uttarakhand Tourism

The land where the holy Ganges, who salvage the lives of million Indians originate, the land where sages meditated for ages, the land where calmness of Himalayas beckons you to make peace with your hectic life , This is the land called Uttarakhand! There is something for everyone in Uttarakhand. Here, one can witness a multitude of exquisite and endangered wildlife, explore serene environs and captivating views, seek inner peace in ancient temples or visit picturesque hamlets to see unique rituals. Here pristine dew and sun-kissed mornings will be your regular companions, whirling splashes of hilly rivers will beckon you for river rafting and tranquil beaches of Ganga will bless you with peace. Come, wake up to the wonders of Mother Nature, day after day.Experience, why it is called Land of Gods.

Almora
The ancient town of Almora, before it's establishment was under the possession of Katyuri king Baichaldeo. He donated major part of this land to a Gujrati Brahmin Sri Chand Tiwari. Later on when Chand kingdom was founded in Baramandal, the town of Almora was founded at this centrally located place in 1560 by Kalyan Chand. In the days of the Chand Kings it was called Rajapur. The name 'Rajpur' is also mentioned over a number of ancient copper plates. The town of Almora is situated over a horse saddle shaped ridge of a mountain. The eastern portion of the ridge is known as Talifat and the western one is known as Selifat. The market is at the top of the ridge where these two, Talifat and Selifat jointly terminate.
Swami Vivekanada had this to say about Almora. "These mountains are associated with the best memories of our race : Here, therefore, must be one of centers, not merely of activity, but more of calmness of meditation, and of peace and I hope some one day to realize it." In fact he expressed a desire to have a meditation center established here and the Ramakrishna Mission at Bright End Corner is a not an active ashram but is a quiet retreat for monks.

Rishikesh
Rishikesh is one of the most popular pilgrim centres and gateway to the Himalayan Shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The Yoga Centres of Rishikesh have enhanced the significance of the place. From this point on, the great Ganges leaves behind her mountain home and enters the vast plains of Northern India. One of the many pilgrimage destinations in the Himalayas, Rishikesh is where Raibhya Rishi is believed to have done penance to please God who appeared as HRishikesh, hence the name. Millions of Hindus come here every year hoping to absolve their sins by bathing in the holy Ganga. Legends abound here of renunciation, meditation, penance and salvation. It has developed into one of the better known centres for schools of yoga and meditation. It is also well known for several Himalayan Ashrams or religious retreats and for the availability of treatment for a variety of stress-induced ailments using meditation practices and ancient herbal techniques.

Haridwar
Located in the foothills of Shivalik range, Haridwar is reputed as the gateway to the four pilgrimages in the Uttranchal region. Visit this sacred place that will purify your body, mind and the soul. Spend some time on the ghats in Haridwar that acquire a unique charm in the evening with countless diyas floating in the waters of Ganges. Down the ages Haridwar has also become a major learning center for science, arts and culture.

Nainital
The Nainital tourist district is the pride of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. While there are many other places equally beautiful, Nainital is certainly the most popular tourist destination in Kumaon. It's a pleasant hill station. For tourists looking for hustle and bustle the best time to go is the summer months when a lot of traffic ascends from Delhi and the plains. The town gets equally crowded during the September/ October season which coincides with the Diwali and Puja holidays. However, like most hill resorts, it has its quite periods too. During the winter, Nainital is quite another beautiful experience when it reverts back to the local population and the crowds are absent.
Peaceful, open, and invigorating. In Indian mythology, Nainital is regarded as one of the 64 'Shakti Peeths'. Legend has it that a grief stricken Lord Shiva was carrying Sati's body and one of her eyes fell here. The Nainital Lake is shaped like an eye and the town derived its name from the combination of Nain (eye) and Tal (lake). The Naina Devi temple is located at one end of the lake.
The place lay undisturbed till an English businessman chanced upon the location while hunting. The businessman, Mr. Barron, a sugar trader got enamoured of the place and decided to start a settlement on the side of the pristine lake. The British had occupied the area in 1815 and the first recorded reference to the township can be found in a journal entry in 1841 in 'Englishman Calcutta' which mentions a lake being discovered in the area. The English settlement soon had lovely cottages on the hillsides around the lake. Sometime later, a number of wealthy Indian families from the old town of Almora shifted to Nainital and the town flourished. Nainital was, at one time, the summer capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Ranikhet
A quaint little hill station conceived by the British tucked away in the Kumaon Himalayas. An old army cantonment from British time. Charmingly unspoilt natural beauty…. Screne and quiet. This is Ranikhet. Discovered by Lord Mayo in 1869 and developed as a cantonment for the Imperial Soldiers, Ranikhet is perched at an altitude of 1829 meters. Even today it boasts as the home of the Kumaon regiment. Here, time stands still.

Pithoragarh
which lies in the arms of the heavenly Himalayas, is the ideal choice for one who seeks beauty and adventure. This easternmost hill district of the Uttarakhand Pradesh is often referred as 'Miniature Kashmir'. The district of Pithoragarh came into being in 1960 when it was carved out of the district of Almora. It borders with China (Tibet) on the north and Nepal on the east. The northern part of the district is thinly populated and is adorned with many lofty snow covered peaks like Nanda Devi (east), Nanda Devi (west), Trishul, Nandakhat, Rajrambha, Panchchuli group and many others. Below these lofty snow bound mountains are many charming mountains are many charming alpine meadowsw and glaciers, the main being Milam glacier, Ralam glacier, Namik glacier and Sunder Dhunga glacier.

Dehradun
Nestled in the mountain ranges of the Himalaya, Dehradun is the Capital of Uttarakhand. It is one of the most beautiful resort in the submountain tracks of India, known for its scenic surroundings. The name Dehradun is a collection of two word "dera" meaning Camp and " dun" meaning valley.
Said to be one of the oldest citites in India, it is believed that lord Rama and his brother did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king. During the 17th and 18th centuries Dehradun changed hands several times: Guru Ram Rai retreated here from Punjab, the Mughal Governor Najib-ud- Daula occupied it from 1757-1770 and the Gorkhas overran it on their westward expansion before ceding it to the British in 1815. Under the British, Dehradun became an elite town with many a fine institution like Forest Research Institute, Doon and Welham Schools, Many more, like the ONGC and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Studies, were added in time. Dehradun has now become an important tourist destination.

Mussoorie
Mussoorie, located some 250 miles north of Delhi, capital of India, is among the most popular hill stations of India, and is called the Queen among the hill stations. It overlooks the sprawling Doon valley and the city of Dehradun, the gateway to Mussoorie and infact to the entire Garhwal. Mussoorie, a hill resort at a height of around 7000 ft above the sea level, straddles a ridge in the Garhwal Himalayas - a region which is developing into a major tourism destination. The holy and mighty river Ganga is visible from one end of the ridge and another famous river Jamuna from the other, a stretch of around twelve miles in all, from Cloud's end in the west to Jabarkhet in the east. Although Mussoorie, as a hill station was established only as back as in 1823, it has quite an intriguing past.
Mussoorie was never an official summer capital unlike Simla - a hill station in the state of Himachal pradesh which was the summer capital of the British Indian government and even unlike Nainital - the summer capital of the united provinces government in British India. Mussoorie always remained unofficial - for the affairs of heart. It has always been a gossipy place - with an air of informality and a tradition of romance - The Honeymoon capital of India.