Luxury holidays in Himalayas

When to go

To avoid the summer heat, and for peak climbing conditions, visit between September and June – but bring jumpers for the winter months. July marks the start of the monsoon season, but if you don’t mind a few storms, the forests are at their most leafy.

Getting there

• Planes

  The closest airport, Jolly Grant in Dehradun, is around half an hour’s drive from Rishikesh. There are no direct flights from London to Dehradun, but Air India offers regular flights to Delhi, from which it’s another 45-minute flight to Jolly Grant (www.airindia.in).

• Trains

  Haridwar Railway Station is served by Indian Railways and there are trains to both Dehradun and Rishikesh, for those exploring more than one of the surrounding towns.

• Automobiles

  Driving in India is notoriously difficult, but if you think you’re up to the challenge, the drive to Rishikesh takes just under seven hours. If you fly to Dehradun, rent a classic Ambassador – the first car ever to be manufactured in India – from local firm Dehradun Car Rentals.