Uttarakhand or
Uttaranchal is a region that is one of the most fond tourist haunts of
India today. The reason is it has everything to fulfill the thirst for vacationing that a traveler carries in his heart. The forests, steep slopes, mountainous peaks pull the adventure seekers, nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts to the region. The many beautiful hill stations of Uttarakhand are famous honeymooning spots while the
Chota Chardham circuit too is nestled in this region drawing thousands of devout pilgrims
Uttarakhand falls to the
North of
Uttar Pradesh and
Himachal Pradesh with
Nepal to its
East and
Tibet above it. If there is one thing you can say about Uttarakhand, it is that God was at his creative best in creating a magnificent countryside dotted with hills and mountains, gorges and ravines, undulating meadows and playfully winding rivers whose waters frolic and gambol on their way to the sea.
Travel to this scenic destination is a journey of delight and sheer pleasure for the soul. It is veritably the
Land of the
Gods and the
Switzerland of
India.
The State has over 400 destinations to pick and choose from. If you like adventure sports, there are dozens of destinations for you. If you are religious, then your Chardham
Yatra to
Yamunotri,
Gangotri,
Badrinath and
Kedarnath starts and ends here. If you like
peace and quiet, there are scores of quiet, secluded retreats where you can spend days communing with nature.
If you like ethnic diversity, there are flavors and colors of Kumaon and
Garhwal to sample. With so many destinations available, it would be a difficult task to pack in as many as you can within the short time available to you. You could, however, start with the
Valley of Flowers, an enchanting magical area that comes alive during spring, carpeting the land with
300 varieties of flowers and nature smiles benignly on you, letting you enjoy the colors and smells. Another equally alluring destination is
Nainital, a quaintly charming
British style resort built around the beautiful
Naini Lake.
Uttarakhand offers
Rishikesh and
Haridwar for the spiritually inclined. Rishikesh is a center for yoga and is dotted with dozens of ashrams, a place redolent with spirituality at each turn. Haridwar is considered as one of the seven holiest of all places in India, a place where pilgrims bathe in the
Ganges before undertaking their trip to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Gangotri is at a height of about 3048 meters and pilgrims pay their respects at the temple of
Ganga Mata on the banks of the
Bhagirathi River. From here you can go on to explore the
Gaumukh glacier. Yamunotri is another holy destination at a height of 3293 meters with a temple dedicated to
Yamuna Mata where pilgrims worship the
Goddess and bathe in
the hot springs. Kedarnath, at a height of 3584 meters is one of the sites of the 12 jyotirlingas with a temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva. Badrinath in
Chamoli at a height of 3133 meters is home to
Lord Vishnu.
A visit to Uttarakhand would be incomplete without spending time at the
Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest natural park, home to hundreds of species of birds, animals and plants. Jhirna is a popular bird watching spot in the sanctuary while Bijrani, a densely forested area is ideal to sight a tiger in natural settings. If you have had your fill of nature, then proceed to
Dehradun, a modern hill station town with Ganga and Yamuna flowing to its east and west respectively. Dehradun offers the conveniences of city life and you can visit Sahastradhara springs and Tapkeshwar temple in the vicinity as also take a short trip to
Rajaji National Park. Then you proceed to Mussoorie, another British hill station nestling in the foothills of the Shivalik and overlooking the
Doon valley. If you love hill stations then you may want to explore
Almora,
Dharchula and
Dhanaulti as well.
If it is adventure that lures you, Uttarakhand has plenty in store for you. You could go to
Lansdowne,
Pauri,
Mori, Kalsi, Naukuchiata, Mori or
Ramgarh from a dozen and kick-start your exploration of hills, valleys and forests or go white water rafting, paragliding or indulge yourself in mountain biking.
For whatever purpose you visit this lovely
State, you are likely to fall in love with it and forever remain enchanted.
Visit Uttarakhand at
http://www.namasteindiatrip.com/holiday/uttarkhand-tour-package
.html
- published: 12 May 2014
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