Mountains, valleys, lowlands, rivers and temples is what that defines state Uttarakhand. Once it was part of Uttar Pradesh state, but in 2001 it was separated from it and became new state. Uttarakhand is also called as ‘Land of lords’ or ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and this is due to the fact that most of the religious sites in India are situated here.
Nothing special about the food and is similar to the rest of the north India, but if you are travelling in rural areas, and then surely you will stumble upon some of the local dishes.
Most of the travelers including foreigners come to this place of spiritual importance and there are several ashrams, each having their own stories and importance. For sports enthusiastic people, wild terrain of the Ganges in Rishikesh is nice for water rafting. ‘Magh Mela’ is an important event where people in lakhs come to clean their soul in river Ganges.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Uttarakhand (A brief data on top places)
Dehradun
It is the first station for the people who are planning a whole journey of Uttarakhand. Being located near to the capital of India, it takes only 6 hours by train to reach this destination. As such Dehradun is not a tourist place, but couple of historic monuments and natural beauty attract people to discover this city. Great Stupa & Buddha Statue, Forest Research Institute Museum, Ram Rai Darbar and Survey of India Museum are some of the star attractions of Dehradun.
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a perfect destination for newly wed couples and spending summer vacations because of its natural beauty and serene environment. With an impeccable view of Doon valley and ice capped Himalayas Mountains, nothing can be better than this. Basically British architecture is still persistent here and buildings dating back from the time of Bristish era are still standing on this beautiful place. Britishers established this town in 1823, but become famous only 2 decades back as a famous tourist destination. Gun Hill, a walk to jungles, Jawahar Aquarium are some of the stat attractions of Mussoorie. There are plenty of hotels in the vicinity and their prices shoots up in the summer season, so a pre booking of rooms has been always advised.
Haridwar
Sacred River Ganges emerges from Himalayan Mountains from this place only and this makes it some of the sacred sites in Hindu culture. In the month of May and October people coming here to take a Holy dip increases to tremendous levels. Along the side of the river, several temples, Ashrams and Guest houses for pilgrims are situated. In the morning the sound of prayers and fragrance coming from temples is very adorable. Har-ki-Pairi Ghat, Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi Temples, Chandi Devi Temple are some of the star attractions. Maverick people won’t find this place an interesting one, but for others….. A place similar to heaven.
Rajaji National Park
Indulge yourself into the wild nature of Uttarakhand. Famous for large number of Elephants living here and a bunch of tigers can also be spotted in this park. India’s largest species of deer known as ‘sambars’ resides in this park. There are several trips that are being organized by forest officials and you can spot lots of other animal species in this beautiful natural habitat.
Rishikesh
Another sacred site near the banks of Ganges, Rishikesh is more popular and travelers have more craze to visit this beautiful yet adventures bank side as compared to Haridwar. Ranging from Ashrams, temples, trekking and water rafting all are available right at this site. Rishikesh is also called as ‘World capital of yoga’ and this can be attributed to the fact that there are so many centers available here for teaching yoga to travelers coming to this place. Other activities like oil massage, crystal massage, laughing yoga are also organized with the option of learning sitar and table. Lakshman Jhula & Around, Swarg Ashram, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, Sri Sant Seva Ashram, Omkarananda Ganga Sadan, Sivananda Ashram are some of the star attractions of Rishikesh. Apart from them Rafting, Kayaking & Trekking are some of the famous activities taking place in this town.
Uttarkashi
It is the major stop on the road towards the Gaumukh Glacier and Garhwal treks. People moving towards the Gangotri Temple also stops here for refreshment.
Joshimath
Just before the Badrinath temple, Joshimath acts as the stoppage for people going to the Valley of Flowers, the Kuari Pass and Nanda Devi treks, and Auli ski resort. Trekking events are very famous in this region and there are several clubs operating that can organize your trips to the mountains. There are various places around Joshimath that are being used for trekking events like Valley of Flowers & HemKund Trek.
Badrinath
Guru Shankara founded this place in 8th century and it is famous for Lord Vishnu temple built in 8th century. Badrinath is among the ‘four Dham’ that are having spiritual importance in Hindu culture. Great views of Alaknanda River are just adorable and people take a holy dip in this river in festive seasons.
Corbett Tiger Reserve
It is Another National Park famous for Tigers in India. It was officially made a national park in the year 1936 and named after famous hunter Jim Corbett. Apart from tigers other animal species like Peacocks, monkey, deer etc. can be spotted in this park.
Nainital
It is among the most visited places in Uttarakhand by the travelers every year. There is no specific season when people visit this beautiful town which is situated near the famous lake called as Naini Lake. But in the month of May and June, the sheer number of people coming here increases several folds. Naini Lake, Snow View & Cable Car, Tiffin Top & Land’s End, Nainital Zoo are some of the interesting places to visit in Nainital. Rock Climbing & Trekking are famous activities being organized in large numbers.
Ranikhet
Military Headquarters and Natural beauty are the only two things that will fantasize you in this destination. You can also visit famous temple known as ‘Jhula Devi Temple’.
Almora
It was established by Chand rajas of Kumaon in the year 1560. It is a very famous point for activities related to trekking. Nanda Devi Temple is famous here and peoples in large numbers visit this holy site.
Kausani and Bageshwar
Kausani is famous for tea estate and Anasakti ashram. On the other hand Bageshwar is famous for very ancient ‘Bagnath Temple’.
Pithoragarh
Natural beauty, snow capped mountains, thick forest is what defines Pithoragarh. It is adjacent to Tibetan and Nepal border, and a silent yet must to visit place. If you are planning to visit a destination that is calm and less crowded, then visit here. It is sometimes also called as ‘little Kashmir’ because of its environment and terrain.
Pindari Glacier Trek and Milam Glacier Trek
Both of these places are very famous among the people who are fond of trekking event. They are adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border.
Tips for Journey
In terms of connectivity, Uttarakhand is well connected to northern India. There are several types of transportation like trains, Buses and Air etc. available in this state. Since this is a Hilly region, the crowd moves towards this state in large numbers during the month of May and June to beat the heat. Although there is no scarcity of Hotels and guest houses, but their price shoots up in the festive season. So, prior coming to here, have your rooms booked. Avoid travelling in the monsoon season as a road may get blocked due to landslide. Try to get a window seat on the bus because it will let you see the natural beauty of this state.