Brilliant Landscape Photography Sites In India

There are so many beautiful things in nature that capture our heart; but photographers are often compelled to do the opposite; they capture the heart of those wondrous gifts of nature. Be it just a petty flower or the splendid scenes this planet has to offer, a nature photographer must always treat himself to the gifts of the Earth. If landscape photography is something that mesmerizes you, not exploring scenic sites for captures, is doing disservice to the artist in you.

If you’re a photographer residing in this incredible land of India or an eager globe-totter willing to explore this beautiful land, and capture its landscapes with your camera, here are a few places you must consider visiting, for those brilliant shots!

1. Calming Vistas of Nubra Valley, Jammu and Kashmir

Imagine a cold desert which houses two-humped Bactrian camels and a river whose banks have orchards of the poplar… all of this surrounded by majestic, rugged mountains partially draped in ice. How does that sound for a scene? Picturesque for sure! That’s the Nubra Valley for you. Situated 150 km north of Leh, Ladakh, Nubra is famous for its mystical vistas. The rows of intimidating mountains often contrast beautifully with the brilliant blue skies. Diskit is the headquarters of the Nubra Valley and has the 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue which is the landmark of Nubra Valley and maintained by the Diskit Monastery. Hundar is another village in the valley, and the area between Hundar ans Diskit has many kilometers of rhythmic sand dunes of white. May to October is the best time to visit the Nubra valley.

2. India’s Mini Switzerland – Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh

If you’ve been on the lookout for insanely picturesque places to travel to in India, you surely must’ve heard of the village of Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh. To begin with, it is known as the mini Switzerland of India, and has landscapes that bear striking resemblance to the beauty of Switzerland. It is situated in the lap of the Chamba valley and is mostly famous for its rolling lands of green pastures made even more gorgeous by a charming, lake located in the middle of the pasture, a thicket of tall deodar trees and a view of the majestic, snow-capped Himalayas. One can see a glimpse of the Mount Kailash revered for being the home to Lord Shiva. March to July is the best time to visit this slice of paradise.

3. The Beauty of Thar, Jaisalmer - Rajasthan

With seemingly unending stretches of the Thar desert, Jaisalmer has a mystical beauty of its own. The golden sands flow over undulating dunes and the ridges and furrows form rhythmic patterns to admire. Jaisalmer is a part of a state known for being a rather colourful one, which is why the scenes of gold and blue are often sprinkled with blots of colour seen in the clothing of the locals or the amusing accessories of the camels. Since the skies are almost always clear, night time adorns it with an enchanting blanket of stars, which is a sight you’ll never forget. Though winters (November to February) are known to be the best time to visit Jaisalmer, if well prepared the summers can also be a great time to capture the desert in all its glory!

4. Rann of Kutch, The Pride of Gujarat

The salt desert, at the periphery of the state of Gujarat has an unusual landscape. In the monsoons, the vast expanse of flat land in submerged first in sea water, then in river water. When the seasons are dry, which is a greater part of the year, the Rann transforms into a blinding white terrain, covered with the crystallized salt from the sea. The far-off horizon makes it look like the end of the world. Looking spectacular at all times, the white of Rann of Kutch complements the blue skies during the day; sunsets are surreal and full-moon nights cast an eerie luminescence to the land. During the Rann Utsav, the salt desert is merrily decked up in a gamut of colours.

5. Startling Marble Rocks of Bhedaghat, Madhya Pradesh

Startling, for sure, the Marble Rocks of Bhedaghat, Madhya Pradesh are a geographic phenomenon. The towering gorges of marble, look mighty impressive with their jagged textures accompanying the gentle gray-white of the rocks. As though completing the scene, the Narmada river calmly flows between these gorges. Bhedaghat treats its to a lot of beauty in terms of landscapes. The Dhuandhar Waterfall is a small water fall where the river water cascades down and causing a water-fog. Since boating is closed during the monsoons, November to May are the best months to visit this place.

6. Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim’s Beautiful Secret

The Gurudongmar Lake, is a high-altitude lake close to Tibet border in North Sikkim. It’s one of the highest lakes in the world and the second highest in India, which makes, getting there a somewhat arduous journey…arduous, yet extremely rewarding. The pure waters of this lake are snow-fed and are said to be blesses by Guru Padmasambhava. The approach road from Thangu to Gurudongmar passes through a rugged route with "stony moraine", which has high alpine pastures covered with many rhododendron trees. The site offers an awesome view of Mount Siniolchu and Khanchendzonga. The months from April - June are considered to be the best time to visit this place, when the lake is not frozen. The brilliant blue of the waters in the lap of snow-capped slopes is truly a supremely ethereal site.

7. The Green Heaven of Munnar- Kerala

Speaking of its scenic beauty, Munnar is known as “the Kashmir of South India.” Just a few kilometers away from the chatter of the town of Munnar are the most enthralling tea-plantations of southern India. You find yourself walking in a misty, green heaven, where the clouds hang low, often obscuring and revealing vistas of the hills. The hills always seem to be snoozing in the calm and are neatly patterned with tea plantations. The sights that the rolling hills of Munnar offer, are stunning enough to make a your heart skip a beat!

8. Well-concealed Treasure, Agumbe – Karnatak

Agumbe is a hill-station in Karnataka and is associated with rainforest conservation efforts. Having said that, you can almost imagine the lush vegetation and crisp, wet air that greets you when you’re there. Famous among locals for its delightful waterfalls, this one is mostly a lesser explored hill-station of the Western Ghats. Of the five well-known waterfalls of Agumbe, Barkana Falls are the highest, in fact, the tenth highest in India. It is dubbed as the 'Cherrapunji of the south' because of the high amounts of rainfall it receives. Which is why, post-monsoon and winters are the best times to visit this rainforest.

9. Sun-kissed Coastlines, The Andaman Islands

Waterfalls, giant turtles, There’s much more than gorgeous beaches, for landscape photographers on these islands. Situated in the Bay of Bengal, these islands form an archipelago which is a Union Territory of India. It is much loved for its absolutely enticing beaches which run between the shimmering sea and primordial jungles. At Havelock, a popular tourist destination, one can kayak through the mangrove forests to reach the open sea! The ultrawide scenic expanse of white sands and clear, turquoise waters, on the east and west coasts, predictably, look breath-taking during sunrise and sunset, when the sky is ablaze with dramatic colors. Interesting to know, the Barren islands of Andaman are home to India’s only active volcano. The Andamans also house the biggest of sea turtles and crabs found on this planet. And as though all this was not enough, Little Andaman has two island waterfalls to boast of - White Surf Falls and Whisper Waves, that are straight out of a fairytale.

The incredible land of India has countless such scenic sites scattered across its all four directions. These were few especially enchanting ones, most of them convenient to travel to. So, its time you start planning your next trip!