Destinations of Kumaon & Garhwal

Where the Ganga leaves the mountains — the world's yoga capital and the springboard for the Char Dham. Ringing temple bells, the evening Ganga Aarti, white-water rafting and the iconic suspension bridges.

• Triveni Ghat Ganga Aarti
• Lakshman & Ram Jhula
• Yoga & ashrams
• Ganga river rafting

One of Hinduism's seven holiest cities and the first stop on every Garhwal pilgrimage. The grand evening aarti at Har Ki Pauri, where thousands of lamps float down the Ganga, is unforgettable.

• Har Ki Pauri aarti
• Mansa Devi ropeway
• Chandi Devi temple
• Kumbh Mela city

Uttarakhand's leafy capital in the Doon Valley — the road, rail and air hub for all of Garhwal, with colonial-era institutes, limestone caves and easy day-trips to Mussoorie.

• Robber's Cave (Guchhupani)
• Forest Research Institute
• Sahastradhara springs
• Tapkeshwar temple

The most revered of the twelve Jyotirlingas, standing alone beneath snow walls at the head of the Mandakini valley. Reached by a 16 km mountain trek (or helicopter) from Gaurikund — the spiritual high point of Garhwal.

• Kedarnath Jyotirlinga
• 16 km Himalayan pilgrim trek
• Bhairavnath temple
• Vasuki Tal day hike

Vishnu's holy abode below the Neelkanth peak, its brightly painted facade rising above the Alaknanda and the steaming Tapt Kund hot springs. India's last village, Mana, sits just beyond.

• Badrinath temple darshan
• Tapt Kund hot springs
• Mana — last Indian village
• Vasudhara Falls

The origin shrine of the Ganga, where the Bhagirathi roars past a white temple amid pine and deodar. The glacier source at Gaumukh lies a further 18 km up a stunning high trail.

• Gangotri temple
• Bhagirathi river
• Gaumukh glacier trek
• Submerged Shivling rock

The first of the Char Dham — the source shrine of the Yamuna, reached by a short trek from Janki Chatti, with thermal springs hot enough to cook rice as an offering to the goddess.

• Yamunotri temple
• Surya Kund hot spring
• Janki Chatti trek
• Divya Shila rock

The revered guardian deity of Uttarakhand and protector of the Char Dham, whose temple stands on a raised platform directly over the turquoise Alaknanda near Kaliasaur, between Srinagar and Rudraprayag — a powerful stop on the road to Kedarnath and Badrinath.

• Temple over the Alaknanda river
• Guardian deity of the Char Dham
• On the Kedarnath–Badrinath road
• Near Srinagar Garhwal

A meadow hamlet ringed by rhododendron and snow peaks, and the trailhead for Tungnath — the highest Shiva temple on earth — and the Chandrashila summit with its 360° Himalaya view.

• Tungnath — highest Shiva temple
• Chandrashila summit
• Deoria Tal lake
• Rolling alpine meadows

India's premier ski slope — velvety bugyal meadows in summer and powder snow in winter — gazing straight at Nanda Devi and Trishul, reached by a scenic cable-car ropeway from Joshimath.

• Skiing & snowboarding
• Auli ropeway (one of Asia's highest)
• Gorson Bugyal meadows
• Nanda Devi views

A UNESCO-listed alpine valley that erupts each monsoon into a carpet of hundreds of wildflower species, framed by glaciers and the sacred Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib alongside.

• Hundreds of wildflower species
• Hemkund Sahib nearby
• Pushpawati river
• Rare blue poppy