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You've been there during the summer-beautiful hill stations in Himalayas, nestled between valleys and mountain passes, offering a cool respite from the scorching temperature of the plains. But when tourists visited Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Auli, Manali and Chail in winter, they discovered winter secrets hidden by the Himalayas, from summer-time tourists.

Bollywood's obsession with foreign locations may have you thinking that to play in the snow and slide down powdery-white slopes, one needs a ticket to Switzerland. But it's entirely possible to have snow fights, see incredible winter phenomena, run through snow-carpeted meadows in a chiffon sari and indulge in winter sports, without ever leaving the country!

Winter secrets of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand - the Winterline

Mussoorie, with its cool temperatures and misty air, is an evergreen summer vacation favourite. But Mussoorie's been keeping a secret from us. A secret seen from only two places in the world, the other being - Switzerland- The Winterline.

From mid-October till January, the setting sun paints the winter horizon with brilliant lines of mauve and crimson, against a deep blue sky. Imagine a 360-degree horizontal rainbow. This winter phenomenon does have an atmospheric explanation. God is painting the sky.

Mussoorie Winter FAQs:

Winter Months: Mid-October to February
Snow forcast: December-January

Winter secrets of Ranikhet, Uttarakhand - the Snow covered meadows

Translate the word Ranikhet into English, and it'll give you a hint of what to expect. Acres of lush, green meadows that go on for as far as the eye can see. When it snows, it's like acres of Christmas cake frosting. The crisp, cold air, soft powdary snow and tall pine, deodar and oak trees complete the winter experience.

This is the stuff of fairytales and storybooks, for which moves crews travel all the way of Europe. And good for them too! Ranikhet is the best preserved as a local winter-time secert.

Ranikhet winter FAQs:

Getting there:Ranikhet is 280 kms from New Delhi and about 65 kms from Nanital.
Winter Months:October to February
Snow forcast: December to February

Winters In Manali, Himachal Pradesh - Winter Sports

If there's one place in Himalayas that the rest of the country associates the word "hill station" with, it's Manali. The population of this town swells manifold during the summer months.

Thankfully, you'll have the place to yourself in winter. Good thing because you need a lot of space when you're inside a big, round balloon hurtling down a mountainside, called Zorbing, this is just one of the many activities on offer here. Try your hand at paragliding, high-altitude trekking and for the very brave, ice-cold river rafting. Of course, when it shows, you can also ski.

Manali Winter FAQs:

Winter Months:Mid-October to mid-March.
Snow forcast: December to February

Winters In Chail, Himachal Pradesh - Winter wonderland

Imagine yourself in a room at Chail Palace, sitting by the fireplace, a book in one hand, and a mug of hot choclate in the other, while outside the great, big window, show falls lightly, turning the russet and gold landscape winter by the minute.

Chail is a storybook-perfect destination, known for having the highest cricket ground in the world, it is breathtaking in every season. But in the colder months, its charm is multipled by the snow and mist, providing visitors with a glimpse of the kind of winters described in old English novels.