| QUICK ANSWER The October 2 long weekend runs from Friday 2 October to Sunday 4 October 2026, with no leave needed. The 10 best road trips from Delhi and Gurugram are Sohna in Gurugram, Jaipur, Rishikesh, Jim Corbett, Kasauli and Shimla, Mussoorie and Landour, Nainital and Bhimtal, Mukteshwar and Ranikhet, Udaipur, and Manali and Tirthan. For the shortest drive, pick Sohna; for the Ganga aarti, pick Rishikesh; for tigers, pick Jim Corbett; for Himalayan views, pick Ranikhet. |
If you have been watching the Delhi skyline for a sign that the season has turned, the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend is it: Friday 2 October to Sunday 4 October 2026, three days with no leave needed. The monsoon has cleared out of the hills, the Himalayan peaks are coming back into view, and Rajasthan’s heat is easing.
This guide takes you through the 10 best road trips from Delhi and Gurugram, one destination at a time: what it is like, what to do, what to see, what to eat, where to stay, and the experiences a SaffronStays home adds that a hotel room cannot.
Table of Contents-
The 10 Best Road Trips from Delhi at a Glance
| Destination | Best for | Drive | SaffronStays pick |
| Sohna, Gurugram | Families, celebrations, pets | Short | Emerald Farms |
| Jaipur | Heritage lovers, shoppers | Half day | Ambika Farms |
| Rishikesh | Spiritual seekers, adventure lovers | Half day | Triveni Darshan |
| Jim Corbett | Wildlife lovers, families | Half day | Sher Bagh |
| Kasauli and Shimla | Couples, families, heritage lovers | Half day | Kasauli Estate: Royalty |
| Mussoorie and Landour | Couples, writers, walkers | Full day | Charming Cottage |
| Nainital and Bhimtal | Families, couples | Full day | Naiintara |
| Mukteshwar and Ranikhet | Slow travellers, stargazers | Full day | Glasshouse Celeste |
| Udaipur | Couples, art and heritage lovers | Full day | Rang Havelii |
| Manali and Tirthan | Mountain lovers, groups | Full day | The Tirthan House |
Drive: Short is an easy morning’s drive, Half day takes most of a morning or afternoon, and Full day means setting off at dawn.
Planning Your 2 to 4 October Road Trip
- Book now: villas in Rishikesh, Nainital and Kasauli fill first on long weekends.
- Beat the traffic: leave on Thursday night or at dawn on Friday; for Himachal, a Thursday-night start is worth it.
- Dry day: Gandhi Jayanti is a national dry day, so liquor shops and bars stay closed on 2 October; plan any drinks for Saturday or Sunday. Rishikesh is a vegetarian, alcohol-free town all year.
- Mountain roads: drive in daylight and allow for post-monsoon road work on hill sections.
Sohna, Gurugram: The Closest Escape
At the edge of Gurugram, the Aravalli hills around Sohna trade glass towers for farmland, lakes and open sky. It is the easiest long-weekend escape from Delhi NCR, close enough to leave after breakfast on Friday and still have the whole day ahead.
Things to do
- Walk or cycle the Aravalli trails around Damdama Lake
- Spend a morning birdwatching at Sultanpur National Park, where winter migrants begin arriving from October
- See India’s road-travel history at the Heritage Transport Museum near Taoru
- End with dinner at Gurugram’s CyberHub on the way home
Must-visit places: Damdama Lake, Sultanpur National Park, the Heritage Transport Museum, the Aravalli Biodiversity Park and the Sheesh Mahal at Farrukhnagar.
What to eat: A Haryanvi thali of bajra roti with white butter, kadhi and churma, and the city’s restaurants at CyberHub and Sector 29.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Emerald Farms is a four-bedroom private pool villa on a 3-acre orchard estate in Sohna, with a 40-ft swimming pool, a kids’ pool and whirlpool, expansive lawns, and courts for pickleball, badminton and basketball. It is pet-friendly and built for families and groups.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Emerald Farms turns a short drive into a full weekend without leaving the gate. Play pickleball on your own court, let the children run between the play area and the kids’ pool, rack up a game of pool, and finish with a lantern-lit dinner on the lawn. Guests single out the food and the staff, and the estate works as well for a birthday or office get-together as for a quiet family break.
Jaipur: Royal Rajasthan, Road-Trip Close
The Pink City is a natural long-weekend drive, and October’s easing heat makes sightseeing comfortable again. Forts, palaces and bazaars sit within a compact old city, and the countryside beyond is where Jaipur‘s grand estates and farm villas spread out.
Things to do
- Explore Amer Fort in the morning, before the crowds
- Walk the old city bazaars for block prints, blue pottery and jewellery
- Watch sunset over the city from Nahargarh
- Take an evening at a Rajasthani folk performance
Must-visit places: Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh, and the Jal Mahal on Man Sagar Lake.
What to eat: Dal baati churma, laal maas, pyaaz kachori, ghewar and a tall glass of lassi from the old city.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Ambika Farms is a four-bedroom private pool villa on the outskirts of Jaipur, with a lush garden, an outdoor fireplace and a games room with a pool table, table tennis, carrom and chess, plus badminton and basketball outdoors. It suits families and friends driving in from Delhi.
The SaffronStays Advantage
See Jaipur the way its royals once did: Ambika Farms can arrange a vintage car ride through the Pink City, gliding past Hawa Mahal and the old city walls in a restored classic. Back at the villa, the countryside becomes part of the stay, with private yoga sessions, meditation, cycling and open-jeep gypsy tours on request, and guests single out the home-cooked food.
Rishikesh: The Ganga and the Evening Aarti
Rishikesh combines the Ganga, the Himalayan foothills and India’s yoga capital in one weekend. Mornings belong to yoga and river walks, afternoons to rafting and cafés, and evenings to the Ganga aarti, when lamps float downriver as the chants rise from the ghats.
Things to do
- Attend the evening Ganga aarti at Triveni Ghat
- Join a morning yoga or meditation class
- Try white-water rafting as the season reopens after the monsoon
- Take a short drive to the Neelkanth Mahadev temple in the hills
Must-visit places: Triveni Ghat, Parmarth Niketan, the Beatles Ashram, Ram Jhula and the Neelkanth Mahadev temple.
What to eat: Rishikesh is a vegetarian, alcohol-free town, which suits it perfectly: aloo puri and jalebi by the ghats, thalis in Swarg Ashram, and the riverside cafés for coffee and baked goods.
The SaffronStays Advantage
The Ganga aarti at Triveni Ghat is a short walk from Triveni Darshan. Walk down as the lamps are lit, join the evening prayer on the ghat, and walk back without searching for parking or a taxi through the crowds. Come home to a bonfire on the terrace with the river below, and wake up early enough for the quieter morning aarti.
Jim Corbett: Tiger Country
India’s oldest national park sits at the foot of the Kumaon hills, where sal forests, grasslands and the Ramganga and Kosi rivers hold tigers, elephants, leopards and hundreds of bird species. It is one of the easiest wildlife weekends from the capital.
Things to do
- Book a jeep safari in a zone that is open for your dates; Jhirna and Dhela run year-round, and core zones reopen in phases from mid-October
- Walk along the Kosi river at dawn
- Visit Corbett Falls and the Garjiya Devi temple
- See Jim Corbett’s former home, now a museum, at Kaladhungi
Must-visit places: The safari zones, Corbett Falls, Garjiya Devi temple, the Corbett Museum at Kaladhungi and the Kosi riverbanks.
What to eat: Kumaoni food: bhatt ki churkani, aloo ke gutke, madua roti, and bal mithai for dessert.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Sher Bagh is an eco-conscious four-bedroom villa on the edge of Jim Corbett National Park, close to the Sitabani and Amdanda safari gates. Built with repurposed wood and handcrafted decor, it has lush gardens, a scenic reading deck and a private pool overlooking the jungle, with breakfast included.
The SaffronStays Advantage
At Sher Bagh, the wildlife experience starts before the safari. The private pool looks straight into the jungle, and guests report frequent wildlife sightings from the villa. The stay includes complimentary guided nature walks in the wild and seasonal fruit picking, and you can add a local thali experience, a bonfire under the stars or a barbeque after the evening drive.
Kasauli and Shimla: Colonial Hill Towns
Two colonial hill towns, one drive. Kasauli is small, quiet and scented with pine, while Shimla, further up, brings the grandeur of the old summer capital. Early October gives both clear views and pleasant days before winter sets in.
Things to do
- Walk the Gilbert Trail and the Mall in Kasauli
- Stroll Shimla’s Mall Road and the Ridge
- Climb to Jakhu temple for views over Shimla
- Ride the toy train from Kalka, a UNESCO World Heritage line
Must-visit places: Christ Church in Kasauli, the Mall and Gilbert Trail, the Gurkha Fort at Subathu, the Ridge and Christ Church in Shimla, Jakhu temple and the Viceregal Lodge.
What to eat: Himachali dham with madra and sepu vadi, siddu, and the bakeries along Kasauli‘s Mall Road.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Kasauli Estate: Royalty is a five-bedroom heritage home in the Kasauli hills, set on its own private lawn with a natural spring, farm-to-table dining and wide mountain views, within easy reach of Kasauli‘s Mall Road.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Kasauli Estate is a home with a past. Built more than 80 years ago in traditional Himachali stone and wood, it is a living example of the craftsmanship that shaped these hills long before the hotels arrived. Locals still call it Guddu Estate, a fond nod to its owner, and the family has since blended its old-world rooms with modern comforts. Stay here and you sleep inside a slice of Himachali history: slow breakfasts on the lawn, home-style meals cooked on the estate, and evenings by the bonfire and barbeque as the lights of the plains come on below.
Mussoorie and Landour: Queen of the Hills
Mussoorie‘s ridge-top walks are clearest in October, with long views of the snow peaks. Above the town, Landour keeps a slower, older pace of deodar forests, cottages and a handful of famous cafés, while Dehradun sits in the valley below.
Things to do
- Walk the Landour loop past Char Dukan and Lal Tibba
- Ride the cable car to Gun Hill
- Watch sunset from Cloud’s End
- Stop in Dehradun for the Forest Research Institute and Robber’s Cave
Must-visit places: Lal Tibba, Char Dukan, Gun Hill, Kempty Falls, Cloud’s End and the Forest Research Institute.
What to eat: Pancakes, bun omelettes and Maggi at Char Dukan, fresh bakes from Landour’s bakehouses, and Garhwali dishes such as kafuli and jhangora kheer.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Charming Cottage is a two-bedroom cottage in Landour near Mussoorie, overlooking the lights of Dehradun with sweeping valley views.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Staying in Landour itself means waking up among the deodars and walking to its cafés and viewpoints on the quiet morning roads, long before day-trippers arrive from Mussoorie. At night, the whole of the Doon valley lights up below the cottage.
Nainital and Bhimtal: Kumaon’s Lake District
Kumaon’s lake district is a long weekend in itself. Nainital wraps around its famous lake, with Mall Road at the water’s edge, while Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal offer quieter water and forest walks nearby.
Things to do
- Row or sail across Naini Lake
- Ride up to Snow View for Himalayan panoramas
- Visit the Naina Devi temple by the lake
- Spend an afternoon at Bhimtal and Sattal
Must-visit places: Naini Lake, Mall Road, Naina Devi temple, Snow View, Tiffin Top, Bhimtal and Sattal.
What to eat: Bal mithai and singori, a Kumaoni thali, and warming momos along Mall Road.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Naiintara is a four-bedroom stone villa built in an Indo-European style above Naini Lake, minutes from Mall Road, with a bar lounge, drawing room and open dining spaces.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Every bedroom at Naiintara faces Naini Lake, with large windows framing the water from morning to night, a rare thing in a town where most lake views belong to hotel lobbies. You get the lakefront and Mall Road within easy reach, with the privacy of a whole home.
Mukteshwar and Ranikhet: Himalayan Views, Fewer Crowds
For Himalayan views without the crowds, head deeper into Kumaon. Mukteshwar’s cliffs look straight out at the snow peaks, orchards line the hillsides, and Ranikhet‘s cantonment town keeps its pine forests and quiet roads.
Things to do
- Watch sunrise over the snow peaks
- Walk out to the Chauli ki Jali cliffs in Mukteshwar
- Visit the Jhula Devi temple with its thousands of bells
- Walk Ranikhet‘s pine forests and Chaubatia’s orchards
Must-visit places: Mukteshwar Dham, Chauli ki Jali, Jhula Devi temple, Chaubatia Gardens and the Ranikhet golf course.
What to eat: A Kumaoni thali with bhatt ki dal, orchard-fresh fruit and jams, and bal mithai.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Glasshouse Celeste is a three-bedroom, pet-friendly glass villa near Ranikhet, set at around 4,500 ft with uninterrupted views of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Featured by Architectural Digest and named India’s Favourite Villa by MakeMyTrip, it is 90 per cent solar-powered with its own rainwater harvesting reservoir.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Glasshouse Celeste is built for the sky. Glass walls and roofs keep the Himalayas in view from every room, one bedroom catches the sunrise and two face the sunset, and a telescope, planet-inspired orbs along the garden path and a Five Elements sunset point make October’s clear nights part of the stay.
Udaipur: The City of Lakes
Udaipur is Rajasthan at its most romantic: white palaces reflected in lakes, ringed by the Aravalli hills. After the monsoon, Lake Pichola and Fateh Sagar are full, the hills are green, and the old city lanes behind the City Palace are made for slow evening walks.
Things to do
- Take a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola past Jag Mandir
- Tour the City Palace and its museum of Mewar miniatures
- Watch the evening Dharohar folk dance show at Bagore ki Haveli
- Drive up to Sajjangarh, the Monsoon Palace, for sunset over the lakes
Must-visit places: The City Palace, Lake Pichola, Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple, Bagore ki Haveli, Fateh Sagar, Saheliyon ki Bari and Sajjangarh.
What to eat: Dal baati churma, gatte ki sabzi, ker sangri, mirchi bada and malpua, ideally at a rooftop table overlooking the lake.
Where to stay: SaffronStays Rang Havelii is an eight-bedroom heritage haveli in Udaipur‘s old city, a short walk from the City Palace, with a pool and a sun terrace. For large groups and celebrations, SaffronStays Shikargarh Palace, a 400-year-old former royal hunting estate, is also in Udaipur.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Rang Havelii is a gallery you sleep in. Each of its rooms is dedicated to a Rajasthani art form, including Pichwai, Kavad, Thikri, Mewar miniature painting, Phad, bone inlay and Molela terracotta, and the art runs through its shared spaces too. Step out to the City Palace and Jagdish Temple through the old city before the crowds arrive, then come back to the pool and the terrace as the lakes turn gold.
Manali and Tirthan: The Big Mountain Drive
The longest drive on this list, and the most dramatic. Manali brings the bustle of Old Manali’s cafés and the Solang valley, while Tirthan valley, beside the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers trout streams, village walks and a much slower pace.
Things to do
- Walk through the deodars to the Hadimba temple in Manali
- Explore Old Manali‘s cafés
- Hike to Chehni Kothi or the Jalori Pass from Tirthan
- Try trout angling in the Tirthan river with a licence
Must-visit places: Hadimba temple, Old Manali, Solang valley, Chehni Kothi, Jalori Pass, Serolsar Lake and the Great Himalayan National Park.
What to eat: Fresh Tirthan trout, siddu and babru, and apple desserts from the valley’s orchards.
Where to stay: SaffronStays The Tirthan House sits in Tirthan valley, available as a two-bedroom Terrace View or three-bedroom Balcony View home. SaffronStays also has villas in and around Manali for those who prefer the town.
The SaffronStays Advantage
Staying in Tirthan puts you inside the valley rather than in Manali’s traffic, with the river, the trails of the Great Himalayan National Park and village life right outside. October’s clear skies make it one of the best months of the year to be here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the October long weekend in 2026?
The October long weekend runs from Friday 2 October, Gandhi Jayanti, to Sunday 4 October 2026. It gives three clear days off with no leave needed.
What are the best road trips from Delhi for the October long weekend?
Sohna in Gurugram and Jaipur suit shorter drives. Rishikesh and Jim Corbett suit a half-day drive, Kasauli, Mussoorie, Nainital and Ranikhet suit hill lovers, and Udaipur and Manali suit those willing to drive further.
Is 2 October a dry day?
Yes. Gandhi Jayanti is a national dry day, so liquor shops and bars stay closed on 2 October. Rishikesh is a vegetarian, alcohol-free town all year.
Is there a villa near Delhi with a pickleball court?
Yes. SaffronStays Emerald Farms in Sohna, Gurugram, is a four-bedroom pool villa on a 3-acre estate with pickleball, badminton and basketball courts.
Are Jim Corbett safaris open in early October?
The Jhirna and Dhela zones run year-round, while the larger core zones reopen in phases from mid-October. Book whichever zone is open for your dates on the official portal.