6 Must-Visit Places in India This October

India, being a wonderland for travel fanatics, has in store some really special places that flaunt the true colors of its beauty and tradition. Autumn is the season when our environs experience a mild change and the weather turns pleasant. October is the best season for traveling as it changes many places into paradises. With so much of gushing charm around us, there are abundant places to visit in October that don the fresh scent and tons of colors, and urge us to plan a trip and get mesmerized by nature’s elegance.
As October is just a few days away, so quickly pack your bags and make arrangements for your wanderlust to these top places across the length of India.

1. Kolkata: Revel in the grandeur of festivities, after all, October would be Durga Puja time


October is the best time to visit Kolkata as the whole city awaits Durga Puja, which is a ten day carnival. The locals embellish the city completely and change it into a splendid spectacle. As you pass through the crowded spaces of the sinuous bylanes, you can smell the camphor in the air and people hailing the goddess. But there is a lot more you can explore in the city. This city has amazing museums and architecture of historical importance.

Best places to visit: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Mother Teresa House, Eden Gardens, Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, and Mullick Ghat Flower Market

Things you can do: Trying the city’s street food like paani puri, ghugni chaat, jhaal muri, and, yes Kolkata special rosogollas is a must. You can have a ride in the renowned trams which is the only tramway left in India. Visit National Library which is India’s largest library by volume, and Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botany Garden.

How to reach-
By rail: Howrah Junction Railway Station located in the heart of the city
By air: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport which is about 17 km away from Kolkata
By road: Kolkata is well connected to most of the cities through a well-developed road network.

2. Mysuru: Indulge in exuberant Mysuru Dussehra celebrations

October is not just a season but a time of festivity in Mysuru. During this month, Mysuru becomes a heavenly treat with all the magnificent Dussehra celebrations going around. Mysuru Palace turns into a main tourist attraction during the festive season. The city gets jam-packed with tourists looking forward to revel in the classic Mysuru Dussehra celebrations. This 10-day long reverlry boasts of parades of decked up elephants. The celebrations of Dussehra will begin from 10th October and end on 19th October this year.

Best places to visit: Jaganmohan Palace, Karanji Lake and Mysore zoo

Things you can do: Indulge yourself in the extravagant Mysuru Dussehra celebration. The ground of Mysuru Palace is the main center for the festival celebrations like the folk songs and dances.

How to reach-
By rail: Mysore Railway Station
By air: The nearest airport is in Bengaluru
By road: Roadways are the best way to reach here.

3. Jodhpur, Rajasthan: The city of rich culture and folk festivals


If you are still searching for a place to visit in October, then Jodhpur is the answer. Jodhpur, the Blue city of Rajasthan is a major attraction for most of the explorers and photography aficionados. The delightful sight of beautifully dispersed sunrays dancing along the silhouette of sand gets trapped in your memory as you remember the time of your fascinating trip.

This rich cultured city is symbolized by vivid colors, beautiful museums, traditions, paintings, inexhaustible legends of the Rajputs and festivals. The famous festivals of Jodhpur celebrated in October includes the Marwar festival which honors the contribution of the unrecognized heroes of Rajasthan. The festive celebration takes place in the form of folk songs and dances, horse riding, horse polo, and camel tattooing.

Jodhpur also celebrates International Folk Festival in which there are folk performances by dancers and singers. The celebrations of this festival in the Mehrangarh Fort will add an extra punch to your travel experience.

Best places to visit: Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jaswant Thada, and Mandore Gardens

Things to do: Dine at Indique Restaurant and Pal Haveli while enjoying the beautiful sunset, make a wish at Jaswant Thada, enjoy Makhani Lassi at Mishrilal Hotel, and of course the desert safari.
Marwar Festival: 23rd and 24th October 2018
International Folk Festival: Dates yet to be declared

How to reach:
By air: Jodhpur airport
By rail: Jodhpur railhead is right in the city and is well connected with metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata
By road: Jodhpur is easily reachable from the cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, and Jaipur.

4. Jammu and Kashmir: Experience the burst of colors & romance amidst its alluring charm


Aamir Khusro purely construed Jammu and Kashmir as a place that chants the folklore of its eternal beauty and downplays any paradise that exists. Although it is counted among the most visited places throughout the year, it is from October that the state undergoes a seasonal change during which its beauty becomes surreal. Be it Leh in the Himalayas or the overflowing Jhelum river, the prospering valley or the tasty food, Kashmir certainly is heaven. The month of October is also suitable for the couples going on their honeymoons.

Best places to visit: Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, Vaishno Devi Shrine, Kupwara, Sonamarg, ancient monasteries, Hemis National Park, and Pahalgam

Things to do: Shikara ride on Dal and Nigeen Lakes, Stay in the houseboat in Srinagar, trekking, camping, skiing, spotting rare animals, and trying drinks like Wazwan and Kahwa.

How to reach-
By air: Jammu airport which is 8 km away from the city
By rail: Jammu Tawi or Udhampur rail station railway station
By road: Buses are easily available to Jammu from places like Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh

5. Ziro: Heavenly and peaceful landforms


Ziro is a picturesque old town in the state of Arunachal Pradesh which is famous for its rice fields and pine hills. It is often referred to as a paradise for peace lovers. October is the best time to travel to this place as it experiences the best climate that anybody can fall in love with. Due to its spectacular beauty, it is vouched as the heaven for the nature lovers and photographers.

Things to do: Try Momos, Thukpa (a soup made of vegetables, minced meat and noodles), Khura (a kind of pancake) served with tea, Zan (a dish made with millets, vegetables or meat, and fermented cheese), and Gyapa Khazi (kind of rice pulao with fermented cheese, shrimps or dried fish and other spices).

Places to visit: Orchid Research Centre, Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Tarin Fish Farm, and Shiva Linga, Kile Pakho, and Pine Grove.

How to reach-
By air: Tezpur Airport is the nearest airport to Ziro.
By rail: Naharalagun & North Lakhimpur railway stations.
By road: Arunachal Pradesh’s SRTC runs a night bus four days in a week from Guwahati to Ziro. There is also an option of sharing a taxi from North Lakhimpur or Itanagar to Ziro.

6. Bir Billing, Himachal: Take a plunge into the excitement


Enjoy watching the sunset beyond the skyline and appreciate the weightlessness of the remarkable scenery in Bir-Billing in Himachal Pradesh. People can revel in some unusual experiences like the paragliding in Bir-Billing. It is an unconventional village in the Himachal, which is counted among the best places to visit with family in October. It gives you the permission to reach its soaring heights and unveil innumerable undiscovered treasures buried deep down in this weird village.

Places to visit: Bir Tea Factory, Sherabling Monastery, Bir Road and Tibetan Colony

Things to do: Paragliding, camping, trekking through complex trails, nature walks, hand gliding, and an excursion to the seminomadic villages.

How to reach:
By air: Pathankot airport
By rail: Pathankot railway station
By road: Direct buses from Delhi to Baijnath