Delhi is a day's drive from the Himalayan foothills, Rajasthan's forts and the Ganga, and new expressways have brought several of them closer. These are 18 of the best weekend drives from Delhi, grouped by driving time and nearest first, with the distance, the route and the best months for each. Where we've written a full road-trip guide, the name links to it.
How to choose
- Under 4 hours each way: easy for a day trip or one night away.
- 4–6 hours: a comfortable two-day weekend.
- 6–8 hours: leave early on Friday or Saturday, or take a long weekend.
- Over 9 hours: save these for three or four days off.
- Times are from central Delhi; add an hour on Friday evenings and holiday weekends.
Under 4 hours
- Neemrana: about 120 km and 2.5–3 hours down NH48. A 15th-century fort turned heritage hotel, good for a night away. October to March.
- Mathura–Vrindavan: 150–185 km and about 3 hours on the Yamuna Expressway. Krishna temples, and the festivals of Holi and Janmashtami. October to March.
- Agra: about 230 km and 3–4 hours on the Yamuna Expressway. The Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays), Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. October to March.
- Alwar and Sariska: about 170 km to Alwar and 200 km to Sariska. The Bala Quila fort and a tiger reserve, closed from July to September.
4 to 6 hours
- Jaipur: about 280 km and 4.5–5.5 hours on NH48, or quicker on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway via Bandikui. Forts, palaces and bazaars. October to March.
- Chandigarh: about 250 km and 4–5 hours on NH44, with a breakfast stop at Murthal. The Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake and Le Corbusier's city. October to March.
- Mussoorie: 255–270 km and 4.5–6 hours on the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, open since April 2026. Mall Road, Landour and Kempty Falls. March to June and October to November; snow in January.
- Haridwar: about 220 km and around 5 hours via Meerut and Roorkee. The evening Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri. October to March.
- Rishikesh: about 240 km and 5–6 hours via Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Roorkee. Rafting, yoga and the Ganga aarti. September to November and February to May.
6 to 8 hours
- Kasauli: about 290 km and 5.5–7 hours via Zirakpur and Kalka. A quiet colonial hill town with a winding last climb from Dharampur. March to June and October to December.
- Lansdowne: 250–280 km and 6–7 hours via Meerut, Bijnor and Kotdwar, ending on about 40 km of hill road. A peaceful cantonment town. March to June and October to February.
- Jim Corbett: about 270 km and 6–7 hours via Moradabad to Ramnagar. Tiger safaris: the Bijrani and Garjia zones open in mid-October, Dhikala in mid-November, until June.
- Nainital: 300–320 km and 7–8 hours via Moradabad and Haldwani, ending on about 35 km of hill road. Naini Lake and the Kumaon lakes. March to June and October to December.
- Shimla: 345–370 km and 7–8 hours via Ambala, Kalka and Solan. The Ridge, Kufri and Narkanda. March to June; December to February for snow.
- Amritsar: about 450 km and 7–8 hours on NH44 via Ludhiana and Jalandhar. The Golden Temple and the Wagah border ceremony. October to March.
For more mountain towns, from Morni Hills to Narkanda and Auli, and where to find snow, see our guide to hill stations near Delhi.
For a long weekend
- Manali: 530–550 km and 12–14 hours via Chandigarh, Bilaspur, Mandi and Kullu. Snow, Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel. Best over 4–5 days.
- Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj: about 475–480 km and 9–12 hours. Tibetan culture and the Triund trek. March to June and September to November.
- Udaipur: about 660 km and 10–12 hours, or break it in Jaipur. Lakes and palaces. October to March.
- The Rajasthan circuit: Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur in about ten days.
Renting a car for a weekend away
- Unlimited kilometres and an All-India permit on every car; you pay any state entry taxes and the tolls.
- Trips over 48 hours get 10% off, so a three-day weekend costs less per day. See our prices.
- Collect the car at our Mahipalpur office near IGI Airport, or have it delivered anywhere in Delhi NCR.
- You need a driving licence held for at least a year, a government ID and a ₹5,000 refundable deposit. What renting involves.
See all our cars or read more about outstation trips from Delhi.
Book your weekend car
Unlimited kilometres, an All-India permit and 10% off trips over 48 hours.
Unlimited km
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Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the time you have. Agra, Neemrana and Mathura–Vrindavan are under 4 hours away; Jaipur, Mussoorie, Chandigarh and Rishikesh take 4–6 hours; Shimla, Nainital and Jim Corbett 6–8 hours.
Mussoorie, since the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway opened in April 2026: 255–270 km and 4.5–6 hours. Lansdowne takes 6–7 hours, Nainital and Shimla 7–8. See all hill stations near Delhi.
Neemrana (about 2.5–3 hours), Mathura–Vrindavan (about 3 hours) and Agra (3–4 hours on the Yamuna Expressway). Leave early and drive back after dark only on the expressways. See 15 one-day trips from Delhi.
From mid-December to February: Kufri and Narkanda near Shimla, Dhanaulti near Mussoorie, Nainital in some winters, and Manali and Solang for a long weekend. Check road conditions before you go.
Yes. Trips over 48 hours get 10% off, over 5 days 20%. A three-day weekend costs less per day than a single day. See our prices.
Yes. Every Aadhya Self Drive car has an All-India permit and unlimited kilometres; you pay any state entry taxes and the tolls.
Aadhya Road Trippers
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