The fun is in the hills this Easter

Driving away from the city at the crack of dawn, windows rolled down to let in the stillness of the morning while heading towards the hills is a feeling I have loved since childhood, says banker Anchal Singh, who heads out to his vacation home near Solan whenever he gets an opportunity.

That first breath of fresh air drawn in while looking at the majestic mountains leads to instant rejuvenation, something I crave for while I am stuck in my air-conditioned office all day, he adds.

A six-hour drive to reach the hills is a luxury Delhiites have always cherished, especially during long weekends.

“With popular hill stations becoming quite crowded, more and more people are looking for more quaint destinations that lie just a few km away from the main town so they can have the best of both worlds,” says Anandita, a boutique travel planner.

She says homestays and cottages for rent are fast becoming more preferred to hotels, and people mostly shop for experiences online by viewing photos on websites like Flickr and Instagram. There is a huge rush to the hills this Easter weekend as Delhi is becoming hotter. In the winter, heritage properties in Rajasthan were more popular, she adds.

For those who seek the calm and silence of the hills, the latest trend is to give hotels a miss and stay at luxury hill homes that can be booked completely when travelling in a group.

Manish Anand, who owns one such property near Nainital, says luxury homes offer complete privacy in the lap of nature, where experiences can be tailor-made to suit every type of group. It is different from a home stay, as guests do not have to bother about cooking or living in someone’s home.

In this type of experience, dedicated cooks and staff curate experiences, pamper guests and prepare meals based on groups needs.

Music in the hills

Another growing trend is to host music festivals in the hills. This weekend, the Genesis Foundation is organising the fourth edition of the Kasauli Rhythm and Blues Music Festival at Baikunth Resorts in Kasauli.

The festival will have multiple genres of music spread across three days with 10 bands performing. The organisers describe the festival as riveting mix of music, outdoor barbecue, splendid bar and fun for the entire family. The festival is being organised for the benefit of 15 critically-ill underprivileged-children, who need money to undergo surgery,