We document the India
guidebooks miss.
Hidden Routes is an independent travel information platform — a free, comprehensive guide to every corner of India. We research, visit, and write about the places no one else does, so you can explore with confidence.
India has 28 states, 22 official languages, and thousands of places worth knowing about.— The Hidden Routes Ethos
Most travel sites cover the same twenty. We cover the rest.
Born from a missed
turn in Spiti.
It started with a wrong turn on a mountain road in Himachal Pradesh. The map said nothing. The road ended at a monastery no guidebook had indexed, where a monk offered tea and a view that rewrote what travel meant to us.
We realised that India is full of these moments — places that exist just outside the frame of the well-trodden path. Hidden Routes was built to document them all: the logistics, the best seasons, the local customs, the budget breakdowns, and the stories worth telling.
We are not a travel agency. We don't sell tours or take bookings. We are a free, independent information platform — a team of researchers, writers, and travellers who believe that comprehensive, honest information is the best travel companion you can have.
Every destination on this site has been personally visited. Every fact has been verified. Every guide is written to help you plan your own journey — on your own terms, at your own pace.
Our Values
Honest Curation
Every destination we feature has been visited by someone on our team. No press trips. No paid placements. No exceptions.
Responsible Travel
We write about places carefully. Some locations are shared with partial coordinates intentionally. We protect what we love.
Community First
Local guides, homestay owners, and indigenous communities are credited and supported. Their knowledge makes this possible.
Quality over Volume
We add fewer than ten new destinations per month. Every entry goes through research, writing, and editorial review before it's published.
Our Team
Aryan Rao
Founder & Editor
Former photojournalist. Has spent three monsoons in the Northeast and still isn't done. Believes the best travel writing smells like rain on a mountain road.
Meera Sharma
Research & Routes
Geographer by training, wanderer by instinct. She finds the places that don't have names yet and figures out how to get there without a car.
Kabir Pillai
Photography & Visual
Shoots on film when he can. Has been stranded at altitude twice and would do it again. Every image on this site has been taken by someone who was actually there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hidden Routes a travel agency?
No. Hidden Routes is a free, independent information platform. We don't sell tours, flights, or accommodation. Our goal is to provide detailed, personally verified information about destinations across India so you can plan your own trips with confidence.
How do you verify your destination information?
Every destination on Hidden Routes has been physically visited by a member of our team. We verify transport options, accommodation availability, permit requirements, costs, and seasonal conditions first-hand. We update information regularly based on reader feedback and follow-up visits.
How often do you add new destinations?
We add 5–10 new destinations per month. Every entry goes through research, a personal visit, writing, fact-checking, and editorial review before publication. Quality matters more than speed — we'd rather cover 60 places well than 600 poorly.
Do you accept sponsored content or paid listings?
No. We have zero sponsored listings. Our platform is funded through advertising (Google AdSense) and reader support. No destination can pay to appear on our site, and our editorial decisions are completely independent. This is non-negotiable.
Can I contribute a destination or correction?
Absolutely. We love hearing from local experts, frequent travellers, and anyone who spots an error. Use our contact form to submit a destination suggestion, correction, or collaboration proposal. If your submission leads to a published entry, you'll be credited.
What states and regions do you cover?
We aim to cover all 28 states and 8 union territories of India. Currently, we have the strongest coverage in the Himalayas (Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand), Northeast India (all eight states), and South India (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka). We're expanding coverage of Central India, the Eastern coast, and island territories throughout 2026.
Have something to share?
We're always looking for travellers, writers, and locals who know a place worth documenting — or who spot something we got wrong.