Uttarakhand Tourism
- Home
- /
- India Travel Guide
- /
- Uttarakhand Tourism
Uttarakhand formerly known as Uttaranchal, and often referred to as the Dev Bhumi - the Land of Gods, owing to numerous pilgrimage centres and Hindu temples throughout the state.
With soaring Himalayan peaks and steamy lowland jungles, peaceful hill stations and busy cities, revered temples and renowned ashrams - Uttarakhand is an enticingly diverse state. Also boasting of some of India’s best trekking, yoga schools, wildlife-watching and holiday towns all tucked into one little corner of the country.
The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with 13 districts in total. The interim capital and the largest city of Uttarakhand is Dehradun.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board invites you to take a journey through the state confidently promising one thing - this beautiful and amazingly diverse state will surpass all your expectations.
World-renowned mountain and wildlife institutes, forest reserves and national parks in this region pursue scientific research, putting in enormous efforts to preserve and protect the land’s bounty.
With a long history of Ayurveda, Yoga, and meditation, Uttarakhand has become an ideal destination to learn, practice and master these ways of life.
Home to a myriad holy shrines. Pilgrims from far and wide visit this state seeking salvation and self-purgation. The most esteemed pilgrimage circuit of the country includes Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath, the holy seats of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Another prominent pilgrim destination is Haridwar, where the prestigious Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years, attracting millions of people from all over the world.
Best Time to Visit Uttarakhand
Summers are counted as favorable to plan a trip to Uttarakhand. The temperature in summer season varies from 20 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius. Many tourists now visit the state during winter to enjoy snowfall. Auli is a major winter attraction thanks to its smooth ski-slopes.
Tourist Attractions in Uttarakhand
Mussoorie known as the queen of the hills, its greenery and varied fauna and flora make it a colourful and picturesque hill station. Rishikesh is another tourist attraction and famous centre of pilgrimage, popularly known as the Yoga Capital of the World. Not to miss -Haridwar, a sacred city known as the Gateway to the Gods and is considered one of the seven holiest places according to Hindus. The city also stands as a gateway to four other important pilgrimage destinations: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Nainital is a hill station situated in the picturesque Kumaon region surrounded by the lake Naini. Seven mountains or the Sapta Shring surround the city. Nainital is also the starting point for lake tours of the scenic locales of Sattal, Naukuchiatal and Bhimtal, as also the charming hill station of Ranikhet. The famous Jim Corbett National Park spreads across Nainital, Pauri Garhwal and Bijnor district of Uttarakhand.
Other interesting hillstations that tourists can explore and which are known for their mesmerising views of the snow-capped Himalayas are places like Kausani, Binsar, Dhanaulti, Auli, Almora, Chopta, Lansdowne, and Uttarkashi.
In winters Auli is a go-to destination for skiing and it also has one of the longest and highest ropeways of India - second only to Gulmarg.
How to Reach Uttarakhand
By Air : The state has limited flight connectivity with just two domestic airports, one in Dehradun and other near Nainital in Pantnagar. While there are some regular flights to Dehradun from main cities of the country, Pantnagar Airport (near Nainital) has very limited flights.
By Rail : Rail network is limited within the state of Uttaranchal due to its mountainous terrain and the network penetrates only to the cities of Haridwar, Dehradun, Rishikesh, Kotdwar and Kathgodam, which are on plain terrain. The rail routes here are connected to various cities of the country such as Delhi, Varanasi, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow among others. Tourists can book Indian Railway tickets online at Yatra.com without much hassle.
By Road : There is a wide road network which covers the entire state. The roads are well-connected with Delhi and few other state highways. The highways however are linked only to the plain regions of Haridwar, Rishikesh and Corbett National Park.
