India · best-of list
The 9 Best Outdoor Spots in India
All 9 outdoor spots our route editors picked in India, across 5 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect trails, beaches, parks and viewpoints, spread across 5 destinations.
Our curated picks
9 outdoor spots in India, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Alleppey & Kumarakom 3 picks
Alappuzha Beach
Alleppey & Kumarakom · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Town beach with an old pier and lighthouse.
Photo: Mohanrangaphotography · CC BY-SA 4.0
Marari Beach
Alleppey & Kumarakom · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Quiet sand beach with fishing boats, 15 km north of Alleppey.
Tip: Strong currents; swim only where locals do.
Photo: Mahendra M · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pathiramanal Island
Alleppey & Kumarakom · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Uninhabited island in Vembanad Lake with a walking path through mangroves and palms, home to herons, cormorants and egrets.
Tip: Go by boat at dawn when birds are most active; bring water.
Photo: Lijo John · Google
Munnar 3 picks
Eravikulam National Park
Munnar · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Grassland park that protects the endangered Nilgiri tahr, below Anamudi, South India's highest peak.
Tip: Usually closed Feb–Mar for calving; buy tickets online.
Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · CC BY 2.0
Mattupetty Dam
Munnar · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Reservoir in the hills with boating, surrounded by tea and dairy farms.
Photo: DdraconiandevilL · CC BY-SA 3.0
Top Station
Munnar · On our Kerala Backwaters & Tea Hills route
Viewpoint on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border with wide views over the Western Ghats.
Tip: Clouds roll in by midday; go early.
Photo: Dilip Reddy · Google
Agra 1 pick
Mehtab Bagh
Agra · On our Golden Triangle & Rajasthan route
Riverside Mughal garden directly across the Yamuna from the Taj, framed for sunset views.
Tip: Best sunset view of the Taj without the crowds.
Photo: g.kaustav · CC BY-SA 3.0
Delhi 1 pick
Lodhi Garden
Delhi · On our Golden Triangle & Rajasthan route
Shady city park dotted with 15th-century tombs, popular with walkers and joggers.
Photo: Hmbrt · Google
Udaipur 1 pick
Saheliyon-ki-Bari
Udaipur · On our Golden Triangle & Rajasthan route
18th-century garden of fountains, lotus pools and marble elephants built for royal ladies.
Photo: Jstplace · Public domain
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in India?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 9 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of India has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Alleppey & Kumarakom and Munnar lead with 3 each; the other picks are spread across 3 more destinations.
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Marari Beach, Top Station, Alappuzha Beach and Lodhi Garden. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for India
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Alleppey & Kumarakom 3 on this list
- Munnar 3 on this list
- Agra 1 on this list
- Delhi 1 on this list
- Udaipur 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.