Wellness · Sep - Jun
Yoga and the River at Rishikesh
Twice-daily practice with a lineage teacher, Ayurvedic consultation, the nightly aarti and a Ganga rafting morning
From US$1,675 per person
Overview
Uttarakhand runs from the Terai grasslands at 200 m to Nanda Devi at 7,816 m in about 150 kilometres. The state divides into Garhwal in the west and Kumaon in the east, separated by ridges rather than politics. Its glaciers feed the Ganga and Yamuna, and the Gangotri and Yamunotri sources are both pilgrimage destinations in their own right. Snow closes the highest valleys for half the year.
Pilgrimage has shaped settlement here for well over a thousand years. The Char Dham circuit of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath opens with the shrines' doors each spring and closes in November, and the eighth-century philosopher Shankara is traditionally credited with organising the route. Haridwar, where the river reaches the plains, is one of four cities that host the Kumbh Mela, and its next Ardh Kumbh is expected between January and April 2027.
Visitors from Europe and North America usually come for something quieter than the pilgrim rush. Rishikesh has taught yoga to foreigners since the 1960s and now trains thousands of teachers a year. Corbett, declared India's first national park in 1936, offers the country's most reliable tiger forest. The Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO site, opens for about ten weeks of alpine bloom from July.
Hand-held, every step
You travel as our guest, not as a booking number. One named person looks after you from the first video call to the drive back to the airport, and explains the meaning behind everything you are looking at.
In Uttarakhand that matters most where the crowds are thickest and the customs least familiar.
- Airport welcome with a name board, a local SIM and your first rupees sorted
- One trip manager on WhatsApp for the whole journey, answering within the hour
- Guides who explain each ritual, dish and carving as you meet it
- Reserved, safe places at festivals rather than the crush
- A real part in a puja, a wedding or a family celebration if you want one
- Female guide on request, vetted drivers, and no shopping-commission stops
Festivals worth planning a trip around
Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Islamic dates follow lunar calendars, so each year shifts. We confirm every date against the panchang before a departure goes on sale.
| Festival | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Haridwar Ardh Kumbh | Expected January to April 2027 | Bathing fairs on the Ganga at Har ki Pauri; principal dates follow the lunar and solar calendars |
| Char Dham opening ceremonies | Late April to May | The four shrines' doors are opened with processions after winter; dates are set by priests each year |
| Kanwar Yatra | July to August | Millions walk to Haridwar for Ganga water in the month of Sawan, then carry it home on foot |
| Nanda Devi Raj Jat | August to September | A Kumaoni procession for the goddess, with a major pilgrimage version held only every twelfth year |
| Kumaoni Holi | February to March | A distinctive sung Holi with classical ragas and seated singing sessions in Almora and Nainital |
| Ganga Dussehra | May to June | Marks the river's descent to earth, with large bathing crowds and evening aarti at Haridwar |
| Harela | July | A Kumaoni sowing festival where seedlings grown indoors are offered and planted out |
| Devidhura Bagwal | August | A ritual stone-throwing contest between clans at a Kumaon temple, now fought with fruit |
Food to try in Uttarakhand
Ranked the way a local host would feed you, starting with the dish you should not leave without.
- KafuliA thick spinach and fenugreek curry thickened with rice paste, the Garhwali signature dish
- Bhatt ki churkaniBlack soybean cooked into a dark, iron-rich gravy, eaten with rice in Kumaon homes
- Aloo ke gutkeBoiled potatoes tossed with cumin, red chilli and hemp seed, served as a hill breakfast
- Bal mithaiA dark khoya fudge coated in white sugar balls, the sweet Almora has made for generations
- Mandua rotiFinger millet flatbread, dark and nutty, eaten with ghee through the cold months
- Jhangora kheerBarnyard millet pudding cooked with milk and jaggery, served at festivals
- SingoriA sweet of khoya wrapped in a cone of malu leaf, sold fresh in Kumaon markets
- Gahat ke phaanuHorse gram soaked overnight and slow-cooked into a soup, considered a winter remedy
- Rishikesh satvik thaliOnion-free, garlic-free ashram food served on steel plates beside the Ganga
- Pahadi raita with cucumber and hempYoghurt sharpened with roasted hemp seed and mustard, a standard side across both regions
Heritage sites in Uttarakhand
- Valley of Flowers National ParkUNESCO. An alpine meadow at 3,500 m with some 500 flowering species, open about July to September
- Nanda Devi National ParkUNESCO. A glacial sanctuary around India's second-highest peak, with a strictly protected core
- Kedarnath templeA stone shrine at 3,583 m, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, reached on an 18 km walk
- Badrinath templeA Vishnu shrine at 3,133 m beside a hot spring, the most visited of the Char Dham
- Har ki Pauri, HaridwarThe principal bathing ghat where the Ganga leaves the hills, and the focus of every Kumbh
- Jageshwar temple groupOver 100 stone temples of the 7th to 12th centuries in a deodar grove in Kumaon
- Baijnath templesTwelfth-century Katyuri stone shrines beside the Gomti river in the Kumaon hills
- Gangotri templeAn 18th-century shrine near the Ganga's traditional source at Gaumukh glacier
- Mussoorie's colonial coreLibrary Bazaar, the Savoy and 1830s schools, built as a Raj-era summer retreat
- Corbett's Dhikala forest rest housesColonial-era timber bungalows inside India's first national park, in use since the 1930s
Places to visit in Uttarakhand
- RishikeshYoga schools, Ganga aarti and the river where white-water rafting began in India
- HaridwarThe Ganga's gateway to the plains, with the ghats and the 2027 Ardh Kumbh expected
- Jim Corbett National ParkIndia's first national park, 1936, with the country's most reliable tiger sightings
- NainitalA Kumaoni lake town at 2,084 m, a British discovery of 1841 built around the water
- Valley of Flowers and HemkundA UNESCO meadow and a Sikh high-altitude lake shrine, both walk-in only
- MussoorieA ridge hill station above Dehradun with Victorian schools and a long promenade
- AuliA ski slope and meadow at 2,500 to 3,000 m with Nanda Devi views and a long cable car
- Binsar and KausaniKumaon ridges with 300 km Himalayan panoramas and quiet orchard villages
- Rajaji National ParkElephant and tiger forest along the Ganga, straddling the Shivaliks near Haridwar
- Chopta and TungnathMeadows below the highest Shiva temple in the world at 3,680 m
Waterfalls, lakes and wild places
The rivers run fast and ice-cold year-round because they are glacier-fed, and the high lakes like Hemkund are reachable only from about June to September. Rafting season on the Ganga is roughly September to June, closing in the monsoon. Never bathe outside the chained ghats at Haridwar and Rishikesh, where the current has drowned strong swimmers.
- Ganga at RishikeshTapovan and Laxman Jhula. Green, fast and cold where it leaves the mountains, with rafting sections
- Har ki Pauri, HaridwarCity centre. The main bathing ghat, with evening aarti and a strong channelled current
- Nainital lakeNainital town. A pear-shaped natural lake at 2,084 m with rowing boats and a lakeside mall
- Hemkund SahibAt 4,100 m above Govindghat. A glacial lake and Sikh shrine open about June to September
- Bhimtal, Sattal and NaukuchiatalKumaon lake district near Nainital. Quieter lakes good for birdwatching and kayaking
- Kempty FallsNear Mussoorie. A popular tiered waterfall, crowded in season and strongest in the monsoon
- Gaumukh glacier snoutAbove Gangotri at 3,892 m. The traditional source of the Ganga, an 18 km walk with a permit
- Vasudhara FallsAbove Badrinath. A 120 m fall reached on a walk from Mana village near the Tibet border
Where to stay in Uttarakhand
Properties we would put our own guests in. Your package includes the level you choose, and we hold rooms before festival dates.
- Ananda in the HimalayasNarendra Nagar, near Rishikesh. A Maharaja's palace estate running serious Ayurvedic programmesLuxury
- Taj Rishikesh Resort and SpaSingthali, on the Ganga. Terraced riverside villas above a bend in the riverLuxury
- The Oberoi Vanyavilas style tented campsCorbett fringe. Luxury tented safari camps around the park's buffer, long-operatingLuxury
- Jim's Jungle RetreatDhikuli, Corbett. A well-established lodge with naturalists and cottages near the Dhela gateUpscale
- Dhikala Forest Rest HouseInside Corbett. Colonial timber bungalows in the core zone, basic but unmatched for wildlifeMid-range
- The Naini RetreatNainital. A former Raja of Pilibhit's house above the lake, run as a hotelHeritage
- The SavoyMussoorie. An 1902 hill hotel, restored, with the original ballroom and long verandahsHeritage
- Parmarth Niketan ashramRishikesh. The large riverside ashram with simple rooms, yoga and the evening aartiMid-range
- Haveli Hari GangaHaridwar. A restored riverside haveli with its own bathing ghat on the GangaHeritage
- Te Aroha and Binsar estate lodgesDhanachuli and Binsar, Kumaon. Small hill lodges with Himalayan views and home cookingBoutique
Evenings out and culture
| Place | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan | Nightly lamp ceremony with chanting on the Rishikesh ghats, free and attended by hundreds |
| Ganga aarti at Har ki Pauri | Haridwar's larger and more intense evening ceremony, with floating lamps and crowds |
| Kumaoni Holi baithaks | Seated classical singing sessions in Almora and Nainital during the Holi fortnight |
| Rishikesh kirtan and ecstatic dance evenings | Chanting circles and movement sessions at the Tapovan and Laxman Jhula yoga schools |
| Mussoorie's Landour writers' scene | Bookshop readings and cafe evenings in the quiet upper station above the Mall |
| Garhwali and Kumaoni folk performances | Dhol and damau drumming and jagar ritual singing, arranged through village hosts |
| Nainital lakefront evenings | Boat rides, the Mall promenade and the old Boat House Club overlooking the water |
Getting to Uttarakhand by air
| Airport or route | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dehradun Jolly Grant (DED) | Domestic only; 20 km from Rishikesh, 35 km from Haridwar and 55 km from Mussoorie |
| Pantnagar (PGH) | The Kumaon strip, about 80 km from Corbett and 70 km from Nainital, with limited services |
| Delhi (DEL) | The long-haul gateway: 230 km to Haridwar, 250 km to Corbett, five to six hours by road |
| From the UK, USA and Europe | Fly non-stop to Delhi, then either a 55-minute hop to Dehradun or a train to Haridwar |
| Helicopter services | Seasonal helicopter shuttles serve Kedarnath and the Char Dham from Dehradun, weather permitting |
Trains and road to Uttarakhand
| Route or station | Detail |
|---|---|
| Haridwar Junction (HW) | The main railhead for Rishikesh and the Char Dham, four and a half hours from Delhi |
| Vande Bharat to Dehradun | A fast morning service from Delhi via Haridwar, reaching Dehradun in about four and a half hours |
| Shatabdi Express to Kathgodam | The Kumaon railhead for Nainital, about five and a half hours from Delhi |
| Ramnagar (RMR) | The station at Corbett's edge, with overnight services from Delhi and a short transfer to the gates |
| Rishikesh and Yoga Nagari Rishikesh (YNRK) | A newer station closer to the ashram district than Haridwar |
| Dehradun (DDN) | The terminus for the Doon valley, with overnight trains from Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata |
Weather, seasons and best time to visit Uttarakhand
Mid-September to November gives the clearest mountain views, open roads and the best tiger safaris at 10 to 28°C, and March to May suits the hills and the Char Dham opening. July and August are for the Valley of Flowers only, since landslides close roads elsewhere.
| Months | Season | Day temperature | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| December to February | Winter | 4-18°C / 39-64°F | Snow above 2,000 m, near-freezing nights in the hills and 18°C days in Rishikesh |
| March to May | Spring | 15-30°C / 59-86°F | Rhododendron in the hills, the Char Dham doors reopen and rafting runs until June |
| June to August | Monsoon | 18-33°C / 64-91°F | Heavy rain, landslides on pilgrim roads, but the only window for the Valley of Flowers |
| September to November | Autumn | 10-28°C / 50-82°F | The clearest Himalayan views of the year, open roads and excellent wildlife viewing |
Uttarakhand tour packages
Per person, twin sharing, excluding international flights. Hotels, private transport, guides, entries, your trip manager and 24-hour support are included.
Wildlife · Nov - Jun
Corbett Tigers and Terai Grassland
Six safaris across Dhikala and Bijrani with a naturalist, elephant grassland drives and a riverside birding walk
From US$1,775 per person
Festival · Fixed dates - Jan/Apr 2027
Haridwar Ardh Kumbh Bathing Days
Attend a major bathing day on the ghats with a historian, visit akhara camps and see the evening aarti from a boat
From US$1,600 per person
Season · Jul - Sep
Valley of Flowers and Hemkund
Trek to the UNESCO meadow in full bloom and up to the 4,100 m Sikh lake shrine with mountain guides
From US$2,362 per person
Tradition · May - Jun and Sep - Oct
Char Dham: Two Shrines, Slowly
Walk the 18 km to Kedarnath with a priest's family, then reach Badrinath and the last village before Tibet
From US$2,850 per person
Location · Mar - Jun and Sep - Nov
Kumaon Ridges and Lake Towns
Colonial Nainital, the Jageshwar temple grove and three sunrises over a 300 km Himalayan skyline
From US$1,638 per person
Take part, don't just watch
Add any of these to a tour. A host stays beside you and tells you what is happening and why it is done that way.
Learning to chant with a Rishikesh teacher
A Sanskrit teacher at a riverside ashram works through the sounds and metre of a short hymn, correcting your pronunciation syllable by syllable. You then chant it with his students at the evening aarti while lamps go onto the Ganga.
A jagar night with a Garhwali drummer
In a village above Rishikesh a hereditary dhol player performs jagar, the ritual drumming and sung invocation used to call a deity into a medium. He explains which rhythms belong to which god and lets you take the smaller damau drum.
Tracking with a Corbett naturalist on foot
In the buffer forest where walking is permitted, a naturalist reads pugmarks, alarm calls and scrapes with you, explaining how the park's tiger density is actually measured. You end at a riverbed hide watching for otter and fishing eagle.
Bal mithai with an Almora sweet maker
A confectioner whose shop has made this Kumaoni fudge for three generations lets you reduce the milk, cut the slab and roll it in sugar pearls. He explains why the recipe fails below a certain altitude and sends you off with a box.
Questions travellers ask about Uttarakhand
Why should I visit Uttarakhand?
Because the religious and the wild sit side by side. You can take a yoga class above the Ganga at Rishikesh, watch lamps float at Haridwar's ghats, track tigers in India's oldest national park and walk into a UNESCO flower meadow at 3,500 m, all within one state and one fortnight.
When is the best time to visit Uttarakhand?
Mid-September to November for 10 to 28°C days, clear Himalayan views and the best safaris, or March to May when the hills flower and the Char Dham reopens. The monsoon from late June to August brings landslides and road closures, and is worth it only for the Valley of Flowers.
Is Uttarakhand safe for tourists and solo female travellers?
Broadly yes. Rishikesh has hosted foreign visitors since the 1960s and the hill towns are relaxed and low-crime. Solo women are common in the yoga schools. The real dangers are environmental: mountain roads, monsoon landslides, cold fast rivers and altitude on the pilgrim routes, so we use experienced hill drivers throughout.
Do I need a visa, or any permits for the trekking areas?
US, UK and EU citizens need the Indian e-Visa. Beyond that, the Valley of Flowers, Nanda Devi and Gaumukh all require paid park or forest permits with daily visitor caps, and the inner-line areas near the Tibet frontier need additional clearance. We obtain all park and trekking permits as part of the booking.
How much does an Uttarakhand tour cost?
Ground costs run from about US$1,280 for a six-night Kumbh departure and US$1,310 for seven nights in Kumaon, through US$1,340 for a yoga week and US$1,420 for five nights of Corbett safaris, to US$1,890 for the Valley of Flowers trek and US$2,280 for ten nights on the Char Dham.
How many days do I need in Uttarakhand?
Five nights for one focus, such as Corbett or Rishikesh. Seven to nine if you want two, for instance yoga plus the Kumaon hills. The Char Dham and the Valley of Flowers each need nine or ten nights because walking distances and altitude cannot be compressed. Road transfers here are slow and mountainous.
Is the food vegetarian friendly, and how spicy is it?
Extremely vegetarian friendly. Haridwar and Rishikesh are legally vegetarian and alcohol-free towns, and ashram food is cooked without onion or garlic. Hill cooking is mild and grain-based, built on millet, soybean and spinach. Vegans should watch ghee and curd, which appear in nearly every Pahari dish, and say so clearly.
What is the Char Dham yatra, and when can I do it?
It is the circuit of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, high shrines whose doors open each spring and close around Diwali, so the season runs roughly late April to early November. Dates are fixed annually by the temple priests. Kedarnath needs an 18 km walk or a helicopter, and all four sit above 3,000 m.
What should I know about the 2027 Kumbh at Haridwar?
Haridwar's next Ardh Kumbh is expected between January and April 2027, with principal bathing days set by the lunar and solar calendars rather than fixed in advance. Expect millions of pilgrims, road closures and full accommodation. We book a year ahead, use hotels within walking distance and plan around the busiest dates.
Can I see tigers at Jim Corbett, and when?
Corbett has one of India's highest tiger densities, and sightings are good rather than guaranteed. The Dhikala zone from mid-November to mid-June is the strongest, with March to June best as animals come to water. The park's core closes during the monsoon. Six safaris over three days gives a realistic chance.
Cities and towns in Uttarakhand
Each has a full guide of its own, with its own food, heritage, hotels, trains and tours.