Uttarakhand Tour Packages

About Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand splits into two halves. Garhwal in the west holds Rishikesh, Haridwar, Mussoorie, Chopta and the Char Dham shrines, and Kumaon in the east holds Nainital, Ranikhet, Kausani, Almora and the Jim Corbett park. Most family trips pick one half, and a week is enough for a comfortable loop.

Rishikesh is the rafting and yoga town on the Ganga, with Lakshman Jhula, the Beatles Ashram and the Triveni Ghat aarti at Haridwar close by. Mussoorie has Kempty falls, Gun Hill and Lal Tibba. In Kumaon, Nainital is built around the lake with Naina Devi and Snow View, Kausani gives a long Himalayan skyline at sunrise, and Corbett has jeep safaris in the Bijrani and Jhirna zones.

For walkers the Valley of Flowers above Govindghat is open from July to early October, and the Chopta to Tungnath and Chandrashila trail is a short, rewarding climb through the year except in deep snow. We plan the drives, book safari permits and hotels, and keep the route realistic, since hill distances here are slow.

Best places to see

• RishikeshLakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula on the Ganga, the Beatles Ashram, the Parmarth Niketan aarti and rafting from Shivpuri or Marine Drive. Rafting runs best from late September to mid June, in the morning.
• HaridwarHar ki Pauri and the Ganga aarti at sunset, with Mansa Devi reached by ropeway. Reach the ghat about an hour early for a seat.
• MussoorieA colonial hill station with Gun Hill by ropeway, Kempty falls, Camel's Back road and Lal Tibba. Evenings on the Mall are the pleasant hour, and Kempty is best early.
• NainitalA lake town with boating on Naini lake, the Naina Devi temple, Snow View by ropeway and the Mall road. Morning boating is calm, and ropeway tickets are limited.
• Jim Corbett National ParkIndia's oldest national park, with jeep safaris in the Bijrani, Jhirna and Dhikala zones. Book the morning slot and the permit well in advance, Dhikala especially.
• Kausani and RanikhetA long Himalayan skyline from Kausani including Trishul and Nanda Devi, best at sunrise, and the quiet cantonment town of Ranikhet with its golf course and Jhula Devi temple.
• Chopta, Tungnath and ChandrashilaA meadow base for a four kilometre climb to the highest Shiva temple and the summit above it. Start at dawn for clear views before cloud builds.
• Valley of Flowers and Hemkund SahibA high alpine valley of wildflowers above Govindghat, open July to early October, with the Sikh shrine of Hemkund on the same route. Both are full day walks and need a permit for the valley.
• AuliA ski slope above Joshimath with a long ropeway and views of Nanda Devi. January to March for snow, summer for the meadows.

Suggested itinerary

• Day 1 Arrive Dehradun or Haridwar, transfer to Rishikesh, evening Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat.
• Day 2 Morning rafting on the Ganga, Lakshman Jhula and the Beatles Ashram, drive up to Mussoorie for the night.
• Day 3 Mussoorie sightseeing, Kempty falls, Gun Hill, Camel's Back road and Lal Tibba, evening on the Mall.
• Day 4 Long drive to Jim Corbett, check in at a riverside resort, evening at leisure.
• Day 5 Morning jeep safari in the Bijrani zone, afternoon drive to Nainital, evening on the Mall road.
• Day 6 Naini lake boating, Naina Devi temple, Snow View ropeway and the Nainital lake circuit.
• Day 7 Day trip to Kausani or Ranikhet for the Himalayan sunrise view, overnight there or back at Nainital.
• Day 8 Drive down to Kathgodam or Delhi for the onward journey.

What is included

Best season

March to June is the main season for the hill stations and for rafting until mid June. July to mid September is the monsoon, when landslides close Garhwal roads, although this is exactly the window for the Valley of Flowers. October and November are clear, cold and the best months for mountain views and Corbett safaris. December to February bring snow to Mussoorie, Auli and Chopta, while Corbett's Dhikala and some zones close in the monsoon.

Good to know

• Corbett safari permits and Dhikala night stays are booked well in advance and zones close in the monsoon, so fix dates early.
• The Valley of Flowers needs a forest permit and a walk of about fourteen kilometres return from Ghangaria, and it is open only from July to early October.
• Rafting has age and health limits, life jackets and helmets are compulsory, and operators should be state registered. We book only registered operators.
• Carry woollens and a windcheater for hill nights through the year, walking shoes with grip, a raincoat in the monsoon and sunscreen for high altitude sun.
• Hill roads here are slow and often under repair, so keep driving days to five or six hours and travel in daylight.
• Haridwar and Rishikesh are vegetarian and alcohol free towns, so plan meals accordingly, and try kafuli, aloo ke gutke, bal mithai and jhangore ki kheer.

Planning and cost

Flights or trains, hotels, transfers and sightseeing are arranged together by our team. Every plan is made for your dates and your group, so the cost is quoted after we know what you want. Price on request.