Trip Overview
Start – New Delhi
Finish – New Delhi
Destination – 25 days covering Uttarakhand
Theme – Backpacking
Duration – 24 Nights 25 days
Category – #backpacking #adventure #roadtrip #leisure #slowtravel #trekking #cultural #religious
Style – #comfort #original #diy #fixeddeparture
Trip Summary
“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
― Pat Conroy
A land of myths and mountains, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, is one of the most beautiful states of India. Snow-capped Himalayan peaks, serpentine rivers, revered temples, quaint villages, vibrant culture, and World Heritage Sites, Uttarakhand’s sheer natural beauty and diversity beckon travelers from across the world.
Uttarakhand is mostly divided into two regions i.e. Garhwal and Kumaon regions. Garhwal region is the western part of the state while Kumaon is the eastern part.
Both the parts have their unique culture and history but the unmovable mountains of Uttarakhand that bind both the regions.
Many places are out of bound for most of the people due to longer travel time making it even more off beat and less touristy.
On this road trip of 25 days, we will see popular hill stations as well as offbeat hill stations.
We will immerse ourselves in the serenity of the high mountains, rivers flowing through these mountains and meditate in the temples, few of which are centuries old.
For adventure seekers, we have included many adventurous activities to quench their soul.
For people seeking self time, they can enjoy the whole road trip and take leisure time each day for themselves.
For photographers, with every turn and twist on the road, they will have a picture perfect for their memory.
Why you will love this trip?
- Transportation, accommodation and meals and activities included.
- Experienced Travel guides throughout the journey.
- 25 Days of road trip covering both the divisions of Uttarakhand i.e. Garhwal and Kumaon.
- Exploring offbeat places like Harsil, Munsiyari, Chakauti, Binsar ,etc.
- A lot of adventure activities already included.
- Seizing the best sunsets and sunrises throughout the trip.
- Watching snow laden mountain peaks with the naked eye.
- Experiencing spiritual vibes throughout the trip.
- Enjoying local delicacies each day.
Is this trip right for you?
- This trip involves traveling on the road almost daily for 25 days.
- Mostly suitable for people aged between 12 – 60 years.
- People having stiff backs, back problems should avoid taking this trip as the traveling time on the road each day would be on average 5-6 hours.
- The adventure activities are not suitable for people with heart disease, asthma , pregnant women, any previous or existing bone injury.
- The most suitable age for adventure activities are from 12 years up till 60 years.
- Old age people and women suffering with arthritis should avoid staying in camp as it requires a lot of walking.
Itnerary
Upon arrival in New Delhi, we will greet and meet. We will start the 1st day of the trip diving to Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand. After check in, take some rest and leave to see FRI (Forest Research Institute), the famous institute not only famous for its research in Forests of India but also made famous by bollywood films like Student of the year, etc.
In Dehradun, we can also go to Monastery or local Paltan bazaar.
In the evening, do some cafe hopping on Rajpur road and later, stay in a hotel.
After having breakfast, we will leave for Mussoorie via picturesque Dehradun – Mussoorie road.
Upon reaching, check in the hotel.
Here in Mussoorie, you will have several options to pass your day vis-a – vis you can go on a hike to Jabarkhet Nature reserve, or you can hike to Sir George Everest peak to catch a spectacular sunset. Later in the evening, enjoy taking a stroll on the mall road and enjoy having maggi or corn or hot momos, etc. Later, night stay in a hotel.
You can opt to get up early to catch a stunning sunrise in the mountains or you can snuggle in your blanket for 1 or 2 hours more before getting ready to continue the trip. After having breakfast, we will drive to Dhanaulti/ Kanatal, the lesser cousins of Mussoorie only by means of commercialisation, otherwise naturally robust and serene places. We will stay in a camp here and enjoy hot meals, bonfire , etc. One can go on a hike to these forest reserves and enjoy having the purest form of air.
Later, night stay in a camp.
After having breakfast, we will leave for Harsil via the Suwakholi – Thattyur – Chinyalisour route. Harsil is a quaint himalayan town famous for its apples and bollywood films that have been shot here. Upon reaching Harsil, first we will gorge upon hot momos and soups in a local famous momos shop.
Later, we will enjoy our evening at the bonfire under the sky full of stars. We will have a night stay in comfortable luxury tents.
We will start our day taking a small hike around the campsite by the river. After the hike , we get ready, have our breakfast and leave for Nelong valley on a local jeep. Nelong valley is a part of Uttarakhand making a border with Tibet. It is an Army controlled area recently opened for tourism and is famous for its rugged mountains and off-roading. The geography of Nelong valley is quite similar to Ladakh, which makes it a more non- resisting place to explore.
After a ride to Nelong valley, we will head towards Gangotri, one of the chardhams known for its religious and spiritual importance. We will attend the aarti here and will leave for Harsil to see Bhaironghati Gorge on the way. Bhairoghati Gorge is one of the deepest gorge in this region. Get yourself photographed on the bridge. Finally, drive back to Harsil. Night stay in a camp.
After breakfast, we will start our journey towards Chamba. Chamba is a small town of Uttarakhand. During evenings, it becomes a place full of clouds. A bit of a leisure day one can enjoy resting at the hotel.
After breakfast, we will leave for Tehri lake to satisfy our adventurous souls and try our hands at water sports for ex. Jet ski, banana ride, parasailing, speed boat ride, etc. We will reach Rishikesh by evening and check in to our hotel. Rest of the evening, explore the city on your own. You can attend the evening aarti, sit by the banks of the Ganges, stroll in the bazaar or can do cafe hopping. Later, night stay in a hotel.
Start your day by hiking to one of the white sand beaches of Rishikesh. Spend some time at the beach and fill your soul with the serenity that Ganges brings to the picture. After breakfast, we must try our hands rowing the raft in the wild rapids of river Ganga. River rafting is the most exhilarating adventure activity of the whole trip and will remain in your memories for a lifetime.
After rafting, we will head to the luxury campsite and check into our luxury tents. You can spend the day in the camp pool or have a swim in the river. We will start our evening with dancing to groovy music, enjoying the bonfire. Later, we will lead back into our tents for much awaited and required rest.
After breakfast, we will start our journey to Chopta, a small village also known as Switzerland of India. Upon reaching, check in to your camp. Take some rest for a while. After freshening up, take a brief tour around the campsite. Enjoy your evening with refreshments served around the camp bonfire. After dinner, stay in the swiss tents with attached washrooms. Overnight stay at the camp.
After rafting, we will head to the luxury campsite and check into our luxury tents. You can spend the day in the camp pool or have a swim in the river. We will start our evening with dancing to groovy music, enjoying the bonfire. Later, we will lead back into our tents for much awaited and required rest.
After breakfast, we will start our trek to Tungnath temple, the highest temple in the world of Lord Shiva. It’s a snow trek in the winter season, so it will normally take 7-8 hours to complete it. After reaching the temple, rest a while and then again start your trek to Chandrashila peak(4000 meters). This is one of the peaks where you can reach by just trekking and no special equipment is required to reach the peak. Enjoy the view of Himalayan peaks and start trekking down to Chopta. After the trek, overnight stay at camp.
After breakfast, we will start our journey to Auli, a small village known for skiing in winters. Upon reaching, check in. After dinner, stay at the hotel.
After breakfast, explore Auli. You can try skiing as per actual costs. Overnight stay at Himalayan style cottages.
After breakfast, our tour will finish the Garhwal part of Uttarakhand and will enter the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Our first stop will be Kausani, a small himalayan town where you can see some of the highest peaks of the Himalayas. Upon reaching Kausani, check in the hotel. After some rest, we will go sightseeing at Anashakti Ashram, Sumitranandan Pant Gallery, Kausani Tea Estate, and Laxmi Ashram.
Later, night stay in a hotel.
Enjoy breakfast with magnificent views of the Himalayas. After breakfast, we will start our journey to Binsar wildlife sanctuary and will stay in a hotel in Binsar. After checking in formalities, we will leave to see Binsar zero point, wildlife sanctuary and Baneshwar temple.
Later, we will get back to the hotel to have a delicious dinner. Night stay in the hotel.
After having breakfast, we will leave for Munsiyari. Munsyari is famous for its picturesque beauty and trekking excursions and is popular with high altitude trekkers and adventure enthusiasts as this place is the base of Milam, Ralam and Namik Glaciers. After check-in formalities, we will start exploring Munsiyari. We will see Madkot village and its famous water fall. In the evening, we will see a mesmerizing sunset over Panchachuli peaks. We will get back to our accommodation and have a peaceful night stay after having delicious Uttarakhandi dinner.
Today, the whole day on your own. You can further explore Munsiyari, nearby temples, museum, short hikes, etc. You can also choose to do nothing and stay at the hotel. You can read the books, or you can capture some unique Himalayan birds in your memories as well as the camera.
Chaukori is a hill station, set among the lofty peaks of the western Himalayan Range in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. To its north is Tibet and to its south is Terai. The Mahakali river, running along its eastern boundary, forms the Indo-Nepal international border. This place has become a prominent tourist place and from here a wide and picturesque view of Himalayan range can be viewed. The golden yellow color of sun rays falling on the Himalayan range in the morning time is really worth seeing. There are cottages available here where one can stay and enjoy the serene surroundings.
We will visit Patal Bhuvaneshwar temple, and other famous points in Chaukori to catch a sunset and play of clouds with the mountains. Later, stay in the hotel.
After breakfast, we will start our journey towards Kasar devi via Bageshwar.
Situated on the confluence of Saryu and Gomati rivers, Bageshwar is known for its scenic environment, glaciers, rivers and temples. After visiting famous temples like Baijnath temple, Bagnath temple, etc we will continue our journey to reach Kasar Devi.
Kasar Devi is a village near Almora, Uttarakhand. It is known for the Kasar Devi temple, a Devi temple, dedicated to Kasar Devi, after whom the place is also named. The temple structure dates to the 2nd century CE. Swami Vivekananda visited Kasar Devi in the 1890s.
It’s believed that this temple is positioned on the earth’s Van Allen Belt. The region surrounding the Kasar Devi Temple has an enormous geomagnetic field, thanks to gaps in bands of radiation. As a result, Kasar Devi is endowed with a cosmic energy similar to that of Stonehenge in UK and Machu Picchu in Peru.
Also known as Hippie Hill or Crank’s ridge, Kasar Devi Temple complex has always been a melting pot of art, spiritualism and poetry. Singer Bob Dylan and actor Uma Thurman, have made this popular and today Kasar Devi continues to attract folks looking for answers to life’s challenging questions.
After a visit to the temple, we will retreat to our accommodation and there we will try to be in the vibes of the temple and enjoy our evening by being in the zone. After dinner, night stay in the hotel.
After breakfast, we will start our journey to reach a small yet beautiful Himalayan town of Mukteshwar.
Mukteshwar gets its name from a 350-year-old temple of Shiva, known as Mukteshwar Dham,situated atop the highest point in the town, on the veterinary institute’s campus. Close to it lie the overhanging cliffs, locally known as Chauli-ki-Jali, used for rock climbing and rappelling, with an excellent view of the valleys below.
Mukteshwar is also famous for its breezy waterfalls such as The Bhalu Ghaad, Tarikhet waterfalls, Rudradhari waterfall and Dhokaney waterfall.
Have a comfortable transfer to Bhimtal today after a scrumptious breakfast. Complete the check out formalities and proceed for a scenic drive to Bhimtal. Enroute, stop in the middle to visit Naukuchiatal. Afterward, proceed your drive to reach Bhimtal accommodation. Check into the hotel and relax. You have the rest of the day at leisure. In the afternoon, go for a Bhimtal Lake excursion and enjoy boating.
In the evening , you can go for some cafe hopping, etc
By the time of sundown, return to your hotel and relish dinner to delight in a pleasurable overnight sleep.
After breakfast, it is time to drive to Nainital. On arrival, check into the hotel and freshen up. Later, leave for the half-day city tour.
The first stopover you should take Khurpatal Lake, then explore scenic waterfalls, pay a visit to Hanuman Mandir, etc. There will be endless options for you in Nainital like you can enjoy a cable car ride to Tiffin Top as well. And yes, boating in a mango-shaped Naini Lake is a must-do activity. Explore the mall road, buy souvenirs etc.
Return to the hotel for relaxing overnight sleep followed by mouth watering dinner.
Today, we will start for Ranikhet after having our breakfast. Ranikhet is a hill station in Uttarakhand. It’s known for its views of the Himalayas. Hundreds of bells adorn Jhula Devi Temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga. Fruit trees grow on the terraced orchards of Chaubatia Gardens, with views of peaks including Nanda Devi. Mahatma Gandhi stayed in a hut, Gandhi Kuti, in nearby Tarikhet village during the independence struggle.
Ranikhet is the best of the heavenly Himalayas, their majestic mountain peaks and lush green forests . To see nature and its elements at one place that too in full harmony, the right place to be is Ranikhet.
After exploring Ranikhet, back to our hotel for dinner and night stay
After breakfast we will start our journey to Jim Corbett National Park. It is one of the largest national parks of India having the large density of tiger population. The park is quite rich in flora and fauna.
Upon reaching Jim Corbett,we will complete the check-in.
Rest of the day at leisure. You can visit Girija devi temple, waterfall or museum.
In the evening, enjoy the cool weather with a bonfire and some mouth watering snacks served to you at the resort. Later after dinner, night stay in the resort.
This day will start as early as 5 am. Today we will take you to the most adventurous and time taking Safari to Dhikala. It is the most interior part of the safari. It generally takes 4 hours to reach Dhikala.
During the safari, you will encounter the varied flora and fauna of the jungle, narrow trails, rivers flowing by the trails, herds of deer, herds of elephants and if you are lucky enough, you may also encounter the king of the jungle, the Tiger.
Upon reaching, take a small break and have breakfast in the canteen. Those who have booked the Dhikala guest house will check into the guest house and enjoy the night stay and one more jeep safari into deeper jungles of Dhikala. In the evening, they can enjoy a bonfire and share stories among friends and family.
Those who have not booked the jungle lodge, will be transferred back to the resort where they are staying.
Upon reaching the resort, they can enjoy the bonfire and dinner before going to sleep.
After having breakfast, check out from the hotel and start your journey back to New Delhi carrying innumerable memories of this adventure filled road trip covering the Garhwal and Kumaon parts of Uttarakhand.
Inclusions
Meals
Breakfast - 24 Breakfast (hotel and camp).
Dinner - 19 Dinners (not available at Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh (1 Night), Bhimtal, and Nainital)
Bonfire at Dhanaulti, Harsil, Rishikesh (only at camp), Chopta and Auli
Transport - New Delhi - Garhwal Part of Uttarakhand - Kumaon part of Uttarakhand - New Delhi
Sedan cab - 2 to 3 people
Suv cab - 4-5 people
Tempo traveler - 8 people
Accomodation
8 nights in camp (Dhanaulti, Harsil (2N), Rishikesh, Chopta (2N) and Auli (2N) )
16 nights in Hotel
Add on activities
1. Sky cycling in Dhanaulti.
2. Permit for Jeep ride in Nelong valley.
3. Rafting in Rishikesh.
4. Trekking in Chopta.
5. Paragliding - Bhimtal.
6. Water sports at Tehri lake.
7. Jungle safari in Jim Corbett National Park
8. G.S.T
Exclusions
- Meals not mentioned in inclusions.
- Transport that is not mentioned in inclusions.
- Any porter charges
- Any entry fees to monuments/ wildlife region/trek
- Any expense of personal nature packaged drinking water/ phone calls/ laundry/camera,etc
- Any kind of travel insurance.
- Costs arising due to force majeure
- Anything which is not mentioned in the inclusions.
Essential Trip Information
Why you will love this trip? What weather you can expect during the trip? What are the best months to visit? What to pack and what not to?
