I have joined this travel forum to purely get some ideas on one day trips from Delhi. Currently with the note ban and also some time on hand I am unable to take the family out of Delhi, so we are doing with just going for a day trip. All kinds of places are fine for us, as long its a good entertaining place.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! (Images from Mouth Shut, India 24 and Haridwar Rishikesh Tourism) Overview One-day trips usually mean just a few hours of driving away from the source city. For example, if you're coming from Delhi, you would want a one-day destination that doesn't take more than 6 hours to reach at the most. This way, you can spend most of your time in the tourist destination instead of being on the road mostly. Thankfully, you have some one-day trip options from the capital of Delhi. Travelling doesn't mean spending too much money or even time just to find the perfect destination. You would appreciate each destination more with an open mind and the will to stretch every little bit of your time and money. So let's begin listing the best one-day trips that you can reach easily from Delhi. One-Day Trips from Delhi (Under 6 Hours Away) Historical places that are close by... 1. Kuchesar - Just under three hours of driving away from Delhi is Kuchesar, the location for the Mud Fort. The Mud Fort was originally built by the Jat dynasty of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The fort was built around the 17th century but was converted into a heritage property in the 19th century. The fort exudes complete solitude, perfect for people who are tired of the hustle and bustle of the city. While it has undergone renovation, the fort has retained its pre-colonial era beauty. The hotel has this rural vibe to it, even with the activities that they offer to guests. You can indulge in village activities like bullock cart riding, tractor riding, village touring, farm/orchard touring and many more. For the children, there's a myriad of indoor and outdoor activities that they can try out like pottery making, cycling, kite flying and many more. You can also explore the ruins of the old fort from which the hotel is located. Other facilities like a restaurant, a swimming pool and conference halls are also available in the hotel. They even have day packages for both adults and children costing Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 1,100 respectively. If you have your own vehicle, you can also visit the nearby Brij Ghat, about 25 kilometres away from the hotel. This is a part of the sacred Ganges river so worth a trip for those in touch with their religious side. Distance from Delhi - 96 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Mud Fort and Brij Ghat. Related thread - n/a The Mud Fort in Kuchesar (Image from Mapio) 2. Agra - The city of Agra is just 233 kilometres away from Delhi or about 3 to 4 hours of driving away. Agra is home to not just one, not just two, but three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely: the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and the Fatehpur Sikri. For a day trip, it's a must to explore all these sites and you can even fit in a few more historical sites in the city. Starting with the world-famous Taj Mahal, with its white-marbled facade, you cane easily spot this in the city. Impressive as it is, the monument is the ultimate example of devotion and love of a man for a woman. Just close by to the iconic monument is the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, sometimes referred to as the Baby Taj. If the Taj Mahal showcases the love of a man for a woman, the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah showcases the love of a daughter for her father. It was actually built way before the Taj Mahal, but it is smaller in size and has more intricate interiors as compared to the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal. Next we have the Agra Fort, built by the father and son tandem of Akbar and Shah Jahan. Keep track of time because the fort is so huge that it can easily take a few hours to explore. Finally, the Fatehpur Sikri, about one hour away from Agra, is also worth visiting. Once the capital of Akbar, the city was abandoned due to water shortage and has remained abandoned since then. It is a fine example of the earlier Mughal architectural style. Distance from Delhi - 233 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Taj Mahal, Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Related thread - Places to Visit in Agra in One Day Get closer to nature... 3. Karnal - A part of the state of Haryana, Karnal, is about two hours of driving away from Delhi. It is a fairly small town, almost rural in appeal, but still has that moderate pace of life. Bring some blanket, some chips and juices, and enjoy a small picnic alongside the Karna Lake in the town. It is the main attraction of the city and it even has some boating facilities for guests. The lake is pristine and even has an attached story from the epic Mahabharata for it. There are also a few attractions around Karnal that you can explore after spending some tranquil time in the lake. The Tomb of Kalander Shah is worth visiting especially if you love historical places. Revered holy is the Shrine of Peer Baba, also known as the Pukka Pul, believed by devotees to have healing powers for those who have diseases. Finally, end your day in the Neval Canal, a tributary of the Yamuna river. A picturesque sunset view awaits you here, the best way to end your day in the town of Karnal. Distance from Delhi - 117 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Karna Lake, Tomb of Kalander Shah, Shrine of Peer Baba and Neval Canal. Related thread - n/a Karna Lake in Karnal 4. Sohna - Also located in the state of Haryana is the town of Sohna, just about 65 kilometres away from Delhi. The small town is famed for the Sohna Sulphur Hot Water Springs, located within an ancient Shiva temple. The hot water springs is believed to have healing powers too, because of its high sulphur content. You can opt to stay in the nearby resort as well, just so you can easily change and bathe after visiting the hot water springs. Another must visit attraction here is the Damdama Lake, very picturesque and clean as compared to the former attraction. Boating facilities are available in the lake, from paddle boats, row boats and even to motor boats. It is best visited during winter or monsoon though as the water in the lake dries during the summer season. If you have the extra time, just an hour away from the small town is the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, where different species of both migratory and resident birds can be found. It's best visited during the winter too so you can combine a trip for this attraction when in Sohna. Distance from Delhi - 65 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Sohna Sulphur Hot Water Springs, Damdama Lake and Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. Related thread - Places to Visit Near Delhi Within 100 Kilometres Wild animals to spot... 5. Keoladeo Ghana National Park - Home to over thousands of birds during the winter season is the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, which is about 227 kilometres away from Delhi. It is under a five-hour drive away from the capital city. This national park is one of the best bird watching sites in the country. Vehicles are not allowed inside the national park, you can walk the entire place by foot, hire a bicycle or hire a cycle rickshaw to take you around. Out of these options, the most recommended one is the last option, hiring a cycle rickshaw to take you around. Most of the rickshaw drivers serve as guides already so you cane easily spot different bird species with them by your side. Some of the commonly spotted bird species here are the painted storks, little cormorants, Asian open-billed storks, Indian sarus cranes and Indian grey hornbills. There are also some basic hotels nearby to the entrance of the national park so you can also opt to stay overnight here. The months of December, January and February are considered the best times for spotting a huge number of bird species here. Distance from Delhi - 227 Kilometres Animals to spot - Bird species like painted storks, little cormorants, Asian open-billed storks, Indian sarus cranes and Indian grey hornbills. Related thread - Keoladeo Ghana National Park 6. Rajaji National Park - One of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in India, the Rajaji National Park, is located just 262 kilometres away from Delhi. It covers three areas, namely, Dehradun, Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal. It is a lesser known wildlife sanctuary as compared to the other sanctuaries in the area. As such, the forestry here is quite pristine and the crowds are quite lesser. The dense forests, open grasslands and varied wildlife makes for a great wildlife adventure. Commonly spotted animals here are the Asian elephants, sambars, chitals, gorals, leopards and Indian langurs. The mighty Ganges river also flows within the ranges of the park so you can spot it in different areas within the premises. Whether you want to indulge in an animal safari or maybe a wild forest safari, there's no better place for that than the Rajaji National Park. Do keep in mind that the national park remains closed during the monsoon season so plan accordingly. Distance from Delhi - 262 Kilometres Animals to spot - Asian elephants, sambars, chitals, gorals, leopards and Indian langurs. Related thread - 20 Weekend Getaways from Delhi Rajaji National Park (Image from Rajaji National Park) On your Hindu side... 7. Rishikesh - Barely six hours away from Delhi is the holy city of Rishikesh. It is well-known as a tourism destination due to the number of temples, ashrams and ghats within the place. The Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located off a hill top. The journey to reach the temple is challenging but overall worth it, especially as you can see the views from the temple, overlooking the mighty Ganges river. The Sivananda Ashram is a very peaceful place, with residential monks around the place. It is one of the best places for meditation and yoga in the city. For the famed Ganga aartis, you can visit the Parmath Niketan Temple or even the Tera Manzil Temple. You certainly won't be able to explore the whole of Rishikesh in one day but you can explore some of its major sites within 5 to 6 hours and be back in Delhi by night time. Distance from Delhi - 242 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Sivananda Ashram, Parmath Niketan Temple and Tera Manzil Temple. Related thread - Places to Visit in Rishikesh 8. Vrindavan - The place where Lord Krishna grew up, Vrindavan, is just 185 kilometres away from Delhi. It is home to a number of temples which you can visit with your loved ones and feel the spirituality of the Lord Krishna in. The newest temple in the city, the Prem Mandir, is slowly becoming one of the best religious sites here. A huge temple complex, dedicated to both Radha Krishna, boasts of modernity and spirituality combined. When the temple is lit at night, it looks even more stunning. The Banke Bihari Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna only, built around the 18th century. It is usually crowded though, especially during special festivals and holidays. Also worth visiting is the Madan Mohan Temple, the oldest temple in the city, situated upon a hillock so requires a bit of a climb to reach. The architectural style of the temple is purely Hindu but its original idols were moved to Rajasthan when Aurangzeb attacked the nearby Mathura. There are many more temples around Vrindavan that you can visit but the ones mentioned above are the most popular ones. Distance from Delhi - 185 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Prem Mandir, Banke Bihari Temple and Madan Mohan Temple. Related thread - Weekend Getaways from Delhi Prem Mandir in Vrindavan (Image from Hare Govinda) Some places different... 9. Samode - Samode is a city in Rajasthan, which is about five hours of driving away from Delhi. It is not as well known as other cities in the state though and doesn't have as many attractions as well. For a one-day trip though, you can easily cover the attractions within the city in a whole day. The Samode Palace started out as a fort before it was converted into a palace and presently, a heritage hotel in the city. It is very luxurious although still used the material for structures in the early era which was the red sandstone. The palace though exudes a sense of elegance, with its courtyards, marble floorings and ancient displays. However, to tour the palace, you need to pay a hefty entrance of Rs. 1,000 per person or be a guest of the hotel to tour the premises. If you do have the money to spend, a stay in the Samode Palace is truly an experience worth having, even for just once in your lifetime. Certain modern additions like a swimming pool, fitness centre, Ayurvedic treatment centre and golf course would truly ensure that you have a royal time in the palace/hotel. Distance from Delhi - 244 Kilometres Must visit attraction - Samode Palace. Related thread - n/a Samode Palace (Image from Samode) 10. Nahan - Last on the list is Nahan, a little known hill station in Himachal Pradesh, just under five hours away from Delhi. A very neat, tidy and quiet town, Nahan is a favourite amongst off the beaten track travellers. While there isn't much you can do here, it's the perfect destination for those seeking some respite from their busy lives. It's fine to just chill beside the Renuka Lake, located inside the Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary, and have a small picnic. The smaller Rani Tal is even more serene, but it's smaller so you don't have as many facilities for tourists here. If you're an adventurous person, you can also trek to reach the top of the hillock where the Jaitak Fort is located. It requires a mild to moderate difficulty of heavy trekking, suitable for young children and adults. There are a number of hotels and guest houses around Nahan too so you can easily make your trip an overnight one, if you'd like. Distance from Delhi - 251 Kilometres Must visit attractions - Renuka Lake, Rani Tal and Jaitak Fort. Related thread - Nearest Hill Station from Delhi Conclusion Craving for some time away from the hectic city life in Delhi? These destinations should be at the top of your list. Aside from their proximity to the city, they are also quite varied, you have heritage sites, religious sites and more. Next time you're in need of a one-day trip away from the city, make sure you find this list and get set for an adventure of a lifetime. Good luck and enjoy!
