Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand

Kedarnath Temple

Sixteen kilometres of alpine trail from Gaurikund. On foot or by pony, no other way in. The stone Shiva temple stands at 3,583 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas — one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and the most remote of the four Char Dham shrines.

⭐ 4.7

Best: September to JuneExplore →

Rishikesh

Known as the "Yoga Capital of the World," and the gateway most travellers take into the Himalayas.

⭐ 4.8

Badrinath Temple

Vermilion and gold paintwork mark this Vishnu shrine at 3,133 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas. Neelkanth peak rises directly behind. Below it, the Tapt Kund hot spring bubbles year-round. One of the four Char Dhams. Also counted among the 108 Divya Desams revered by the Tamil Alvar saints.

Best: March to June, September to NovemberExplore →

⭐ 4.6

Hill Station

Nainital Lake

A mile-long emerald lake cupped by seven forested peaks in the Kumaon Himalayas. Victorian boathouses line the Mall Road. Yachts drift past the Naina Devi temple. The town still carries a postcard-from-1880 air — Boat Club, stained-glass churches and all.

⭐ 4.7

Gangotri

Perched at 3,100 metres on the Bhagirathi, this shrine marks the Ganga's symbolic descent — the second dhām of the Chota Char Dham. The real glacial source, Gaumukh, sits a 19 km trek further up the Gangotri Glacier.

Best: November to JuneExplore →

⭐ 4.5

Wild Life

Jim Corbett National Park

India's oldest national park. Bengal tigers and Terai-belt wildlife are the draw.

⭐ 4.7

Hill Station

Auli

India's premier ski destination at 2,800 m. The powder slopes face Nanda Devi, the country's second-highest peak. A 4-km cable car — Asia's longest — links Joshimath to the runs above.

Best: November to March (ski) / April to June (trek)Explore →

⭐ 4.6

Yamunotri

First dhām of the Chota Char Dham. The shrine sits at 3,293 metres on Bandarpoonch's shoulder, reached by a steep 6 km trail from Janki Chatti. At the top, the Surya Kund spring runs hot enough for pilgrims to cook their own rice offering for the goddess.

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Famous food in Uttarakhand

🍛Kadhi chawal and aloo ke gutke at Gaurikund dhabas

🍛Bal mithai and singori from Dehradun en route

🍛Ramdana (amaranth) laddus sold at the temple prasad counter

🍛Rajma-chawal at the Mana village dhabas

🍛Sattu ka paratha at Pandukeshwar en route

🍛Bhotia buransh (rhododendron) juice — served at roadside stalls

🍛Bhatt ki Churkani — Kumaoni black soybean curry at Machan

🍛Aloo ke Gutke — spiced potatoes at Sakley's

🍛Bal Mithai — Kumaon sweet at Sri Ram Sweets

Travel tips for Uttarakhand

Register for the Yatra at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in — mandatory since 2023
Trek is 16 km from Gaurikund — start before 5 a.m.; ponies ₹3,500, palki ₹8,000
Helicopter from Phata/Sersi/Guptkashi: ₹8,000–₹12,000 return, book via IRCTC heliyatra portal
Get a medical check-up at Sonprayag — high-altitude sickness is the #1 reason for evacuations
Attend the evening Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat
Try the adventure sports like bungee jumping
Respect the town's spiritual vibe: no meat or alcohol
Dip in the Tapt Kund hot spring (45°C) before darshan — it is considered purifying and is segregated by gender

From the journal

Stories about Uttarakhand

Ram Jhula suspension bridge over the Ganga at sunset, Rishikesh

Uttarakhand

Rishikesh: Yoga at Sunrise, White Water by Noon

10 min read

Skier on the Auli slopes with Nanda Devi in the distance

Uttarakhand

Auli: India's Only Serious Ski Slope, At The Foot of Nanda Devi

8 min read

Uttarakhand

Chota Char Dham: A Pilgrim's Path Through the Garhwal Himalayas

12 min read

Ladakh

Himalayan Monasteries: Whispers from the Roof of the World

12 min read

Bengal tiger walking through the ruins of Ranthambore Fort

Rajasthan

The Tigers of Ranthambore: Tracking Jungle Kings in a Mughal Fort

10 min read

Snow-capped Pir Panjal range above Manali village