Must-see attractions in Uttarakhand

  • Kedarnath

    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…

  • 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,…

  • Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia) in Rishikesh, Northern India. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram. Meditation rooms. Iconic place where the Beatles stayed and learnt meditation; Shutterstock ID 2244431869; GL: 65050; netsuite: 65050; full: Poi; name: Lenczycki
2244431869
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    Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram

    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…

  • (GERMANY OUT) India Uttaranchal - Haridwar: prayer at Har-ki-Pauri Ghat, Ganges - 2010 (Photo by Bhattacharya/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

    Har-ki-Pairi Ghat

    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…

  • Docked boats at Nainital Lake District, Uttranchal State, India

    Naini Lake

    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…

  • Happy Valley

    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…

  • Corbett Tiger Reserve

    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…

  • Badrinath Temple

    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…

  • Jageshwar Temple

    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…

  • Chandrisilla Peak

    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…

  • 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…

  • Temples at the riverbank, Swarg Niwas Temple, Lakshman Jhula, Ganges River, Rishikesh, Dehradun District, Uttarakhand, India

    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…

  • Mussoorie Heritage Centre

    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…

  • Hem Kund

    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…

  • Mindrolling Monastery

    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…

  • Raj Bhavan

    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…

  • Soham Himalayan Centre

    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…

  • Gangotri Temple

    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…

  • Chandak

    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…

  • Jabarkhet Nature Reserve

    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…

  • Star Gate

    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…

  • Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

    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…

  • 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…

  • Yamunotri Temple

    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…

  • Rajaji Tiger Reserve

    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…

  • Mussoorie Library

    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…

  • Pithoragarh Fort

    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…

  • Tungnath Mandir

    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…

  • Jama Masjid

    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…

  • Nanda Devi Temple

    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…

  • Himadri Hans Handloom

    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…

  • 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…

  • Snow View

    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…

  • Tapkeshwar Temple

    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…

  • Jim Corbett Museum

    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…

  • Gun Hill

    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…

  • Kausani Tea Estate

    Uttarakhand

    While Kausani Tea Estate – a tea plantation that involves private enterprise, the government and local farmers – has recently shifted its production…

  • Ram Rai Darbar

    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…

  • Anasakti Ashram

    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…

  • Chandi Devi Temple

    Haridwar

    Chandi Devi Temple was built by Raja Suchet Singh of Kashmir in 1929, and sits on a hilltop just southeast of Haridwar.

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