6 scenic routes to explore India’s colonial past

Sure, the British packed up in 1947, but their love for hills and “summer retreats” still echoes through winding roads, gothic churches, and Raj-era bungalows that look straight out of a Dickens novel. These hill routes weren’t just escapes from the heat, they were carefully picked pieces of England, tucked into Indian mountains. And while colonialism isn’t something to romanticise, these hill stations do serve up a curious cocktail of scenic beauty and imperial hangovers. So, here are 6 hill routes where the British left their footprints, and are a must visit. (Canva)

Shimla, the place where British officers ran the country while pretending they were on vacation. Connected by the iconic Kalka-Shimla railway, this route winds through 100+ tunnels and pine forests like a toy train on a nostalgia trip. The Viceregal Lodge still stands tall, and back then, it served as the summer residence for the British Viceroy of India. (Canva)

Darjeeling wasn’t just about tea; its colonial history is rooted in its development as a British hill station. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, aka the “Toy Train,” was built by the Brits to reach their hill paradise without too much effort. The old boarding schools, colonial mansions, and even a club or two still speak in posh accents. (Canva)

Located in Tamil Nadu, Ooty (then Ootacamund) was the go-to for sweaty British officers escaping Madras heat. They built cottages, churches, and left behind their weather complaints. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO heritage toy train, still puffs its way up the hills in vintage charm. The roads leading to Ooty are peppered with tea estates and colonial-era clubs that feel frozen in time. (Canva)

Mussoorie was the Brit-favourite of North India for writing long letters, hosting garden parties, and mispronouncing local names. The route from Dehradun to Mussoorie is as scenic as it is colonial, lined with century-old schools, hotels with piano bars. (Canva)

This quaint hill station in Maharashtra banned motor vehicles long before it was cool. The Matheran Hill Railway is a colonial-era ride that zips through dense forests and opens up to a sleepy town with red-soil roads, old Parsi bungalows, and viewpoints the British named like “One Tree Hill.” (Canva)

Built around a lake and surrounded by peaks, Nainital was once where the British people came for their yearly "cooling off." The British developed the entire town into a postcard-perfect retreat. Colonial boarding schools, Gothic churches, and charming cottages still dot the route up from Kathgodam.
So the next time you're winding up one of these hill routes, keep an eye out for tea estates, crumbling mansions, and more. The British may have left, but the hills still hum with their oddly charming, and undeniably complicated legacy. (Canva)