It is said that grace with godliness is the combination prevalent in the ancient valleys and mountains of Uttarakhand, a land bestowed with untouched natural beauty and deep-rooted spiritualism. With coniferous vegetation ornamenting the foothills of the magical Himalayas, this land of pure enchantment presents itself as a haven of utmost utopia. The sacred temples at Mukteshwar serve as a portal to the erstwhile times, while the adrenaline sports in Rishikesh challenges the human within us. The rich biodiversity of the land speaks volumes for the cultural ethos that has vouched for a harmonious coexistence with nature.
Uttarakhand is a land of such magic that taking a vacation here is actually going through a cultural ride. The emerald green lakes of the Kumaon not only allow one to enjoy the serene existence of the place but also provide a chance to contemplate on oneself.
The journey starts as soon as our chauffeur warmly greets in Dehradun and drives us to Rishikesh, the Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas. In about an hour and a half, we will be reaching the campsite. After settling down in the camp, we shall get engaged in various adrenaline activities like water rafting, rock climbing, kayaking or rappelling. A delicious group lunch will bring us at ease. The lazy afternoon can be solely dedicated to leisure, followed by an evening visit to the Ganges for Holy Arati, a photographer’s delight. Once we return to the camp, we shall engage in bonfire and barbecue as dinner experience at campsite followed by night stay at Rishikesh.
The picturesque sunrise at the campsite is something one cannot miss by oversleeping. As the early lights peep into the tents we will be ready for having breakfast and gear up for the next destination, Mussoorie, better acclaimed as the Queen of the Hills. After a two and half hour journey through the picturesque valleys, we will check into the resort. It is time for a brunch as it will be a long day of wandering around the Gun Hill, the second highest peak in Mussoorie and around the green covered serene Mist Lake, followed by a hike to the Kempty falls. We certainly won’t miss the magical evening walk along the Camel’s Back Road and the subsequent sunset that follows. The late evening can be relished over local food for dinner followed by returning back to the resort for the night stay at Mussoorie.
We will be spending a major portion of the morning on road, traveling to Auli. It will be time-saving if we start early in the morning, after a quick breakfast and check into our hotel in Auli after 7 long hours of drive. If we halt in between to have an en route lunch, we may witness the majestic valley, surrounded by coniferous and oak forests on one side and adorned by the Nanda Devi and Nar Parvat mountains on the other. Not much can be done today other than relaxing in the valley and getting accustomed to the terrain and culture. An early dinner followed by night stay at Auli will bring comfort at the end of the day.
Before we gear up to try some skiing adventure later in the day, the morning will be reserved for a short adventurous trek of 3km to the Gurso Bugyal, right after some light breakfast at the hotel. A little up the trek is Chattrakund, the sweet water lake at an elevation of 3300 mt. On your descent, we may set out for the slopes to learn some skiing techniques. As we return back to our hotel we will have a late lunch after freshening up and sink into the bed for some rest. Later in the evening, we will set out for a guided trek to the Valentine Lake, the highest man-made lake in the world. While returning back to the hotel, we may catch the sunset behind the veils of The Nanda Devi that serves as bliss to the viewers. The day can be called off after having dinner in the hotel and moving to the room for the night stay at Auli.
After an early breakfast, we will start for Joshimath for a height of 6150 ft. Lunch can be completed en route before we embark on a trek to the legendary Valley of Flowers. This U-shaped alpine valley, formed by retreating glaciers, and bounded by high mountain ranges and peaks on all sides, seems to be a watercolor palette, formed by the amalgamation of mountain flowers. It seems to be a place fit for heaven. As we will be getting down to the hotel, that hint of awe inside us will not be fading away anytime soon. After a stomach full of dinner, we will have a night stay at Auli.
The last day in Auli shall start with a cup of hot beverage and a relatively heavy breakfast before proceeding towards Kausani by covering a 7 hours drive. Widely renowned for its 300 KM wide panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Panchachuli, this hamlet also hosts other sites of importance like the Anashakti Ashram, Sumitranandan Pant Gallery and the Kausani Tea Estate which we shall visit during our journey. The rest of the day can be spent in leisure followed by a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep at Kausani.
Perched at an elevation of 2420 mt in the Kumaon District, Binsar is our next destination. A 3-hour long journey, after breakfast in Kausani, will land us in a hamlet that provides a view of the Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot, Panchachuli and Kedarnath mountains, too mesmerizing to be real. As we will check into our hotel, a sumptuous lunch will be relished and after a short rest, we will visit Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, set atop the Jhandi Dhar hills. Rich with more than 200 species of birds other than occasional sightings of some Himalayan bear, fox, and leopard, this place is a treat for ornithologists. By evening, we will be back to our room for dinner and night stay at Binsar.
Today after an early breakfast we will start for Munsiyari; often known as Little Kashmir. Generally crowded by the adventure lovers who set their base camps here to trek to Milam, Nanda Devi, and the Ralam glaciers, this is a paradise for nature lovers. After checking into our pre-booked hotel, we shall set out for a visit to hot water springs at Madkot. The Birthi Falls is another place where we can immerse for the rainbow hues. The sun setting at the horizon of the valley creates an enchantment that we shall carry back to the hotel with full glory and enjoy the dinner followed by night stay at Munsiyari.
A journey, covering 123kms from Munsiyari, will land us in Patal Bhuvaneshwar. It will be noon when you reach there. So an early breakfast is on the card before commencing for a 5-hour journey through the pristine valleys of the Himalayas. An en route lunch will be suitable to reach the hotel on time and visit the limestone cave post-check-in. The limestone cave is at an elevation of 1350 mt and houses a Shiva Linga at a depth of 90 ft. A gradual tiring day with the road trip in mind can be put to solace with a lovely dinner followed by night stay at Patal Bhuvaneshwar.
Another day set for a long journey of 160 KM as we will be on our way to Mukteshwar, a sacred shrine housing a 350-year-old temple of Shiva, at an elevation of 2,312 mt. En route, we can have our lunch at Almora. The local sweet delicacy of Baal mithai should not be forgotten to taste though, if available. After checking into our pre-booked hotel, the afternoon can be reserved for a bit of rest, followed by a visit to the temple in the evening. No more engagement today, just getting back to the hotel for dinner and night stay at Mukteshwar.
The day shall start lazy, as there’s no hurry to embark on a long journey. We will enjoy our breakfast amidst the salubrious landscape. Today, we’ll be entering Kumaon, the lake district of India. Accommodation is set at Bhimtal, a place that gets its name from the adjoining lake, tucked in at an elevation of 1370 mt. After checking in, we will proceed to Bhimtal Lake. Ornamented with an island at the centre, this lake hosts the most picturesque sunsets in the district. The evening will be spent on lazy dinner followed by night stay at Bhimtal.
Today is reserved for spending some time at the lap of nature at the Gateway Jungle Camp at Sattal, a hamlet housing an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes and adorned by lush oak orchards in the Mehragaon Valley. The early breakfast at Bhimtal and the half a kilometer trek to the camp will break the monotony of long journeys. The regular camp life at a close proximity of nature will be exciting and hence, we will halt for a night stay at Sattal camp.
We travel to Nainital today. At an elevation of 2000 mt, set in a valley containing a mango shaped lake and surrounded by mountains on the south, it will take a couple of hours to reach there after we start from Sattal post breakfast. Once we check in and have lunch, we shall get ready to explore the local attractions like the Hanuman Mandir, the Observatory but, the real factor shall be the Khurpatal Lake. Tucked away at 1635 mt, this is an angler’s paradise. The cable ride to the Tiffin top and the boat ride in the Naini Lake are options that should not be skipped. As we roam around the Mall road in the evening, we may gorge on local cuisine for dinner and return to the hotel for the night stay at Nainital.
Our final attraction of the trip is Corbett National Park. The 246 KM long journey shall commence after an early breakfast at Nainital. An en-route lunch is essential as it will be afternoon till we check into Corbett for a drive through the Tiger Reserve that houses the Royal Bengal Tigers. The jeep safari gives an option to encounter the rich flora and fauna of the park and that cannot be missed at any cost. The evenings back at the resort can be jubilantly spent with bonfire, followed by a sumptuous dinner and night stay at Corbett.
The morning shall start late with a leisurely breakfast and our chauffeur will drop us to Delhi airport/ Railway Station for the journey home.
At zerodegreel
every moment will someday make you look back and want to experience it all over again.
