13 Places To Get Utterly Lost!

The river Krishanganga flows adjacent to the untouched land of Gurais. Through scattered villages on the hills and inhabited slopes, you reach Gurais; pristine and natural. The beauty cannot be questioned of the tiny cottages built in the shade of the Deodar trees. The ever smiling locals always ready to welcome new people and available guest houses solve the problems of a safe stay in the valley. Gurais is just another valley unexplored and undiscovered by the touristy flock of the country who otherwise rush to Srinagar. Travel to Gurais and enjoy the ultimate silence. The road to Gilgit also goes through Gurais; Permits are required to travel here.

We all have heard of the world’s highest motor able pass and everything that lies on either or its sides, but who could have ever thought of living in a place which is almost isolated. The Khardung village lies on the other side of North Pullu where most travelers stop for a break only before heading off for their journey further towards Nubra valley. Khardung village is off the grid, the population in a few hundreds and is home to many lip smacking local Ladakhi and Tibetan food joints. Look for a perfect home stay or guesthouses that are easily available. At 18,000 ft, away from the hustle and bustle of a town life.

Only 14 km away from Leh lays the sleepy little village called Phyang. With homes deserted across the dry fields, there is hardly any vegetation in the area apart from personal kitchen gardens. Phyang is known for its ancient monastery that belongs to the same Buddhist sect as the Thiksey monastery. Just a little away from Leh one can easily go to Leh to experience the life of a small yet growing town. Phyang has an absolutely magnificent view of Khardung La. Perfect for a sleepy holiday.

Just like many passing villages, Karu is another one in Ladakh. The plains of Karu must be crossed to reach the junction of Chang La, an important pass to reach the famous lakes Pangong and Tso Moriri. Karu is also a few kilometers away from Hemis which is home to the Hemis monastery, and the Hemis National Park.

Offbeat and off the grid, Neil islands is a small island in the Andaman coast and hardly spoken about. The ocean is sapphire blue and the beaches are pristine. For the perfect getaway, one can easily check in a tiny cottage off the beach and enjoy the rest of the day reading a book or walking on the clear sandy beaches. A ferry leaves regularly from port Blair for the Neil islands. Get into a hotel for a few days, since there are quite a few! It’s the best time to mingle with the locals, try the in house cuisine and the sea food available. Neil Islands is an exotic vacation waiting just for you!

Would you prefer to stroll along an island that’s just 5 kilometers long? You can reach this tiny little island from lakshadweep. Since the island is so small that the authorities only let you stay for longer if you have a place of stay confirmed. A serene long long runs through the island where you can cycle or just take a quiet walk. Take a swim in the crystal clear water and make friends with the locals who operate the island as quietly as possible! Agatti islands are literally the perfect spot to get lost!

The extreme edge of our country in the east is home to the beautiful Changlang plateau, with the Indians guarding this plateau and in close proximity of the Chinese border, Changlang is an exotic destination for those who love the mountains. The Himalayan peaks can clearly be seen from any place of stay and provides for an ideal getaway. Changlang can be reached easily, but the perfect way to go is through your own vehicle with permits. Changlang also has a pretty gem in its boundaries called Tawang which is home to the country’s largest Buddhist monastery.

Preferred as a world heritage site, Ziro remains a quaint sleepy district in Arunachal Pradesh known for its yellow fields and green mountains protecting it. Ziro in itself is an adventure as it requires a road trip of a day to reach it from the airport at Guwhati. At Ziro one can prefer to pick a home stay. The locals are very friendly and ready to help. Tiny back alleys and pathways lead into a spiral of village streets. Ziro’s soon going to be booming tourism, so one must visit it soon!

Named after the river Siang which is pretty rough in itself, it still remains an unexplored region which seems to be absolutely tempting! East Siang is the closest one can get to nature. Siang is raw beauty and a story waiting to be unraveled.

This place literally means sky high and we couldn’t agree more. Hidden between floating clouds that wander aimlessly and the mountains stand by at their powerful best. Namchi is known to have the tallest statue of the Buddhist deity guru Padmasambhava, it also is the ground for the famous Indian footballer Baichung Bhutia. It is close to all the other districts of Sikkim and one can easily take a bus or a cab to the nearest districts. Even though earning a lot of fame for its bearings, Namchi still remains an offbeat destination for all the wanderers who prefer getting lost in their own style, while the touristy bit is channeled off to Gangtok, Pelling, Kalimpong or Siliguri.

Kargil is frequently visited by lot of travelers who take the Srinagar Leh highway. However, even though people stick around here for a day or two to acclimatize for the long road ahead, Kargil is in itself a delightful town. With its bazaar always busy with the newest fashion items that come from Srinagar, it is just like a hill town in Himachal Pradesh with its own stories and tales. Kargil remains an area of strategic importance due to its close proximity to the LoC. Before you reach Kargil you must cross Drass, which is the world’s second coldest place in the world after Antarctica. Even though the terrain seeming inhospitable and ruthless, life goes on in the villages and people have found a way to survive the worst. Drass has extreme climatic conditions but also is a personal favorite if I ever chose to wander!

A wildlife sanctuary to its name, Binsar is as simple as it can get. The streets down to the village are regularly commuted through to the nearest town Almora. One can lead a simple lifestyle of a Kumaoni house culture. Experience it for yourself! Binsar is accessible throughout the year and has many guesthouses and hotels including the properties of Club Mahindra. The property has a picturesque view of the Himalayan ridges.