to experience the North without the Baga-Calangute madness, and Arambol was the perfect compromise. Little did I know, the madness would start long before we even got there.

Sariska National Park Travel Guide: Best Time, Safari Tips & What We Saw

Not a very long time ago, I was pretty stubborn to view the tiger in its full glory, where it roams wild and free, where it doesn't have to rely on human to be fed, where just his one roar is enough to make every living being turn their heads. With an unsuccessful track record of not spotting a tiger in any of my previous endeavors, to Jim Corbett National Park and Ranthambore National Park, I was pretty keen to give it another try.

Sariska Tiger Reserve, situated in Alwar district of Rajasthan is well connected via road to Delhi and is just 3 hours drive away, approximately 200 kms. Stretched over an area of 881 sq km, this area was a hunting preserve of Alwar until it was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1955 and as of Oct 2018, it hosts 18 tigers including 5 cubs.

McLeod Ganj Travel Guide: Monasteries, Momos & Our Family Adventure in the Himalayas

I’m usually a “beach bum” kind of traveler. Give me sun-soaked sand, a hammock, and a fruity drink with a straw—and I’m happy. But this time, I swapped flip-flops for trekking shoes and headed to the hills. Destination? McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala—famously called Little Lhasa thanks to its Tibetan charm, fluttering prayer flags, Bhagsu Nag Waterfall, Triund Trek, and monks who (spoiler alert) might just have fancier smartphones than you.

This was a family trip—my wife, my kid, and me—and I was determined to make it a memorable one (read: not get yelled at for bad planning).

The Journey: Bollywood, Blankets & Bhai

We hopped on the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Volvo from Delhi—arguably the safest, comfiest way to reach McLeod Ganj. The bus was filled with young backpackers radiating “Mountains Calling” vibes.

Within 30 minutes, my son was snuggled under his blanket, fast asleep. My wife, as usual, had done all the packing (because if it were left to me, we’d just have three T-shirts and zero toothbrushes).

The bus staff put on a Bhai's (Salman Khan) Bollywood blockbuster. We watched it half-heartedly until our dinner halt at Haveli, Karnal—paranthas, chai, and a chance to stretch our legs. Then it was lights out… or at least, attempts to sleep in a moving bus while trying to ignore every honk.

After a long, bumpy night, we rolled into McLeod Ganj at 5 a.m. sharp. It was drizzling, jackets were out, and so were the taxi-walas shouting, “Sir, taxi? Kahan jaoge sir?”