11 beautiful budget-friendly places to visit in North India

Ranjan3 years agoleave a comment440 views

I have spent seven years of my life, living in a single room apartment in the east side of Delhi.

To say, within Delhi itself, there are plenty of places like Qutub Minar, Lotus temple, Red Fort, India Gate, Akshardham, Raj Ghat, Hauz Khas Village, and Jama Masjid, you can visit to calm down your travel addiction.

But what makes this place even more popular over others that, from here you can travel to entire North India in the most convenient, cheapest, and fastest way possible.

Some places are just a few hours of drive away and for some, you have to travel the whole night, but the best part is, there are plenty of beautiful budget-friendly options available to galavant on the north side of this beautiful country.

Table of Contents

Amritsar, Punjab

Amritsar is nothing sort of heaven for those who are a foodie by tongue and a sheer devotee of Waheguru Ji by heart.

This is the place where 50,000 people from all walks of life get to feed themselves every day without getting worried about spending a dime in the langar at Harmandir Sahib also known as The Golden Temple.

I won’t proclaim the golden temple as a Sikh pilgrimage because I believe this place is truly beyond any religion. The unparalleled affection and consistent hospitality you get here is second to none.

Sadly it took me a hell lot of time to realize the worthiness of this place considering the fact that it is one of the beautiful budget-friendly places anyone can visit in North India.

But still better late than never.

Must visit places in Amritsar

The golden temple (Harmandir Sahib)
Wagah-Attari border ceremony
Jallianwala Bagh
Vaishno Devi Mandir Amritsar

Eateries you must try in Amritsar

Amritsari kulchas
Lassi
Langar and karah prashad
Makki di roti and sarson da saag

Approximate Budget

1000 INR per day.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

Manali is one of those places, I can visit over and over again without showing even ounce of boredom. This place is also quite close to my heart maybe because this is the place I had visited along with Shimla on my first trip to the Himalayas.

Manali is not some adventurous place where you will get the high adrenaline rush, rather it is the place where you can sit back and witness one of most pleasant sunrise and sunset of your life. Or you can just listen to reverberating sound of Beas River that flows through this beautiful city.

Manali itself may not be much thrilling but there are several treks and road trips start from this place like Leh – Ladakh road trip, Spiti Valley trip, Hampta Pass Trek, Bhrigu Lake Trek.

Places to visit in Manali

Hidimba Devi Temple
Rohtang Pass
Manali Nature Park
Jogini Waterfall
Buddhist Monastaries

Approximate Budget

1200 INR per day.

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

How about witnessing the palpable purity of the India’s holiest river, Ganga? With a pinch of adrenaline like 21 km long white water river rafting, rapidly pushing your boat from one end of the city to another, giving you the best time of your life.

Sounds thrilling? Right?

Look no further than Rishikesh.

Proudly proclaimed as Yoga Capital of the World, people from all walks of life, willing to change their body and mind for good, come and linger over this place for months.

This place is also a temporary abode for those adventure seekers who are willing to explore the Himalayas situated in far end corner of Uttarakhand, in its purest form.

Want to feel the aroma of the most revered places of India like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri or yamunotri? You have to visit Rishikesh first.

Want to have a summit view of mighty peaks like Kedarkantha, Har Ki Doon, Nag Tiiba, Pangarchulla or Chandrashila? You have to visit Rishikesh again.

Rishikesh is like the potato in Indian curries, no matter what you cook, this is an absolute must.

Things to do in Rishikesh

White Water Rafting
Camping And Bonfire
Ganga Aarti
Bunjee Jumping
Yoga and Meditation

Approximate Budget

1000 INR per day.

Jaipur, Rajasthan

I always had this apprehension for the solo trip. No matter how much I tried but couldn’t gather the courage to plan a trip all by myself without having anyone to share my travel discomforts and budget with.

But then one day out of nowhere I told myself authoritatively, enough is enough.

And the very next place I visited was Jaipur, all alone.

Jaipur is one of the closest tourist destination from Delhi at a distance of just mere 280 km.

Jaipur is a place where you will get enough chances to be awe of India’s glorious past.

Right from Mammoth forts to elegant palaces to royal attires, this pink city is one of the favorite backpacking destinations for the people around the globe who are in search of a beautiful yet budget-friendly places to visit in the north side of India.

Places to visit in Jaipur

City Palace
Amber Fort
Jal Mahal
Nahargarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort
Hawa Mahal
Jantar Mantar Observatory

Approximate Budget

800 INR per day.

Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh

Having countless number of places to visit in the World, revisiting a particular place is not an Idea we as a traveler very often give a nod to.

But Mcleod Ganj is a place I have already visited twice and honestly don’t mind it visiting again.

Mcleod Ganj is a cute tiny city situated right at the center of lush green Himalayas, offering you incomparable peace and solace with a tint of adventure.

Places to visit in Mcleod Ganj

Triund Peak
Bhagsu Waterfall
Dharamkot
Dharamshala
Tibetan Museum

Approxmiate budget

1000 INR per day.

Agra, Uttar Pradesh

I always wondered what is special about this place which attracts this huge number of travelers across the globe?

I mean, stumble upon any blog post related to exploring India. Taj Mahal is something that is bound to secure its place in the list.

After much of procrastinating, when I visited this place, I was in awe of this humongous white marble monument stretching from one corner to another, synonymizing heaven itself presented right in front of my eyes wrapped in white color and proclaiming why is it one of the seven wonders of the World?

Places to visit in Agra

Taj Mahal
Agra Fort

Approximate Budget

800 INR per day

Also read this : Visiting the Taj Mahal – Everything you need to Know about this epic monument in India

Pushkar, Rajasthan

I still remember the time when I used to clap as a child while watching someone doing camel riding on the television and always had this fantasy of trying out this at some point in time in my life.

Well, Pushkar was the place I got to do it eventually. Not a very ideal place for camel riding, It will be more of a better something than nothing experience.

This place is also famous for Pushkar Fair, a gathering usually happens between late October and early November popular for vibrant cultural themes and various cattle fairs.

For the devotees out there, there is only one temple dedicated to the Lord Brahma in this world and this happened to be at this place, Brahma Temple, Pushkar.

Camel Riding pushkar — Photo From Unplash

Places to visit in Pushkar

Camel safari
Desert camping
Ride in a hot air balloon
Evening aarti at Varaha ghat
Visit Brahma temple
Sit back at Pushkar Lake
Sunset view at Savitri Mata temple

Approximate Budget

1000 INR per day.

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Have you ever watched Harry Potter? Do you remember the scene where they used to travel to Hogwarts via train with a marvelous view?

Trust me, I get the same feeling when I travel to Shimla via Kalka – Shimla toy train.

An adorable tiny train with the bare minimum speed passing through lush green forests crossing almost 100 tunnels and finally reaching a place, they call the queen of hills. The capital of one of my favorite states in India, Himachal Pradesh.

Shimla is not for the adventure seekers rather it is for those who want an escape from the hustle-bustle of cities and yearning to get some dose of nature.

Places to visit in Shimla

Mall Road
Jakhoo Hill
Kufri
Green Valley
Fun world
Summer Hills
Johnnie’s Wax Museum

Approximate Budget

1000 INR per day (Depending on the season).

Nainital, Uttarakhand

As per Hindu mythology, Naini lake was the place where eyes (Nain) of Sati fell when Lord Shiva was carrying her scorched body to Kailash. That is why this place is called ‘Naini-tal’ or the lake of the eye.

China Peak Trek Nainital — Photo From Unplash

Nainital is a place where anyone can visit to spend a peaceful weekend amidst Himalaya with the added beauty of humongous lakes.

Places to visit in Nainital

Naini lake
China peak
Shri Maa Naina Devi Temple
Nainital Zoo
Mall road
Ranikhet (55 Km from Nainital)

Approximate Budget

1000 INR per day (Depending on the season)

Also read this : Things you must do in your Nainital trip

Udaipur, Rajasthan

In the starting days of my traveling, I always avoided visiting Udaipur because of the rumors (It is very costly place to visit) I had heard.

But when I did a bit of research on my own then got to know that, it is one of the most famous backpacking destinations across the globe and is suitable for travelers of any kind of budget.

Right from royal palaces which cost a fortune for a night to budget hostels which starts from 200 INR/night, this place is like a Pizza, everyone is going to like it anyway.

udaipur night view — Photo from Unsplash

Places to visit in Udaipur

City Palace
Karni Mata temple (Sunset View)
Ambrai Ghat
Fateh Sagar lake
Sajjan Garh
Lake Pichola

Approximate budget

800 INR per day.

Also read this : Awesome Places to visit and things to do in the royal city Udaipur

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

You know what makes Varanasi different from other places?

People visit the rest of the places to ignite the vibrancy of their life and unravel the secrets of happiness. But Varanasi, it’s more of a death calculation.

People think, just by dying at a sacred place as such Varanasi, they can attain the nirvana or salvation.

And that’s the reason you will see a flood of people especially elderly living in ashrams waiting for the moment when their body will take its last breath and finally they can be free from all bondages of life.

Varanasi is also a great place for those who just want to explore India and willing to know more about Hinduism and India’s rich culture.

One can sit back at century-old ghats, take a dip in the sacred Ganga and try the best of street foods (like Thandai) while being in Varanasi.

Places to visit in Varanasi

Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Dasaswamedh Ghat
Assi Ghat
Manikarnika Ghat
Dhamek Stupa
Banaras Hindu University
Ramnagar Fort
Darbhanga Ghat

Approximate Budget

800 INR per day

Also read this : Banaras : A city where people wish to die

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11 beautiful budget-friendly places to visit in North India