Top 3 budget trips in India
Travel is the best experience and feeling ever. It has the power to make your mind free of all negative stuffs and boost it with positive vibes and energy. Exploring new things, getting connected with nature being away from traffic is really an amazing idea. Taking a break from the busy schedule and spending some time with your friends, family, or alone can refresh your mind. So, if you are planning for one this time and want not to spend a lot of money then let’s look at the top 3 budget trips in India. These are the places full of scenic natural beauty, breathtaking views, soothing environment, religious culture and the best part of choosing these three places is they are from the different parts of the country India and you can explore any of these which is near you or all of these as that will be a budget-friendly trip with lots of enjoyment. So, for getting an idea and to explore these budget-friendly places, go through the blog which will help you enjoy your journey with a better experience and to take a closure look at the beautiful cities without spending lots of money.
Starting from No 3 to No 1.
3. Alleppey (the Venice of the East)
Also known as Alappuzha, is famous for Kerela’s backwaters and houseboats. These houseboats are designed in a way that it has all the comforts of a good hotel room. The soothing views of backwaters fringed with coconut trees can be enjoyed from these houseboats. Allepey is the perfect place to enjoy the lush green beauty and the beaches at a low cost.
So, after imagining the beauty of this beautiful place if you have decided to go on a trip to this small but chaotic city then let’s look at the budget plans and other stuffs which will help you to explore the beauty at a low cost.
By Air:-
Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport which is about 78kms away from Alleppey.
By Road:-
NH 66 connects Alleppey to major cities of India such as Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Chennai etc.
By Rail:-
Alleppey railway station is about 4kms away from the city. From there you can hire a taxi to reach the main city.
From Port Cochin to Port Ernakulam, it just cost ₹4/person and from there you can go through railways. It will be a 1.5hrs journey and the cost will be around ₹75/person.
The cheapest homestay in Alleppey will be around 350/night which is of-course budget-friendly and the best part is you can such homestays near the beach. So, you can take around at the beach to see the sunset as well. You can take the public bus to reach the backwaters of Kerela. There are two ways to travel in Kerala's backwaters:-
- Private boats (starting from ₹1000 - ₹2000)
- Public ferry (₹12/ person for 2 hours)
So, you can take the ride of a public ferry which is very comfortable and budget-friendly.
There are two ways you can reach through public ferry:-
- Kottayam
- Nedumundi
Both cost the same but the way to Nedumundi is more scenic. It will take 2hrs to reach Nedumundi. Exploring Alleppey will give you a closer view of the lifestyle of people living there as on the way to backwaters, there are homes, schools, and restaurants at the bank from which you can know how people live there.
It will take overall 4hrs to explore and enjoy the beautiful city. So, it is recommended to travel in the morning.
The total minimum cost to visit this amazing place will be just around 2000/person for 2 days including food and lodging and 2 days are more than enough to explore Alleppey. So, don’t you think it is budget-friendly?
2. Darjeeling (Queen of Himalayas)
Beautiful gardens on the slopes of rolling hills, pines, toy trains, snow peaks of Kanchanjanga mountains, and what not? Beauty cannot be explained in words. So, getting excited about the trip to the Queen of Himalayas, then let’s get started to plan for this trip in budget.
By Air:-
The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra which is 3hrs away from Darjeeling. From here you can take a public bus at the cost of ₹100/person to reach Darjeeling.
By Road:-
NH 110 connects Siliguri to Darjeeling which is about 76kms.
By Rail:-
The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri railway station (NJP) which is 3hrs away from Darjeeling if you travel by road. So, by here you can take a public bus at the cost of ₹100/person to reach Darjeeling.
Or if you love the long journey and want to enjoy the fascinating ride of toy train with soothing and breath-taking views of natural beauty, then you must take a ride of Himalayan Railways (toy train). This journey is of 70kms and the toy train covers it within 7hrs so that you can have a closure look at the beautiful Kanchanjanga Ranges with a slow ride. You can book this 7hrs of ride either through the IRCTC website or directly from the station. The cost for 1st class is around ₹1,400/person and the AC chair car is around ₹1,700/person. The journey starts from NJP to Darjeeling. I know the fare is too high but the scenic beauty you enjoy is priceless. If you don’t wanna pay this much and wanna enjoy the toy train ride, then also there is an option available and that is for a short journey. In a short journey also you can enjoy the site scenes and the price varies from station to station but it is much less than the price of a long journey.
Once you reach Darjeeling, the best place for lodging is near Ghantaghar or Mall road area from here you can have easy access to all the locations and cabs will be available easily. You can either book a cab for sightseeing which is of two types:
- 7 points:- About 3 -4 km from Ghantaghar, Darjeeling which will cost around ₹800 from cab.
- Mixed points:- About 8km from Ghantaghar, Darjeeling which cost around ₹1000 - ₹1200 from cab.
But the most amazing experience will be if you opt for walking through all the 7 points which all are present nearby only and enjoy the unseen beauty which cannot be covered from a cab. And it is budget-friendly too.
Happy Valley Tea Estate is among those 7 points whose entry fee is 100/person. It is famous for the tea garden and on its way you can enjoy the breathtaking views which cannot be covered by a cab.
Ranjeet Valley (ropeway) is near Happy Valley Tea Estate where you can get breathtaking views of the valley, spread of lush green tea garden, flowing rivers, forests, waterfalls, and the snow peaks of Kanchenjunga. The cost of ropeway is around ₹200/person.
Near Tenzing rock which is famous for hiking (cost= ₹250/each), Ram Krishna's mission is there from where you can take a sharing auto of ₹20/person to reach the zoo.
The entry fee of the zoo cost around ₹60/person and if you are willing to take the camera inside then ₹10 extra. There are three places that can be covered inside the zoo.
- BNH Museum (Bengal National History Museum):- It contains various wildlife preserved for visitors. It is a great repository of flora and fauna of the Himalayan region.
- Himalayan Mountain Institute:- This institute offers a special course of mountaineering which is around ₹15,000/- for those who want to be an expert in mountaineering.
- Shrubbery Nightingale Park:- It has a nice view of mountains and a peaceful place, where you can sit for hours and enjoy the views.
You can view few monasteries present in Darjeeling for exploring the religious views of the saints.
The total minimum cost to explore Darjeeling will be around 3000/person for 2 days including food and lodging and 2 days are enough to enjoy this amazing place and the best time to visit Darjeeling in the summer season is between March to May and in winter season is between December and January. So, don’t you think you can enjoy this trip in your budget?
- Rishikesh (Yoga capital of India and the World)
Also known as the adventure capital of India, is famous for the majestic foothills of the Himalayan Shivalik ranges, adventurous sports such as rafting, hiking, etc. You can enjoy the breathtaking views from the tour packages available but if you wanna explore it at a low cost then let’s take a look at it.
It is very easy to reach Rishikesh as it is just 240kms away from Delhi and 30kms from Haridwar. So, you can reach here by various ways whichever is more convenient for you.
By Air:-
Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport to Rishikesh which is about 35kms from Rishikesh.
By Road:-
NH 58 connects Rishikesh to Delhi, Meerut, Haridwar, and Badrinath.
By Rail:-
Rishikesh has its own railway station but currently not well connected to the major cities hence Haridwar railway station is the nearest railway station which is well connected to other cities. From here you can public bus to reach Rishikesh which will cost around ₹50 - ₹60/person.
For lodging, the minimum cost will be around ₹500 - ₹800 per night but if you reach Rishikesh in the morning then you can go for rafting and camping directly as camping includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner of one day so you can save your one-day lodging cost.
When you are in Rishikesh and if you don’t go for rafting then no value for money. Rishikesh is famous for rafting, bungee jumping, and camping. So, it is the must-do things.
You can enjoy rafting by booking the tickets which will cost around ₹300 -₹400/person for 16kms. Rafting is available for 16kms, 28kms, and 32kms. The cost of the tickets depends on the distance covered. As I said earlier going rafting in the morning is a better choice so that you can do camping on the same day.
Camping are of two types:
- Cottages:- It includes attached toilets, breakfast, lunch, and dinner at around ₹1500-₹2000/person with rafting.
- Tents:- It includes sharing toilets and other things are the same and not as luxurious as cottage. It costs around ₹1000-₹1400/person with rafting.
Bungee jumping costs about ₹3,500/person and if you can make a video of it then it would cost ₹1000 extra.
On the other day, you can go to Triveni ghat and other areas such as Madhuvan Ashram, Janki bridge, Swarg Ashram, Laksham Jhula and you can explore these places by booking a bike that would cost around ₹500/day. These places are so beautiful that if you visit them once then you will fall in love with this place.
It requires 2 days to visit Rishikesh and the minimum cost will be ₹3000/person for 2 days. If you are getting to enjoy so much of things in this amount then it is really worth it.
Guys these three places which I have covered above are just amazing and the enjoyment and vibes that you get from here are priceless. So, now you must have got an idea and way to explore this natural beauty which can fresh up your mind and boost it with immense energy.
