As temperatures soar across India—with Delhi nearing 40°C by the end of March and Odisha’s Boudh district already hitting 42.5°C—many parts of the country are feeling the heat. While Eastern India preps for thunderstorms and the Northeast gears up for heavy rains due to cyclonic activity over the Bay of Bengal, regions like Goa and Gujarat are set to stay hot and humid.
If you’re dreaming of cooler weather and a quick getaway, now is the perfect time to escape to the hills. To make your travel easier, here are five beautiful hill stations that are close to airports, so you can skip the long road trips and head straight into the fresh mountain air.
5 Hill Stations with Airports Nearby
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
- Nearest Airport: Kangra Airport
- Flights From: New Delhi, Shimla, Chandigarh
- Distance: 13 km (about 30 minutes by car)
- Where to Stay: Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort, with stunning views of the Dhauladhar mountains.
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport
- Flights From: Major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and more
- Distance: 30 km (about 1 hour by car)
- Where to Stay: Choose from Hyatt Regency Dehradun, Normandy House, or the wellness haven Six Senses Vana.
- Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport
- Flights From: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, among others
- Distance: 21 km (around 45 minutes)
- Where to Stay: The Westin Resort & Spa, Himalayas, or riverside hotels with views of the Ganges.
Gangtok, Sikkim
- Nearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport
- Flights From: Major hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and more
- Distance: 80 km (about 4 hours by road)
- Where to Stay: Eagle’s Nest, The Elgin Nor-Khill, or boutique villas like Villa Tosca.
Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir
- Nearest Airport: Srinagar International Airport
- Flights From: Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jammu, and others
- Distance: 58 km (around 2 hours)
- Where to Stay: The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, The Vintage Gulmarg, or Hotel Highlands Park.
If you don’t mind a slightly longer drive, you can also consider:
- Nainital, Uttarakhand (Pantnagar Airport – 2 hours)
- Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh (Kangra Airport – 2.5 hours)
- Mussoorie, Uttarakhand (Jolly Grant Airport – 2.5 hours)
- Darjeeling, West Bengal (Bagdogra Airport – 3 hours)
- Kalimpong, West Bengal (Bagdogra Airport – 3 hours)
- Shillong, Meghalaya (Shillong Airport – 1 hour)