Dog Friendly Getaways From Delhi: 12 Places, Honestly Assessed

Getting out of Delhi with a dog is mostly a question of which direction you point the car. North gets you into the hills within six hours. South and west is heritage and desert, which means heat, and heat is the thing that decides whether a trip is kind or cruel.

The drive is the part people underplan. A dog does not experience four hours in a car the way you do, and the difference between a three hour destination and an eight hour one is not twice the effort, it is a different kind of trip. So this is ordered by drive time rather than by how good the place is.

Within four hours of Delhi

These are the ones you can leave after breakfast and arrive at before your dog gets restless. For a senior dog or a flat faced breed, this is the range to stay inside.

Agra, Uttar Pradesh

About 3 hours from Delhi. The Taj Mahal does not permit pets, and there is no facility to leave a dog at the gate, so someone needs to stay behind. Easy same-day drive from Delhi on the expressway.

• Best months: October to March. Worth avoiding April to June, because of extreme heat.

• Watch out for: extreme summer heat that burns paw pads on paving by 10am, dense traffic and no pavement in the old city, free-roaming dog territories around the monument approaches.

• Someone stays back for: the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort.

• Suits: Short trips only, and only in winter. Nothing about Agra in summer suits a dog.

• Stays: ITC Mughal, Hotel Tara Palace, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Be honest with yourself about why you are going. The monuments are the whole point of Agra and your dog cannot enter any of them, so one person sits out every visit. Many people find a night halt on the way to Ranthambore or Jaipur works better than a dedicated Agra trip.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Agra with a dog.

Worth the longer drive

Everything below is five hours or more. Break the journey if you can, stop every two hours regardless, and travel on a light stomach because car sickness is the most common thing that ruins the first day.

Jaipur, Rajasthan

About 5 hours from Delhi. Easy drive from Delhi and well set up for road trips. Summer heat is severe, and most fort and palace monuments do not permit pets, so plan someone to stay with the dog or visit at opening time.

• Best months: October to March. Worth avoiding April to June, because of extreme heat.

• Watch out for: extreme summer heat that burns paw pads, heavy traffic, free-roaming cattle and dogs.

• Someone stays back for: Amber Fort, City Palace and Hawa Mahal.

• Suits: Short-coated breeds in winter only.

• Stays: Taj Devi Ratn, Lime Tree Hotel, Hotel Good Luck Palace, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Jaipur is a monuments destination and monuments do not admit dogs, so plan on splitting up or picking a hotel with real outdoor space where the dog can be comfortable while you take turns sightseeing.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Jaipur with a dog.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh

About 5 hours from Delhi. Unusually walkable and green for an Indian city, with wide pavements and large parks, which makes it genuinely comfortable with a dog. A common overnight stop en route to Himachal.

• Best months: October to March. Worth avoiding May and June, because of extreme heat.

• Watch out for: summer heat between May and July, monkeys in the Sukhna and Rock Garden area, fast traffic on the sector roundabouts despite how calm the city looks.

• Someone stays back for: the Rock Garden, the Capitol Complex.

• Suits: Nearly all breeds in the cool months. The flat terrain and pavements make it one of the easiest Indian cities for a senior dog.

• Stays: Royal Plaza, Hyatt Centric, JW Marriott Hotel, all worth confirming directly before booking.

This is the most underrated dog destination in north India, mostly because people treat it as a stopover. The green belts alone are worth two days, and it is the one Indian city where you can walk a dog for an hour on a proper pavement without negotiating traffic.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Chandigarh with a dog.

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

About 6 hours from Delhi. The Ganga runs fast and cold here, so it is not a safe swimming spot for dogs. Large parts of Rishikesh are vegetarian and alcohol free by rule, which does not affect dogs but does shape where you eat. Monkeys are abundant and can be aggressive, which is a genuine risk for smaller dogs.

• Best months: September to November, February to April. Worth avoiding May and June, because of extreme heat.

• Watch out for: aggressive monkeys, a real risk to small dogs, fast river current, crowded narrow bridges.

• Someone stays back for: river rafting, ashrams and temples.

• Suits: Fit, confident dogs comfortable in crowds and on suspension bridges.

• Stays: Hotel Silver Inn, Antalya Hotel, DEV RAJ Homestay, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Keep small dogs on a short lead and never carry food openly. Rishikesh monkeys snatch aggressively and will approach a small dog directly.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Rishikesh with a dog.

Dehradun, Uttarakhand

About 6 hours from Delhi. Most useful as a comfortable overnight break before continuing to Mussoorie or the higher hills, which turns a punishing single-day drive into two easy ones.

• Best months: September to April. Worth avoiding May and June, because of heat.

• Watch out for: leopard presence on the forest fringe, particularly around Rajpur and Mussoorie road after dark, leeches on forest trails during monsoon, monkeys along the Mussoorie road.

• Someone stays back for: Rajaji National Park, the Forest Research Institute main building.

• Suits: Almost everything. The altitude is low enough to avoid altitude problems and high enough to escape plains heat, which is a rare combination.

• Stays: Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort, Gharonda Manor, Boutique Riverside Resort, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Stay in Rajpur rather than the city centre. It is fifteen minutes out, sits at the forest edge, and gives you walkable green from your doorstep instead of a drive to reach any.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Dehradun with a dog.

Jim Corbett, Uttarakhand

About 6 hours from Delhi. Pets cannot enter the national park, and safaris are not an option with a dog. Resorts on the periphery are the realistic base, and leopard presence around the fringes means a dog should never be left outside unattended at night.

• Best months: November to June. Worth avoiding peak monsoon, because of zones closed.

• Watch out for: leopards on the park fringe, which actively take dogs from resort grounds and villages, elephants crossing the buffer roads at dusk, ticks through the warmer months.

• Someone stays back for: every safari zone, canter and jeep safaris.

• Suits: Winter only, and only if you accept it as a resort holiday rather than a wildlife one.

• Stays: Corbett Nirvana Resort, Echor The Corbett Nishk Resort, Country Inn Tarika Riverside Resort Jim, all worth confirming directly before booking.

This one carries a real safety warning rather than an inconvenience. Leopards take dogs from resort compounds on the Corbett fringe, and it happens most years. Never leave your dog outside unattended, never walk after dusk, and pick a property with a properly fenced compound if you go at all.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Jim Corbett with a dog.

Mussoorie, Uttarakhand

About 7 hours from Delhi. Steep and crowded on the Mall, calmer on the outskirts. Close enough to Dehradun to break the drive there if your dog travels badly.

• Best months: March to June, September to November. Worth avoiding peak monsoon, because of landslides and fog.

• Watch out for: monkeys, aggressive around the Mall, very heavy crowds in season, steep drops.

• Someone stays back for: Gun Hill cable car, Kempty Falls, crowded and unsafe.

• Suits: Thick-coated breeds and fit dogs. Landour side suits calmer dogs better than the Mall.

• Stays: The Fern Brentwood Resort, Larisa Resort Mussoorie, Jharipani Castle, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Base yourself in Landour rather than Mussoorie proper. It is quieter, greener, has proper walking lanes, and you avoid the Mall crowds and monkeys entirely.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Mussoorie with a dog.

Lansdowne, Uttarakhand

About 7 hours from Delhi. A cantonment town, unusually quiet and free of the commercial crowding that makes other hill stations stressful for dogs. Pine forest walks are the main draw. Limited commercial infrastructure, so plan supplies.

• Best months: March to June, September to November. Worth avoiding peak monsoon, because of landslide risk.

• Watch out for: leopard presence in surrounding forest at night, cold nights in winter, limited facilities.

• Someone stays back for: Army museum and cantonment restricted zones, boating at Bhulla Lake.

• Suits: Almost any breed, and particularly good for nervous dogs because there are very few crowds or vehicles.

• Stays: Pacific Inn, Oak Grove Inn, Lansdowne Resort, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Never leave a dog outside unattended after dark. There is genuine leopard presence in the surrounding forest, and small dogs are at real risk in hill stations like this one.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Lansdowne with a dog.

Nainital, Uttarakhand

About 7 hours from Delhi. The lakeside promenade gets extremely crowded in season, which is hard on nervous dogs. Higher areas around the town are quieter and better for walks.

• Best months: March to June, September to November. Worth avoiding peak summer holidays, because of very heavy crowds.

• Watch out for: extremely heavy crowds in season, steep drops beside upper roads, horses on shared paths.

• Someone stays back for: boating on Naini Lake, Naina Devi temple.

• Suits: Thick-coated breeds and fit dogs comfortable on gradients.

• Stays: Kumaon Cottage, AM Hotel, Jilling Estate, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Walk the far side of the lake on Thandi Sadak rather than the Mall. It is shaded, largely traffic free and quiet, which is a completely different experience with a dog.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Nainital with a dog.

Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand

About 8 hours from Delhi. Much quieter than Nainital with open orchard and pine walks. A popular choice for people travelling with dogs precisely because it is uncrowded.

• Best months: March to June, September to November. Worth avoiding peak monsoon, because of slippery roads.

• Watch out for: steep unfenced cliff edges at Chauli ki Jali, leopard presence in surrounding forest, cold nights.

• Someone stays back for: Mukteshwar Dham temple, rock climbing and rappelling at Chauli ki Jali.

• Suits: Almost any breed. The quiet and open space make it one of the better Kumaon options for a dog.

• Stays: Lemon Tree Mukteshwar, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Keep dogs indoors after dark. Leopard presence around Mukteshwar is real and small dogs left on a verandah overnight are genuinely at risk.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Mukteshwar with a dog.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

About 12 hours from Delhi. Cold suits Huskies, Saint Bernards and other thick-coated breeds that suffer in Indian cities. The drive is long and mountainous, so break it over two days. Snow is fun in short bursts, though paws crack in the cold and salt or grit on roads irritates them.

• Best months: March to June, September to October. Worth avoiding January and February, because of heavy snow and road closures.

• Watch out for: altitude, cold cracking paw pads, road grit and salt in winter.

• Someone stays back for: Rohtang Pass tourist operations, paragliding and adventure activities.

• Suits: Thick-coated cold-weather breeds. This is one of the few Indian destinations where a Husky or Saint Bernard is genuinely comfortable.

• Stays: Larisa Resort Manali, Pride de Vivendi Resort, Heritage Satikva Resorts, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Paw balm before and after snow walks. Cold plus road grit cracks pads quickly, and most owners only notice once the dog is already limping.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Manali with a dog.

Kasol and Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh

About 12 hours from Delhi. Riverside walking and cool air. The Parvati river runs fast and cold, so dogs should not be allowed to swim freely. Long approach drive, best split into two days.

• Best months: March to June, September to October. Worth avoiding winter, because of snow and difficult roads.

• Watch out for: fast river current, cold nights, free-roaming dogs.

• Someone stays back for: Manikaran gurudwara and hot springs, Kheerganga trek, long and through protected areas.

• Suits: Thick-coated breeds and fit dogs comfortable on trails and in cold.

• Stays: Kasol Camps, Himtrek Camps, Moonlight Huts And Camps, all worth confirming directly before booking.

Keep the dog leashed anywhere near the Parvati. The river looks calm in stretches and is not, and the current is unsurvivable for a dog that goes in.

Full detail, including vet access and what you can do together, is in our guide to Kasol and Parvati Valley with a dog.

Before you book anything

Two things decide whether a trip works, and neither is the destination. The first is the month. Several places above are genuinely unkind to a dog in the wrong season, and the difference is not comfort, it is safety. The second is where you are staying, because pet policies in India are set per property and change with the owner, so a place that welcomed dogs last year may not this one. Call and get the pet permission added to your booking confirmation in writing.

If you are taking the train rather than driving, read the rules for taking a dog on an Indian train first. Dogs are barred from 2AC, 3AC and Sleeper, which catches out almost everyone, and the parcel office step has to happen on the day.

And if you would rather not plan it yourself, our trip planner will build a day by day plan for your dates, your dog and how you are travelling, and email it to you.

The unglamorous part

A dog who will not go to the toilet in a strange place holds it far longer than is good for them, and a long drive followed by an unfamiliar room is exactly that situation twice over. Carrying a familiar surface from home is the single easiest fix, which is the reason we make a portable coir potty.