Uttarakhand Uttaranchal – World Travel

Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:01:20 +0000

For a small state, Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) packs in an incredible amount. You can be taking yoga classes at an ashram in Rishikesh and white-water rafting down the Ganges one day, trekking in the shadow of the Himalayas the next. Walk with pilgrims to ancient temples near the source of Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, or take puja (offering or prayers) with thousands of devotees on the ghats at Haridwar. Put your feet up and relax in Raj-era hill stations, or ride an elephant and take your camera on a hunt for tigers at Corbett or Rajaji National Parks. If you get your timing right, it’s all possible in Uttarakhand.

This is a region where nature takes control – rolling forest-clad hills, snow-topped 6000m peaks, rivers, waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. The state is 90% hills and 80% forest. The sacred Ganges River, which rises at Gaumukh Glacier in the far north, winds its way down to the plains via the significant pilgrimage centres of Gangotri, Rishikesh and Haridwar.

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Rishikesh Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:01:26 +0000

Ever since the Beatles rocked up at the ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late ’60s, Rishikesh has been a magnet for spiritual seekers. Today it styles itself as the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’ – with some justification – as there are masses of ashrams and all kinds of yoga and meditation classes. Most of this action is north of the main town, where the exquisite setting on the fast-flowing Ganges, surrounded by forested hills, is conducive to meditation and mind expansion. In the evening, the breeze blows down the valley, setting temple bells ringing as sadhus (spiritual men), pilgrims and tourists prepare for the nightly ganga aarti ceremony.

Rishikesh is very New Age: you can learn to play the sitar or tabla on your hotel roof; try laughing yoga; practise humming or gong meditation; experience crystal healing and all styles of massage; have a go at chanting mantras; and listen to spiritually uplifting CDs as you sip Ayurvedic tea with your vegetarian meal.

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Ranikhet Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:01:31 +0000

Ranikhet, home to the Kumaon Regiment and bristling with good old-fashioned military atmosphere, spreads over rolling green hills with some lovely views over the distant Himalaya. The focus of the town is a busy bazaar area, but you don’t have to walk far along the winding Mall Rd to be immersed in forest and tall English trees. Apart from a military museum, some peaceful walks and views of snowcapped peaks, there’s not much to do in Ranikhet – it’s much more of a retreat than some other hill stations, and in the off-season accommodation is excellent value.

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Rajaji National Park Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:01:38 +0000

This unspoilt park (Indian/foreigner up to 3 days Rs 40/350, camera free/Rs 50, video 2500/5000; 15 Nov-15 Jun), covering 820 sq km in the forested foothills near Haridwar, is best known for its wild elephants, numbering around 450 to 500 at last count.

As well as elephants the park contains some 38 tigers and 250 leopards although they are not as easily seen as these numbers suggest. They have thousands of chital (spotted deer) and hundred of sambars (India’s largest species of deer) to feed on. A handful of rarely seen sloth bears are hidden away. Over 300 species of birds also add interest.

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Nainital Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:01:34 +0000

Kumaon’s largest town and favourite hill resort, Nainital gets crowded with holidaying families and honeymooners during peak seasons. Occupying a steep forested valley around the deep, green volcanic lake Naini, it’s an attractive, upbeat place founded by homesick Brits reminded of the Cumbrian Lake District. Disaster struck here in December 1880 when a major landslide buried a hotel and 150 people, creating the memorial recreation ground now known as the Flats.

Plenty of hotels are set in the forested hills around the lake, there’s a busy bazaar and a spider web of walking tracks covers the forested hillsides to viewpoints overlooking the distant Himalayan peaks. For travellers it’s a good place to kick back and relax, eat well, go horse riding or paddling on the lake, but avoid peak seasons – roughly May to mid-July and October – when Nainital is packed and hotel prices double.

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Mussoorie Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:01:41 +0000

Perched on a ridge 2km high, the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ spends much of the year swathed in clouds. When the mist clears, views of the green Doon Valley and the distant white-capped Himalayan peaks are superb, and in the hot months the cooler temperatures and fresh mountain air make a welcome break from the plains below. It certainly gets cold up here in winter, with snowfall common in January. Although Mussoorie’s main bazaars can at first seem like a tacky holiday camp for families and honeymooners, there are plenty of walks in the area, interesting Raj-era buildings, and an upbeat atmosphere.

Established by the British in 1823, Mussoorie became hugely popular with the Raj set. The ghosts of that era linger on in the architecture of the churches, libraries, hotels and summer palaces. The town is swamped with visitors between May and July, but at other times many of the 300 hotels have vacancies and their prices drop dramatically.

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Kausani Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:01:08 +0000

Perched high on a forest-covered ridge, this tiny village has lovely panoramic views of distant snow-capped peaks, fresh air, a cool climate and as relaxed an atmosphere as you’ll find in northern India. Mahatma Gandhi found Kausani an inspirational place to retreat and write his Bhagavad Gita translation Anasakti Yoga and there is still an ashram devoted to him here.

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Joshimath Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 08:01:23 +0000

Reached by a hair-raising mountain road from Rishikesh that hugs steep-sided valleys for the final few hours, Joshimath is a ramshackle two-street town that serves as the gateway to Auli ski resort, Badrinath Temple, and treks to the Valley of Flowers, Hem Kund and Kuari Pass. As such it’s a major destination for Hindu and Sikh pilgrims as well as trekkers.

The town itself is a rather ugly administrative centre full of rusting rooftops, erratic power supply and limited places to eat, but it’s a good base to organise some of Uttarakhand’s best treks. Auli – with spectacular views of Nanda Devi – stands directly above Joshimath and can be reached by a 4km cable car.

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Haridwar Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:01:47 +0000

Propitiously located at the point where the Ganges emerges from the Himalaya, Haridwar (also called Hardwar) is Uttarakhand’s holiest Hindu city and pilgrims arrive here in droves to bathe in the often fast-flowing Ganges. The sheer numbers of people gathering around Har-ki-Pairi Ghat give Haridwar a chaotic but reverent feel – as in Varanasi, it’s easy to get caught up in the spiritual clamour here. Within the religious architecture of India, Haridwar is much more significant than Rishikesh, an hour further north, and every evening the river comes alive with flickering flames as floating offerings are released onto the Ganges.

Dotted around the city are impressive temples, both ancient and modern, dharamsalas (pilgrims’ rest houses) and ashrams, some of which are the size of small villages. Famous for its Ayurvedic medicines, the city is relatively hassle-free and is also the gateway to nearby Rajaji National Park.

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Dehra Dun Uttarakhand Uttaranchal India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:01:34 +0000

Blessed with a moderate climate, the capital of Uttarakhand is best known for the institutions the British left behind – the huge Forest Research Institute Museum, the Indian Military Academy, the Wildlife Institute of India and the Survey of India.

What was once a green and pleasant town of rice and tea gardens has morphed into a hectic, congested city, and considering Rishikesh and Mussoorie are both only an hour away, most travellers merely pass through. But Dehra Dun is worth a stop for its lively Paltan bazaar, vibrant Tibetan community and energetic vibe.

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