Things to Do in Uttarakhand

Located at the Himalayan foothills, the mesmerising state of Uttarakhand is characterised by its snow-covered peaks, thick forests, charming hill stations, wooded bloomy valleys and bewildering glaciers, birthplace of many Indian rivers. Tourists flock to Uttarakhand to get Ayurvedic treatment and learn yoga at Rishikesh.

The most popular tourist attractions of the state include the pilgrimage sites of Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Kedarnath; beautiful hill stations like Mussourie, Almora, Ranikhet and Nainital.

Uttarakhand is also home to several forest reserves and India’s first National Park called the Jim Corbett National Park. Rajaji National Park also offers spectacular animal sighting opportunities.

Trekking in Uttarakhand is a favourable activity for the state boasts of wondrous elements of the Himalayas characterised by its lofty, snowy mountain regions, meandering streams and valleys. The place offer great trails for both day hikes and expeditions.

Adventure enthusiasts would love tandem paragliding in Mukteshwar from September till March. The white water rafting activity down the gushing rapids of Ganges at Rishikesh in Uttarakhand is a much popular tourist activity. The white water rafting and camping near rapids from Shivpuri to Rishikesh is also a delightful adventure sport.

If you travel to Uttarakhand, a state fondly regarded as the ‘Abode of Gods’, you will be treated to majestic views of the region which boasts of undulating valleys sprinkled with lush forest, cascading water streams and snow peaks. Due to its terrain, Uttarakhand is a much favoured region to undertake adventurous treks.
Popular treks that include the World Heritage trail of Valley of Flowers combined with spiritual Hemkund Sahib, Nag Tibba summit, Deoriatal-Chandrashila, Dodital, Roop Kund etc are reached through enchanting trails which makes trekking in Uttarakhand one of the most sought after adventure activities in India.

Uttarakhand is dotted with dense jungles, lush rolls of greenery and alpine lakes, all in all this region in the northern part of India promises scenic views and surreal landscapes. Some of the finest natural camping sites in Uttarakhand would be Deoria Tal that promises panoramic view of more than 5 Himalayan peaks and the Chopta meadows which is dotted with pine, deodar and rhododendron forests.

Other popular camping destinations are Kanatal, Dhanaulti, Padamapuri, some regions inside the Jim Corbett National park, Sattal, Pangot, Binsar Sanctuary, Bhimtal, Rani Chori and Chokuri.

Uttarakhand is pretty tourist destination where you will find the river Ganges at its roaring spirit. Due to this river, rafting is a popular activity around the region. There is a certain thrill to white water rafting when one battles down gushing rapids of a river.

Over the years river rafting has emerged to become a popular adventure water sport in India. Rishikesh in Uttarakhand is famous worldwide for its promising rapids from Shivpuri to Rishikesh. Even in India people head to Rishikesh for a thrilling river rafting experience. The rapids of Tons river near Mori in Uttarakhand has also become a popular rafting spot.

Uttarakhand happens to be one of the best places for Jungle safaris in India. The state in North India is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and much of its beauty is defined by its wild offering of lush mountains, valley, rivers and dense forests that are home to many species of animal and birds.

Uttarakhand is also home to the first National Park in India, the Jim Corbett National Park. Tourists can enjoy thrilling wildlife safaris across several national parks and forest reserves in Uttarakhand, popular among them being the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Deer Park, Jim Corbett, Nanda Devi National Park, Rajaji National Park and Gangotri National Park.

The thrill of flying is best experienced while paragliding where one witnesses eagle eye view of the landscape below. Since Uttarakhand is a naturally scenic place, the adrenaline rush takes over as you paraglide and enjoy breath taking sights of the beautiful regions down below.

Uttarakhand offers ample paragliding opportunities to adventure enthusiasts who seek for the thrill of flying. Tandem paragliding flights are conducted by expert professionals in Mukteswar and Ranikhet which are the most popular places for paragliding in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand is blessed with the upper Himalayas which come winter get transformed into a snowy paradise. The sport of Skiing is becoming increasingly popular in this part of the country. Skiing lets one slide over vast expanses of snow and the thrill to gliding down the snow on a ski is simply indescribable.

The almost perfect snow line is Auli in Uttarakhand, one of the finest skiing destinations in India. Master the art of skiing by taking Skiing classes offered by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) in Uttarakhand which span across 7-14 days. Skiing can be done in Uttarakhand only during the months of November till February.

Uttarakhand is a hub for adventure as it promises splendid natural beauty. Other than the vast array of adventure sports like paragliding, trekking, rock climbing, rafting and the likes, Cliff Jumping has been recently introduced for the tourists. .

Rishikesh, the town much revered for its offering of the thrilling water sport- white water river rafting is also a hotspot for other activities. In here along the banks of River Ganga, one may find amazing spots for cliff jumping.

The most well-known cliff-jumping site in Rishikesh is located in the lower areas of the Brahmapuri Stretch just a little distance before Laxman Jhula.

The hills of Uttarakhand have all the splendid elements for all kinds of adventure packed with uncharted valleys, towering peaks, flowing rivers and streams. Apart from rafting, there are many other enthralling water sports on offer for the tourists here in Uttarakhand.

Kayaking and Canoeing is an individual activity in a closed boat where a single person needs to manoeuvre the boat through narrow and turbulent water channels. Kayaking in the tumultuous rapids of Ganges of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand has become a thrill seeking activity for many adventure lovers.

Uttarakhand is known all over the world as a much favoured destination for rock climbing. Owing to its beautiful mountainous terrain and plethora of amazing rock features, thousands of adventure lovers arrive here every year to enjoy multitudinous adventure activities like rock climbing.

Rock climbing in Rishikesh Uttarakhand is a much popular adventure sport. Other places much preferred for rock climbing are selected rock phases in the regions of Pithoragarh and Nainital.

Bungee Jumping is a perfect sport if you want a little pump up in your adrenaline levels. Imagine the sight of land rushing to meet the sky, the feeling of flying while defying gravity is an eclectic feeling. Bungee jumping can be called the mother of all adventure sport activity.

One of the best places to go bungee jumping in India is Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. At 83 feet, Jumpin Heights is India’s highest Bungy. A popular spot for Bungee Jumping in Uttarakhand is Mohan Chatti near Rishikesh. The ideal time for this sport is from October to mid November and early March – April.

Rishikesh is a hub for Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality. Tourists from all over the world come to Rishikesh for long stays in one of the Ashrams in order to learn Yoga and Meditation techniques. Rishikesh has many schools delivering spiritual healing as well.

Rishikesh was once made famous by the Beatles’ 1968 visit. There are also a number of significant temples like Neelkanth Mahadev/

Honeymoons are special and Uttarakhand promises a plethora of exciting activities for you to try on your honeymoon. Camping at Deoria Tal and Chopta could be challenging but the trek offers splendid views and a honeymoon trek could be a memorable experience. Rishikesh is filled with Ashrams and holistic resorts offering Yoga and Meditation courses. Couples can avail private yoga sessions and terraces where guests can meditate by the holy river Ganga in Rishikesh.

River rafting at Rishikesh would be an exhilarating experience for couples. Uttarakhand is one of the best places for Elephant safaris in India. Couples can avail such safaris at Corbett National Park near Ramgarh or Rajaji National Park near Haridwar.

Uttarakhand is full of scenic waterfalls. Tourist can head to Vasudhara Falls near Badrinath. This is one of the popular places for short trekking surrounded by beautiful mountains. Corbett Waterfalls in Nainital is surrounded by dense teak wood forests, this waterfall cascades down from a height of 20 m and is a mesmerizing sight to watch.

Kempty Falls in Mussourie, situated at an altitude of 4,500 feet also offers remarkable views of five cascading falls. Other popular waterfalls in Uttarakhand are Bhatta Falls also in Mussourie which is a natural waterfall and Tiger falls (Chakrata).

Jim Corbett National Park boasts of exotic natural surroundings and a plethora of flora and fauna. The National Park is the first National Park in the state of Uttarakhand and a popular place to spot the fiery Bengal TIGER.

Corbett is divided into five distinct zones and each zone can be visited by jeep safaris. Apart from Tigers, the Park is also a natural habitat to many exotic species of birds and animals. This activity can cost up to INR 4500/70 USD for one jeep for 6 persons. The National Park is can be visited year round except for the monsoon months during June to August.

The quaint little town of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, made famous by the Beatles’ 1968 visit is known all over the world. Every year numerous tourists and spirituality seekers travel to Rishikesh to either learn Meditation or Yoga upon the banks of the mighty river Ganges.

There are numerous Yoga Research Centers and Institutions in Uttarakhand that offer many such courses. The best places to pick up Yoga in rishikesh are The Yoga Study Centre, Yoga Niketan Ashram, Sivananda Ashram and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ayurvedic Centre.

Uttarakhand is fondly referred as the ‘abode of gods’ and it rightly deserve the title as anywhere you go in Uttarakhand, you’ll be treated to majestic views of lush landscapes, a sight which is relaxing to the human eye.

If you want to seek out both mind and body rejuvenation, head to one of the many experiential spa in the state. Rishikesh has many holistic resorts offering ayurvedic massages and treatments. Vana in Dehradun is a wellness retreat much revered for its service.

Among other known spas, Anand Corbett Aamod Resort & Spa in the Himalayas in Garhwal is an authentic Kerala Ayurveda, yoga and meditation centre and Vedic retreat in Haridwar offers all forms of traditional therapies and modern treatments.

Uttarakhand is blessed with lush rolls of greenery, jungle clad hills and vast acres of forest reserves boasting of rich flora and fauna and it is undoubtedly one of the best places for Elephant safaris in India. Tourist can enjoy Elephant safari rides at Corbett National Park near Ramgarh and Rajaji National Park near Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

The elephant safari rides at both the national parks are available only on first come first serve basis starting from INR 500/8 USD for Indians and INR 1500/23 USD for foreign visitors.

Zip-line is yet another adventure sport activity that is gaining huge popularity among adventure seekers and Uttarakhand is a perfect place to embark on this thrilling adventure owing to its beautiful landscapes and other reserves of natural beauty like the sight of rolling hills, cascading waterfalls and dense forests.

Pump your adrenaline levels as you as you fly down a series of steel zip line in Rishikesh. Other prominent locations for Ziplining other than Rishikesh would be Mussorie and Nainital.

The state of Uttarakhand is an ecstasy of nature visited by most adventure lovers in India. The foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand offer great opportunities for exploration to all trekking enthusiasts from every corner of the world.

The picturesque Uttarakhand in the Himalayas offer a plethora of fascinating winter treks. The Kedarkantha is a beautiful ridge peak situated at 12,500 feet in the Tons River Valley and is one of the top winter treks in Uttarakhand.

Chopta trek offers stunning views of some of many Himalayan peaks and becomes extremely pretty during the winters. Nagtibba at 10,000 feet is one of the top winter treks of Uttarakhand where the trail is surrounded by oak forests and sparkling water streams. Hark i Dun and Hem Kund Sahib Trek is an all-season trek and can be treaded upon even during winters.

Roopkund is a high-altitude lake that stays frozen most of the year; this trek is a popular summer trek in Uttarakhand. Embark on the Rupin Pass trek which takes you deep in the mountains of Uttarakhand to a windy pass at 15,000 feet. This is one of the top summer treks in Uttarakhand.

Brahmatal is also a summer trek where trekkers reach to a high altitude lake, believed to be the place where Lord Brahma meditated millions of years ago. To escape the heat and the scorching sun, embark on the Dayara Bugyal trek where you will get a fairy tale experience.