You do not need a passport to experience some of the world's most celebrated landscapes this summer. According to Booking.com's Travel Trends 2026, 65% of Indian travellers already prefer to holiday domestically, and India's own terrain offers compelling alternatives to some of the globe's most iconic destinations, from the American Southwest to the Swiss Alps.

Here are five domestic stops worth putting on your summer itinerary.

Gandikota, Andhra Pradesh: India's answer to the Grand Canyon

The dramatic, layered gorge carved through the Erramala hills by the Pennar River has earned Gandikota the title of India's Grand Canyon, and it is easy to see why. The rugged red sedimentary cliffs bear a striking resemblance to the landscape of the American Southwest, and the setting is made more extraordinary by the ruins of a 13th-century fort built right on the cliff edge. A heritage walk through the fort is the ideal way to explore the site, and if you can time your visit for sunrise, the golden light illuminating the winding river below is worth the early start.

Alappuzha, Kerala: the Venice of the East

The "Venice of the East" label has been attached to Alappuzha since the colonial era, and the comparison holds. An intricate network of lagoons, canals, and lakes defines this Kerala destination, where the best way to experience the landscape is from the deck of a traditional wooden houseboat. Gliding through palm-fringed waterways gives you an unhurried look at life on the water, with an authentic Keralan dinner prepared on board as the day winds down.

Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh: Mini Switzerland

The resemblance between Khajjiar and the Swiss Alpine landscape is striking enough that the Swiss Embassy officially recognised it as "Mini Switzerland." Nestled in the Chamba district, the destination features dense coniferous forests encircling a bowl-shaped green meadow with a lake at its centre, backed by views of the snow-capped Dhauladhar range. The surrounding Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, under a canopy of deodar and fir, is worth exploring on foot before settling in on the emerald grass to take in the panorama.

Fontainhas, Goa: a slice of Portugal

While most visitors to Goa head for the beaches, the Latin Quarter of Panaji offers something entirely different, a preserved pocket of Portuguese heritage that feels like stepping into coastal Europe. Narrow alleys wind past grand old houses painted in striking shades of yellow, blue, and red, their wrought-iron balconies and tile roofs intact after centuries. A heritage walking tour through Fontainhas is the best way to absorb the neighbourhood's history, with a stop at a local bakery for a freshly baked pastél de nata completing the experience.

Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim: a high-altitude world of its own

Perched at 17,800 feet in North Sikkim, Gurudongmar is one of the highest lakes in the world, and the landscape surrounding it has the stark, otherworldly quality of Iceland's glacier lagoons. Barren, snow-capped peaks frame water so still and clear it mirrors the sky above. The journey to get there is demanding, but standing on the wind-swept shores in near-total silence, watching clouds shift across the mountain reflections, makes it one of the most singular natural experiences India has to offer.

Published on: May 30, 2026 7:00 AM IST