Uttarakhand
Kedarnath is in the most dramatic location of the char dham temples, located at the base of 6970m peaks and 22km from the nearest road. The puja offered…
Must-see attractions in Uttarakhand
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Valley of Flowers National Park
Uttarakhand
The bugyals (high-altitude meadows) of tall wildflowers in the Unesco World Heritage–listed Valley of Flowers are a glorious sight on a sunny day,…
Rishikesh
Just south of Swarg Ashram is what’s left of the original Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, where the Beatles stayed and wrote much of the White Album (and a…
Haridwar
Har-ki-Pairi (The Footstep of God) is where Vishnu is said to have dropped some divine nectar and left behind a footprint. Every evening, hundreds of…
Uttarakhand
This pretty lake is Nainital’s centrepiece and is said to be one of the emerald-green eyes of Shiva’s wife, Sati (naina is Sanskrit for eye) that fell to…
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Mussoorie
Only 3km northwest of town, this scenic outlying region of Mussoorie is famous as the site where the Dalai Lama and fellow exiles arrived in 1959, after…
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Uttarakhand
This famous reserve was established in 1936 as India’s first national park. Originally called Hailey National Park, then Ramganga National Park, it was…
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Uttarakhand
Badrinath Temple, in a superb setting below the sacred, snow-topped pyramid-shaped peak of Nilkantha, is holy to Lord Vishnu. Vividly painted, this is the…
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Uttarakhand
Surrounded by peaceful deodar forest is this cluster of 124 picturesque temples and shrines dating to the 7th century AD. They vary from linga shrines to…
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Uttarakhand
Climbing this 4000m summit is one of the most rewarding day hikes in the whole Indian Himalaya. An early-morning start from the village of Chopta can pay…
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Govind Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park
Uttarakhand
This sublime sanctuary protects 958 sq km of pristine forests, alpine meadows and snowy peaks, including the wonderfully remote Har-ki Dun (3510m) – a…
Swarg Niwas & Shri Trayanbakshwar Temple
Rishikesh
Rishikesh's most iconic landmark is this 13-storey wedding cake of a temple, which dominates the east bank of Lakshman Jhula. There are dozens of shrines…
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Mussoorie
Sitting beneath Landour's clock tower is this impressive heritage centre that's set up by dedicated local historian, Surbhi Agarwal. She'll take you…
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Uttarakhand
One of the most important Sikh pilgrimage sites in the world, Hem Kund, at 4600m, is a sacred lake with a temple surrounded by seven peaks where Sikh Guru…
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Uttarakhand
The region around Dehra Dun is home to a thriving Tibetan Buddhist community, mainly focused on this attractive monastery, about 10km south of the centre…
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Uttarakhand
About 3km south of Tallital, Raj Bhavan is the official residence of the Governor of Uttarakhand. Resembling Windsor Castle, it’s a prime example of…
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Mussoorie
Part museum, part art gallery, Soham Heritage & Art Centre focuses largely on the culture of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. You'll get guided through the…
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Uttarakhand
Gangotri Temple, one of the holiest places in India, is near the source of the Ganges (known as the Bhagirathi until it reaches Devprayag), with a shrine…
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Uttarakhand
A popular outing from Pithoragarh is the 7km traipse up to Chandak (1830m), a hilltop village and forested area offering sublime viewpoints of the Soar…
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Mussoorie
Dedicated efforts have been taking place since 2015 to transform this sizeable tract of privately owned land into a nature reserve, home to abundant…
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Uttarakhand
While this small-scale observatory offers night viewing of distant planets and constellations (₹100) from 6.30pm, it's arguably more interesting to drop…
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Uttarakhand
This 45-sq-km nature sanctuary is 26km northwest from Almora. It's visited primarily for its scenic pine forest and hiking trails, and popular for its…
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Jageshwar Archaeological Museum
Uttarakhand
The small but worthwhile Jageshwar Archaeological Museum houses a collection of exquisite, detailed religious carvings dating from the 9th- to 13th…
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Uttarakhand
One of the holy char dham pilgrimage temples, 19th-century Yamunotri Temple is near the source of the sacred Yamuna River, a 5km hike from the tiny…
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Uttarakhand
This unspoilt park, covering over 1000 sq km in the forested foothills near Haridwar, is one of India's newest tiger reserves (as of 2017 there were 34…
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Mussoorie
One of Mussoorie's most prominent landmarks is this historical Raj-era library that opened way back in 1843. Its ornate Victoria-style balcony veranda…
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Uttarakhand
This renovated historic fort was built by Gurkas in 1791 before being taken over by the British in 1815 who named it London Fort. There's a museum opening…
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Uttarakhand
The highest Shiva temple in the world is a 3.5km hike, gaining 750m, up a well-paved trail from the village of Chopta. Continue beyond the temple another…
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Uttarakhand
Standing majestically near the northern shore of Naini Lake, Nainital's ornate mosque was built in the late 19th century by the British for Muslim…
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Uttarakhand
If the skies are clear this tinsel-decorated temple is definitely worth a visit for its dramatic location looking out to spectacular views of terrace rice…
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Uttarakhand
Just north of town on the road to Binsar is this weaving factory where you can watch women artisans spin beautiful products on handlooms and see the…
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Forest Research Institute Museum
Uttarakhand
The prime attraction here is the building itself. Set in a peaceful 5-sq-km park, this grand remnant of the Raj era – where most of India’s forest…
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Uttarakhand
A cable car runs up to popular Snow View at 2270m, which (on clear days) has panoramic Himalayan views, including of Nanda Devi. The ticket office is at…
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Uttarakhand
In a scenic setting on the banks of the Tons Nadi River, you’ll find an unusual and popular Shiva shrine inside a small, dripping cave, which is the site…
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Uttarakhand
If you’re interested in the life of Jim Corbett, his former house (built in 1922) at Kaladhungi, 26km southeast of Ramnagar, is now a museum. The British…
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Mussoorie
From midway along The Mall, a cable car runs up to Gun Hill (2530m), which, on a clear day, has views of several big peaks. A steep path also winds up to…
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Uttarakhand
While Kausani Tea Estate – a tea plantation that involves private enterprise, the government and local farmers – has recently shifted its production…
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Uttarakhand
The unique mausoleum of Ram Rai, the errant son of the seventh Sikh guru, Har Rai, is made of white marble, with paintings covering the walls, archways…
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Uttarakhand
About 1km uphill from the bus stand, Anasakti Ashram is where Mahatma Gandhi spent two weeks in 1929 pondering and writing Anasakti Yoga. It has a small…
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Haridwar
Chandi Devi Temple was built by Raja Suchet Singh of Kashmir in 1929, and sits on a hilltop just southeast of Haridwar.
