Uttarakhand Tourism

Dehradun
      

        
     The biggest city in Uttarakhand and the capital of the state, Dehradun is where most tourist trips begin in Uttarakhand.  It is one of the cleanest cities in India and the people here enjoy a high standard of living.  Dehradun is famous for the many Lychee and Basmati rice farms ringing it, lending an idyllic farm air to the city's environs.  Moreover, it an educational and religious center, with many schools and temples calling the city home.
    
Nainital
    On the banks of a beautiful lank lies Nainital, a peaceful town renowned for its glorious views of the mighty Himalaya mountains.  It has many buildings from the British era, and the city is surrounded by alpine slopes reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.  It is a very popular destination for people seeking nature excursions.
    
Haridwar


        
     Considered one of the seven holiest places of Hinduism by many Hindu faithful, Haridwar attracts millions of pilgrims every year.  It is home to the Kumbha Mela, an honor it shares with the cities of Ujjain, Nasik, and Allahabad, where every three years a major festival attracting millions of people occurs.  Because of its role in the Kumbha Mela, as well as its location on the Ganga river, Haridwar is covered with many temples and ghats, or steps leading to the river.  The most famous of these is the Har-Ki-Pauri ghat, built over two thousand years ago, and at the center of the Kumbha Mela.  
    
Mussoorie
        One of most beautiful hill stations India and by far the most commonly traveled to, Mussoorie is called the Queen of Hills for a reason.  A British Captain noted the fantastic nature of the place and set up a home here, leading many other British to the area and eventually developing into a major tourist destination.  It has one of the best school's in the country, St. George's College, and it has spectacular vistas of the surrounding countryside and mountains.
  
Landour
        A hill station built during the British Raj not far from Mussoorie, Landour is unique in India for its many British and American place names, a legacy of its colonial and missionary past.  The hill station offers an amazing view of the Himalayas on a clear day, with well over 250 kilometers of Himalayan peaks visible.  Additionally, many nearby trails are available for exploration, making it a popular destination for backpackers.
    
Hrishikesh
        A major pilgrimage city, Hrishikesh is considered the best place to practice Yoga in the world, and many pilgrims visiting the city believe it is one of the best places to move closer to enlightenment.  The many temples dotting the river side are particularly popular among tourists, and hundreds of thousands also bathe in the holy waters here.  Hrishikesh is also from where most people embark on the Char Dham.
    
Char Dham Pilgrimage Sites
            One of the most important of Hindu pilgrimages, the Char Dham is a circuit linking four major pilgrimage sites high in the Himalayas.  By far the most popular is Gangotri, where the headwaters of the holy Ganga begin.
            
Gangotri
            Abode of Ganga, a Hindu goddess, Gangotri is one of the most sacred sites of Hinduism. It is the starting point for the Char Dham pilgrimage, as well as a popular trekking embarking point for the nearby mountain of Gaumukh, where the river begins at the foot of the massive Gangotri glacier.  There is also a beautiful and vast forest surrounding the town popular among tourists.
            
Yamunotri
       

            
     The source of the holy Yamuna river, the Yamunotri temple is reachable after a 6 kilometer walk.  Here, pilgrims can worship and pay their respects and also spend the night.  The hot springs on the site are unique, as rice is cooked in them which is used for sacred purposes.
            
Kedarnath
     At the end of a 14 kilometer hike lies Kedarnath, site of the temple of the same name and one of the holiest abodes of Shiva.  The trek itself is an amazing journey, and the shrine to Shiva offers a magnificent view of the surrounding Himalayas.  Nearby too are the headwaters of the Mandakini River.
            
Badrinath
     For thousands of years, pilgrims have been coming to Badrinath.  The Badrinath temple in the center of town is the most popular site, as it is where, according to Hindu mythology, Shankara found a black idol of the Lord Badrinarayan in the nearby river Alaknanda.  Many pilgrims choose to hike here from Kedarnath, and the amazing hike is the experience of a lifetime.  While traveling to Badrinath, many pass the Sikh shrine Hemkund Sahib, another popular site of pilgrimage.
    
Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi
        Among the prettiest places on Earth, the Valley of the Flowers is a breathtaking mountain vale which, true to name, is home to many wildflowers.  During June until October, many tourists make the 17 kilometer hike to see the area.  It is not uncommon to see mountain goats, deer, fox, black bear, and even the elusive snow leopard.  Nanda Devi National Park, very close to the Valley of Flowers, is home to the massive mountain Nanda Devi, 23rd highest in the world and revered as an abode of a goddess by many.  Together, the two sites composed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    
Jim Corbett National Park
        The first National Park of India, this national park was demarcated to protect the endangered Bengal tiger and elephant populations of the area.  The large populations of buffalo, elephants, tigers and the many bird species in the park such as eagles and parakeet make the dense jungle of the park an environmental splendor and a gem to behold.

History and Culture
    Uttarakhand's earliest history began with the migration of austro-asiatic peoples to the area, who were later joined with Aryan peoples moving into the area.  It was mentioned in the Mahabharata, and has long been a center of Hindu culture and religion.
    Variously ruled by the Mauryans, Guptas and many other Hindu kingdoms such as the Chand Rajas, Uttarakhand came under the rule of Muslim rulers during the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals.  After the collapse of Muslim power in northern India, the Nepalese Gurkha Empire took over the region, ruling it until British conflicts with the Nepalese culminating in the Anglo-Nepalese war expelled the Gurkhas and led to British rule of the area.
    The British established many hill stations in the area and it was frequented by many of them trying to escape the sweltering heat of the Gangetic plain.  During the struggle for Independence, Uttarakhand was relatively quiet, although the general unrest of India was certainly expressed in the state.
    After Independence, Uttarakhand was part of the larger state Uttar Pradesh, earning its own independence after years of petitioning for an independent state for a separate state for the Pahari language spoken there.
    Most people in Uttarakhand speak either Kumaoni or Garhwali, local languages derived from Hindi.  Many, many tribal tongues are spoken in the secluded valleys of Uttarakhand, although Hindi and English are widely understood in cities.
    Religiously, Uttarakhand has some of the holiest sites in Hinduism and the vast majority of the state follows the Hindu faith.  Islam and Sikhism also have large presences in the state, and Christians, Jains and Buddhists are also to be found.
    Uttarakhand has a magnificent geography, with the Himalayas dominating the state.  The Nanda Devi, one of the highest mountains in the world, and the nearby Valley of Flowers are renowned worldwide for the splendor and have been desginated UNESCO World Heritage sites.  The Ganges and Yamuna rivers, two of the largest rivers in the country, begin here, and many forests and wildlife provide for excellent nature outings.
    Tourism in the state is a fast-growing industry, as the many pilgrimage sites in the state, as well as the gorgeous hill stations and national parks, attract millions each year.  It's not for nothing that Uttarakhand is known as "land of the Gods!"