The cheapest hill stations in India for a weekend are Matheran (a day trip from Mumbai for under ₹1,000), Munnar, Ooty and Mount Abu, where two nights cost roughly ₹2,000–3,000 per person on state buses with dorm beds or a shared room.
Kasol, Lansdowne, Darjeeling, McLeod Ganj and Chikmagalur cost a little more but still fit inside ₹5,000.
Cheapest hill stations in India: cost table at a glance
Assumptions: one person, two nights, a dorm bed or half of a shared double room, state bus or local train, simple meals at dhabas and local eateries. Getting to the starting city is not included.
Hill station | Start from | Return travel | Stay, 2 nights | Food, 2 days | Weekend total per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matheran, Maharashtra | Mumbai | ₹150–250 | Day trip | ₹300–500 | ₹500–800 + entry tax |
Munnar, Kerala | Kochi | ₹240–320 | ₹900–1,200 (dorm) | ₹600–800 | ₹1,800–2,400 |
Ooty, Tamil Nadu | Coimbatore | ₹160–250 | ₹900–1,000 (hostel bed) | ₹800–1,200 | ₹1,900–2,400 |
Mount Abu, Rajasthan | Ahmedabad | ₹400–600 | ₹800–1,200 | ₹800–1,200 | ₹2,100–3,100 |
Kasol, Himachal Pradesh | Delhi | ₹1,400–1,600 | ₹700–1,200 (dorm) | ₹500–800 | ₹2,600–3,600 |
Lansdowne, Uttarakhand | Delhi | ₹750–1,150 | ₹900–1,600 | ₹600–1,000 | ₹2,300–3,800 |
Darjeeling, West Bengal | NJP / Siliguri | ₹550–600 | ₹800–2,000 | ₹600–1,200 | ₹2,000–3,800 |
McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh | Delhi | ₹1,350–1,700 (ordinary bus) | ₹900–1,400 (dorm) | ₹600–800 | ₹2,900–4,000 |
Chikmagalur, Karnataka | Bengaluru | ₹660–800 | ₹1,000–2,500 (homestay) | ₹1,000–1,600 | ₹2,700–5,000 |
9 cheap hill stations in India, ranked by weekend cost
1. Matheran, Maharashtra: the cheapest mountain trip from Mumbai
Matheran is the one place on this list you can do for the price of a cinema ticket and a meal. Take a Mumbai suburban local to Neral (₹20–25), then the Aman Lodge–Matheran shuttle (₹50 in second class, about ₹300 in first).
The Neral–Matheran toy train resumed on 6 November 2025; second class costs roughly ₹75. A capitation (entry) tax is collected at Dasturi Naka
Motor vehicles are not allowed inside the town, so you walk between viewpoints such as Panorama Point, Louisa Point and Charlotte Lake. Most budget travellers come back the same evening; we could not confirm current budget lodge rates .
2. Munnar, Kerala: the best hill station in low budget for South India
Kerala RTC buses from Kochi cost about ₹120–160 one way. Dorm beds run ₹450–600 a night, and a Kerala meals plate at a local eatery costs ₹90–120.
Mattupetty Dam charges about ₹20 entry, and the tea-estate views along the roads are free. Shared jeep sightseeing is the main extra.
3. Ooty, Tamil Nadu
A TNSTC bus from Coimbatore to Ooty costs about ₹80. Hostel beds from chains such as Zostel, The Hosteller and goSTOPS start at roughly US$4.50–5 (₹430–475) a night [CHECK]. If you want the Nilgiri Mountain Railway from Mettupalayam, note that Southern Railway raised its fares by 5% from February 2026, so check the current second-class fare on IRCTC before planning around it .
4. Mount Abu, Rajasthan
GSRTC buses from Ahmedabad start at about ₹189 and take around five hours. From Abu Road railway station, the RSRTC bus up the hill costs ₹45–50. Guesthouses charge ₹800–1,200 a night, and RTDC's Hotel Shikhar lists non-AC rooms at ₹1,000 with breakfast plus GST.
The Dilwara temples, Nakki Lake walk and Sunset Point cost nothing; a paddle boat on Nakki Lake is ₹50–100.
5. Kasol, Himachal Pradesh
HRTC ordinary buses from Delhi to Bhuntar cost about ₹650–750 and run overnight, which saves a night's stay each way. A local bus from Bhuntar to Kasol is about ₹55.
Dorms cost ₹350–600 and a dhaba thali ₹80–140. The riverside walk to Chalal village is free. For a longer Himachal trip, see our Manali trip cost breakdown.
6. Lansdowne, Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Transport buses from ISBT Kashmere Gate to Kotdwar cost about ₹280–450 and take roughly 5.5 hours. From Kotdwar, a shared jeep is ₹100–120 or a local bus ₹70–90. Kotdwar is also the railhead: the overnight Mussoorie Express (14041) and the Siddhabali Jan Shatabdi (12038) run from Delhi.
GMVN's Tourist Rest House starts at about ₹900 a night, and street food costs ₹50–150 a plate. If you are near Haridwar instead, our Rishikesh on a budget guide has a similar sub-₹3,000 plan.
7. Darjeeling, West Bengal
Shared jeeps from NJP cost about ₹300 and from Siliguri about ₹275, but these are 2022 fares and have likely gone up. Budget hotels charge ₹800–2,000 a night and food runs ₹300–600 a day.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway joy ride is the big optional spend: about ₹800 for diesel and ₹1,310 for steam, per a June 2026 report. Walking the Mall and Chowrasta is free. Prefer a planned trip? See our West Bengal – Queen of Hills package .
8. McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh
HRTC ordinary buses from Delhi to Dharamshala start at about ₹672–714; the Volvo/Scania AC service starts at about ₹1,259–1,295 one way. Dorm beds in Dharamkot cost ₹450–700, and a Tibetan meal ₹80–130.
The Triund trek is free apart from a forest registration fee of about ₹50–100. For a planned Himachal circuit, our Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala package covers 7 nights.
9. Chikmagalur, Karnataka
KSRTC Rajahamsa buses from Bengaluru cost about ₹330–400 one way. Coffee-estate homestays charge ₹1,000–2,500 a room, usually with breakfast, so two people sharing pay half. Malnad meals cost ₹250–400. Hirekolale Lake, Z-Point and Baba Budangiri are free or nearly free. This is the priciest stay on the list, but still inside ₹5,000.
Budget friendly mountain vacations by city
You live in | Cheapest pick | Next best |
|---|---|---|
Mumbai / Pune | Matheran | Mount Abu (via Ahmedabad) |
Delhi NCR | Lansdowne | Kasol, McLeod Ganj |
Bengaluru | Chikmagalur | Ooty (via Mysuru or Coimbatore) |
Chennai / Coimbatore | Ooty | Munnar |
Kochi | Munnar | Ooty |
Kolkata / Siliguri | Darjeeling | — |
Ahmedabad | Mount Abu | — |
Affordable hill stations in India for winter (December to February)
- Snow chances: Triund above McLeod Ganj got snow in January 2026, and McLeod Ganj itself dropped close to freezing. In Uttarakhand, the January 2026 snowfall hit Mussoorie, Dhanaulti and Chakrata, but not Lansdowne, so do not plan Lansdowne around snow.
- Cold without snow: Mount Abu fell to −7°C on 24 January 2026, with frost on the grass. Carry proper woollens.
- Mild and cheap: Matheran, Munnar and Ooty stay comfortable through winter and are good picks if you do not want sub-zero nights.
- Chopta: cheap but hard in winter. The Tungnath temple shuts for winter (its deity moves to Makkumath), and the road from Dugalbitta to Chopta often has snow and black ice from December to February, so you may have to walk 4–7 km. Not for a first mountain trip.
For more December ideas, see our list of the best places to visit in December in India.
How to keep a cheap hill station trip under ₹5,000
- Travel overnight on state buses. HRTC, UTC, KSRTC and TNSTC overnight buses replace one night of stay.
- Go Sunday to Thursday. Rooms are usually cheaper and easier to bargain for outside long weekends.
- Stay in dorms or registered homestays. Himachal launched a homestay registration portal (homestay.hp.gov.in) in February 2026, and Uttarakhand revised its homestay rules in May 2026, so check that a homestay is registered before you pay.
- Eat where locals eat. Dhaba thalis and local meals cost ₹80–140 almost everywhere on this list.
- Pick free sights. Viewpoints, lake walks and short treks cost nothing; paid rides like toy trains are the biggest optional extra.
FAQs
Which is the cheapest hill station in India?
Matheran is the cheapest hill station in India to reach from a big city: a Mumbai local train and shuttle cost under ₹300 return, so a day trip comes in under ₹1,000. For an overnight trip, Munnar and Ooty are cheapest at about ₹1,800–2,400 for two nights.
Which is the best hill station in India on a low budget?
It depends on your city. Delhi travellers get the most for the least in Lansdowne or Kasol; South Indians in Munnar or Ooty; Mumbaikars in Matheran. All fit within ₹5,000 per person for a weekend.
Which is the cheapest mountain trip in India from Delhi?
Lansdowne, at roughly ₹2,300–3,800 per person for two nights, because the bus to Kotdwar costs under ₹450 and the hill is only a shared jeep ride away. Kasol is close behind if you take HRTC overnight buses both ways.
What to wear in a hill station in India in winter?
Layers: thermal innerwear, a fleece or sweater, a windproof jacket, a woolen cap and gloves, and shoes with grip. Places like Mount Abu and McLeod Ganj can drop below freezing at night in January, while Munnar and Ooty need only a light jacket.
