If getting the best of sunrise and sunset is on your agenda, there can be nothing as apt as the smallest hill town of India, known as Matheran.
Located at 2,625 feet, one can climb up the Panorama Point and get a 360 degree view of the surrounding, which consists of hillocks, corroded mountains, crater shaped lake and Prabal Fort. While these qualify for some breathtaking shots, the drama that initiates during sunrise and sunset is charming and shouldn’t be missed.
How to reach: Nearest rail head for Matheran is Neral. From here one can take a 15km joy ride on toy train. One can also drive from Mumbai.
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Valley of Flowers
Located at an altitude of 3,800 feet, this incredible hill station is a world heritage site and a part of the Nanda Devi biosphere. Painted in the best hues of nature, this place in Uttaranchal is a beautiful carpet of flowers – an absolute orgasmic feeling for the photographers.
Don’t forget to capture the dew drops on flowers, one of the best use you can make of the macro mode.
How to reach: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 295 kilometers away, and the nearest railway station is in Rishikesh, which is about 276 kilometers away. The best way to reach the valley is by trekking. However, one can take car till Govindghat and trek for 16km to reach Valley of Flowers.
Yumthung Valley
This not-so-popular hill station should be your pick if you hate to be housed among the crowds. Think of a marriage between the contours of Ladakh and speciality of Valley of Flowers. There you are! Yumthung Valley is a grazing pasture with snow capped peaks cordoning the valley. Bubble balance the tripod and set the DSLR – just point and shoot.
Rhododendrons, primulas, poppies, iris and a variety of wild flowers make the scene more inspiring. At 11,693 feet, the breathtaking view is to die for.
How to reach: Nearest airport of Yumthung is at Bagdogra in West Bengal. You get frequent cabs and buses for Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. From Gangtok, Yumthung is a 2 hour drive.
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Darjeeling
Talk of surreal beauty of nature, the quiet Sherpa of Kanchenjunga nods his head in delight, because only Darjeeling can represent something out of the world. Darjeeling in West Bengal has always been the paradise of the backpackers because of its serene landscape and non-fluctuating climate making it a place worthy of repetitive visits.
A dynamic place in terms of amazing mountain foods, Darjeeling is bliss for nature lovers. While you can shoot panoramic snaps of the beauty of Kanchenjunga and Tiger Hill, tea gardens and toy trains make Darjeeling a must-go place in nature photographers’ diary.
Don’t miss the Bhutia Monastery and Batasia Loop and of course an early morning Tiger Hill.
How to reach: Bagdogra (Siliguri) is the nearest airport. New Jalpaiguri is the nearest rail head. You can opt for Toy Train ride to Darjeeling. Regular buses and cabs are also available.
Lakshadweep
Coconut canopies, coral reefs and a gorgeous marine life are the baits to invite photographers to this lonely island in the Arabian Sea.
And once you are at the archipelago of 36 islands, you can date the nature in the most romantic way possible- yeah, for the photographers its shooting the best of the curves, the beaches have to offer.
While it refreshes you with its mesmerizing offering undersea (read corals), the whole of Lakshadweep with the sun casting colourful spell, make it a dream come true for the photographers.
How to reach: Cochin is the nearest land to head towards Lakshadweep. Regular cruise service is available. Also, Lakshadweep has its own airport at Agatti.
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Hoggenakal Falls
Nature does not have one but 50 shades and yet the photographers want to look for the 51st and capture it. Hoggenakal Falls will offer you more than what is visible to the naked eye.
So when vigorously flowing waterfall gushes down the stream below the mountains, setting the aperture right and getting the motion framed is the job to ace. At Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri hills in the Western Ghats of south India, river Kaveri gains momentum and land drops from the steep elevation. Experience the magical moments of rowing a boat near the Niagara falls of India.
How to reach: Nearest airport is Bangalore (Bengaluru). It’s a 3 hour drive from there.
Coorg
The hill station of Karnataka, is located on the eastern part of the Western Ghat and is lined with heritage. Being a hot favourite among the British in pre-independence era, Coorg is a bit crowdy compared to other places mentioned here.
However, that won’t discourage you from packing your camera and heading towards it. Abbey Falls, Dubare Elephant Camp, Honnamana Kere, Mallali Falls are must-click places that you need to include in your itinerary.
How to reach: Mangalore is the nearest airport to Coorg. It is well connected by road from there. Otherwise, buses and cabs ply from Madurai and Bangalore (Bengaluru) as well.
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Allepey
It is no strange a fact that nature photography demands too much variety. And Kerala in this season is the best for shoot. The exclusive reason includes its monsoon moistened greenery. And Allepey is one place in God’s own Country where serenity overlaps modernity.
Easy access to the place with all modern facilities, make this place a hot favourite even if you have a limited budget for photography. The back water cruise is the top attraction here as the villages along the backwater are lined with coconut plants. Also, Allepey boasts of a secluded sea beach, which is equally lucrative.
How to reach: Nearest airport is Cochin. However you can take a train to Allepey and let me assure you, the railway journey from Cochin to Allepey will be a memorable one with too many bridges, lakes and finally a glimpse of sea, when it enters the destination.
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