The people of Uttarakhand are always ready to embrace guests treating them like gods, following the Indian tradition of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. Thus, the Village/Rural Toursim is a newly sprouting niche which can be explored in the beautiful valleys.

Uttarakhand – Spiritual & Wellness destination

Being the ‘Devbhoomi’, Uttarakhand is a famous pilgrimage centre and is the site for the famous Chota Char Dham Yatra – A circuit beginning from the Yamunotri, followed by Gangotri, then Kedarnath and culminating at Badrinath. The temples are the cultural, architectural and spiritual representation of Uttarakhand. They seem to eco with chants of holy hymns. 

Health is a major factor in the lives of the people in Uttarakhand, The one-week long International Yoga festival, which is held in Rishikesh is a proof of that. The city of Rishikesh is the ‘Yoga capital of the world’. And along its eastern banks, there are various ashrams which carryout workshops on meditation and Yoga –the miraculous practice for physical, spiritual, as well as mental wellbeing.

Beautiful sites & Hill stations in Uttarakhand

One of the beautiful valleys in Uttarakhand is the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage site – the ‘Valley of Flowers’. Carpeted with vast flower species of all possible colours and adorned with all possible perfumes; this enchanting valley has the power to even call upon the gods. 

With India being situated near the equator, its summer is rather harsh, especially for the western and southern part of it. For some physical relief from the heat and mental rejuvenation, hill stations are a cooling option. Uttarakhand has various hill stations worth visiting including Auli, Mussorrie, Bedni Bugyal, Naukuchaital, etc. The small hill towns make for a great tourism destination.

Wildlife and adventure tourism

The beauty of Uttarakhand is in its mountains. The ranges of browns carpeted with emeralds and capped with whites spewing milky white rivers, along with the plunging valleys and meandering roads, whisper and call forth the adventure spirit of the tourists. Uttarakhand is thus undeniably a great place for trekking, water sports, ice sports – i.e. Adventure tourism. Auli in Uttarakhand is a skiing heaven; Tons River in Dehradun, Kosi River in Ranikhet and Jim Corbett, Kaki River in Kumaon make great River Rafting destinations. Similarly, Rishikesh is great for Bungee jumping as well as white river rafting; and Pithoragarh allows for river rafting along Kaki River and Paragliding too. 

Ranikhet in Uttarakhand has India’s second largest Golf course, which is a heaven for golf lovers. Uttarakhand hence offers for Golf tourism also.

Nature treats everyone equal and, this state of Uttarakhand is as much a home to various flora and fauna as it is to Gods and humans. Watching the Himalayan birds and capturing them – not in cages, but in your lenses is an experience which Uttarakhand can offer you. Thus, if you wish to spot the snow leopard and look the Royal Bengal Tiger in the eye, you should be able to hear the Jim Corbett National Park calling out to you.

Festivals

The Holy Ganges originates in Uttarakhand, and thus, is a call for all the devotees who believe that a dip in the Ganga will seek blessing from God. Every 12 years, Haridwar in Uttarakhand sees an influx of tens of millions of devotees for celebration of Kumbh Mela. Another important festival which is hosted by the Tourism Development Board of Uttarakhand is the Tehri Lake Festival.

The Tehri Lake Festival sees the Pahari women wearing sarees and Ghagra Kameez and men in their kurta Pajams performing traditional dances and music. There are scrumptious delicacies of Uttarakhand to feast on and Water sports to partake in along the Tehri Lake. This festival is a projection of the Crux of Uttarakhand – a mixture of art, culture, adventure and cuisine.

Delicacies

The food of Uttarakhand tends to be cooked on charcoal or burning wood, giving it a smoky flavour and more nutritional value. Dals and leafy vegetables are the main constituents of the food here and desserts tend to be made from milk and Khoa. The Cuisine of Uttarakhand is not only tasty, but also healthy. Their food reflects their need for nutritious food so as to survive the harsh conditions of living in the Himalayas.

This small north Indian State of Uttarakhand in India is a tourism place which thus offers you adventure tourism, rural tourism, spiritual tourism, wellness tourism, weekend getaways, family holidays, wildlife tourism, all rolled into one. It is a perfect congregation of spirit, nature, culture, adventure, all mixed into one bowl – a bowl which is as heavenly as the Amrit containing ‘Kumbh’ which was splashed at Haridwar. A visit to Uttarakhand is undoubtedly the one which leaves human being with a satiated soul, agile body, and a rejuvenated mind.