The birthplace of Yoga

Rishikesh is often called as the birth place of Yoga. Rishikesh is one of the holiest places in the country located at the banks of Ganges. It is the first town that Ganges touches from its flow from Himalayas. Since ages sages meditate and attain nirvana from this holy town of Rishikesh. This is where the greatest secret of healthy living- Yoga originated.

Spend some peaceful time at the banks of Ganges, practice Yoga, and find spiritual enlightment as well as physical. Yoga can bring order to life and Rishikesh is the right place to find the inner peace. The famous Parmarth Niketan Ashram where The Beatles spend time with the Maharishi in 1968 is located in Rishikesh. Yoga makes a person more focused and perfect and a place as serine and peaceful like the banks of Ganges will refresh the soul and body.

There are several hotels and resorts in Rishikesh for tourists to stay and enjoy Rishikesh and if possible take a few lessons on Yoga. Jolly Grant in Dehradun is the nearest airport and Haridwar railway station is the nearest railway station.

Doonagiri Glacier

The land of Uttaranchal is one of the most beautiful in the whole country. It is filled with natural beauty in every nook and corner. Endless Himalayan ranges filed with snow, mountains with thick arrays of Pine trees and Lakes. Beauty is seen everywhere in Uttranchal. There are plenty of natural attractions in this state, and the Glaciers are among the major attractions. Doonagiri Glacier is one of the most famous and most frequently visited Glaciers in the state.

Doonagiri Glacier comes under the Dhauli Ganga system of glaciers; there are around 500 glaciers under Dhauli Ganga system in all size and shapes. Doonagiri Glacier runs for 5.5 kms, a stream originates and joins the Dhauli Ganga near the Juma village hence Doonagiri can also be accessed through the Juma village.

The Doonagiri village is just 8 kms from Juma village. There are many places for champing in Doonagiri. Doonagiri lies in the Almora district hence the nearest airport is in Jollygrant airport and the nearest railway station is in Kathgodam. There are also several hotels and resorts near by for tourists to stay and explore the glaciers.

Khirsu: Beauty unnoticed

Khirsu is the best place suitable to escape from the daily busy city life. This small and insignificant place yet has the power to lure and melt any human being into nature. It is a slice of land taken from heaven and brought to earth. Khirsu looks beautiful in winter where all the thick dense Oak and Pine are filled with snow. The real beauty of the Himalayan ranges can be viewed from this small town. At an altitude of 1700mt. Khirsu remained unnoticed compared to other famous tourist destinations in Uttaranchal like Mussoorie and Rishikesh. Khirsu is located 19km from Pauri town. The apple orchards are a big attraction here. On a clear summer day one can see more than 300 peaks from Khirsu; some of these peaks are even nameless. Today Khirsu is gaining momentum in tourism growth like the other places in Uttaranchal.

Khirsu is a must see, if you are interested in spending some peaceful time away from the daily hustle bustle. The nearest airport is in Jollygrant airport in Dehradun and Kotdwar railway station is 127 km away from Khirsu. The town also have mountain resorts for tourists.

Auli : A new world of ice skiing

Auli in Uttaranchal is a good tourist destination and has become a hotspot for ice-skiing. Located at an altitude of 2500 mts above sea level it offers a beautiful view of Mana Parbat, Mt. Nanda Devi and other mountains. Auli’s snow filled slopes are covered with conifers and oak forests which add to the beauty of the place. It is rated as one of the world’s best skiing grounds. Gorson reserve forest part of Nanda devi National park which is inhabited by rare Himalayan wildlife species such as snow Leopard, musk deer and others is very close to Auli.

There are many skiing festivals held in Auli which invites daring people to take part in the competitions. Auli is a good place to enjoy with its serene atmosphere and is surely a break off from the busy life in cities.

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport (Dehradun) and the nearest railway station is Haridwar. Auli is well connected by roads from all parts of Uttaranchal. Cable car services are also available. There are hill top resorts and hotels in Auli.

Rishikesh: The eternal beauty

Rishikesh is counted as one of the most sought out adventure tourist destination in the entire country. The way to Rishikesh itself is an exuberating experience. Traveling in between mountains through the tiny strip of road is a great experience. We can see tall mountains in one side and the beautiful Ganges on the other. The glittering sky blue colored Ganges River on sunny day looks gorgeous as it flows calm and peaceful in between soft and sandy shores. While in some places the same calm and peaceful Ganges flows rough and fast as if she is angry and fuming with rage.

There are several tour operators who can prepare packages with as much adventure possible. Cool and starry night spend under tents, trekking in the morning, exploring the wild side of Rishikesh, white water rafting by afternoon, outdoor games in the evening. There are several way to make the trip most memorable. No matter how many pictures you take only one third of the beauty of Rishikesh can be captured.

The closest airport to Rishikesh is Jolly Grant in Dehradun just 35 km from the destination. Tourist packages offer camping facilities on Ganges riversides, there are also resorts and hotels available.

White Water Rafting: For Rapid chasers!

White water rafting, another name for river rafting, is a thrilling sport in wild rivers. River rafting is best done in the rivers in Upper Himalayas, especially in the Ganges. Rishikesh is usually known for its pilgrim centres, but now Rishikesh has become a hot spot for river rafting. River rafting, an adventurous sport, is nothing but a ride on a rubber boat called rafts on a torrential river.

Rafting is done on rapids. Rapids are the white foam formed when water falls from a height or when the breadth of the river reduces or when water flows through a gorge or between rocks. River rafting camps are set up in many places in Rishikesh and is open to both professional as well amateur rafters.

The nearest airport to Rishikesh is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. The nearest railway station is Haridwar town railway station. The place is also well connected by roads from major places. Rishikesh has several hotels, resorts, camping facilities for tourists to choose.

Adventure & trekking in Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal is truly a tourist’s delight. For the pious there is the Char Dham – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Of course, there are many more such reverered spots beyond Haridwar and Rishikesh.

And, then for the adventure seekers, there are the countless treks all over the state that beckons them. The Valley of Flowers, Roopkund, Tungnath, Tapovan…to name a few, are the kind of destinations that make the journey as exciting and fulfilling as they are.

The glaciers are, of course, for those who have amazing physical and mental stamina. Milam, Ralam and Namik are just a few that tests the best of adventure seekers. In short, Uttaranchal has everything for tourists with all levels of fitness.

Dehradun, tourist information

It is one of the oldest cities of India and is the capital of Uttarakhand. Dehradun is the part of Garhwal Himalayan region, which was earlier known as Kedar Khand. Katyuris of Garhwal were the initial rulers of this region.
This town is home to some of the best known educational centers and hence is also regarded as the “Oxford of India”. Dehradun is famous for its fruit orchards. The temperate climate of the city attracts tourist from all over the world, who flock in large numbers to relax and rejuvenate their body, mind and soul. The Kalinga War Memorial, The Gurkha Fort, Mindrolling Monastery, Tapkeshwar Temple and Clock Tower are the major attractions of this town.
Dehradun experiences a moderately pleasant climate round the year, and hence can be visited anytime of the year.

Mukteshwar Hill Station

Mukteshwar is known for being a famous tourist destination. It is located in the Kumaon division and is situated in the midst of the Garhwal Mountains. The town is around 51 kms from the city of Nainital. The hill station is a lush green cover with forests.

It’s a scenic picnic spot, which fulfills all the tourists’ requirements and leaves them longing for more. The scenic beauty and pleasant atmosphere of the place draws plenty of tourists to the town. The town is surrounded by lovely mountains and has an extensive vegetation of semi tropical and deciduous trees.

Facilities for trekking and mountaineering are also available in the town. Mukteshwar is also known for its evenings and bird-watching.

Major places to visit in uttarkashi

Gangotri: Gangotri is of immense importance to Hindus since it is the source of the holiest of the Hindu rivers, river Ganga. Anyone who comes up till here can not remain untouched by the holy aura that hangs in the air of the place. This is the place where the sacred water of Ganga touches earth for the first time. From here it begins its long journey of approximately 2500 kms, stretching across the Indian subcontinent, blessing people with its sacred water.

Yamunotri: One of the Chardhams, four pilgrimages of India, Yamunotri is the source of river Yamuna. However, the actual source of Yamunotri is a lake. The shrine of Goddess Yamunotri is laid on the western wing of mighty Banderpunch peaks, which are snow covered throughout the year. The temple itself stands on the foothill of Kalinda Parvata (parvata means hill) close to a thermal springs.

Vishwanath Temple: Vishwanath temple in Uttarkashi is one of the prime pilgrimage attractions in Uttarkashi. An ancient temple, it is said that it was first built by Parasuram. Later, it was renovated by Maharani Khaneti. The temple has a Shivling, 60 cms high and 90 cms in circumference. No one misses this holy shrine on their trip to Uttarkashi.

Shakti Temple – This temple is just opposite Vishwanath temple. A big Trishul in this temple is the centre of attraction. The trishul is 6 meters in height and 90 cms at the bottom. Different people hold different views about the trishul; it is widely believed that the trishul is made of iron in the upper part and copper in the lower part. The epics say that this trishul was thrown at devils by goddess Durga.