Budget hotels in Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal


Population: ??? million
Capital: Dehra Dun
Area ????
Best Time to Visit: March & April, September to November.
Main Language: Hindi
Literacy Rate: 42%

Uttarakhand (“Land of the North”) used to be the northern section of Uttar Pradesh. It is mainly mountains and hills of the Hmalayas. The western area is known as Garhwal and the eastern area is known as Kumaon.

There are some popular hill stations here, including Mussoorie, Nainital and Almora. Two important holy places are Haridwar and Rishikesh. The Ganges River meets the plains at these places. There are also several important pilgrimage sites, such as Badrinath and Kedarnath. Also the two most holy rivers in India, the Ganges and the Yamuna start here.

Uttaranchal has some of the most visited tourist sites in India. peaceful hill stations of Mussoorie and Nainital, which are good places to relax. Corbett Tiger Reserve is one of the most popular wildlife parks in India.

In Uttaranchal are the important pilgrimage cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh. Further up into the mountains are the source of the Yamuna at Yamunotri and the source of the Ganges at Gangotri. Near these two places are Badrinath where there is an important Vishnu temple, and Kedarnath, where there is an important Siva temple.

Information
Two government tourist organizations give information on the area and help organize tours—Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigar (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN). They have offices in the tourist towns in the area. They also both manage a chain of government hotels, which are often the best hotels to stay at in the area. GMVN’s main office is in Dehra Dun and their trekking office is in Rishikesh. GMVN’s hotels can be reserved at these offices. GMVN offers package tours to the Char Dham pilgrimage places during the summer and fall seasons. These tours depart from Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh.

Rajaji National Park
This 825 sq km park (http://www.rajajinationalpark.comi) located 13km east of Haridwar. In the park are elephants, tigers (rarely seen), leopards (rarely seen), chitals, sloth bears, wild boars, sambar, pythons, monkeys, porcupines and various species of birds. The park is open from mid-November to mid-June. It has eight entry gates.

To enter is Rs 400 for three days and Rs 120 per day after that; camera Rs 50, video Rs 5000.Tje rate for Indians to enter the park is Rs 35. The park can only be entered during the daylight hours. The best time to view wildlife is either in the early morning or late afternoon.

From Chilla, 13km east of Haridwar, you can get an elephant ride for Rs 200 per elephant (up to four people). Jeeps can be rented in Chilla. You pay the entry fee and book elephant rides at the Forest Ranger’s office near the Tourist Bungalow in Chilla. There is a lookout one km from the entry gate where wildlife can be viewed.

Practicalities
The GMVN Tourist Rest House (01382 266697) in Chilla has rooms for Rs 700 and Rs 1200 for an air-cooled room. Dorm beds are Rs1005. It may be possible to camp here.

There are Forest Rest Houses in the park. They are booked at the Chief Forest Office, Tilak Rd, Dehra Dun or by writing Rajaji National Park (0135 262-1669), 5/1 Ansari Marg, Dehra Dun.

Buses go to Chilla from the GMOU bus stand near the Rahi Motel in Haridwar in the morning. They return in the afternoon. It may be possible to get a shared taxi from Chandi Ghat, opposite Har-ki-Pairi to Chilla. It costs around Rs 350 by taxi to get to Chilla from Haridwar (Rs 450 return).

Himalayan Rivers
There are seven holy rivers in the Himalayas (called Sapta Samudrik Tirtha): the Alakananda (Vishnu Ganga), Dhauli Ganga, Nandakini, Bhagirathi, Pindar Ganga, Mandakini (Pindar), and Nayar. They are said to have all come down on Lord Siva’s head, but they fall in different places. The Yamuna River begins near Yamunotri.

There are five confluences (prayags) of the Ganges on the way to Badrinath. A confluence is when two rivers meet. This is considered to be an especially auspicious place. The main branch of the Ganges is the Bhagirathi, which originates at Gaumukh, 18km east of Gangotri. The five confluences are located on the route between Rishikesh and Badrinath and many pilgrims bathe at all five sangams (confluences) before having darshan at Badrinath. To visit all five places would be difficult without your own transport.

Deva Prayag (Deoprayag) (610m) is the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alakananda. It is 90km from Rishikesh. At this point the river takes the name Ganges. It is the second most important confluence in India, next to Prayag (Allahabad), where the Yamuna, Ganges, and Saraswati meet.

In Treta-yuga, Lord Rama and Laksman performed a yajna (sacrifice) here to atone for killing Ravana, who was a Brahmin. There is an ancient Raghunath Temple here with a 4.5m (15 ft) tall deity of Sri Rama (Raghunath). It was installed about 1,250 years ago and is one of the 108 most important Vishnu temples in India (Divya Desams). In front of the temple is Garuda and to the left is Annapurna. Behind the temple and slightly up a hill is Vamana’s cave. Nearby is Lord Rama’s stone throne. There is a Tourist Bungalow here, which is a pleasant place to stay.

Rudra Prayag (618m) is where the Mandakini from Sri Kedarnath meets the Alakananda. There is a large temple of Rudranath here. Nearby is a place where Narada Muni is said to have performed austerities. At this point the river is very forceful and moves quickly. Rudra Prayag is 70km north of Deoprayag. The Alakananda has flowed 159km from Badrinath to reach here. There is a Tourist Bungalow here.

Karna Prayag (788m) is where the Alakananda meets the Pindar Ganga (from the Pindar Glacier). Karna, the half-brother of the Pandavas from the Mahabharata, is said to have performed austerities here to please Surya Deva and Rudra. Karna Prayag is 34km from Rudra­prayag.

Nanda Prayag (914m) is a small confluence of the Nandakini and Alakananda. Ravana is said to have done austerities here, and Nanda Maharaja (Krishna’s father) is said to have performed a great sacrifice here. Dushyantha married Sakunthala here, and Kanva Rishi had his ashram at this place. There is a Gopalji temple here.

Nanda Prayag is 21km from Karna Prayag.
Vishnu Prayag (1,372m) is where the Dauli Ganga (from Niti Valley) meets the Alakananda river (from Badrinath). One road here, via the Niti Pass, leads to Mount Kailash in Tibet, Lord Siva’s abode. Vishnu Prayag is 10km past

Joshimath on the way to Badrinath.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam (5.17.9) it is said: “The branch of the Ganges known as Alakananda flows and falls down with fierce force upon the peaks of the Himalayan mountains. Then the Ganges flows into the ocean of salt water (Bay of Bengal). Persons who come and bathe in this river are fortunate.”

Uttarkashi
Phone Code: 01374

Uttarkashi mean the Kashi (Varanasi) of the Uttar (north) or the “Varanasi of the north.” Uttarkashi is located 100km from Gangotri. The main temples here are the Viswanath Siva Temple (1857) and the Annapurna Temples, like in Varanasi. There is also a Parasuram temple here.

There is a helpful Tourist Office (222271on the main road.

You can get a taxi from here to Gangotri for around Rs 1500. If you want to trek in the area you can hire guides for Rs 200 to 400 a day and a porter is Rs 200 a day. Mount Support, Nautial Bhawan, Bhatwari Rd, about a 10 minute walk from the bus stand, rents equipment and can help arrange treks.

Mount Support can change money, but does so at a poor rate.

Where to Stay
Uttarkashi has many hotels. Most of the places are totally booked by early in the day.

Ceeway Resort, a five-minute walk from the main bazaar, is a recommended place with nice double rooms for Rs 275.
Akash Ganga is a better place with rooms for Rs 600 and Rs 750 with A/C.
Hotel Kashmeri has basic rooms for Rs 85/170.
Hotel Shekar has good rooms for Rs 550.
Hotel Bhandari (2203) has rooms for Rs 300/400 and A/C rooms for Rs 150/600. A double during the off-season is Rs 100. It has one of the better restaurants in town.
GMVN’s Nigam Guest House (222271) has rooms for Rs 450 up to Rs 700 for an A/C room. Dorm beds are Rs 130.
Hotel Shivom (2525) has good rooms for Rs 900.
Birla Dharamshala, a 10-minute walk from the bus stand, has very basic free accommodation, and for Rs 70 you can get a furnished room.
Monal, 3km north on the road to Gangotri, has comfortable rooms for Rs 350.

Between Uttarkashi and Gangotri
Gangnani, 50km north of Uttarkashi, is a beautiful, scenic place. Nearby is Rishikund, which has nice hot sulfur springs. There is a basic GMVN Tourist Bungalow there.

There is a nice Tourist Bungalow well situated next to the river in Harsil, 30km before Gangotri.
The Gaurikund Waterfall is good.

Kedar Tal
Kedar Tal is the source of the Kedar Ganga River. It is a 17km trek from Gangotri, but the fact that you have to climb 600m (2,000 ft) makes it a hard trek, which you should be acclimatized to.
You start at Dev Ghat in Gangotri and then follow the Kedar Ganga up for about 8km until you come to Bhoj Kharak. You then go another 4km to a Kedar Kharak and then proceed another 5km to Kedar Tal. When you reach Kedar Tal, there are several huge mountains including the Bhrigupanth (6770m) and Thalesagar (6900m).

Srinagar
Many people stay here overnight while going from Gangotri to Kedarnath. It is an active town with a number of hotels.

The best place is the Nigam Tourist Bungalow, which has rooms for Rs 200 up to Rs 400. It should be booked in advance.

On the main road are the Hotel Alpine, with rooms for Rs 400, the Hotel Menka, with rooms for Rs 375, and the Hotel New Rajhans, with rooms for Rs 350. By the evening most of these places will be booked.

Hotel Uttarakhand, down a side-road, is a decent place that has rooms with common bath for Rs 275 and with attached bath for Rs 400. If all the hotels on the main road are full, this place will probably still have a room available.

Guptakashi
The Pandavas went to Kashi (Varanasi) to get Lord Siva’s blessings, but Lord Siva fled here to Guptakashi and lived incognito. Eventually the Pandavas found him here, and Lord Siva then turned himself into a bull to hide from them. Because Lord Siva disappeared from the Pandavas here, the place was given the name Guptakashi (Gupta means “hidden”).

Guptakashi has two main temples dedicated to Ardhanareeswara (Gauri-shankar) and Viswanath. In front of the Viswanath Temple is a small kund called Manikarnika. Water coming from a Ganesh head and from a cow’s head flow into the kund. Water from one is called the Ganges, and water from the other is called the Yamuna. It is believed that the water comes from Gangotri and Yamunotri. Guptakashi is 45km south of Kedarnath.

If you arrive here after dark there is a good chance you will have to stop here, as the road is closed for the night at this point. There are a few basic lodges and a GMVN Tourist Lodge. The Mandakini Lodge has decent doubles for Rs 300. The Rajhans Tourist Lodge has decent rooms for Rs 250. The Nigam Tourist Guest House has rooms for Rs 300 to Rs 350 and dorm beds for Rs 75. There is also a rest house here run by the Badari-Kedar temple committee.

The town of Agastmuni, 25km before Guptakashi, is where Agastya Muni is said to have meditated. There is an Agastya temple there.

Triyugi Narayana
Triyugi Narayana is located on the mountain road between Gangotri and Kedarnath. Triyugi Narayana is about 5km off the main road and can be reached from Sitapur or Sonprayag. It is said that the marriage of Lord Siva and Parvati took place here at Brahma Shila during Satya-yuga. Brahma was the priest who conducted the marriage, and Lord Narayana offered his sister, Parvati, to Lord Siva. It is said that the marriage havan (fire) kund has been kept burning for 3 yugas. Pilgrims offer pieces of wood in the havan kund and take the ashes as prasada.

It is said that the present Akhand Dhuni Temple was built by Adi Sankaracharya about 1,200 years ago. In this temple there is a two-third metre (2 ft) silver deity of Lord Narayana (Vishnu) with Lakshmi and Saraswati on either side. There is a stone outside the temple that marks the spot where the marriage was performed. There are also four holy kunds here called Vishnu Kund, Rudra Kund, Brahma Kund, and Saraswati Kund.

Panch (Five) Kedars
Parts of Lord Siva’s body appeared at five places in the Kedarnath area. It is said that the Pandavas built temples at each of these places—Kedarnath, Madhyamaheswar, Rudranath, Tung­nath, and Kalpeswara. They are at altitudes from 1,500 to 3,680m. It takes about 14 days to go to all five places. They can all be reached by a long circular trek. For the most part you have to walk from temple to temple. A bus leaves Gauri­kund, near Kedarnath, every morning at 5 am and stops at access points for the Panch Kedar temples. A local bus goes between Gopeswar and Gupta­kashi.

You could start at Kedarnath. From there you return to Guptakashi and then go to Ukhimath and continue on to Mansuna village. From Mansuna village it is a 24km trek to Madhyamaheswar (3,497m), which is 30km from Gupta­kashi. You can stop at Ransi overnight, and then you go to Gondhar (3km) and climb 10km to Madhyamaheswar. The temple here is a small stone temple dedicated to the middle (madhya) part of the bull-Siva.

Tungnath (3,680m or 2,065 ft) is the highest (in altitude) temple in India. It is surrounded by striking mountains such as Neelkanth, Kedarnath, and Nanda Devi. The Siva temple here is on a stone paved platform overlooking a cliff.

Tungnath represents the arm of Lord Siva. There are five silver faces of the Pandavas along with deities of Vyasadeva and Kalabhairava in the temple. There is also a small Parvati temple here. You get here by trekking from Chopta (7km, 4 hr), which is 37km from Ukhimath. At Chopta there is a GMVN Tourist Bungalow that has rooms with attached baths.

To get the Kalpeswara Temple (2,100m), you first travel by bus to the village of Helang, 14km south of Joshimath. From Helang you walk 9km to the village of Urgam, which has basic accommodation and food. From there it is a 1.5km walk to Kalpeswara Temple, which is dedicated to the jata (hair) of Lord Siva. It is a rock temple that is entered through a cave.

Next you go to Gopeswar by road and then to Sagar. From there it is a 24km trek to Rudranath, dedicated to the mouth of Lord Siva. The Rudraganga flows by this temple. There are good views of the Trisul, Nandadevi and Parbat peaks, and down below there are small lakes. To get to Rudranath you can also walk from Kalpeswara.

Auli
Phone Code 01389
Located here is a Skiing Resort, which is run by GMVN. It is the best-equipped ski resort in the country. Auli is 15km from Joshimath. It is open from January to March. Skis and boots are hired out for Rs 300 per day. There are five km of slopes. There is a cable car that goes between Joshimath and Gorson (near Auli) for Rs 300 return.

GMVN has a Tourist Rest House at Auli (013712 223208) and at Joshimath (01389 222226). The GMVN offers skiing packages, which includes a place to stay, meals, equipment and lessons for Rs 1800 for seven days and Rs 3000 for 14 days. You can book in advance at the General Manager, GMVN, 74/1 Rajpur Rd, Dehra Dun, UP ((0135) 274-6817; fax 24408). You can contact the GMVN office in Rishikesh for information.

Between Joshimath & Badrinath
The drive takes between 2½ to 3 hours to go about 44km. xe "Vishnuprayag" Vishnuprayag, 10km past Joshimath, is where the Alakananda and Dhauli Ganga rivers join together. Ten km further is Govind Ghat, which is where the treks to the Valley of Flowers and Sri Hemkund Sahib begin.

Pandukeswar is 4km further up the road. This town is the site of the Yogadhyan Badri Temple, one of the five Badri temples. The utsava-murti of Badri Vishal is brought here from Badrinath during the six winter months, from November to May.
Hanuman Chatti is 9km further up the road. It is said that Bhimasena and Hanuman tested each others’ strength in the Gandhamadhana Hills and realized that they were both sons of Vayu and therefore brothers.

Hanuman Chatti
There is a story of how this town got this name. Bhima was traveling on the road here, when he came upon an old monkey lying in his way. Bhima requested the monkey to move his tail, which was blocking his path. The monkey replied that he was very old and had no strength to personally move his tail, but welcomed Bhima to try to move it. After repeated attempts to move the tail, the powerful Bhima became humbled and gave up. The monkey then revealed himself as Hanuman.

There are two Hanuman Chattis, this one and another one by Yamunotri. This Hanuman Chatti is 27km from Badrinath and 9km from Pandukeswar.

Valley of Flowers & Hemkund
The beautiful xe "Valley of Flowers"Valley of Flowers National Park (3,000m to 3,500m), 5km from Ghangaria, has a large variety of flowers during and after the rainy season, between mid-June and mid-September. Other times of the year there are usually very few flowers. The valley is about 10km long and 2km wide. No camping is allowed, because too many tourists wreck all the flowers, so you have to make a day trip from Ghangaria (3,050m). To enter the national park you have to get a permit at the police post at Govindghat for a small fee.

From Ghangaria, if you follow the Laxman Ganga River, you reach Lake Hemkund (4,340m). In the Granth Sahib, the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh writes that in his previous life he meditated on the shore of a lake, that was surrounded by seven snow-capped mountains. The bank of Hemkund Lake is accepted as this place.

There is a large gurudwara (Sikh temple) and a small Laksman (Lord Rama’s younger brother) temple at Lake Hemkund. Laksman is said to have meditated by the lake and regained his health here after Meghnath, the son of Ravana, seriously wounded him. You cannot stay here overnight, but have to stay at Ghangaria.

To reach either the Valley of Flowers or Hemkund, you start from Govind Ghat (1,800m), which is about 25km south of Badrinath on the road to Joshimath (20km away). There is a large Sikh Gurudwara where you can stay for a donation.

You then walk 15km (a hard climb) from Govind Ghat to the village of Ghangaria, where there are basic lodges, gurudwaras, and a GMVN Tourist Bungalow with a dormi beds for Rs 170 and rooms for Rs 800. From there it is a four km walk to the Valley of Flowers. To get to Hemkund you leave the main path to the Valley of Flowers and take a path 4km to the right.

Jageshwar
In Jageshwar (1875m), there are over one hundred 7th century stone temples and a small museum. Located here is an important Siva temple dedicated to one of the 12 Jyotilingas. This peaceful town has houses built in the traditional style with carved doors and colorfully painted windows. From here you can take a trail for 12km to the Bineswar Temple in Binsar.

The KMVN Tourist Bungalow has rooms for Rs 350. It has a restaurant. You can stay in rooms in private homes here. The Rajmahal, opposite the Siva temple, is a fairly good place to eat.

From Artola, 3km away on the main road, buses depart to places in the Kumaon area. Two buses daily go to Haldwani via Almora, which is where the closest railway station is located.

Binsar
This town, 35km north of Almora, is also known as Jhandi Dhar. Located here is the stone Bineswar Temple dedicated to Lord Siva. From Binsar there is a great view of the northern Himalayas, which include Kedarnath, Trishul, Nandagunti, Nanda Devi, Nandakot and Panchuli. There are nice walks here.

There is a run-down KMVN Tourist Bungalow here with rooms for Rs 350. The Forest Rest House is good, but it has to be booked in advance at the forest department in Almora. A taxi to here from Almora is around Rs 250.

Bageshwar
Population: 7800
Phone Code 05963

There are a group of ancient temples here. The main temple is the Bagnath Temple dedicated to Lord Siva. On many of the temples there are bronze bells left as offerings by devotees. It is said that Siva came to this place. Some long treks are begun from Bageshwar.

The KMVN Tourist Bungalow, 2km from the temple, has rooms for Rs 350.

There are buses to Almora (90km) and Nainital (155km south).

Kausani
Phone Code: 05969
Elevation: 1890m

Located 50km northwest of Almora at 1890m, xe "Kausani" Kausani is a peaceful place with a great view of the Himalayas. It is a nice 14km walk (20km by road) to the beautiful 12th century temples in Baijnath. To walk to these temples you follow a path through the forest.

Where to Stay
Anasakti Ashram (Gandhi Ashram) has rooms for a donation. It has a good library.
Hotel Prashant (45037), Ashram Rd, is a popular place that has single rooms for Rs 85 and doubles for Rs 200 to Rs 500. 50% discount in the off-season.
Uttarakhand Tourist Lodge (245012), at the top of the stairs near the bus stand, has rooms on the ground floor for Rs 550 and on the upper floor for Rs 10000. Rooms have a view and there are discounts in the off-season.
KMVN Tourist Rest House (245006), a few km away from the village, has rooms with hot water and a balcony with good views for Rs 350 to 1100 and dorm beds for Rs 75. It is a good value and there are discounts in the off-season.
Amar Holiday Home (84115), Ashram Rd, a ten-minute walk from the bus stand, has rooms with bath for Rs 250 to Rs 600. It has a nice garden with good views. Bucket hot water. Discounts in the off-season.
Krishna Mount View (245008) has rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 1100 to Rs 2000. Rooms have good views. Good discounts in the off-season.

Where to Eat
Sunrise Restaurant has good, cheap food.
Hill Queen Restaurant, near the TV tower, is a popular place.
Vaibhav Restaurant, at the Krishna Mount View Hotel, serves Gujarati and Mughlai food. A main dish is around Rs 75.
Uttarakhand Tourist Lodge has a good restaurant with Indian and Continental food.

Travel
There are buses almost every hour to Almora (2½ hr) between 8 am and 4 pm, which then go to Nainital (6 hr). There are buses to Ranikhet (4 hr). To get to Baijnath (30 minutes, 20km) you take the bus going to Bageshwar (1½ hr). There is a bus to Karnaprayag at 7 am.

To get to Baijnath by taxi cost Rs 250 one way or Rs 400 roundtrip.

Banbassa
Population: 7150
Banbassa is the nearest Indian town to the Nepali border town of Mahendrenagar. Foreigner can cross the border here. From Almora (7 hr) there is a daily bus to Banbassa at 7 am. There are daily buses to Delhi (12 hr).

From Banbassa it is a 20 minutes rickshaw ride to the border at Mahendrenagar. There are direct buses from there to Kathmandu (26 hr) and Nepalganj (9 hr). From Nepalganj you can get a bus to Kathmandu (16 hr) and Pokhara (15 hr).

Pithoragarh
Pop: 43,000
Phone Code: 05964
Elevation 1810m

At 1650m, Pithoragarh is a pleasant place, with good places to take walks. The walk to Chandak (7km) has good views. The UP Tourist Office (22527), at Siltham, is useful for trekking information. Pithoragarh has a good market where trekking supplies can be purchased.

There are several hotels here.
KMVN Tourist Lodge (225434), 1½ km from the bazaar, has rooms for Rs 500 and dorm beds for Rs 70.
Ulka Priyadarshani (22596), near the Siltham bus stand, is a fairly good budget place.
Raja (22224), Takana Rd, near the KMOU bus stand, has a selection of rooms.
Utranchal Deep (22654), above the Roadways bus stand, has budget and mid-range rooms.
Meghnath, in Simalgair Bazaar, is a popular place with snack (masala dosas) and sweets.

There are buses to Almora (6 hr, 2 daily), Tanakpur (165km south, the closest railway station), Nainital (8 hr, 190km southwest, 1 daily), Haldwani and Delhi.

Munsiari
Munsiari, 155km north of Pithorgarh, is a boring village that may be used as a base for treks in the area. It overlooks the five Panchuli peaks, which get their name from panch (five), chuli (pot), because they are said to have been used as cooking pots for the last meal of the five Pandava brothers, before going to heaven. Munsiari is where treks to the Milam and Pindari Valleys begin. Nanda Devi Trekking is run by an experienced man.

There is a KMVN Tourist Bungalow here. There are buses to Pithorgarh for Nainital and Thal for Almora.

Rupa (Roopa) Kund
Rupa Kund is a mountain lake at 4778m, located a few days walk from Gwaldam. Every 12 years the Raj Jat Yatra, is a pilgrimage that comes here led by a four-horned ram. There are a few hundred skeletons in the lake said to be around 600 years old. No one really knows for sure how they got there. To get here you need a guide.

Almora
Pop: 33,000
Phone Code 05962
Elevation: 1650m
Postcode: 263601

This beautiful hill station is at 1650m. Almora is known as the town of temples because it has several ancient and modern Hindu temples. In the background are the Himalayas, which is why most travelers come here. It has cobbled streets and stone and wood buildings. In a good part of the center of town only pedestrians are allowed.

Information
The UP Tourist Office (230180) is next to the Savoy Hotel (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

KMVN, in the Holiday Home, can book KMVN accommodations in the Kumaon area.

The State Bank of India may change money. They prefer American Express travelers cheques.

Internet at Communication Cyber Cafe, near the tourist officem for RS 45 per hour

Trekking In Area
Treks in the area can be arranged with Discover Himalaya (236890), on The Mall opposite the GPO; Ridge & Trek (222492), on main road and High Adventure (232277), next door. They hire out equipment and arrange guides. The usually charge is between Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 per day that includes guides, forters and food.

What to See and Do
There are really good places to take walks, along with good views of the mountains and a nice bazaar. The 8km walk to Kasara Devi (Durga) Temple on Kalmatiya Hill is good. There are good views from the hill.

There is a small museum and the Himalaya Woollen Mill can be visited. Bright End Corner is a good viewpoint located 3km southwest along The Mall.

Near the top of the town is a group of old stone temples. The main temple is dedicated to Nanda Devi, who is the goddess of the area’s highest mountain. There is a big festival here in honor of Nanda Devi in the month of Aug/Sept.

At Deer Park, a nice 3km walk northeast of The Mall, there are deer, leopards and Himalaya black bears.

Where to Stay—Bazaar Area
Tourist Cottage has really basic rooms for Rs 100.
Hotel Pawan has rooms with bath for Rs 125/225. It has a billiards table.
Hotel Shikar (230253), near the bus stand, has rooms ranging from Rs 200 with common bath to Rs 900 for a room with bath and hot water. It has a good restaurant. It is the best hotel in the area and has great views. Recommended.

Where to Stay—Other Areas
The hotels outside the bazaar are more peaceful. It is also possible to stay in rooms in local people’s houses.
Tranquillity Retreat, run for almost 20 years by a French woman, is a good peaceful place to stay with great views of the mountains. Rooms are Rs 90 per night. The food is excellent. To get here you walk on the road to Kasara Devi for about 10 minutes. You then turn down the path where the sign for the place is located and then walk for a while going over the ridge.
The Savoy Hotel (230329), Upper Mall Rd, has good-size rooms with bath for Rs 550 to Rs 900. It is a quiet place with a garden and verandah. There is a 30% discount in the off-season. The upstairs rooms are usually nicer.
Deodar Holiday Inn (23295), The Mall, has a nice garden and rooms for Rs 450.
Kailash Hotel (30624), opposite the post office, has rooms for Rs 250 and dorm beds for Rs 60. It is friendly, and is a popular place with travelers. Recommended.
KMVN Holiday Home (30250), The Mall, has mid-range rooms, cottages for Rs 350 and dorm beds for Rs 70. It has a garden and good views.
Hotel Konark (231217), The Mall, near the bus stand, has clean single rooms for Rs 300 and double rooms with bath with hot water for Rs 500 to Rs 700. Bucket hot water. It is a well-managed place.
Renuka Hotel (22860), opposite the post office, has comfortable rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 400 to Rs 550 and dorm beds are Rs 80. There is a 25% discount in the off-season.

Where to Eat
Glory Restaurant, The Mall, is a very good vegetarian place with Indian and Continental food. It is across from the Madras Cafe.
Madras Café, The Mall, opposite the Glory, has good reasonably priced vegetarian North Indian food and dosas
Mount View Restaurant, in the Hotel Shikhar, has nice views and good food.
Swagar Restaurant, next to the Hotel Shikar, has good veg food.
Soni Dhaba, at The Mall bus stand, is a good place.

Travel
There are buses to Nainital (3 hr, 5 daily), Ranikhet (2½ hr), Kausani (2 hr), Kathgodam (4 hr, 2 daily), Pithorgarh (8 hr), Delhi (13 hr), Banbassa (7 hr) at the border of Nepal, and Song (5 hr) for Pindari Glacier. There are several buses to Haldwani (4 hr) which is a major bus hub.

Lion Tours 9230860), the Mall does deluxe buses to various place in the area including Delhi and Nainital.

Katarmal
At Katarmal, 17km from Almora, there is a 13th century Sun Temple, which has good sculptures.

Badrinath (Badarik-ashram)
Pop: 3500
Elevation: 3100m (10,244 ft)
Phone Code 01381

Badrinath is the abode of the Nara-Narayana sages and is a great place of pilgrimage. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, even five thousand years ago this holy place was being visited by such holy persons as Uddhava, and even at that time the place was known to be very old. It is one of the eight self-manifested holy tirthas in India (Svayam Vyak­ta Kshetras).

There are four dhamas, or kingdoms of God, which represent the planets of the spiritual sky, consisting of the brahmajyoti and the Vaikunthas. These are Badrinath, Rameswaram, Jagannath Puri, and Dwarka. Faithful Hindus visit all these holy places for perfection of spiritual realization. Badrinath is a very important pilgrimage place and is very dear to Lord Krishna. Badri is the name of the Ilandai tree, which is a favorite of Maha-Lakshmi.

A statement from the Srimad Bhagavatam (3.4.22) is: “There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead, in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.”

The Skanda Purana says: “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.”

Badrinath is also called “Narada Kshetram” since Narada Muni attained liberation here in five days. Gautama Rishi, Kapila, and Kasyapa are said to have come here, and Sankaracharya established a temple here. Sankaracharya visited here some 1,225 years ago; Ramanujacharya visited 955 years ago; and Madhvacharya visited twice about 735 years ago.

During the season, about 250,000 pilgrims visit Badrinath. Pilgrims chant “Bolo Badri Visal ki jai” and “Bolo Badri Narayana ki jai.”

Badrinath is on a small plateau between Narayana Parbat and the Alakananda River. The Nara and Narayana peaks tower over Badrinath. The fantastic Neelkantha Mountain is 6,560m. Badrinath is located 301km north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233km.

Badrinath Temple
This temple is full of ancient stone carvings. The murti of Lord Badrinath is self-manifested from a 2/3m (2 ft) high black shalagram-shila. He is also called Badri Vishal or Badrinarayana. His details are not very distinct due to weathering, since he was thrown into Narada Kund for several years. The canopy over the Deities is covered with a sheet of pure gold. Lord Badrinarayana is said to have been installed by Sankaracharya, who recovered the Deity from Narada Kund.

Lord Badrinath is sitting meditating in the padmasana (lotus yogic posture). As you look at the Deities, standing to the right side of Badrinarayana is Uddhava. To the far right side are Nara and Narayana. Narada Muni is kneeling in front on the right side and is difficult to see. On the left side are Kubera, the god of wealth, and a silver Ganesh. Garuda is kneeling in front, to the left of Badri­narayana.

Within the temple enclosure, to the left of the main temple building, is a separate shrine dedicated to Lakshmi Devi and the Gaddi (sitting place) of Adi Sankaracharya, just outside the exit door of the temple. The Lakshmi Temple is painted red in front. The temple dedicated to Sankaracharya is said to mark his sitting place while he was in Badrinath.

The temple is open six months of the year, May to October. The priests of the temple perform their worship (puja) in Joshimath, 50km south, the rest of the year. Before they close the temple in November, they perform one last puja and leave the ghee lamps in the temple lit. Six months later, in the month of May, they return to open the temple and find the ghee lamps still lit. It is said that the great sage Narada Muni along with other demigods come during the winter months to carry on the worship. The temple priests are Nambudiri Brahmins from Kerala.

The Nirmalya darshan of Badari-­narayana in the early morning is the most auspicious time to view the Deity. The present temple is about 400 years old. The temple is open from 6.30 am to 1 pm and 4 to 9 pm. Waiting time to enter the temple in the afternoon is a half hour or more. If you come in the morning, you can expect to wait an hour to enter the temple.

It is only possible for several people to view the Deities at one time. You are allowed to stand to the side once you are in the temple and view the Deities as long as you like.

Other Places
Near the temple are a number of kunds filled with hot sulfur water. Pilgrims bathe in the kunds before taking darshan in the temple. Each hot spring is a different temperature and some are very hot.

Before entering the temple it is customary for one to bathe in Tapta Kund, which is a hot water tank at the base of the temple steps near the river. The temperature is around 45°C (115°F). Narada Kund is where Adi Sankaracharya recovered the murti of Sri Badri Vishal. It is a small kund a few feet from the Alakananda River, on the temple side of the Alakananda. Panch Shilas—Narada, Narasimha, Varaha, Garuda, and Markandeya—are located by Tapta Kund. They are large rocks near the river.

You have to climb 200m (650 ft) to reach Deva Darshini. From here it is said the demigods come to have darshan of the holy town of Badrinath.

About 100m north of the Badrinath Temple, on the bank of the Alakananda, is Brahma Kapal Ghat. It is customary to offer pinda (sraddha) to departed ancestors here. When Lord Siva in the form of Bhairava cut off Lord Brahma’s fifth head, it is said to have fallen here at Brahma Kapal.

The Five Badri Temples
There are five Badri temples—Adi Badri, Vriddha Badri, Bhavisya Badri, Yogadhyan Badri, and the temple of Badri Vishal at Badrinath itself.

To reach Adi Badri village you go 18km south from Karna Prayag toward Gwaldam. There is a small 16 temple complex (15m by 30m) located here, which was built during the Gupta Dynasty in the tenth century. The main temple contains a beautiful 1m (3 ft) carved black stone murti of the Lord called Adi Badri Narayana. He holds a mace, chakra, and lotus. Not many people visit here.

Vridha Badri is located in the village of Animath, which is on the way to Joshimath from Helang. It is 17km from Joshimath on the way to Pipalkoti. When Narada performed tapasya here, Lord Vishnu appeared before him as Vridha Badri (Old Badri).

Bhavisya Badri is located in the small village of Subhain (2,744 m), which is beyond Tapovan. Tapovan is about a 15km jeep ride from Joshimath, and from there it is a hard, nine km walk.

Yogadhyan Badri is located in the town of Pandukeswar (1,955m), 24km from Badrinath and 20km from Joshimath. King Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, performed penance here to atone for the curse he received for killing two mating deer, who were sages in their previous lives. It is said that the Pandavas were born here. King Pandu installed a bronze murti called Yogadhyan Badri.

In The Area
Near Keshava Prayag there is a temple dedicated to Mata Murti, mother of Nara and Narayana Rishi. Near this temple is a mountain called Maninag Parvat. It is said that near this mountain is where Yudhisthira was able to answer all the questions asked by Yamaraja to bring his brothers back to life. They lost their lives when they did not answer the questions.

Pancha Dhara (five Waterfalls): Kurma, Prahlada, Urvasi, Bhrigu, and Indra are waterfalls all located around Badrinath. Sesha Netra is a large stone marked with one eye of Ananta Shesha, who is watching over everyone.

Urvasi Temple is where Indra’s pride was shattered by Urvasi, the most beautiful Apsara. At Caranpaduka a boulder bears the footprints of Lord Vishnu when he descended from Vaikuntha.
Nara and Narayana Mountains: Nara Parvat is opposite the main temple, and Narayana Parvat is behind. They are named after Nara and Narayana Rishis who did meditation here. Neelkantha Peak (6,596m/21,635 ft), is to the left of Narayana Parvat. It changes color at sunrise and sunset. It is called the “Queen of the Himalayas” or the “shining pyramid.”

Mana
Mana is 4km northwest of Badrinath near the Tibet border. This is where Vyasadeva’s cave is located. He is said to have divided the Vedas into four parts and wrote many Puranas here. The front of the cave is painted white, and there is a deity of Vyasadeva in the cave.

Nearby is Ganesh’s cave. There are rocks here that look like layers of paper and are said to represent his works of writing down the Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam. Vyasadeva narrated these works, and Ganesh wrote them down, under the condition that Vyasadeva would not stop reciting.

Near this location, Lord Siva narrated the glories of the Himalayas to the sage Skanda, who wrote the Skanda Purana. The Bhima and Mucukund caves are located just above the cave of Vyasadeva. Down below is Bhima Pul (Bhima’s bridge), which Bhima is said to have made from a huge stone slab, so his brothers and Draupadi could cross the Saraswati River safely. The Saraswati River emerges from a glacier north of Mana, touches Vyasa Gupha, merges into the Alakananda at Keshav Prayag and finally meets the Ganga and Yamuna at Prayag (Allahabad).

About three km from Bhima Pul is Vasudhara Falls, which are more than 44m (135 ft) high. To get to Mana is an easy climb. Foreigners have to get special permission to go to Mana, as it is a restricted area. This rule could change at any time.
Satopanth Laketc "Satopanth Lake"

At Satopanth (4,402m/14,442 ft), is the Lake of the Divine Trinity, a glacial lake. It is 25km from Badrinath. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and Lord Vishnu are said to meditate at the three corners of this crystal clear, green-water lake. On Ekadasi, Lord Vishnu is said to come and take bath here.
Satopanth Lake is in a restricted area. To get here you walk past Mana. After leaving Mana you walk across a meadow full of flowers before reaching the 44m Vasudhara Falls. The path becomes more difficult until you reach the source of the Alakananda River, which is near where the Bhagirath Kharak and Sato­panth glaciers meet.

You then walk across the Chakra Tirtha meadow and over the steep rise of the glacier to get to Satopanth Lake. At this point you are surrounded by the mountains Swargarohini (7.898m), Chaukhamba (7,164m), and Neelkanth (6,558m), which make a sensational sight.

Beyond Mana

Laksmivan is where Lakshmi is said to have meditated in a forest of Bhoj Patra trees. Cakra-tirtha is where Arjuna is said to have taken bath and received Lord Siva’s Pashupati Astra, which helped him defeat the Kauravas.

Swargarohan Mountain (Stairway to Heaven) is said to be where the Pandavas, after visiting Badrinath, ascended to the spiritual world.

Where to Stay
During June, Badrinath can be a very crowded place, and it can be difficult to find a room at any cost. I looked for two hours before I found an extremely basic room at an ashram for Rs 100. So if comfort is important to you, it is best to book a room at the GMVN Tourist Bungalow in advance. If you arrive later in the day, people will come and offer you a room for Rs 400 to Rs 600. It could be a good idea to accept their offer rather than searching for hours for a room. In Badrinath you can expect to pay at least double the price a similar room would cost anywhere else in India. On a weekend in June it is especially difficult to find a room.

The Badrinath’s Temple Committee manages some pilgrim guest houses. The Modi Bhavan has rooms for Rs 80 and the Gujarat Bhavan is slightly more expensive. They are close to the river, on the opposite side of the river from the temple. You can book rooms for these guest houses at the Information Centre, at the main intersection in town not far from the guest houses and the bridge. You can also book rooms in advance at the Badrinath Temple Committee offices in Delhi or Rishikesh.
Hotel Garhwal, near where the bus lets you off, has rooms for Rs 400.
Paramarth Lok is a large well-maintained ashram like a modern lodge. Some rooms have attached bath, and double rooms are Rs 350.
GMVN Nigam Tourist Bungalow (has dorm beds for Rs 125 and ordinary rooms for Rs 300 up to Rs 700 with A/C. It is the best place in town. The GMVN has a cheaper lodge on the same road where the buses stop. It has rooms with common bath for Rs 250. It is best to book both of these places at least a week in advance at their office in Rishikesh.

Where to Eat
There is a group of good restaurants at the main intersection in town, near the bridge that crosses the river to the temple. The best of these places seemed to be the Kwality Restaurant, but the Vijay Laxmi and Saket both have good menus. The paper masala dosas at the Saket are good. All the places here seem to be pure vegetarian.

Travel
To get to Badrinath you first have to go to either Haridwar or Rishikesh. From there you catch a bus to Badrinath. The bus starts early in the morning and, depending on what time it departs, may reach in the early evening. Usually the trip takes one and a half days. Buses do not drive at night, because the roads are so dangerous.

After 4.30 pm no buses can go past Joshimath, because the road is closed. So there is a good chance you will have to stop in Joshimath for the night. Often buses stop for the night at Rudraprayag, before reaching Badrinath.

Buses leave Badrinath at 6.30 am in the morning and arrive in Rishikesh at about 8.30 pm and Haridwar at 9 pm. If buses departing from Badrinath to Rishikesh leave later in the day they have to make a night stop on the way.

There are buses to and from Kedarnath (14 hr) and Gangotri. It takes 8 days to walk from Kedarnath to Badrinath—80km on the mountain roads. Before the roads were built in the 1960s this was the only way to go from place to place

Corbett National Park
Phone Code: 05945

This beautiful park, established in 1936, has a wide assortment of wildlife. It has a core area of around 330 sq km, of which most can not be visited. In the park there are tigers, elephants, leopards, chitals (spotted deer), sambars, barking deer, wild boars, jackals, rhesus monkeys and black face langur monkeys. There are also gharial crocodiles, monitor lizards and a wide assortment of birds. Many water birds go to the Ramganga Reservoir on the Ramganga River.

If you are determined to see a tiger you most likely will have to stay at the park several days, as they are very elusive. The best time to see a tiger is from April to mid-June, when they have to come out to look for water. The best time for bird watching is from December to February.

The park is named after Jim Corbett who was famous for hunting man-eating tigers. He later took to protecting tigers and taking pictures of them with his camera. He helped set up this park.

Project Tiger
Project Tiger was begun in nine parks in India on April 1, 1973 with the backing of the World Wildlife Fund. The tiger population in India was estimated to be over 40,000 in the beginning of the 1900s and by the end of 1972 it was around 1,800. Now Project Tiger has spread to 18 parks and there are now around 4,000 tigers living in the wild in India. Corbett has around 100 tigers. The most likely parks to see tigers in India are Corbett National Park, Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh and Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Information
Corbett Tiger Reserve is a combination of both the original Corbett National Park in the east and the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary to the west. Together they are 1300 sq km. The park is open from mid-November to mid-June. No one is allowed to drive in the park at night. The park can get very crowded on weekends, so on these days it should be avoided. There are films shown about the park at Dhikala at night.

There is a Reception Center at Ramnagar, which is on the southeast side of the park, and another one at Kotdwar on the southwest side of the park.
Dhikala, in the park 50km northwest of

Ramnagar, is the main place to stay and is where the Project Tiger Office is located. You get to Dhikala by entering the Dhangarhi Gate, 20km north of Ramnagar (where the closest railway station is located). There is a lookout tower next to the waterhole, 1km from the camp, where there is a good chance of seeing wildlife and a good selection of birds.

While driving from the Dhangarhi gate to Dhikala, you can stop at High Bank viewpoint, where you may see crocodiles and elephants at the river below.

At Bijrani, there is an interpretation center. You can sometimes get an elephant ride from there. When the park is closed you can get an elephant ride at Dhangarhi Gate.

You can change money at the State Bank of India in Ramnagar.

KMVN’s Parvat Tours (05942 2656) in Nainital runs cheap package tours to the park. Garhwal Tourid,, arrange a three-day tour of the park beginning on Fridays for Foreigners/Indians Rs 4000/3000.

Practical Information
To enter the park you need to get either a day permit or an overnight permit (before 11 am) at the Project Tiger Office at Ramnagar (85489; fax 85376). This office is across from the bus stand toward the bridge. Open daily 8 am to 1 pm and 3 to 5 pm. It is best to make a reservation in advance because only a limited amount of visitors are allowed to visit Dhikala daily. Sometimes you have to wait days to get accommodation at Dhikala (a good reason not to come on a weekend). If you have to wait a few days you may want to go to Ranikhet (a much more pleasant place than Ramnagar).

If you are visiting just for the day you can not go to Dhikala or enter the Dhangarhi Gate, but you have to go to Bijrani. Day permits are obtained at entrances around the park, which are at Ramnagar, Kalagarh, Pakhro, Kotdwar and Sendhikhal.

You book a Forest Rest House in Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary at Kotdwar (01382 28235), which is open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.

Entry for foreigners is Rs 400 for three days and Rs 200 for each additional day. Indian Admission is Rs 400 per day. A camera is free, but video cameras are Rs 5,000 (Indian Rs 2500). A guide (required) is Rs 170 for a full day and Rs 80 for a half day. To take a car into the park is Rs 150.

You can get elephant rides in the early morning at 5.30 am and in the afternoon at 4.30 pm in Dhikala. The cost is Rs 150 per person (minimum 4 people) for around two hours. You should reserve an elephant ride as soon as you get to the park, as they can often be booked fully a few days in advance during the high-season.

Where to Stay and Eat
Most of the places to stay are in Dhikala, which is the best place to stay. Elephant rides can be arranged at Dhikala and Bijrani.

Bookings for the forest rest houses in Dhikala and other areas of the park should be made with the Chief Wildlife Warden, 17 Rana Pratap Marg, in Lucknow.

When you arrive, you have to first check in at the reception center in Ramnagar.

Dhikala
You are not allowed to visit Dhikala without staying there. You book a room or dorm bed for places in xe "Dhikala" Dhikala at the Project Tiger Office at Ramnagar, which you have to go to first (even if you have booked a room in advance). You may want to bring bottled water with you, as it is expensive in the park. Rooms should be booked with the Chief Conservator of Forests (0135 274-5779 in Dehra Dun. Some of the rooms here can be booked at the KMVN office (in Delhi: 011 2335-0481.

Log Huts has basic dorm beds for Rs 150.
Tourist Hutment has rooms for Rs 900.
New Forest Rest House has rooms for Rs 1200.
Cabins are Rs 1700.
Old Forest Rest House has double rooms for Rs 650.

Forest Rest Houses
Forest Rest House rooms should be booked in advance with the Chief Wildlife Warden (0522 283-902) in Lucknow. You should then check in at the reception center in Ramnagar and get a permit to go into the park. If you have not booked in advance go to the reception center in Ramanagar to try to get a room.

The Forest Rest House at Bijrani has rooms for Rs 300 to 500. It is booked at the reception office in Ramnagar. You get to Bijrani by entering the Amdanda Gate.
Inside Corbett National Park there are Forest Rest Houses at Sultan (Rs 300 a room), Malani (Rs 300 a room), Gairal (Rs 500 a room) and Sarapduli (Rs 500 a room). You need to bring your own food. The place in Sarapduli has a generator, but the other places do not have electricity so you should have a flashlight (torch). You get to these places by entering the Dhangarhi Gate.

There are also some rest houses on the outskirts of the park that have rooms for Rs 250. There is no electricity and you should bring your own food. They are booked at the reception center in Ramnagar.

There are several forest rest houses in the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary that have rooms for Rs 250. There is no electricity and you should bring your own food. They are booked at the reception center at Kotdwar. They can be reserved in advance by contacting the Sub-Divisional Officer, Kotdwar Reception Centre, Sonanadi, Kotdwar, UP.
Rooms in Khinanauli are Rs 1700 and they should be booked through the Wildlife Warden in Lucknow (0522 283-902).

Ramnagar
Hotel Everest (251099) has clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 650 from Nov 15 to June 15. There is a 40% discount the rest of the year. Bucket hot water Rs 5. It is a good value
Hotel Govind (251614), near the bus stand, has rooms with common bath for Rs 250 to Rs 500. It is a friendly place. It has a good restaurant with Indian and Chinese food.
KMVN Tourist Bungalow (85225), near the reception center, has good rooms for Rs 450 to Rs 600 and dorm beds for Rs 60.

Other Places
These places often have guides that will go into the forest outside the park, from where you can view the same wildlife that is in the park, without all the rules. They are usually open when the park is closed, usually with good discounts.

Quality Inn Corbett Jungle Resort, (251230) in the Kumeria Forest Reserve, 9km from the Dhangarhi Gate, has nice pleasant cottages for Rs 4200, including meals. They have their own elephant for rides in the park. Jeeps safaris go out in the morning and evening (Rs 500 per person), which includes entry and a guide. It is next to a clean river. Discounts from June to November.
Corbett Riverside Resort (85960), Garija, 10km north of Ramnagar, has high-end luxury huts. It arranges safaris.
Corbett Ramganga Resort (Delhi 011 462-0981), 16km from Dhangarhi, has rooms and tents. Arranges river rafting and other sports.
Camp Corbett (05942 4227) has a main building and comfortable tents.
Claridges Corbett Hideaway (251959; Delhi (011 2301-0211) has nice A/C luxury cottages for $190 including meals. It is in a pleasant location on a riverbank surrounded by mango trees. Mountain bikes can be rented.
Tiger Tops Corbett Lodge (85279; fax 85278 Delhi (011) 644-4016), 7km from Ramnagar, has large luxury rooms for Rs 3800 per person for two people in a room including meals. A single person is 40% extra for a room. A visit to the park is included in the price. It has a pool and elephant rides.

Local Travel
There is a bus from Dhikala to Ramnagar at 9 am and from Ramnagar to Dhikala at 3 pm, which takes 3 hr. To get to other places in the park from Ramnagar you have to take a jeep. Jeeps are around Rs 1200 per day, and can be booked at the KMVN Tourist Bungalow (85225) and Bharat Hotel (85775).

Travel
The closest railway station is in Ramnagar (50km). There is a train at 8 pm to Delhi (8½ hr). The railway station is 1½ km from the Corbett Tiger Reserve reception center. You can get a train to Moradabad or Lucknow and then connect to other trains from there.

From Ramnagar there are hourly buses to Delhi (8 hr) between 6 am and 8 pm. Buses can be booked at the Delhi Transport Corporation in the back of Anand Mistham Bhandar sweet shop.

You get tickets for buses to places in the Kumaon area at the Kumaon Motor Owners’ Union office (KMOU) near the petrol pump on Ranikhet Rd. Buses go to Nainital (3½ hr, 6 am to 3 pm), Almora (6½ hr), Moradabad, and Ranikhet (4½ hr, 4 and 9 am).

Dehra Dun
Pop: 525,000 Area
Phone Code: 01351
Postcode 248001

Dehra Dun is the capital of Uttaranchal.

Dehra Dun is mainly used by travelers as a place to stop over on their way to the hill station of Mussoorie, or to other towns north in the Himalayas. It is at 700m (2310 ft).

The Doon School and Indian Military Academy are two of the most prestigious schools in India. Rajiv Gandhi went to the Doon School. The Survey of India, who makes good detailed maps of Indian cities, has their base here.

Dehra Dun is said to be the place where Rama and Laksman performed austerities to kill the demon Ravana. It is said that Drona came to Tapovan, about 6km from Dehra Dun, in search of self-realization.

Orientation
There is a clock tower in the center of town. The railway station and Mussoorie bus stand are south of the clocktower. Most of the budget hotels are near the railway station or the clock tower. The higher end hotels are mainly located in the north section of town. Paltan Bazaar is the main shopping area.

Information
Uttaranchal Tourist Office (265-3217) is in the Hotel Drona, next to the Delhi bus stand. Gandhi Rd. Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm during the season and the rest of the year 10 am to 5 pm (closed from 1 to 2 pm).

GMVN (274-6817; fax: 274-6847), Rajpur Rd, has an office in the Hotel Drona. Drona Travels in the same building books GMVN hotels and tours and rents cars. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

GMVN Headquarters (656-817), 74/1 Rajpur Rd, across from the Hotel Madhuban, gives general and also trekking information about the Garhwal region. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.

GMVN has a tour (Rs 50), Doon Darshan, which goes to FRI, Tapkeshwar Temple, Sahastra Dhara, Malsi Den Park and sometimes goes to Robber’s Cave (extra Rs 10).

The Head Post Office, near the clock tower, does poste restante.

Harish Studio, in the Motel Himshri is a good photography store.

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of India (657-425), which has a branch at Rohini Plaza in the Hotel Ambassador on Rajpur Rd, but there are several other branches around town. The Central Bank, Rajpur Rd, near the Hotel President, changes money.

There are ATM at several places on Rajpur Rd, 1km north of the clock tower, such as ICICI and IDBI banks.

The Tourist Information Bureau, Astley Hall, changes most major travelers cheques. They give cash advances on Visa and American Express credit card, but you have to wait a few days to get the money.

Bookshops
English Book Depot, 15 Rajpur Rd, is a good bookshop. Natraj Booksellers, 17 Rajpur Rd, has a good selection of books on the Himalayas and other subjects.

Travel Agencies
BJ Travels (657-888), 15-B Rajpur Rd, near the main post office, has computerized reservations and can confirm flights immediately. Treks can be arranged by Trek Himalaya Tours (653-005) or Bajaj Tours & Trekking (624-425), 14A National Rd, Luxman Chowk. Garhwal Tours & Trekking (627-769) is experienced at arranging treks.

Forest Research Institute (FRI)
This place is one of the best institutes in the world for forest research. There are some good museums here. It is in a beautiful botanical garden. Open Mon to Fri 10 am to 5 pm; free. You can take a shared-rickshaw (vikram) here from the clock tower.

Places to See
Tapkeswar Temple is a Siva temple located 5km north of the center of town. Next to it is a stream which flows directly onto the Siva-linga. There is a big festival here during Siva-ratri (Feb/March). People swim in the stream next to the temple. There is also the Laksman Sidh Temple.

Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (262-7387) has a museum. Open Mon to Fri 10 am to 5 pm.

Survey of India, (274-7051) Rajpur Rd, has its main office here, where maps of many places in India can be gotten. Open Mon to Fri 10 am to 4pm.
Robber’s Cave is a popular place to visit near

Anarwala village, 8km from Dehra Dun. There are pools here to swim in and a swimming pool near by. You can take a bus to Anarwala and then walk the remaining 1½ km to Robber’s Cave.
In the village of Shastradhara there are cold sulfur springs. There is a tourist bungalow there.

Where to Stay—Lower
The railway Retiring Rooms are Rs 150 and Rs 60 for a dorm bed.
Hotel Daichi (658-107), 6 Mahant Laxman Das Rd, has rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 250/400. It is a good value.
Oriental House (627-059) has basic rooms for Rs 150/200.
White House (265-2765), near Kanak Cinema, has rooms for Rs 400/500 and with air-cooling for Rs 550/650. It is a good popular place.
Chandra (684-360), Old Mussoorie Rd, 15km north of Dehra Dun, is a good place that has rooms for Rs 250/300. It has nice views and a nice garden.
Doon Guest House (657-171) has rooms with bath for Rs 250/275. Bucket hot water.
Meedo Hotel (262-1544), 71 Gandhi Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 300/400. The rooms in the back are better.
Hotel Dai Chi (658-107), near Rajpur Rd, has rooms with hot water for Rs 250/300.

Where to Stay— Middle and High
Motel Himshri (265-3880; fax: 265-0177), 17 Rajpur, has rooms for Rs 500/700 and a deluxe rooms is Rs 950/1050.
Hotel Ambassador (655-831), 11A Rajpur, has air-cooled rooms with a TV for Rs 450/550.
Hotel Meedo Grand (747-171; fax 745-722), 28 Rajpur Rd, has comfortable modern rooms for Rs 600/800 and Rs 800/1000 with A/C. It is well-managed.
Kwality (657-001), 19 Rajpur Rd, has spacious, comfortable rooms for Rs 400/600 and Rs 550/750 with A/C.. It has a good restaurant.
GMVN Hotel Drona (654-371), 45 Gandhi Rd, near the Delhi bus station, has good-size rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 500/700 and Rs 750/900 with A/C. It is a good value.
Osho Resorts (749-544), 111 Rajpur Rd, has rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 450/550. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel President (265-7083; fax: 271-0705), 6 Astley Rd, has air-cooled rooms for Rs 1400/1600.
Hotel Ajanta Continental (749-595; fax 749-990), 101 Rajpur Rd, has comfortable clean rooms for Rs 1250/1700. It has a pool and a restaurant. It is well-managed.
Hotel Madhuban (749-990; fax 746-496), 97 Rajpur Rd, has clean comfortable rooms with A/C for Rs 1550/2500. It has good views, is well-managed, has a mini golf course, a good restaurant and is a good value.

Where to Eat
Sammam Veg Restaurant, Paltan Bazaar near the station, has good thalis for Rs 40.
Grand Bakers, Paltan Bazaar, is a good bakery.
Standard Confectioners, near the Hotel President, has good baked goods.
Vegetarian, nearby on Rajpur Rd, has South Indian, Punjabi and good cheap thalis for Rs 30.
Kumar, 15B Rajpur Rd, near Motel Himshri, is a very good popular vegetarian place. Meals are about Rs 50. It has good service and is recommended.
Kwality, 19 Rajpur Rd, is a good place with Indian, Chinese and Continental food.
Heaven’s Garden, Osho Resort, 111 Rajpur Rd, has good Indian, Chinese and Continental food.
Motimahal is one of the better places.

Travel
Train The fully A/C Shatabdi Exp departs New Delhi daily except Tues at 6 am and arrives in Dehra Dun at 11.45 am, stopping at Haridwar at 10.45 am. The Mussoorie Exp #4042 departs from Dehra Dun at 9.30 pm for Delhi (9½ hr). The Mussoorie Exp departs Old Delhi station at 10.30 pm and arrive in Dehra Dun at 8 am stopping in Haridwar at 6 am.

There are trains to Varanasi Dehra Dun- Varanasi Exp #4266 (6.40, 24 hr), Mumbai, Calcutta and Lucknow. The Doon Exp #3010 (10.30 pm) goes to Calcutta (32½ hr) via Lucknow (10 hr). Delhi Shatabdi Exp #2018 (5 pm, 5½ hr) via Haridwar.

Bus There are two bus stands. From the Delhi bus stand, next to the Hotel Drona, there are deluxe and semi-deluxe buses to Delhi (2 or 3 an hour). There are also buses to Haridwar (2 hr), Rishikesh ((1½ hr), Shimla (7 hr, mainly depart in the morning), Chandigarh (9 hr, morning departures), Manali (17 hr, 3 pm), Kullu (14 hr), Dharamsala (16 hr), Haldwani (9 hr) and Paonta Saheb.

From the Mussoorie bus stand, Haridwar Rd, near the railway station, buses depart to Mussoorie (1½ hr, hourly), Uttarkashi (7 hr), Tehri (4 hr), Almora (12 hr) and Nainital (11½ hr).

Taxi Shared taxis depart to Mussoorie (1¼ hr, Rs 85) from the Mussoorie bus stand on Haridwar Rd during the day. Shared taxis to Mussoorie depart from the railway station when trains arrive. Shared taxis or jeeps depart from near the Hotel Prince on Rishikesh Rd to Haridwar (1½ hr, Rs 30), Rishikesh (1½ hr, Rs 30) and Paonta Saheb (Rs 40). The shared taxis to Paonta Saheb stops one km from the border of Himachal Pradesh and you have to get a rickshaw from there.

During the high season, taxis are: Mussoorie (Rs 500), Haridwar (Rs 600), Rishikesh (Rs 500), Shimla (Rs 2200) and Uttarkashi (1500). During the low season you may get Rs 100 off these rates.

You can hire a taxi for the day from GMVN at their offices in the Hotel Drona and on Rajpur Rd. Ventures Rent-a-Car (652-724), 87 Rajpur Rd, also rents out cars for the day.

Gangotri


Phone Code 01377
Elevation: 3140m (10,500 ft)

The actual source of the Ganges is Gaumukh, a hard 19km climb from Gangotri. Bhagiratha is said to have prayed at Gangotri to save his relatives. The Pandavas are said to have visited this place to atone for the sin of killing their relatives during the Kurukshetra war. At this point the Ganges River flows north, giving this village its name, Gangotri, which means “Ganga turned north.” Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, “Of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.”

Gangotri is a very nice town and is fairly popular with foreigners, many who have come to make the trek to Gaumukh, or further. Unlike most of the other towns on the Char Dham route, it is a nice place to stay for a while. The Bhagirathi River rushes by and is extremely loud, giving the place a peaceful atmosphere.

Gangotri is located about 250km from Rishikesh and 230km from Yamunotri. The bus trip via Tehri and Uttarkashi from Rishikesh takes 10 to 12 hours.

At Gangotri the Kedar Ganga River merges with the Bhagirathi River at Dev Ghat, which is next to the main bridge, on the other side of the river from the temple. There is a falls called Sahasradhara about 100m below this confluence. Just before the falls the river squeezes itself into a narrow gorge about one metre wide.

There is a post office near the small bridge (open 8 to 10 am and 3 to 5 pm).

Gangotri Temple
The Gangotri Temple is dedicated to the goddess Ganga. It was built in the 18th century by Amar Singh Thapa, a Gorkha general and was later renovated by the Maharaja of Jaipur. It is erected near a sacred stone, called Bhagiratha Shila, which is about 20m (65 ft) to the left of the temple. King Bhagiratha is said to have sat here to worship Siva, so Lord Siva would take the Ganges on his head. Soon after arati to the deities in the temple, an arati is performed to the holy Ganges River. The temple is open from May to early November.

When to Go
The temple here opens with a formal puja to Gangaji on Aksaya-tritya, during the last week of April or first week of May. It closes on Diwali, in the midst of an array of oil lamps. During the winter months, Gangotri is covered with snow.

Where to Stay
Gangotri is divided into two areas, which are on either side of the river. Most of the nicer places are on the opposite side of the river from the temple and bus stop. Most of the places in town are fairly basic and can be totally booked by the late afternoon. Later in the day you may have to take whatever you can, at any price. If you plan to stay for a few days, you can take whatever is available the first night and get a nicer room the next morning. You should expect to pay more here than other places in India.

The best place in town is the Nigam Tourist Lodge, (222221) near the bus stand, which has dorm beds for Rs 150 and rooms from Rs 550 up to Rs 600. It is best to book a room here a week in advance.
The popular Ganga Niketan, by the bridge and across the river, has double rooms for Rs 300. It is a decent place.

Birla Mangal Niketan, near Ganga Niketan, has big rooms with attached bath for Rs 200. There are many basic no-name places in town.

Meat and eggs are banned in Gangotri. The open air eating place at the Ganga Niketan and the Manisha restaurant, past the bus stand going out of town, are decent places. There are just basic eating places here.

Travel
Buses from Hanuman Chatti near Yamunotri (13 hr) go directly to Gangotri, via Uttarkashi. There is an early morning bus from Hanuman Chatti (Rs 100) at 5.30 am, that must be reserved the night before. After that there are a few buses that depart from Hanuman Chatti when full. There is a bus scheduled to leave at 7 am, which arrives the same day. Later buses usually stop for the night at Uttarkashi, which has plenty of places to stay.
From Haridwar or Rishikesh its takes 14 hours to get to Gangotri. From Gangotri to Kedarnath there are regular buses that take a day and a half. No matter how early you leave, you cannot travel the 334km in one day.

Gaumukh
Alt: 4,200m (14,000 ft)

This glacier is the actual source of the Gaumukh Gaumukh means “cow’s face,” which the glacier is supposed to look like. It is a 100m (328 ft) high wall of gray snow. It is 30km (18.85 miles) long and two to four km wide. Years ago the glacier is said to have reached all the way down to Gangotri.

The best time to visit is between June to September. Before June and after the second week of October there is too much ice and snow on the path to be able to reach it. There is a rocky path, marked white on one side. It is 19km (some say 23km) northeast of Gangotri. Mount Shivling, 6,543m (21,470 ft), towers above the source of the Ganges. The waters of the Bhagirathi gush out from the glacier with great force and cuts a fantastic gorge out of the mountains. The climb is difficult at places.

Getting There
There is a flight of stairs by the Gangotri Temple that leads to the path that goes to Gaumukh. After 8km you reach Chirbasa, which is basically a few tea shops and some tents with mattresses for staying overnight. From here the path leads to a mountain desert. Just pass Chirbasa, where the cliff face has deteriorated, there have been quite a number of accidents, so you have to be really careful at this point.

Most people stay the night in Bhojbasa, where there is no electricity. If you plan to cross the glacier, you can get a guide here. From Bhojbasa it is a good 5km track to Gaumukh (2 hr). The path is marked by stones, but it is not clear-cut. Usually people take one day to reach Bhojbasa. The next day they go from Bhojbasa to Gaumukh and then return to Bhojbasa the same day. Then the next day they return to Gangotri. Most people spend a day or two in Gangotri in order to get used to the altitude before making this trek. Past Gaumukh is Tapovan.

WARNING I know of several people who did not stay in Gangotri to acclimatize and got very sick. There may also be a problem if you make the trip too quickly.

Practicalities
There is no place to stay in Gaumukh, but you can camp out there if you have proper equipment. I know of people who have stayed there for days.

There are tea stalls where you can get basic food.
Five km from Gaumukh, at Bhojbasa, there is a Tourist Bungalow with four rooms, dorm beds, and two-person tents (Rs 250). It has a basic restaurant and hot water in a bucket for Rs 15.

There is also the Bhojbasa Ashram of Lal Baba, who provides free food and lodging for pilgrims. This is basically floor space. There is the very basic Forest Rest House at Chirbasa, 8km from Gangotri, and 3km before Bhojbasa.

You should bring a warm sleeping bag, a torch (flashlight), and good shoes or boots.

Tapovan
Alt: 4463m (14728 ft)

Tapovan is by a natural Siva-linga peak that rises 6,554 metres. It is called Tapovan because sadhus have performed penance there to realize the Absolute Truth. If you want to go there, you should have a guide, a good tent, food, a warm sleeping bag, and warm winter clothes. To get there without a guide can be dangerous, as there can be huge holes in the glacier totally hidden by snow. But I do know of people who have gone there without a guide, with no problem, except the fear of getting lost. Tapovan is four hours past Gaumukh (5km). There is a sadhu who host visitors in his cave at Tapovan, but you should definitely bring your own food.

The Tapovan trek takes four days.

Day 1 Gangotri to Bhojbasa 14km
Day 2 Bhojbasa to Tapovan 10km
Day 3 Tapovan to Bhojbasa 10km
Day 4 Bhojbasa to Gangotri 14km

Garhwal and Char Dham


Pilgrims go to the four holy places—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, which are called “Char Dhama.” Char Dhama means four Ksetras or shrines. They are in the Garhwal region of Uttar Pradesh. This area is called “Dev Bhoomi” or “Uttara­khand.” In the Vedas they are known as Kedarkhand.

In Bhagavad-gita Krishna says, “Out of all immovable things, I am the greatest mountains in the world, the Himalayas.” Lord Siva resides in the Himalayas at Mt Kailash, and his wife, Parvati, is known as Himavati, the daughter of the Himalayas.

The Himalayan range extends west to east in an arc shape, stretching from Pakistan, through northern India to Nepal. The length of the northern mountain wall, from west to east is approximately 5,000km. The western wing is 1,500km, the eastern Himalayas is 1,000km, and the central Himalayas’ arc is 2,500km. The tallest peaks are Mt Everest, (Sagar-­matha) at 8,848m (29,028 feet), Mt Godwin Austin at 8,611m (28,250 feet), and Kanchanjangha, at 8,598m (28,216 feet).


Delhi to Rishikesh 245km
Rishikesh to Hanuman Chatti 209km
Rishikesh to Gangotri 240km
Hanuman Chatti to Gangotri 215km
Gangotri to Gaurikund 334km
Gaurikund to Badrinath 233km
Rishikesh to Gaurikund 209km
Badrinath to Rishikesh 301km

Transportation for Char Dhama
There are a few types of transport you can choose from. You can go by taxi, which is fairly comfortable, but also expensive. Taxis can be arranged with the Nigam Tourist Offices (GMVN), and they can also arrange places to stay. You can also go as part of a tour. Taking a 2 x 2 luxury bus is a good way to travel.

If you are not going on a tour or by taxi, you are stuck with going on the GMOU buses, which have five-across, fairly soft seats. The problem with these buses is that the seats are much too close together, so you almost have no legroom. For a 12 hr bus ride they are extremely uncomfortable.

If you want to take the first bus and guarantee yourself a seat, you must reserve a seat the evening before, regardless of what you are told. Reservations for early morning buses usually start at 5 pm the day before. If you are told to purchase your ticket an hour before the 6.30 am departure, do not believe this for a second. You can be almost totally certain that the bus will be full when you arrive at 5.30 am. Get your ticket the night before.

The bus from Rishikesh to Yamunotri leaves about 6 am and arrives in Hanuman Chatti (220km) about 9 hours later, around 3 pm. To go to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, or Badrinath from Rishikesh you must come at 5 pm the night before to insure yourself a seat on an early morning bus from the Yatra Bus Stand. I would advise you to arrive at 4 pm, as there can be a long queue (lines), and you may not get a seat for the bus if you arrive too late (especially in June).

You can also pay a travel agent in Rishikesh a commission to reserve a seat for you. This could be a good idea, as I was asked for just a Rs 20 commission, which would have saved me two and a half hours of waiting in line. They need a few days to arrange a ticket.

Sharma Travels (30364), Haridwar Rd, has taxis that deliver newspapers to various places in the mountains. They also take passengers.

Organized Tours
The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Office (GMVN) offers 18 different options for tours to the Char Dham locations. Tours depart from Delhi and also the Tourist Rest House in Muni-ki-reti, Rishikesh. Tours can be taken on 3 x 2 buses (which are very uncomfortable), 2 x 2 luxury buses, or taxis. Besides arranging your transportation, these tours also arrange your accommodations, which can be difficult to arrange yourself, as you often arrive late at night when most of the places are full. With the cheaper tours you will get a decent room with a common bath. With the more expensive tours you get a room with an attached bath. If you can tolerate being on a restrictive schedule, this is the most comfortable way to travel.

Tours vary from the 4-day Rishikesh to Badrinath tour (Rs 1200) to the 13 day tour on a 3 x 2 bus that starts in Delhi and goes to the four dhamas, plus a trek to Gaumukh for Rs 3305.

A good tour is the 12-day tour on a 2 x 2 bus, which starts in Rishikesh and goes to the four dhamas. Besides a nicer bus, you also get the best accommodations available in the Tourist Bungalows, which are usually the best places to stay while doing Char Dham.

You can reserve a tour at the GMVN office in Rishikesh (01364/31793; fax 30372), at the Haridwar office (0133/424240) located at the UP Tourism office at Lalta Rao Bridge, and at the UP Tourism Office (011-332-6620; fax 011-371-1296) in the Chandralok Building, 36 Janpath, Delhi.

At the GMVN office in Rishikesh you can also reserve rooms for the Tourist Bungalows that they manage. You should reserve a room at least a week in advance.

Exchanging Money
When you head north from Rishikesh there is not much facility to change foreign currency. There are money changing facilities at the bank in Joshimath, on the way to Badrinath. Most of the other banks on the Char Dham route do not change money. There is little facility to change money on the street. If you can find someone to do it, you will most likely be offered less than the bank rate. It is important to bring enough rupees for your entire tour. You should also take into consideration that hotels and food are often 50% more than other places in India.

Guides
If you want to do trekking in the mountains, it is a good idea to get a guide. There is a Nepali gentleman named Lambu, who lives at Hanuman Chatti, the village on the way to Yamunotri, who I have been told is a good guide. If you want to go to Sapta Rishi Kund from Yamunotri, it is best to get a guide. I have been told that at one of the tea stalls at Gaumukh you can get a guide who can take you over the glacier to Badrinath (6 days).
How Long Char Dham Takes

As the crow flies, the four shrines are about 100km from each other. But as the mountains are impassable, you will have to travel 1,500km to visit these four places—beginning and ending at Haridwar. You will have to walk about 60km. If you go to Gaumukh, you have to walk another 40km. Before starting, you are first supposed to wash all your sins away by bathing in the holy Ganges at Hari-ki-Pairi in Haridwar. It is then customary to first go to Yamunotri and then in order to Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
The entire trip will take 10 to 15 days, depending on the weather and how fast you want to travel. Sometimes the road can be blocked because of an avalanche. You have to move at a quick pace to complete the trip in 10 days, spending 6½ days on a bus.

What to Bring
It is best to bring good walking shoes with you: boots or sneakers (trainers). If you are going to Gaumukh, you may have to walk through snow. It is cold at night even in the summer, so you need warm clothing. It is advisable to bring a warm sleeping bag, as the hotel facilities are not always so good. It can start raining at any time, so it is a good idea to have a rain jacket with you during the walks to Kedarnath and Yamunotri.

In June, which is the hottest time of the year, a warm sweater is sufficient, even at night. During early May and October it is much colder than in June.

Where to Stay and Eat
Along the Char Dham route there is no shortage of places to stay, but many of them lack modern amenities. For what you get, the accommodations along the Char Dham Yatra are the worst values in all of India. Except for the tourist bungalows, it is difficult to find a clean place. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), a UP government undertaking known as the Nigam, runs good tourist bungalows and lodges. They are by far the best places to stay, but should be booked at least a week in advance (especially in June) at their offices in Rishikesh or Delhi. Unless you are taking one of their tours, it may be difficult to get a room in one of the tourist bungalows.

Food in the mountains is more expensive than normal, because transportation is expensive. Badrinath has a few decent places to eat, but for the most part all the places are really basic.
You can usually get bottled water along the route. In Hanuman Chatti, on the way to Yamunotri, it may not be possible to get bottled water.

Best Times To Go
The temples open the last week of April or the first week of May and usually close the second week of November because of severe weather. The opening day is called Akhand Jyoti Darshan. May and June is the peak season, and next is September and October. September is right after the rainy season has ended and the area is green and beautiful. More people do Char Dham Yatra in June, which makes the buses and accommodations more crowded.

All the mountain places are fairly cold at night, even in the summer. During the summer (late May/June) it is fairly warm during the day. Rishikesh is hot at night in the summer, but it can be cold in the winter.

The rainy season goes from the last week in June to the beginning of September. During this period it can start raining at any time. During October the sky is clear, but it can be cold. As far as the weather is concerned, the middle of June and the end of September are the best times to go.

Haridwar
Pop: 220,000 Area
Phone Code: 01334
Postcode: 249401

Haridwar is on the west bank of the Ganges, at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains. Haridwar means “the gateway to Hari” (Lord Vishnu). It is also called Ganga-dwara, because the holy Ganges enters the plains here. This is one of the seven main holy cities in India. Hari­dwar is about 225km northeast of Delhi.

It is called Mayapuri Kshetra in the Puranas and it is a very ancient town. It is also called Kapilasthan, because it is said that Kapiladeva performed penance here. The great sacrifice of Daksha Prajapati took place near here, where Sati burned herself alive. Nearby, at Sapta Sarovara, the Ganges splits into seven streams to please the seven Rishis doing austerities there.

Haridwar is hot in the summer, but the Ganges’ water is always icy cold. The river is fed by melting glaciers and snow peaks. A barrage just north of Haridwar splits the Ganges. The water that flows next to the city of Haridwar is actually a fast-moving, big canal. The main natural rivulet of the Ganges, called Neel Dhara, flows about a half-km east of the city. The Ganges is known as the Ganga in India.

Haridwar is a fairly busy, fast-moving town. Most people stay here for a day or two and then move on to Rishikesh or some other place in the mountains. If you want a peaceful place to stay for a few weeks, most people prefer Rishikesh, but I have meet several people that preferred Haridwar for a long-term stay. Meat, fish, and all intoxication are banned in Haridwar.

Orientation
The railway station and UP Roadways bus stand are across from each other on the main road of town, Railway Rd, in the southwest part of town. Railway Rd (also known as Upper Rd) runs parallel with the Ganges Canal for about 2½ km where it comes to Hari-ki-Pairi, the main ghat in town. There are several budget and middle class hotels near the railway station. Railway Rd is a very busy street with shops, restaurants and hotels along it. South of Hari-ki-Pairi, running just parallel to the Ganges is the busy Bara Bazaar.

Just before the Ganges reaches Haridwar, it divides. The main branch goes southeast and the other branch goes southwest, by-passing Haridwar. When it goes through Haridwar it is called the Upper Ganges Canal.

Tourist Offices and Tours
The GMVN Tourist Office (242-4240) is on the main street (Upper Rd) by the Lalta Rao Bridge (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm). Char Dham tours can be booked there.

The Uttaranchal Tourismt Office (242-8686) is in the Rahi Motel on Station Rd, near the bus stand. Open daily 10 am to 5 pm. There is also a tourist information booth at the railway station.

Sanjeev Mehta at Mohan’s Fast Food, Railway Rd, is a wealth of information and is very helpful.

There is a tour from Haridwar that goes to many places in Rishikesh starting at 9.30 am. It lasts about 8 hours. This can be arranged through one of the many tourist agents in Haridwar for about Rs 40.

There is an overnight Haridwar-Rishikesh tour from Delhi that usually leaves every Wednesday and Saturday during the season. It departs at 7.15 am and returns 8 pm the next day. You book it at the Delhi Tourism Office (345-358), C/o Coffee House I, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, or at other Delhi Tourism offices around the city.

Information
The high seasons are in the summer, from May 15 to June 30, and during autumn, from September 15 to the last week of October. About 70% of the tourists and pilgrims come during the summer months. The full moon day during the month of November is very crowded.

You can change money at the State Bank of India (426-103), near Chitra Talkies Cinema on Sadhu Bela Marg. The Bank of Baroda, next to the Hotel Mansarovar only changes Thomas Cook and American Express US dollars and British pounds travelers cheques and gives cash advances on VISA and MasterCard cards. They take a 1^ comssion and you have to pay for the confirmation call. Canara Bank, Railway Rd, changes cash and msot traveler's cheques.

The post office is on Upper Rd (Station Rd), about 200m north of Laltarao Bridge.

Next door on Station Rd is the Foreigners’ Registration Office (242-3980). .

For Internet try Cheap General Store (Rs 40 per hour) or Adventure Tours (Rs 35 per hour).

Ashvani Travels (424-581; fax 423-656), 3 Upper Rd, organizes treks, white-water rafting (Sept to March), and ski trips to Auli (Jan and Feb). They rent equipment and can arrange guides and porters.

Arjun Singh Bookseller, Bara Bazaar, has travel, trekking and yoga books.

Note The local name for the Ganges is the Ganga, and most people only know it by this name.

Kumbha-mela
Haridwar is one of the four places where the xe "Kumbha-mela:Haridwar"Kumbha-mela is held, during which sadhus from all over India come. This takes place every 12 years. The other places where Kumbha-mela takes place are Allahabad (Prayag), Nasik, and Ujjain. It is said that some nectar from the kumbha (pitcher) carried by Jayanta (the son of Indra) fell at this place. Over 6 million people come here to the Kumbha-mela. The main bathing place is at Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat. I went to the 1998 Kumbha Mela. I found going on the main Maha Kumbha day to be a very pleasant event. It is highly recommended.

The next Kumbha-mela to be held here will be from February to May in 2010. Every six years Ardha Kumbha (half Kumbha) is held; the next being in 2004. The astrological timing of Kumbha-mela at Haridwar is when Jupiter is in Aquarius and the Sun is in Aries. There are several major bathing days, which fall on auspicious days and festivals, such as Siva-ratri, Amavasya and the Maha Kumbha day (the biggest day). On the main bathing days there is a parade at 12 noon that begins across the river from Hari-ki-Pairi, about a kilometre to the right. The parade is lead by the head of the Sankaracharya Mutts and then is followed by the Naga-babas first, and then the other sampradayas (religious groups). The members of the parade proceed to Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat and bathe there. During this time Hari-ki-Pairi is closed to the public.

Many people camp out at giant campgrounds across the river from Hari-ki-Pairi and at other areas covering several kilometres. On days other than the main bathing day there is not much happening at the camp sites and most people will not consider them worth visiting.

The festival extents from Siva-ratri, which is the appearance day of Lord Siva in Feb/March until the middle of May. Siva-ratri is the main day for devotees of Lord Siva and there is a big parade with many Naga-babas. The main time for Vaishnavas is during April and May. The main day is the Maha Kumbha day in April/May, when over a millions people come to bath. The main bathing place is at Hari-ki-Pairi and bathing for the public begins early in the morning and goes to around 11:30 am. At this time, Hari-ki-Pairi is closed so the sadhus can take bath from around 12 noon to 2 pm. After this, it is open again. When I watched the bathing from around 9 am to 2 pm everything was very orderly and not very crowded. It was a very well organized event.

On the main bathing days there are special trains that come from Rishikesh and Delhi. There are also many extra buses. There are two special bus stations set up a few kilometres from the downtown to the north (towards Rishikesh) and south (towards Delhi). Motor vehicles are not supposed to go past these points. I found it to be no problem to go between Rishikesh and Haridwar at 6:30 am on the main Maha Kumbha day, because of all the special transportation arranged. I took the train into Haridwar and the bus out. There was almost no traffic on the road. There are large crowds walking around the street, but I saw everything to be very orderly with no pushing or shoving and it was quite interesting. The crowds are spread out over several kilometres.

Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat (Brahma Kund)
Hari-ki-Pairi is located at the exact spot where the Ganges leaves the mountains and reaches the plains and is considered a very holy place.
The name Hari-ki-Pairi means “the feet of Hari (Lord Vishnu).” The footprints of Lord Vishnu are imprinted on the wall underneath the water at this ghat. You need to ask one of the priests to be able to touch it.

This ghat is also called Brahma Kund because it is said that Raja Shveta performed austerities here and received blessings from Brahma. Kumbha-mela is held here, as this is where the nectar fell. There are temples dedicated to the goddess Ganga and Haricharan here.

Every night at about 6 pm there is an arati (worship) to the sacred Ganges. The arati consists of an elaborate ritual of offering large lamps to the Ganges and the loud banging of gongs and playing of other instruments. It is a dramatic and interesting event.

Before starting their “Char Dham yatra,” pilgrims are supposed to come and bathe at this ghat. One hundred thousand people can bathe here at one time. There are chains and rails that enable people to bathe safely, as the Ganges flows very quickly at this spot.

Hundreds of thousands of people come to bathe at this ghat on the first day of Vaisakha in April/May, when the Hindu solar year begins. On Ganga-dasera, at the beginning of the rainy season, the Ganges is said to have come down from the heavens. Other important bathing days are on Purnims (full moon days, especially Kartika Purnim), Ekadasis, Amavasyas (new moon days), Sankrantis (when the sun enters the next zodiac sign), and solar and lunar eclipses.

The ashes of the dead are supposed to be cast into the Ganges at the southern part of the ghat.

Other Ghats
South of Hari-ki-Pairi, there is an interesting area to walk which is lined with bathing ghats.
Kushavarta Ghat, about half a km south of Hari-ki-Pairi Kund, is said to be the place where Dattatreya did penance by standing on one foot for a thousand years.

Lord Vishnu is said to have bathed at Vishnu Ghat.

Running parallel to the river, between the Ganges and Upper Rd, south of Hari-ki-Pairi, is the busy Bara Bazaar. It has an interesting assortment of religious paraphernalia along with many other items.

Mansa Devi Temple
This temple is situated on Vilwa Parvat, the hill above the city. Mansa Devi is a form of Shakti Durga. There is a cable car that goes to the top of the hill, which you board close to Ratan Cinema, just off the main road (8 am to 6 pm, Rs 30 return). From the top of the hill you get a bird’s eye view of Haridwar, the Ganga valley, and the Himalayan peaks. Open 8 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm. It takes about a half-hour to walk up the hill (1½ km).

Other Places
Bhimgoda Kund is said to have been created by Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata, by a blow of his knee. It is about half a km upstream from Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat, just off the road on the way to Sapta Rishi Ashram. You can get shared rickshaws to Rishikesh from here. About 200m north is the Jai Ram Ashram, on the road to Rishikesh, where there are statues of the gods and goddesses and motorized exhibits of the Vedic pastimes.

About a half km down the road, is the Pawan Dham Temple, which is decorated with excellent mirror and glasswork. It has many shrines dedicated to different deities.

One km further north is the Lal Mata Temple, which was finished in 1994. This temple is modeled after the Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu & Kashmir. There is an artificial hill, which resembles the original. Also there is a replica of the ice Siva-linga, that is located at the Amarnath Cave in Jammu & Kashmir. It is an interesting temple.

Down the road is the Parmath Ashram, which has a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga. You then go further to the eight-storey high Bharat Mata Temple, which is about 5km north of Haridwar. On the top floor is a deity of Lord Shankar (Siva). You take an elevator (lift) to the top floor and then walk down.

About half a km further north is Sapta Rishi Ashram. It is about 6km north of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganges. At this place, the Ganges is said to have divided to avoid displeasing the seven rishis (yogis) meditating there.

About 4½ km from Haridwar on the southeastern summits of the Siwalik Hills are the Chandi Devi (1929) and Anjani Devi Temples. At the foot of the hills are the Gauri-Sankara and Neele­swara temples.

The Pareshwar Mahadev Temple is four km south of Haridwar. The Siva-linga in the temple is said to be made of mercury.

Kankhal
Kankhal is said to have been the capital of Prajapati Daksha. It is about 4km south of the Haridwar railway station.

Daksha, the son of Lord Brahma and father of Sati, once performed a yajna (great sacrifice) at this place. Sati burned herself alive during the sacrifice because her father had insulted her husband Lord Siva. After which, when Siva was carrying the body of Sati, Lord Vishnu cut up her body into 51 pieces, which fell in different places around India. At many of the places where the parts of her body fell, important Shakti-pitha temples were established. You can read the full story about this event in the General Information chapter.

The Dakseswara Mahadeva Siva Temple (also called Daksha Prajapati Temple) is said to have been built in commemoration of Lord Siva coming to this place to help Sati. Next to this temple on the bank of the Ganges is Daksha Ghat. Sati Kund on Kankhal Jwalapur Road is said to mark the spot where Sati actually burnt herself.

Anandamoyee Ma Ashram, about 200m away, opposite the Daksheswar Temple, is a huge mausoleum dedicated to this famous Bengali woman guru.

Where to Stay—Dharamshalas
Punjabi Ksetra Ashram and Bharata Ashram are extremely basic and cheap, about Rs 15. Paramanand Ashram has rooms with a good view of the Ganges. These ashrams are all close to Birla Ghat.
Jayaram Ashram is one of the best dharamshalas in Haridwar. It has almost 500 rooms, many of which have a bathroom and are furnished.

Where to Stay—Lower
You can expect hotel prices to be higher here in May and June, which is the busy season. The budget places are mainly located near the railway station.

Hotel Madras (423-301), which is the cheapest place, has run-down basic rooms with common bath for Rs 70/100.
Hotel Samrat, across the street, has rooms with bath for Rs 100/140.
Hotel Panama (427-506), Jasharam Rd, on a side road close to the railway station, is a good value with fairly basic small rooms with bath for Rs 90/110. Hot water in bucket.
Hotel Ashok (242-6469), nearby, has basic singles with common bath for Rs 175. A double room with common bath is Rs 300 and a room with bath and hot water is Rs 500. Air-cooled rooms are Rs 750 and with A/C Rs 950. The rooms are clean.
Arya Niwas, near Modi Bhawan, has recommended budget rooms.

Where to Stay—Middle
UP Tourism’s Rahi Motel (426-430), Station Rd, next to the bus stand, has comfortable rooms with bath, TV and air-cooling for Rs 675/800 and Rs 900/1200 with A/C. A free breakfast is included. Dorm beds are Rs 75. It is in a quiet garden.
GMVN Tourist Bungalow (426-379) is across the river from the main part of town in a peaceful location. Rooms are Rs 500/650 up to Rs 900/1100 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 100. It has a garden and there is a good view of the Ganges from the rooms. There is no restaurant, but meals can be delivered to your room.
Hotel Mayur (242-7586), Upper Rd, near the chair-lift, has basic rooms with hot water and air-coolers for Rs 200/350 in the off-season and Rs 500/600 in the high-season (May and June).
Down a road nearby is the Hotel Marwari Niwas (427-759), which has rooms with air-cooling, hot water, and a TV for Rs 400 and with A/C for Rs 700.
Hotel Kailash (427-789), on the main road near the railway station, has air-cooled rooms for Rs 240/275 and Rs 400 with A/C. Some rooms have a balcony.
Hotel Aarti (427-456), nearby on Railway Rd, is a good place with rooms for Rs 275/350 and air-cooled rooms are Rs 500/550. Do not get a room by the front desk, as the TV is blasted till late at night.
Hotel Gurudev (427-101), nearby on the main road, has rooms for Rs 300/450.
The popular Tourist Villa (426-391), Himalaya Depot Gali, Sharwan Nath Nagar, has an assortment of budget to mid-range rooms for Rs 400 to Rs 800. The rooms on the ground floor can be noisy.
Inder Kutir Guest House (426-336), Shravan Nath Nagar, near the Ganges, is a comfortable, well-managed, family-run place. It is a recommended, clean place with rooms for Rs 300/450. The lady who manages this place is very helpful.
Hotel Mansarover International (426-501), Upper Rd, is one of the best places in town with comfortable air-cooled rooms for Rs 650/800 and Rs 900/1000 for a room with A/C. There is a 20% discount during the off-season.
Suvidha Hotel (427-423), behind Chitra Talkies Cinema in Sharwan Nath Nagar, is in a quiet area. It has comfortable clean rooms for Rs 800/900 with air-cooling and Rs 1100/1300 with A/C. It is one of the best hotels in town.
Hotel Teerth (425-311), Bara Bazaar, right next to the Ganges, with a good view of Hari-Ki-Pairi, has air-cooled rooms for Rs 900 and an A/C room with a balcony facing the Ganges is Rs 1100.
Next door is the cheaper Gyan Niketan, which has good rooms facing the Ganges for Rs 400 and not so nice rooms in the back for Rs 300. You should see the room before you stay here.
Raj Deluxe (427-755), Vishnu Ghat, close to the Ganges, is a fairly comfortable place with rooms for Rs 700/800.
Surprise (427-780), Delhi-Haridwar Rd, about 2km out of town, has a pool and rooms for Rs 800/1000.

Where to Eat
Meat, fish, and eggs are banned within the city limits, so there are only vegetarian restaurants.

Bestee Restaurant, Shiv Murti area, near the Hotel Panama, serves Chinese, shakes, breakfast and South Indian food.
Hotel Hoshiyar Puri, on the main road by Hari-ki-Pairi ghat, is one of the busiest thali places in town and is over 50 years old.
Satkar, Vishnu Ghat, has good Indian and Chinese food.
Chotiwala Restaurant, opposite the Tourist Office, is popular and recommended. It is one of the best places in town. It has good thalis.
Siwalik Restaurant, a few shops down from Chotiwala Restaurant, makes good Gujarati and South Indian food.
Ahaar, Upper Rd, near Chotiwala, is a medium-priced place serving very good Continental, Punjabi, and Chinese meals. The last three places are probably the best places in town and are recommended.
Mohan’s Fast Food, near the Chitra Cinema, Railway Rd, has veggie burgers, pizzas and Gujarati food. It has a good selection of ice cream. The owner, Sanjeev Mehta, is a helpful and friendly person.
Hotel Mansarover International has a good restaurant, but is more expensive than the other places.
Bride Mathura Walla sweet shop, in the middle of Bara Bazaar, has an excellent selection of good Indian sweets.

Local Travel
A cycle-rickshaw from the bus station to Hari-ki-Pairi is Rs 8 and a vikram (a tempo) is Rs 3.
Vijay Cycle Works, Railway Rd, near the Arati Hotel, rents bikes for Rs 2 an hour or Rs 15 a day.

Travel
Rail The Mussoorie Exp #4042 departs from the Old Delhi station (7 hr, 262km) at 10.25 pm and arrives in Hari­dwar at 6.20 am before continuing on to Dehra Dun. It returns to Delhi from Haridwar at 10.50 pm. Other trains to Delhi are the Shatabdi Exp #2018 (6.10 pm, 4½ hr), Mumbai Exp #3009 and the Dehra Dun Exp #9020 (daily 12.50 pm, 10 hr).

You can get a direct train to Mumbai (40 hr), Calcutta (35 hr), Varanasi (20 hr, 850km, Janata Express), Lucknow (11 hr), Ujjain, and Gaya. The Doon Express #3009 (10.15 pm) goes to Calcutta via Lucknow and Gaya. The Ujjain Dehradun Exp #4310 (6.48 am) departs to Mathura (9 hr) via Delhi (6½ hr) on Wednesday and Saturday. From Mathura the Ujjain Dehradun Exp #4309 (8.20 am) goes to Haridwar on Thursday and Sunday.

Bus There are many buses to and from Delhi (6 hr, 222km), both local and express. Buses to Delhi leave from the Station Bus Stand almost every half-hour. There are also direct semi-luxury buses that depart in the morning for Delhi. They can be booked in advance at the many travel agencies or at your hotel. There is an A/C luxury bus that departs from Haridwar to Delhi at around 8 am in the morning for Rs 200. This same bus, which departs from Delhi for Haridwar at 3 pm, can be booked in Delhi at the Delhi Tourism Development Corporation office (345-358), C/o Coffee House, Baba Kharak Singh Marg or at one of Delhi Tourism’s other offices. This bus should be booked at least a day in advance. Buses to Haridwar depart from the Interstate Bus Terminal at Kashmiri Gate in Delhi. Private luxury buses to Haridwar from Delhi, which usually travel at night, should be booked in advance with a travel agency.

From Haridwar, you can get buses to Manali (13 hr), Kullu, Agra, Chandigarh, Shimla, Badrinath (14 hr), Gangotri, and Uttarkashi. There are hourly buses to Dehra Dun, where you can get a connection to Mussoorie. There are regular local buses to Kurukshetra (4 hr). There is a semi-luxury (five seats across) overnight bus (Rs 100, 10 hr) from Vrindavan via Mathura that departs at around 8 pm.

You should purchase a ticket one day in advance for a Char Dham destination. Buses to Kedarnath and Badrinath depart in the early morning. Most buses to Char Dham destinations depart from Rishikesh very early in the morning (before 7 am).

To and From Rishikesh There are frequent buses to Rishikesh (45 min, 24km). You can get a shared taxi at the bus stand for Rs 25. Near Bhimgoda Kund, about half a km upstream from Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat, you can get shared motor-rickshaws (tempos) to Rishikesh. If you walk across the bridge a few blocks from Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat there are shared motor-rickshaws (Rs 10 or Rs 100 for the entire rickshaw, 40-min) that regularly go to Rishikesh. These rickshaws go to the near end of Rishikesh, and from there you have to get another rickshaw to Shiva­nand Jhula or Laksman Jhula for Rs 4. By taxi to Rishikesh is Rs 300.

Taxi The Taxi Drivers & Owners Association (427-338), opposite the bus stand, has fixed, posted rates. To Mussoorie is Rs 500, Gangotri Rs 3,000, a nine-day Char Dham tour is Rs 9,000, Nainital Rs 1,500, and Delhi Rs 1,500.

Khodiyar Travels (423-560) Jasharam Rd, Shiv Murti area, and Shakti Wahini (427-002), Jasharam Rd, rent out taxis.

During May and June shared taxis departing from the railway station go between Haridwar and Mussoorie or Dehra Dun.

Joshimath

Population: 13,300
Phone Code: 01389
Alt: 1,845 m

When Badrinath closes during the winter, the priests from the Badrinath Temple come to Joshimath and continue worship at the Narasimha Temple. The utsava-murti (moving deity) of Badri Vishal is brought to Pandukeswar for worship. There is the ancient Vasudeva Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Krishna.

One of the four main Sankaracharya mutts (maths) is located here. It is said that Adi Sankaracharya meditated in a cave here and attained samadhi (enlightenment) about 1,200 years ago under the Kalpavriksa tree (Shahtoot/Mulberry).
In the lower part of the town is the Gauri Shankar Siva and Nava Durga temples. Tapovan, 11km north of Joshimath along the Curzon Trail, is known for its hot springs.

Practicalities
Joshimath is between Rishikesh (11 hr) and Badrinath (2½ hr, 44km). There is a good chance that you will have to stop here for the night on the way to Badrinath, as the road to Badrinath closes at 4.30 pm. The road then reopens the next morning at 6.30 am.

There is a bank in this town where you can change money.

Nanda Devi Mountain Travel (2170), Hotel Nanda Devi, organizes treks, river rafting, and rents equipment.

Narasimhadeva Temple
In this temple is a Deity of Lord Narasimha, which is self-manifested from a shalagram-shila. He is about 25cm (10 in) high and remarkably detailed, sitting in a lotus position. To the right of Lord Narasimha are Sita, Rama, Hanuman, and Garuda. Against the left wall is a deity of Chandika, which is another name for Kali. On the altar to the right of Lord Narasimha are deities of Kubera, Uddhava, and Badri Vishal. There is an altar for Lakshmi Devi just outside the door of the temple.

Sankaracharya is said to have installed this Narasimha Shaligram. The left wrist of Narasimha is incredibly thin and gets thinner every day. It is said that when Kali-yuga overtakes the world, the wrist (arm) will break and the mountains Jaya and Vijaya (near Vishnu Prayag) will collapse and block the present road to Badrinath. The new Badrinath will be relocated at Bhavisya Badri, about 23km southeast of Joshimath.

If you want to get a good view of Lord Narasimhadeva’s wrist you can come when he is bathed between 7.30 and 8.30 am in the morning.

This temple is said to be over 1,200 years old. It is open from 5 am to 8.30 pm. This temple and the Vasudeva Temple, just 30m away, are located in the bottom part of the town, about a three minute walk from the Kedar Holy Home Guest House. Everyone knows where this temple is located.

Vasudeva Temple
This temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, recognized by the Tamil Nadu Vaishnava saints as being very important Vishnu temples. The black carved stone Deity of Lord Vasudeva is about 2m (6 ft) tall. He stands with his associates Sri, Bhu, Nila, and Kama. This temple is about 30m from the Narasimhadeva Temple. To the left of the main entrance is a deity of dancing Ganesh, which is said to be one of only two such deities in India. This temple is very ancient, and no one knows exactly how old it is.

Sankaracharya Math (Mutt)
This temple is located on the ridge above the upper part of the town. If you enter the temple and follow the signs to your left, you come to the cave where Sankaracharya is said to have meditated. If you go up the steps to the right of the temple entrance (before entering the temple complex), you come to the Kalpavriksa tree, where Sankaracharya is said to have attained self-realization. This 38m (125 ft) tall tree has a huge trunk and is said to be more than 2,400 years old. Sankaracharya wrote the Sankara Bhasya in Joshimath.

Where to Stay
There are several private lodges in town. The road to Badrinath is closed at 4.30 pm, so if you arrived after this time you must stay here.
GMVN’s Nigam Tourist Bungalow (222118), at the north end of the upper part of the town, has dorm beds for Rs 160 and rooms ranging from Rs 300 up to Rs 500.
Next to the main square is the basic Kamet (2221550 with rooms for 275).
Marwari has basic rooms and a popular vegetarian restaurant below it.
Jyoti Lodge (2133) is a good middle-range hotel.
The older Neelkanth has nice rooms with a view of the valley.
Dronagiri (2254) is the best place in town.
In the lower part of town is the good Kedar Holy Home Guest House (2246), which has good doubles for Rs 400.

Kedarnath


Phone Code 01364
Elevation: 3583m (11824 ft)

Kedarnath is on the bank of the Mandakini River between Gangotri and Badrinath. As the crow flies Kedarnath is only 42km from Badrinath. Over 100,000 pilgrims come here each year. It is believed that Sankaracharya passed away here about 820 AD. Kedareswar Siva is the presiding deity. Behind the Kedarnath temple is an impressive mountain range, with the beautiful Kedarnath Mountain (6,970m).

Kedarnath Temple
This Lord Siva temple at Kedarnath is said to have been built by the Pandavas to atone for their sins procured during the Kurukshetra war. It is believed that this temple was originally constructed by the Pandavas, and the present temple was reconstructed by Sankaracharya in the 8th century. One of the 12 Siva-Jyotirlingas is in this temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sada Siva and is considered to be one of the major Siva temples in India.

Inside the temple there is an irregular, three-faced linga, representing the hump of Lord Siva when he took the form of a bull. It is about 3m (9 ft) long, 1m (3 ft) wide, and 1.3m (4 ft) high. Pilgrims are allowed to touch the linga, perform worship, abhishek (bathe), and massage the linga with ghee. There are deities of goddess Parvati and Ganesh in front of the main altar door. Outside the second door are Lord Krishna, the five Pandavas, their wife, Draupadi, and their mother, Kunti. In the temple is a Lakshmi-Narayana Deity, which was installed by Adi Sankaracharya.

The temple faces south, which is a unique feature, as most temples face east. This temple is very solidly built. The temple opens the first week of May and closes either the last week of October or the first week of November. May/June is the busiest time of the year. Worship of Sri Kedarnath is continued in the village of Okhimath in the winter by the priest from the Kedarnath Temple.

The waiting time to enter the temple in the afternoon is about 15 minutes, otherwise if you go at 7 am the waiting time may be two hours or more. The main pujas are at 6 am and 6 pm.

Temple Story
The story of the temple is that the Pandavas felt contaminated by sinful reactions from killing so many people during the Kurukshetra war. They decided to ask Lord Siva for his blessings to relieve them from these sinful reactions. The Pandavas first went to Kashi (Varanasi) to get Lord Siva’s blessings, but the Lord fled to Uttarakhand (Guptakashi) and lived there incognito. Eventually the Pandavas found him there, and Lord Siva turned himself into a bull to hide. Bhima recognized his disguise and grabbed the bull by the tail. The bull slowly sank into the ground, and Lord Siva then appeared before them on account of their great determination. Lord Siva instructed them to worship the remaining hump of the bull (pinda form).

A temple was then constructed and worship has been going on here ever since. Other parts of Lord Siva’s body appeared in other places in the area. It is said that the Pandavas also built temples at these places. They are known as the Panch Kedars: Kedarnath, hump (pinda); Tungnath, arm (bahu); Rudranath, face (mukh); Kalpeswar, hair (jata); and Madhyamaheswar, navel (nabhi).

Other Places
There is a marble staff behind the temple that commemorates Sankaracharya. It is believed that Sri Sankara passed away in Kedarnath. There is another school of thought that says he passed away in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Just behind the Kedarnath Temple is the Mahapanth Trail (Gate of Heaven). It is said that from this place there is a path that goes north up to Swarga-rohini (path to heaven). It is said that the five Pandavas took this path after performing a huge yajna (sacrifice). Other people said that the Pandavas ascended from Badrinath.

A path to the east of the village, to the right of the temple, leads to the Bhairava temple. Bhairava is the furious form of Lord Siva. It is a 20-minute walk.

Before you cross the bridge that crosses to the town you come to a path that leads to a glacier, 4km away. The path here can also be reached by crossing the river over the bridge that is behind the temple and climbing up the hill. Chorabari Tal lake, an emerald green lake, is next to the glacier. It is also known as Gandhi Sarovar, because some of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were throw here. It takes 1½ to 2 hours to walk here from Kedarnath. About a km from the lake is the source of the Mandakini River.

Vasuki Tal (4320m) is a tough 9km trek from Kedarnath. The path begins near the Tourist Bungalow. Past Vasuki Tal is the Khatling Glacier via the Painya Tal and Maser Tal lakes. For this trek you need a good guide and proper equipment.

Where to Stay
The Nigam Tourist Bungalow h(27210) as rooms for Rs 500, but it should be booked in advance. There are also dharamshalas and the Birla Guest House. The Bharat Seva Ashram, a large red building located left of the temple, is a nice, clean place with rooms for Rs 200. There are also a number of private no-name lodges. Rooms are typically Rs 400 or Rs 600 a night for a decent room. Rooms are expensive for what you get.

There are basic places to stay at Rambara, at the halfway point walking up to Kedarnath. Food in Kedarnath is basic and expensive, as it all has to be brought up by horseback.

Travel
The road to Kedarnath ends at a town named Gaurikund (1,981m). A bus from Haridwar or Rishikesh (295km) takes all day to reach Gaurikund. It is best to catch the early morning bus at 6 am. If you get a later bus you will definitely have to stop for the night on the way. The bus from Gangotri to Gaurikund (334km) takes a day and a half. From Gaurikund the bus usually takes a full day to get to Joshimath (Rs 100), which is 44km south of Badrinath; but you could reach Badrinath the same day if you get the 6 am bus and nothing goes wrong. Otherwise, from Joshimath the same bus goes the next morning to Badrinath.

From Gaurikund you should make sure you reserve early morning buses the night before. Even if you are told you can get a ticket the next morning, do not believe it.

You have to walk 14km, at least 4 hours, up a steep incline to get to Kedarnath from Gaurikund. The trek along the Mandakini River to Kedarnath is slow and tiresome. If the sky is clear, at the 10km stone you can view the Kedarnath mountain peak at 6,640m (22,770 ft). As the walk is very tough, it is advised to carry as little as possible up the hill. Even the smallest load can feel like a lead weight after a few km. If you cannot walk, you can rent a horse for about Rs 250 one way. To be carried by four people up the hill costs Rs 900 one way. You should be prepared to stay the night at Kedarnath, as it is difficult to go both up and down in the same day.

Some people stop for the night halfway up at Rambara (7km), which has several simple eating places and some basic rest houses.

Gaurikund
Gaurikund is said to be the place where Gaurimata (Parvati) took birth and did austerities for hundreds of years, in order to marry Lord Siva. It is 210km from Rishikesh and 334km from Gangotri. Gaurikund is the last bus stop on the way to Kedarnath.

There is a hot sulfur water spring here named Gaurikund (Tapta Kund), where you can bathe. It is said to mark the place where Parvati did austerities. It is a great place to bathe after returning from your walk to Kedarnath. Next to the spring is the Gauri Devi Temple, dedicated to Parvati.

There is a temple called Sirkata Ganesh, the beheaded Ganesh, about half a km from Gaurikund. The Skanda Purana says this was the place where Lord Siva beheaded his son Ganesh and then gave him an elephant head. The story says that Ganesh was guarding his mother, Parvati, who was bathing in Gaurikund. When Siva, who had been traveling for a long time came, Ganesh stopped him. Siva, not recognizing his own son, then became angry and cut off the head of Ganesh. When Parvati found out this had happened, she requested Siva to bring him back to life and give him another head. Siva said he would give him the head of the first creature that came by, which happened to be an elephant. So he gave Ganesh the head of an elephant.

Where to Stay and Eat
In Gaurikund there are many private guest houses. For what you get most of them are way overpriced, usually they are at least Rs 350 for a dirty, run-down double room. There are many other places to choose from, but do not expect any bargains.

Bharat Seva Ashram and Punjab Sindh are basic places and some of the rooms have bathrooms.
Shivlok, next to Gaurikund and the Mandakini River is a decent place with double rooms for Rs 350. It is decently clean.
The best place in town is the well-located GMVN Tourist Centre. This place should be booked at least a week in advance at the GMVN office in Rishikesh. It has double rooms for Rs 550 and dorm beds for Rs 125.
Hotel Pavan Hansh Restaurant, next to Gaurikund, is a well-managed, good vegetarian place.
Gauri’s Grand restaurant is a good place with an extensive menu.

You can leave your extra luggage at a cloakroom to your left, just after going up the steps from where the buses park.

There is a Nigam Tourist Lodge with rooms for Rs 400 in Sonprayag, which is six km south of Gaurikund. Sonprayag is much more laid-back than Gaurikund, but you need your own transportation to stay there.

Mussoorie


Pop: 30,000 Area
Phone Code 0135
Postcode 248179
Elevation: 2000m

Mussoorie, at 2000m, is a popular hill station, especially with middle and higher income Indians. It is 280km north of Delhi. During the high season it is a busy place, but not many foreigners come here because of the crowds and the expensive accommodations. It is more geared for Indians who come up from Delhi for the weekend. If you are looking for spirituality you most likely would rather go to Rishikesh and if you want mountain seclusion you most likely would prefer to go to Kullu Valley, Kumaon or Parvati Valley areas.

The busy time is from April to June and September and October, when the weather is ideal. It is a peaceful place during the off-season, but it can get quite cold. During the monsoon it can get very cloudy and there are almost no views.

Orientation
Mussoorie extends along a ridge. The Mall runs for two km between Gandhi Chowk and Kulri Bazaar. There are not many shops along The Mall and at the two ends there are busy shopping areas. There is no vehicle traffic allowed on The Mall during the high-season. There is a steep drop into the valley from The Mall with fairly good views. Camel Back Road goes along the backside of the mountains and connects to the two ends of The Mall.

There are two bus stands on each side of The Mall, the Library bus stand (Gandhi Chowk) and the Kulri Bazaar (Masonic Lodge) bus stand on the other side. From Dehra Dun you should try to get a bus going to the side of The Mall that you want to stay at, as they are quite far apart and no vehicles go between them.

Information
UP Tourist Office (263-2863) is on The Mall.

GMVN Office (263-2984), Hotel Garhwal Terrace. There is a GMVN counter (263-1281), near the Library bus stand at Gandhi Chowk. GMVN runs tours to Mussoorie Lake (only in high-season), Kempty Falls, Dhanolti (from where there is a good view of the Himalayas) and a full-day tour in October and November.

The Landour Language School (263-14687; fax 263-1917), Sisters’ Bazaar area, is an excellent school to learn Hindi. Group lessons are Rs 50 an hour and private lessons are Rs 90 an hour.

Money
The Bank of Baroda, Kulri Bazaar, changes most travelers cheques.

The State Bank of India, Kulri Bazaar, will change Thomas Cook travelers cheques in US dollars and British pounds and American Express travelers cheques only in US dollars. Rs 25 encashment fee.

Bookshops
Cambridge Booksellers and Chander Book Depot, in Kulri Bazaar are both good book shops.

Travel and Trekking Agents
Harry Tours and Travel (632-507), at the Masonic Lodge bus stand, arranges treks and rents out cars.

Ambica Travels (632-238), in the Hotel Hill Queen, Upper Mall Rd, west side of The Mall, books private buses to Delhi, and can get airline and trains tickets.

Kulwant Travels (632-717), at the Masonic Lodge bus stand, rents out cars and does good tours.

Trek Himalaya Tours (631-366; fax 631-302), Powy’s Cottage, Hakman’s Compound, can arrange treks in the Garhwal region and trips to Ladakh, Spiti and Kinnaur. They rent out trekking equipment and have a good reputation.

What to See
There are nice places for walks in the area. Camel’s Back Road (3km long) goes past a rock shaped like a camel.

You can take a walk to Lal Tibba (the highest place in Mussoorie), where Childer’s Lodge is located, 5km east of The Mall.

The nice walk to Happy Valley goes past the Tibetan Refugee Center, which has a temple and a shop selling handmade sweaters. Also here is the beautiful Tchechen Choling Gompa (Buddhist monastery).

From Gun Hill there are beautiful views of the Himalayas, which include Bandar Punch (6315m). A Ropeway cable car goes up to the top from 8.30 am to 8 pm and from 15 May to 15 July until 10 pm. You can also walk or take a horse. You can have a picture taken of yourself in a Garhwal traditional dress. It takes a few days to get the photos. You can also have them take a photo of you with your camera.

At Dhanolti there are great views of the Himalayas.

Kempty Falls (18km) is nice. You can get to Kempty Falls by local bus from the Library stand or on the GMVN tour.

There is a roller-skating rink in Kulri.

Shopping
You can get pashmina wool shawls at Jewellers-Astrologer, 5 The Mall, near the Hotel Garhwal Terrace. They start at Rs 8000 and go up to over Rs 50,000.

Nirankari Cottage Industries, near the library end of The Mall, has high-end Tibetan, Buddhist and Chinese items.

Where to Stay
Prices here are very much influenced by the season. During the summer, early fall and Diwali seasons, prices can go up three times. Many hotels are closed in January and February. A porter to a hotel from the bus stands should be around Rs 25.

West End of the Mall—Lower
Whispering Windows (632-020), on The Mall near the Library bus stand, has rooms for Rs 250 to Rs 400.
Hotel Laxmi Palace (263-2774) has clean rooms for Rs 650/900. It is a nice place.
Hotel Prince (632-674) has rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 350. It is a nice building, but could be better maintained. It has great views.
Hotel India (632-359) has double rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 300 to Rs 500.

East End of the Mall & Kulri Bazaar
Hotel Valley View (632-324), on The Mall, has clean rooms for Rs 250/300. It has a good restaurant and is a good place.
Hotel Broadway (263-2243) is a well-maintained, popular place with rooms for Rs 250/400. It is a good, friendly place.
Hotel Vikram (632-932), near the library, has rooms for Rs 100 (bucket hot water) and Rs 550 with constant hot water.
Hotel Clark’s (623-2932; Email: hotelclarks@usa.net) is an older British Raj type building with rooms for Rs 1100 to Rs 2400. It has a billiards table. It could be better maintained.

Where to Stay—Middle to High

East End of the Mall & Kulri Bazaar
GMVN Garwhal Terrace (632-682) has rooms with a TV for Rs 750 and dorm beds for Rs 100. It has good views.
Hakman’s Grand Hotel (632-959) has rooms for Rs 550. It is a British Raj type place, but some people may not like it.
Hotel Shipra (632-662, 632-494; fax 632-941), near the Masonic Lodge bus stand, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1600 to Rs 2000.
Hotel Horizon (263-2899) has comfortable rooms with a TV and a good view for Rs 1700. Good discounts in the off-season.
Hotel Connaught Castle (632-210; fax 632-538) has modern luxury rooms for Rs 1850/2600.
Nabha Resort (632-525; fax 631-793), 2km from the center of town, is an old palace with a nice garden and a nice view. It has luxury rooms for Rs 2900/3100. It is well managed and recommended.

West End of Mall—Middle to High
Hotel Roselyn Estate (632-201) is an older place that has rooms for Rs 650. It could be better maintained. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Paramount (632-352) has rooms for Rs 450/700. It is well-managed.
Hotel Padmini Nivas (263-1093; fax: 263-2793; Email: harshada@vsnl.com) , 500m east of the library, has rooms (some with good views) for Rs 1600 and a suite for Rs 2500. It used to belong to a maharaja and has a great graden with over 300 types of floweres.. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Hotel Classic Heights (632-514) has rooms for Rs 850 to 2000. It offers good discounts in the off-season.
Carlton’s Plaisance, Charleville Rd, is a nice place with good spacious rooms. It is situated in a peaceful location and has a good restaurant.
Savoy Hotel (263-2010; fax: 263-2010) is a large British Raj type place that has its own grounds. It has rooms beginning at Rs 1700/2700, including meals. It has great views of the mountains.

Other Places
Hotel Nishima (632-227), Landour Bazaar, has basic rooms for Rs 175/225.
Hotel Dev Dar Woods (263-2644), Sisters’ Bazaar, has rooms for Rs 400 including breakfast. People going to the nearby language school often stay here.

Where to Eat—West End of the Mall
Swiss Café, next to the Hotel Paramount, has baked goods, Indian and Chinese food.
Rajkamal Restaurant has good, reasonably priced food.
Whispering Windows is a popular place.
Carlton’s Plaisance, Charleville Rd, has good Indian, Tibetan and Chinese food.
Savoy Hotel (632-010) is a higher-class place with main dishes for around Rs 100. It should be booked in advance.

East End of the Mall & Kulri Bazaar
Green Restaurant is a good vegetarian place.
Madras Cafe is a good South Indian place with over 20 types of dosas. Recommended.
The Rice Bowl has Chinese and Tibetan food.
Kwality Restaurant, Kulri Bazaar, has good Indian, Chinese and Continental food.
Tavern is a popular Mughlai and Chinese place.
Howard Revolving Restaurant makes a complete circle every 10 minutes. It is fairly high priced.
Mahalaxmi, near the GPO, is a good place with veg thali.
Sisters’ Bazaar A Prakash & Co is a grocery store that has good cheese, peanut butter and breads.

Local Travel
Motor vehicles are not allowed on The Mall. To move your luggage you have to either carry it or hire a hand-pulled rickshaw, which is usually under Rs 25, and about Rs 50 to go from one end of the mall to the other (2km). You can ride a horse on The Mall. Bertz, near Darpan in Kulri, rents 100cc motorcycles.

Travel
Buses from Mussoorie to Dehra Dun (1½ hr) depart every half-hour. Buses end at either the Kulri Bazaar (Masonic Lodge) bus stand or the Library (Gandhi Chowk) bus stand at either end of The Mall. There are two buses nightly to Delhi (a deluxe one from Library bus stand).

The Tehri bus stand is 5km from the Mall, east of Landour. Buses depart from Tehri bus stand for Tehri (5 hr) and from there you can get another bus to Gangotri or Uttarkashi. Buses to Hanuman Chatti (for Yamunotri) depart from the Library bus stand. This bus begins in Dehra Dun and may be full when it arrives.

You can reserve a train at the Northern Railway booking agency (263-2846), at the Kulri Bazaar end of The Mall. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 4 pm, Sun 8 am to 2 pm.

If you are going to Mussoorie by train from the north or west it is best to get down at Saharanpur and then get a bus from there.

Taxis depart from the Masonic Lodge bus stand and the Library bus stand to destinations for fixed prices, including Sister’s Bazaar (Rs 180 round trip), Haridwar (3 hr, Rs 1000), Rishikesh (2½ hr, Rs 900), Uttarkashi (5½ hr, Rs 1900) and Delhi (7 hr, Rs 1900).

Nainital

Pop: 39,000
Phone Code: 05942
Postcode 263001
Elevation: 1940m

Nainital, 300km northeast of Delhi, is a pleasant hill station in the Kumaon Hills at 1935m. The town is built around a beautiful lake. Nainital is a nice place and there are several good walks with great views of the Himalayas.

It is said that when the body of Siva’s consort Sati was cut into pieces by Lord Vishnu, one of her eyes fell at this place and from this the beautiful lake at Nainital was created.

The first British resident to come here was Mr P Barron of Shahjahanpur. He built a cottage and also brought a yacht here. It eventually became a popular hill station and the summer capital of the United Provinces (Old name of Uttar Pradesh).
The high season is mid-April to June and mid-September to the beginning of November. From December to March it is a very cold.

Orientation
The Mall runs along the northeast side of the lake. The Mall is closed to large vehicle traffic much of the year. On the southeast side of The Mall is the area called Tallital, where the bus stand is located. Hotels are located in this area, along The Mall, and in Mallital area, which is the area northwest of the lake. Most of the higher-end hotel are located a 10-minute walk west of Mallital.

Information
The helpful Tourist Office (235337) is on The Mall (daily 10 am to 5 pm).

Shivam Tour and Travel (35269), on The Mall near Tallital arranges trips to local sites such as Hanumangarhi and Cheena Park. They also do advance bookings for buses to Delhi and Haridwar. Open Mon to Fri noon to 4 pm, Sat noon to 2 pm.

Parvat Tours (KMVN) rents out long-distance cars.

The GPO is in Mallital and there is a post office near the bus stand in Tallital.

Modern Book and General Store has books and English newspapers. As does Narains, located on The Mall.

Nainital Mountaineering Club (35051), CRST Inter College Building, can help with treks, arranges guides and porters, and rents out equipment.

The District Forest Officer can by contacted at 35145 phone number.

Internet at Cyberia Cafe (hours: 9am-9pm) has good connections.

Money
You can change cash and travelers checks at the State Bank of India, in Mallital just beyond the Flats. Allahabad Bank and the Bank of Baroda, in Mallital, change money.

Tours
Package tours can be booked at the two KMVN hotels. They arrange a tour to Kausani for Rs 250 by bus and Rs 1400 by taxi. A two-day tour to Jageshwar by bus is Rs 150 and Rs 1400 by taxi. They also arrange a tour to Kedarnath and Badrinath and other places in the area.

KMVN Parvat Tours (35656), on the Mall at the Tallital end, arranges a tour to Corbett National Park by luxury bus (Rs 200) and by taxi (Rs 1100). They arrange a tour to the places in the area including, Ranikhet, Almora, and the lakes. They also arrange river rafting, trekking, canoeing, hang-gliding and mountain biking.

Nainital Lake
The lake is a nice place just to walk around. On the northwest side of the lake is the Naina Devi Temple dedicated to Sati, which is said to mark the place where Sati’s eye (naina) fell. On the side opposite The Mall are two small temples. It is not a very populated area.

A boat with a boatman can be hired for Rs 75 per hour that will take you around the lake and Rs 30 to go across the lake. You can also rent a paddle-boat for Rs 45 per hour for two people and Rs 55 for four people. You can rent a yacht from the Nainital Boat Club for Rs 100 per hour. You may have to become a member first.

Cheena (China) Peak
Cheena Peak is 6km from Nainital at 2611m (8615 ft), and being the highest point around means there are really good views. It is a 2½ hour walk from Nainital. You can also take a taxi to Tonneleary on Kilbury Rd, to cut down your walking distance.

Tiffin Peak
From Land’s End (2120m), on the back-side of Tiffin Peak, you can get a good view of the lake and the valley in the west. Dororthy’s Seat (2290m), further up Tiffin Peak, is a four km walk west of the lake. From Tiffin Tops, on the top of Tiffin Peak there are really good views. You can rent binoculars for Rs 5.

You can hire a horse to go up to Tiffin Tops from places in Mallital just past the Flats. If you want to ride fast you have to pay for a guide to ride on another horse; otherwise they will just walk along with you.

Snow View
Snow View is a popular viewpoint above Nainital at 2270m. You get to the top by going on a ropeway (gondola style chairlift) (8 am to 1 pm and 2 to 6 pm). It leaves from a building about 20m from The Mall in Mallital. It is popular so you should arrive close to the opening time of 8 am. You get a clearer view in the morning. Roundtrip is Rs 60 with an hour on top and Rs 20 one-way. It is a 2½ km walk down. You can hire a horse to go up the hill for around Rs 75 per hour.

There is a temple on top of the hill with deities of Sita, Rama, Hanuman, Siva and Durga. There are good binoculars that allow you to see the peak of Nanda Devi (7817m). You can also be dressed in Kumaoni traditional dress and have your picture taken.

Other Places
Church of St John’s in the Wilderness was built in 1847.

The Gadhan Kunkyop Ling Gompa is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery belonging to the Gelupka order. You get to it by taking the road behind the Standard Hotel. You pass this place while walking down from Snow View.

A trail goes for 5km to Naina Peak (2610m) from where there are good views of the mountains including Nanda Devi.

Lakes in the Area
Sat Tal is a group of seven beautiful lakes 20km from Nainital.

Bhim Tal (22km) is a big lake with nice scenery around it.

Naukuchiya Tal is a nice lake with nine corners (that is what the name means) that is in a peaceful location. There are a wide variety of birds here.

Lake Resort (05942 47061) is a good comfortable high-end hotel here. There is also a tourist bungalow.

Where to Stay—Lower
During the high-season prices in the hotels can more than double and it can be hard to find a room at any price.

Tallital End of Mall (south end)
Hotel Lake View (235632), Ramji Rd, is a well managed place with rooms with bath in season for Rs 600 to Rs 800 (Rs 400 to Rs 550 off-season). There are great views from the balcony.
Hotel Prashant (35347) has double rooms with bath and hot water in the morning for Rs 300 to Rs 550. The higher priced rooms have better views and are better maintained. Rooms are half price in the off-season.
Hotel Gauri (26617), Ramji Rd, has rooms with hot water and a good view for Rs 350 to Rs 400. Rooms without a window are Rs 225 to Rs 300. There is a 50% discount in the off-season.

Mallital Area
Youth Hostel (236357), a 15-minute walk west of Mallital in a secluded area, has dorm beds for Rs 35 for members and Rs 60for non-members. They have cheap veg thalis. Should be booked in advance. Rooms for Rs 300 to Rs 500.
Moon, a 15-minute walk past the Youth Hostel, has room with common bath for Rs 250 and rooms with bath for Rs 300. It is a good value.
Alps Hotel (35317) has large rooms with bath for Rs 250. 50% discount in the off-season.
Kohli Cottage (236368), in Mallital, has double rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 500 to Rs 800. It is a well-managed place with good views from the roof.
Standard Hotel (35602), end of The Mall near Mallital, has single rooms with common bath for Rs 600 and Rs 700 for a double room with a bath. Some rooms have very good views of the lake.

Where to Stay—Middle and High

Tallital End of Mall (south end)
Hotel Elphinstone (235534), on The Mall, has rooms with bath and a view of the lake for Rs 450 to Rs 1050. There is a 40% discount in the off-season.
KMVN Sarovar Tourist Rest House (235570), near the bus stand, has good rooms, some with a view of the lake for Rs 1100/1400 and half this price in the off-season. Dorm beds are Rs 50.
Alka Hotel (235220; Web Site: http://www.alkahotel.com), on The Mall, has comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 1900 to Rs 2400.
Evelyn Hotel (235457), on The Mall, has comfortable rooms for Rs 900 to Rs 1900. There are good views of the lake and some nice roof-terraces. 50% discount in the off-season. It is a well-maintained recommended place.

Mallital Area
KMVN Naina Tourist Rest House (36374), around one km from Mallital, has rooms for Rs 600 to Rs 800 and half this price in the off-season.
Ankur Plaza, near the Mallital rickshaw stand, is a well-managed place. The rooms next to the roof-terrace have good views. It is a good value.
Hotel Belvedere (237434; fax 235082; Email: belvederepalace@rediffmail.com), is a former palace with comfortable rooms for Rs 1600/1900 and Rs 1900 for a large suite. There are good views from the porch and some of the rooms. It is a friendly, well-managed place.
Hotel Grand (35406), Mallital, has rooms for Rs 800/1000 and Rs 1200 for a suite. It has hot water in the morning. There are good views from the balcony. It is an older place.
Hotel City Heart (235228), near the Nainital Mountaineering Club, is a well-managed place with comfortable, clean rooms for Rs 900 to Rs 1800.

The higher priced rooms have good views of the lake. There is a good discount during the off-season.

Vikram Vintage Inn (36179; fax 36177 ), in a quiet area in Sukhatal, has comfortable rooms for Rs 2200/3000. It has billiards and table tennis, but no pool.
Shervani Hilltop Inn (36128; fax 36304), a 20 minutes walk from Mallital, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1500 and Rs 1800 including breakfast and dinner. It has a beautiful garden. In the off-season there is a 50% discount.
Swiss Hotel (36013; fax 35493), a 15-minute walk west of Mallital, is a nice place with good gardens. It has comfortable rooms for Rs 1400 and Rs 1700 for a suite. It is well-managed.
Arif Castles, (35801; fax 36231) above Mallital, has a far-out design and comfortable rooms for Rs 2300.
Claridges Naini Retreat (235105; fax 235103), in a secluded, beautiful location, has rooms for Rs 4500, which includes two meals. It has nice large gardens. It is one of the best places in town.
Holiday Inn Nainital (36031), Grasmere Estate, a 15-minute walk north of Mallital, has luxury rooms, many with a view of the lake for Rs 3000 and Rs 4600. It has two good restaurants. There are discounts in the off-season.

Where to Eat
Below the Standard Hotel in Mallital is a good Juice Stall, which make fresh juices, lassis and shakes.
Rasoi Vegetarian Restaurant, Mallital end of The Mall, has good mid-range thalis and Western food.
Capri, Mallital end of The Mall, is a popular place with Indian, Continental and Chinese food.
Ashok, near the Boat House, The Mall, Mallital, has good vegetarian. food. Serves fresh juices and other good things.
Paradise, Bara Bazaar, Mallital, is a very good veg place.
Siva, Bara Bazaar, Mallital, is a popular place with good, cheap food.
Embassy, nearby, is one of the more popular places in town. It has Indian food and pizzas.
Puruhit, next door, has very good vegetarian South Indian food. It has a good view of the lake.
Kwaility has a good location next to the lake at the Mallital end of The Mall. It has Indian, Continental and ice cream.
Moti Mahal has good Punjabi food.
Nanak’s Restaurant, at the Mallital end of The Mall, is a Western fast-food place serving pizzas, veg burgers and milkshakes.
Prem Restaurant, Mallital’s main bazaar, has Punjabi and South Indian food.
Sher-e-Punjab, nearby, has good, reasonably priced Punjabi food.
Pahun Restaurant, halfway between Tallital and Mallital, specializes in traditional Kumaoni cuisine. It has a good thali. It is best to make reservations in advance for dinner.
The Holiday Inn Nainital has two restaurants. The Lotus Garden serves Chinese and the Kumaon serves Indian and Continental. A main dish is around Rs 100. They have Western breakfasts.

Travel
Train The nearest railway station is in Kathgodam, 35km south. There is a railway booking office near the Tallital bus stand (open 9.30 am to 4 pm), which has a quota for trains going to Delhi, Calcutta, Agra and Lucknow. The Ranikhet Exp #5014 departs Kathgodam for Delhi (8 hr) at 8.40 pm. It departs Old Delhi station at 11 pm and arrives in Kathgodam at 6.30 am.

Bus There are regular buses to Kathgodam (1½ hr). There is a deluxe state bus to Delhi at 8.30 am (9 hr) and other ordinary buses. KMVN and private companies operate deluxe buses to Delhi. There are buses to Haridwar (9 hr, morning and late afternoon), Bhim Tal (1 hr, 8 daily), Haldwani (1½ hr, every half-hour), Almora (3 hr, 4 daily), Ranikhet (3½ hr, 4 daily), Rishikesh (10 hr, 5.30 am), Kausani (5½ hr, 1 daily), Dehra Dun (11 hr, 4 daily) and Pithoragarh (10 hr, 1 daily at 7 am).
To get to Corbett National Park (115km southwest) you first take a bus to Ramnagar (3½ hr, 5 daily). You can also take the package tour offered by KMVN’s Parvat Tours.

Jeep Shared jeeps or taxis depart from near the bus stand to Kathgodam, Haldwani and Bhowali (30 min)

Ranikhet
Population Rs 19,055
Phone Code: 05966
Elevation: 1830m

Ranikhet (1,800m), 50km west of Almora, is one of the nicest hill stations in UP. Nearby are the towering snowcapped Nanda Devi (7817m) and other mountains. Ranikhet was used by the British as a hill station and was the headquarters of the Kumaon Regiment. It is a good place to take walks and to relax.

Information
The Tourist Office (220227), near the UP Roadways bus stand, at the east end of bazaar, is friendly and helpful. They have a useful Ranikhet booklet. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm. KMVN (2297) at the Tourist Rest House, can book rooms at KMVN hotels.

You can change money at the State Bank of India (may limit exchanges to $100 a day) and the Nainital Bank (2637). They are both located on the road above the bazaar, that runs parallel to it. Other banks in town also change money. .

The GPO is about one km from the center of town, along The Mall. There is a smaller branch near the tourist office.

What to See and Do
The Mall is a pleasant place to walk, which only has a few buildings and shops along it.

The Hindu temple of Jhula Devi is along The Mall. The gate of the temple has many different sized and shaped bells on it. The new interesting (1994) Mankameshwar Temple is located near the telephone exchange.

The Chaubatia Garden, 10km east, has several fruit orchards and nice gardens and is one of the most popular sites in the area. You can walk on trails that run along the mountainside. Plum juice is sold near the entrance. Open daily from 6 am to 9 pm and it is free. You can get a bus to this place from the Roadways stand or along The Mall.

There is a nine-hole Golf Course about 6km from town at Upat, on the road to Almora. Foreigners pay Rs 400, Rs 100 to rent clubs, Rs 100 for a ball, and Rs 25 for a caddy (plus a tip). Open daily except Mon 7 am to 6 pm.

In Dwarka Ghat, 37km away, there are interesting temples.

Where to Stay and Eat—Bazaar
During the high season prices can really increase.

Hotel Rajdeep (220017) has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 150 and Rs 450 with a bath. It has a veg restaurant. It is one of the better budget places.
Hotel Tribhuwan (2524) has nice rooms with a balcony with great views for Rs 250 and higher-priced rooms with a TV for Rs 400/450.
Alka Hotel has rooms for Rs 300. It has a nice balcony with good views of the mountains.
Parwati Inn (2325) has an assortment of modern rooms starting at Rs 300, but it has seen better days. There are good rooms looking at the mountains, and it has a billiard table.
Moon Hotel has rooms for Rs 300/400. It has a fairly good restaurant.

Where to Stay—Other Areas
There are several hotels around 3km from the bazaar in a secluded location.
KMVN Tourist Rest House (2297), The Mall, has comfortable cottages with a kitchen for Rs 350 and dorm beds for Rs 50. It is a good place in a beautiful location.
Norton’s Hotel (2377), The Mall, is an older Raj type building with rooms for Rs 300 to Rs 400. It is closed in the winter.
Hotel Meghdoot (220475) has clean, comfortable double rooms with hot water for Rs 650/850. It has a good mid-price restaurant. It is recommended.
KMVN Himadri Tourist Rest House (2588), Chilianaula, 6km from town, has modern rooms for Rs 350.
West View Hotel (220261; fax 220396), 5km from town, is an older place with big rooms with fireplaces for Rs 1500/1800 and a suite is Rs 3500. It is in a peaceful location near a golf course.
Mayar, by the bus stand, is a reasonably priced veg place.

Travel
The closest railway station is in Kathgodam (85km), four hours away by bus. There are buses to Nainital (3 hr, 8 am, 10.30 am and 3 pm), Almora (2½ hr), Delhi (12½ hr), Ramnagar (5 hr), Kausani (4 hr), Haldwani (4 hr), Badrinath and Haridwar. To get to Nainital you can take a bus to Bhowali and then change there. There are shared jeeps to Almora.

Rishikesh
Pop: 85,000
Phone Code: 0135
Postcode: 249192

Located 24km from Haridwar and 245km northeast of Delhi is Rishikesh, where the clear Ganges leaves the Himalaya Mountains. Rishikesh is a good place to stay for a while during the hot months of April to August. It has a peaceful atmosphere and is a hassle-free place with cheap accommodations and good eating places. It is a recommended place to visit.

Rishikesh is famous as a place to study yoga and meditation, and there are many ashrams here. It is not nearly as crowded with pilgrims as is Haridwar. Many foreigners come here, and many of them stay in ashrams to learn yoga. It became famous when the Beatles came here in the 60s with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

It is said that Bharata, the brother of Lord Rama, did severe penance here. A temple of Bharata was constructed at this site, and the town of Rishikesh grew up around it. The town got its name when Raibhya Rishi performed tapasya (austerities) here. Lord Hrishikesh (another name for Lord Vishnu) came before him and granted him darshan. Lord Vishnu is said to have killed the two demons Madhu and Kaitabha here.

Rishikesh is where most pilgrims begin their Char Dham pilgrimage of going to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. Rishikesh is at the meeting point of the Ganges and Chandra­bhaga Rivers.

Orientation
There are three main sections of Rishikesh. There is the downtown area, which is where the bus station, the railway station and several hotels and restaurants are located. The two other areas of town—Swag Ashram (also called Rama or Sivananda Jhula, 1km north), which is located on the eastern side of the Ganges, and Laksman Jhula (2km north)—are much more peaceful and are where most long-term Westerners stay. Most of the religious spots are along the banks of the Ganges between the main area of town and Laksman Jhula.

Information
There is a Uttaranchal Tourist Office (243-0209) on Railway Station Rd. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.

GMVN (243-0372); fax 243-0372, Muni-ki-Reti, between the downtown and Shivanand Jhula on Laksman Jhula Rd, runs buses and tours to the pilgrimage places in the north. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm; closed 1 to 2 pm.

The main tourist season (especially for Indians) is May and June. September and October are also crowded. During July and August it rains a lot, and from December to early March it is fairly cold. During late March and early April the weather is perfect, warm during the day and cool at night.

Baba Health and Massage Centre (433-339), 100m east of the Hotel Shivlok, near the downtown, offers good Ayurvedic, shiatsu or Swedish massages for Rs 150. The man who does the massages is professional and this place is recommended. You can also take lessons for Rs 1,000 for an hour a day for a week.

Most of the shops in the downtown are closed on Thursday.

Ganga Emporium and Cafe, next to the Laksman Jhula bridge, has a good bookshop with an excellent selection of spiritual books.

Money
The State Bank of India (243-0114), Railway Station Rd, near the Inderlok Hotel, changes most major travelers cheques. The Bank of Baroda, Dehra Dun Rd, near the Yatra bus stand, changes most travelers cheques.

There is no place in the Swag Ashram or Laksman Jhula area where you can change money.

Travel and Trekking Agencies
Blue Hills Travels (431-865), Swarg Ashram area, arranges bus and taxi travel. They may not be totally straightforward in their dealings.
Ajay Travels, Hotel Nilkanth, arranges bus and taxi travel, and treks. Treks start at Rs 350 per day (three people minimum). They organize an 8-day trek to the Valley of Flowers, 10-day trek to Rup Kund Lake, and a 14-day trek to the Khatling Glacier.
Apex Tours, next to the GMVN office, Muni-ki-Reti, arranges treks, rafting, and rock climbing trips.
Triveni (433-979; fax 432-989), Shop No 1, opposite PNB, Haridwar Rd, arranges treks and Char Dham tours. They arrange white-water rafting for around Rs 600 for a day. They also arrange elephant safaris in Rajaji National Park and a walk in the 200m long Vishitha Gufa (cave).

The GMVN office (230372) arranges Char Dham packages and trekking tours. The GMVN Trekking and Mountaineering department (243-1793; fax 243-0372; Web Site: http://www.gmvnl.com), Lakshman Jhula Rd, hires out tents, sleeping bags, backpacks and other equipment.

GMVN Rafting Resort, (01378 262911), Kaudiyala area, arranges rafting packages for about Rs 600 a day, which includes rafting, meals and basic accommodation. From their office in Rishikesh, UP Tourism, arranges Char Dham tours.

Step Himalayan Adventures (432-581) offers white-water-rapid rafting trips on the Ganges for Rs 500 a person, which includes transportation and a 15km (3½ hr) rafting trip.

Bharata Temple
Despite the name, the presiding deity in this temple is Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu), not Bharata, Lord Rama’s brother. It is a very old temple with a wall around it. It is located in the heart of Rishikesh, about a half-km from Triveni Ghat. There is an inscription on the temple that says Adi Sankaracharya renovated the temple. Open 5 to 11 am and 1 to 9 pm.

Laksman Jhula
Laksman Jhula is about 3km north of downtown Rishikesh. At this place Laksman, Rama’s younger brother, is said to have performed penance. There is a Laksman Temple here on the west bank of the river, by the bridge. It is said that near this temple, at Rishi Kund, Lord Rama and Laksman took bath to atone for the sin incurred for killing Ravana, who was a Brahmin. There is also a seven-storey temple housing diorama figures depicting spiritual subject matters.
There was a hanging jute rope bridge here until 1889. It was rebuilt with iron cables in 1939. This is a very peaceful area, but can be crowded during the day.

There is a nice peaceful area with a small sandy beach where you can bathe in the Ganges. It is just south of the bridge, on the other side of the river from the main part of town.

On the other side of the bridge there are interesting temples. The 13-storey Kailashanand Mission Ashram has a good view from the top floor. It has various deities on several floors.

There are nice, small waterfalls about 3½ km north of Laksman Jhula, on the east bank of the river. Not many people visit these waterfalls and they are a pleasant place to visit and to spend a couple hours. To get to the falls you walk north on the road from Laksman Jhula pass the Ganga View Restaurant. You can also take a jeep. After 3½ km you come to a few tea and cold drink stands. You then climb the hill for several minutes and there is a path leading to the falls. You can continue on the path for another minute to another small waterfall.

In between the Laksman Jhula bridge and the falls are several beaches where you can relax and swim at.

Places To See
Triveni Ghat, the main bathing ghat, is where the Ganges and the subterranean Yamuna and Saraswati are said to flow together. Dawn is a good time to come here, during which time people make offerings to the Ganges and feed the large fish here. Pinda sraddha, or offerings for the benefit of dead ancestors, is performed here. There is a daily evening Ganges Arati (offering of lamps) at around 6 pm. It is a well-attended, interesting event.

At Muni-Ki-Reti (abode of the Rishis) the Ganges emerges out of the Himalayan foothills. The Shatrugna Temple, Muni-ki-Reti, is about 4.5km from downtown Rishikesh. It is dedicated to Shatrugna, the youngest brother of Lord Rama.
The Balaji and Chandramouleswar Temple is constructed in the South Indian style. It is run by the same board that runs the temple in Tirupati, and the temple rituals are the same as at Tirupati. It is north of the Bharata Mandir past the Chandrabhaga River.

Neela Kantha Mahadeva Temple
Neela Kantha Mahadeva Temple is situated on a hill, 1,700m (5,500 ft) above sea level, and is about 11km from Laksman Jhula. This is an important Siva temple. Siva received the name Neela Kantha after he drank the poison produced from the churning of the Milk Ocean. After drinking the poison his throat turned blue. Neela means “blue” and kantha means “throat.”

It takes about four hours to walk to here from Laksman Jhula and less than two hours to walk back. If it is hot it is best to do this walk early in the day. The path to the temple starts behind Swarg Ashram and then goes past Mahesh Yogi’s ashram. There are regular shared jeeps to this temple from Laksman Jhula (Rs 35 a person or Rs 350 for the entire jeep). It is especially busy during July, which is said to be the time when Siva drank the poison. There is a holy tree here that women tie a string to as an offering in order to get blessed with a child.

From the Neela Kantha temple you can climb 2km to the Parvati temple, which is located on top of a high hill. From this temple another 2km further up the hill is a Cave (gufa), where there is a small temple. There are good views along the way. It is a fairly hard climb to the Parvati temple and a fairly easy walk to the cave.

Kunjapuri
It is a 10km walk to this Shakti temple, which is located on a hill north of Rishikesh. From this temple there are great views of the surrounding Himalayan countryside. To get here you can take a bus to Hindola Khal on the road to Tehri, and then from there it is a 3km walk. It is a 45 minutes bus ride from Rishikesh.

Yoga Ashrams
Sivananda Ashram was founded by Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), who is one of the most famous yogis of this century. It is now under Swami Chidananda and Swami Krishnananda. There are free yoga classes at the Shivananda Ashram at 7 am. There are regular darshans with Swami Krishnananda at around 10 am. To stay at the ashram, you have to write a few months in advance and get permission. The address is Divine Life Society PO Sivanandanagar, District Tehri Garhwal. Phone and fax: 431-190.

Saccha Dham Ashram The spiritual teachers at the ashram is Sri Hans Raj Swami, also known as Maharaj, and Shantimayi, who is an American women. During Shantimayi’s daily satsangs, there is usually enthusiastic chanting. When Shantimayi is in Rishikesh, Maharaj usually gives darshan at 10 am and there is satsang with Shantimayi present at 4 pm. The ashram is near the Laksman Jhula bridge.

Yoga Center This center (431-196) was established by Brahmacharya Rudra Dev, who studied under BKS Iyengar and was also a monk in the Sivananda Ashram. Hatha yoga classes at different levels are given in the Iyengar style. Three week courses are offered in February, April and September. From July to November there are several classes a day. Classes are free, but donations can be given. This place is in south Rishikesh on Haridwar Road in Koyelgati.

Ved Niketan offers a one-month intro yoga course. The one-month course has hatha yoga, pranayama, and Bhagavad Gita classes and different yoga processes are studied. There is meditation from 6.30 to 8.30 am, a lecture at 9.30 am and hatha yoga at 5 pm. Anyone can take part is the daily routines. There are around 100 rooms in the ashrams and if you stay here you do not have to go to the yoga classes.

Yoga Niketan There are meditation and hatha yoga classes offered here. It is possible for visitors to take part in the classes. To stay in the ashram, you have to attend the early morning and evening hatha yoga and meditation classes. It cost around Rs 150 daily, which includes meals and some courses. This ashram is on the hillside above the main road in Muni-ki-Reti and the Sivananda Ashram. The phone number is 430-227.

Mahesh Yogi Ashram near Ved Niketan offers courses on transcendental meditation. You have to write in advance to Mahesh Yogi Ashram, Sankaracharya Nagar, Rishikesh 249-201.
Omkarananda Ashram (431-473) near the Sivananda Arch, offers hatha yoga classes daily except Sundays at 5 pm. They also give classes on classical Indian music and dance.

Shopping
There are several shops in the Swarg Ashram area on the road along the Ganges, which sell religious tapes, books and beads, and clothes. Rishikesh is a good place to get Rudraksha beads.
Mahesh Yogi Ayurvedic Centre, Laksman Jhula Rd, is a good source of Ayurvedic medicines. There is an Ayurvedic doctor here.

Where to Stay
There are three areas of Rishikesh to stay—the main part of town, the more peaceful area north of town on the other side of the Ganges in Swarg Ashram, or at Laksman Jhula. Most of the places in the Swarg Ashram area are ashrams or fairly basic places. This is a good area to stay a week or two, especially during March, April, and during the hot summer months.

Vehicles do not go to the other side of the river. You either have to walk across the bridge or take a boat. You can hire porters on the other side of the river to carry your bags.

Where to Stay—Center City
Hotel Ashoka (30715), by the main bus stand, is a good place to stay if you have to get an early bus. Rooms with bath are Rs 100/125. Also the cheap Hotel Menka and Hotel Gaurev are by the bus stand.
Swiss Cottage, near the Chandrabhaga River, near the bridge and down some side streets, is a peaceful place with nine rooms built around a courtyard. It is popular with long-term stayers and is often full. You can cook here. It is a very good value with rooms for Rs 70.
Norwegian Cottage, nearby, has basic rooms for Rs 90.
Hotel Shivlok (432-055), Laksman Jhula Rd, near the bridge, is a good place with rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 300/350 and Rs 400/600 with A/C.
Hotel Ganga Putra (433-341), 150/1 Swami Dayanand Ashram Marg, Chandreshwar Nagar, has good, clean rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 400/500 and Rs 600/700 for an A/C room. They may give a discount.
GMVN’s Tourist Bungalow (243-0373) is in a peaceful location by the ashrams. It has dorm beds for Rs 120 and rooms with bath for Rs 900/1200 and Rs 500/650 with common bath. It has a good garden and cottages. It has been recommended to me as a good place to stay, but is a little out of the way.
Arvind Lodge, Yatra Bus Stand, is a decent, basic place, convenient for an early morning Char Dham Yatra bus. Double rooms are Rs 250.
Adarsh Hotel (455-101), next door, has rooms for Rs 200/140. Dorm beds are Rs 40. Both these places are about the same.
Surichi Hotel (430356), across from the Yatra Bus Stand, is a recommended mid-range hotel, convenient for an early morning Char Dham bus. Rooms are Rs 200/275 and Rs 275/375 for a deluxe air-cooled room. It has bucket hot water and a restaurant.
Baseraa Hotel (430-767), in the center of town close to Triveni Ghat, is a nice place, but the rooms are overpriced at Rs 500/600 and Rs 750/900 with A/C.
Inderlok Hotel (430-555), Railway Road, is a good place with comfortable rooms with a color TV for Rs 600/700 and Rs 900/1000 with A/C. It is better than the other mid-range hotels in the center of town and is a recommended place. It has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Gangotri Hotel (32239), across the street, is a bit run-down. Rooms are Rs 400/475, an air-cooled room is Rs 475/550 and an A/C room is Rs 650/750, but for the price it isn’t so bad.
Hotel Ganga Kinare, 2km south of the railway station, has a peaceful, beautiful location next to the Ganges with its own private ghat. It has comfortable rooms with central A/C for Rs 940/1140 and Rs 1040/1240 for a room with a good view of the Ganges. Rooms here are overpriced and it is fairly inconvenient to get to. It has a travel counter and restaurant.
Hotel Natraj (430-099) has a pool and charges Rs 1300/1600 for a room.
Nanda Tels Mandakini Rishikesh (30781), 63 Haridwar Rd, on the way to Haridwar, is a nice place with a vegetarian restaurant, pool, and health club. It has rooms for Rs 900/1000 during the off-season. During the peak season the same rooms are Rs 1600/1800.

Where to Stay—Swarg Ashram Area
This is a peaceful area, across the Ganges (on the east side), about two km north of the downtown. It is a popular place to stay with long-time stayers.

Ved Niketan, Swarg Ashram, is south of the bridge, on the east bank of the river. It is a very popular place among low-budget travelers. It is in a peaceful location and is good for a long stay. I would suggest that you ask to see a few rooms before you choose one. The very basic rooms are Rs 70 to Rs 120. The upstairs rooms have good views of the Ganges. There are daily yoga classes here, but you do not have to attend. They serve out basic meals for Rs 15.
Ban Prasth Ashram, next to Ved Niketan, has well-maintained rooms with bath for just Rs 150. It has pleasant grounds surrounded by a wall. There is a kitchen that can be used. It is a good value, but is totally booked except from Nov to March.
The popular Green Hotel (243-1242), down a side street, is a good place in a quiet area. It has clean rooms for Rs 150/250 and larger rooms with air-coolers are Rs 750. You can get hot water in a bucket. It has a good restaurant.
Rama Guest House, near the Green Hotel, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 125.

There are several hotels near the Green Hotel, which are around the same price that you may also want to check out.
Hotel Rajdeep (432-826) has rooms with bath for Rs 225 and Rs 600 with A/C. It is one of the best hotels in the area.

Where to Stay—Laksman Jhula
This is a nice peaceful area to stay.

Sant Sewak Ashram (243-0465: Email: santseva@yahoo.comis a recommended place that has a selection of rooms ranging from Rs 150 to Rs 400. The Rs 400 rooms are clean, modern, and have balconies directly above the Ganges. It is a peaceful place.
Bombay Kshetra has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 70/90 up to Rs 125. It is popular with partyers and long-time stayers on a budget. It is in a pleasant, older building and is built around a nice courtyard. People who stay here usually like it.
Harihara Peeth Ashram, next door, has basic rooms for Rs 80/120. There is a good view of the Ganges from the roof.
Hotel Ganga View (433-169) has ten fairly basic rooms with common bath for Rs 100 and a good-size room with a bath is Rs 200. There is a good view of the Ganges from the roof.
Ishan (243-1534; Email: narendra_u@hotmail.com), on the west bank of the Ganges, has rooms for Rs 2000/350 to Rs 600.. Friendly, well located place. Some of the rooms have good views.
Shikhar (433-817), Laksman Jhula Rd, on the west bank of the river, 500m from the bridge, has rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 600. It is clean and has a good view from the roof.
High Bank Peasants Cottage (431-167) has a nice flower garden and cottages with bath for Rs 350 to Rs 450. Hot water in a bucket. From the balcony you have a good view of the Ganges. They serve Indian meals. They can arrange treks and rafting. To get to this place you make a left, one-km before Laksman Jhula and go up the hill about 150m. It is a fairly hard walk to here from the Laksman Jhula Bridge.
Bhandari Swiss Cottage (432-676), about 30m above High Bank Peasants Cottage, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 125. It has good views and they supply meals.

Where to Eat
Meat, fish, eggs, and alcohol are prohibited here, so all the places are vegetarian. Some do serve eggs, even though they are not supposed to.

Laksman Jhula The Lucky Restaurant, east bank of the river, right next to the Laksman Jhula bridge, has good thalis for Rs 20.
Rishiraj Restaurant, opposite the post office, is run by a friendly Italian woman and her husband. This place has good Italian food and salads, but it is not cheap. Recommended.
Ganga Darshan Restaurant, across from Bombay Kshetra, has South Indian food and cheap thalis (Rs 20).
Ganga View, near by, has a nice terrace overlooking the Ganges. The food is fairly good and it is a good place to meet people. Cheap thalis in the evening.
Ganga Emporium and Cafe, next to the Laksman Jhula bridge, is a pleasant place to get a sandwich or snack and watch the world go by.

Sivanand (Swarg) Jhula Chotiwala, across the Shivanand Jhula Bridge, on the other side of the river, is the most popular place in town. It has a good menu at reasonable prices. A special thali is Rs 30. There is an A/C section upstairs that only serves individual orders.
Madras Restaurant, at the boat landing north of town, has good masala dosas and noodles.
Amrita, nearby, has real grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes and Italian food. The guy who runs this place is an interesting fellow. You can also buy cheese and honey here.
Mukti’s Health Food Cafe has good burgers, cheese sandwiches, noodles, and ice cream.
There is an Italian Restaurant, just down the road from the Hotel Rajdeep, which is fairly good.
Shikar Hotel has a good restaurant.

In Town The Indrani Restaurant at the Hotel Inderlok is one of the better places in town. They serve Indian and Chinese food.
Baseraa Hotel is also good.
Neelam’s, off Haridwar Rd in the main part of town toward the bridge and Muni-ki-Reti, is frequented by young foreign travelers. It is cheap and the food is good. They have macaroni and other Western food.
Tripti Restaurant, in the Hotel Suruchi, is a good place.
Vaishal is popular with the locals.
A One Kwality, Kailash Gate, Muni-ki-Reti, has a good menu and breakfasts.
Moonlight Restaurant, Laksman Jhula serve high quality Continental, Meixcan, Israeli and Ayurvedic food. The owner is extremely helpful for answering question on the local area. Pleaant atmosphere and very good food.

Local Travel
There are regular vikrams (tempos) that run from Ghat Rd along Laksman Jhula Rd to Shivanand Jhula (Rs 4) and Laksman Jhula (Rs 6). You can only walk across Shivanand Jhula Bridge and Laksman Jhula Bridge to the other side of the river. You can also take a boat across at Shivanand Jhula. Boats cross to the Swarg Ashram side of the river from 8 am to 7 pm for Rs 4. You can hire porters on the other side of the river to carry your bags.

There are regular shared jeeps that run between Shivanand Jhula and Laksman Jhula on the other side of the river for Rs 4.

Vikrams, Taxis and Rickshaws
There are shared taxis from the bus stand in Rishikesh to Haridwar for Rs 25. There are also shared rickshaws (vikrams) to Haridwar, which can be gotten on Hari-dwar Rd. You can get a shared jeep (called a trekker) to Dehra Dun, anywhere on Dehra Dun Rd (Rs 15).

In Haridwar, if you walk across the bridge a few blocks from Hari-ki-Pairi Ghat, there are regular shared motor rickshaws (Rs 10 or Rs 100 for the entire rickshaw, 40-minute) that go to Rishikesh. These rickshaws go to the end of town, and from there you have to get another rickshaw to Shivanand or Laksman Jhula for Rs 3 or 4.

The office for the Taxi Operators’ Union (30413), is on Haridwar Rd, near Ghat Rd. The fixed off-season rate for Haridwar is Rs 300, Delhi Rs 1,500, Mussoorie Rs 600, Dehra Dun Rs 300, Uttarkashi Rs 1,500, and Ranikhet is Rs 2,000. The high season (summer) rate is 25% to 50% higher.

Travel
Train There is a train from Haridwar to Rishikesh, but the bus is a better way to go. From Haridwar you can get a train to Delhi and many other major cities. At the station in Rishikesh there is a limited quota of tickets available for trains departing from Haridwar. The office (%131) is open 10 am to 4 pm (closed 1.30 to 2 pm). There are trains (1 hr, Rs 5) to Haridwar at 6.40 and 9.15 am and 2.10, 3.15, and 6.40 pm (Rs 5).

Bus From the Main Bus Stand (30066) there are regular buses to Haridwar (every 30 min, 1 hr, Rs 9) and Dehra Dun (1½ hr, Rs 13). There are also direct buses to Delhi (6 hr). A private A/C deluxe bus (Rs 200) departs to Delhi, which can be arranged through a travel agent. Between 5 am and 10.30 pm there are buses every hour to Delhi (6 hr). Ordinary buses are Rs 60, semi-deluxe Rs 175 and super deluxe Rs 225. To get to Shimla you first have to go to Dehra Dun, where you will find many buses. At 8.15 am there is a bus to Ramnagar (6 hr) which then continues to Nainital (9 hr total).

The buses for the Garhwal Hills (Char Dham) depart from the Yatra Bus Stand, off Dehra Dun Rd. In the summer there are regular buses to Gangotri (250km, 12 hr, Rs 110), Uttarkashi (7 hr, Rs 70) Badrinath (297km, 13 hr, Rs 130), Gaurikund (near Kedarnath, 210km), Hanuman Chatti (for Yamunotri, 210km, 9 hr, Rs 97), and other pilgrimage places. It is best to get an early morning bus (5 or 6 am), as the buses do not travel at night in the mountains. If you get a later bus you will have to stop some where along the way for the night. You usually have to reserve these buses the night before (highly advised), or have a travel agent do it.

Treks in Garhwal & Kumaon


There are several treks to do in these areas. Trekking around the area of Nanda Devi (7817m), the second highest mountain in India, is fairly popular.

The best time to trek in these areas is from mid-May to the end of June and from mid-September to mid-October. From July to mid-September the monsoon rains make it difficult to get around. From mid-October to April cold weather and snow make it very difficult to trek.

UP’s Tourism has two divisions, Garhwal Mandla Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandla Vikas Nigam (KMVN) who give information and organize treks. GMVN has an office in Delhi (same as UP Tourism) and Rishikesh. The GMVN offices in Rishikesh, Uttarkashi and Joshimath hire out sleeping bags and tents. There are agencies in Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Nainital and Uttarkashi that organize treks in the area.

At the roadheads where treks begin it is usually possible to get porters for Rs 150 and guides for Rs 250 and up, per day. It is a good idea to purchase supplies in the bigger towns, because in the small villages there can be virtually nothing to get. Some treks have reasonable accommodations and you will not need a tent, but for others you will need a tent and your own food, as there are virtually no facilities at all.

If you are trekking in eastern Kumaon, you may want to check with the Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM) in Munsiyari, Pithoragarh or Dharchula to see if there are restrictions.

Gangotri to Kedartal
It is a 17km trek from Gangotri to Kedartal. On Day 1 you start in Gangotri and go to Kedar Kharak, where you can camp. On Day 2 it is a hard 5km ascent to Kedartal, which is surrounded by Bhrigupath (6770m), Meru (6670) and Pithwara (6900m) peaks. On Day 3 your can return to Gangotri.

Dodi Tal Trek
It is a good idea to have a porter or guide for this trek. You should also have a tent and food. This trek begins in Uttarkashi and ends in Hanuman Chatti, which is the roadhead for Yamunotri.
On Day 1 from Uttarkashi you take a bus ride to Kalyani and from there you trek to Agoda (3 hr, 6km). Day 2 you trek to Dodi Tal (6 hr, 14km, 3025m), which is a nice lake surrounded by dense forest.

Day 3 you climb to the Darwa Pass (4150m) and then you continue to Seema (Shima) to camp (18km). On the way you get a great view of Bandarpunch (6310m) and you come to Darwa Top (4130) from where there are good views. Near this place there is a campsite. Some people take two days to cover this distance.

On Day 4 you walk through a beautiful area to Hanuman Chatti (4 hr, 12km), from where there are buses to places in the area.

Har ki Dun Valley & Ruinsara Lake
This is a good trek that is not too difficult. If you start at Mussoorie, you get the bus going towards Yamunotri (Hanuman Chatti) to Nowgaon and then get another bus via Netwar and get off 9km south of Barkot. The first night you can stay at the PWD bungalow in Purola, where you ask for permission to stay at other PWD bungalows along the way.

The next morning you get the bus to the roadhead at Sandkri. You then walk 12km to Taluka (1900m) and stay in the bungalow there.
On Day 2 you walk to Seema (5 or 6 hr).
On Day 3 you walk along the Tons River 11km to Osla (2260m). There is a bungalow where you may stay in Osla, but you should bring your own food. You could also walk from Seema to Har-ki-Dun (5 hr).

On Day 4 it is a hard climb to Har-ki-Dun (3560m).
From there you can go to Jaundhar Glacier (3910). You could then return along the same route in a day or two. You could also go to Dev Thach and from there to Ruinsara Lake (7 hr) and return to Dev Thach. At Ruinsara Lake there are good views of Swargarohine (6500m). From Dev Thach you can go to Sankri (5 hr).

Pindari Glacier Trek
This trek begins in Bageshwar and then goes up to the Pindari Glacier at 3820m, overlooked by Nanda Devi at the southern edge of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. It is next to Nanda Khat (6600m) and Nanda Kot (6860m). You do not need a tent on this trek unless you stay overnight at Pindari Glacier, as there are tourist bungalows along the route. The tourist bungalows should be reserved at the Tourist Bungalow in Bageshwar. You can also hire trekking equipment there.

On Day 1 you get a local bus from Bageshwar to Bharari and from there you walk 16km in the Sarayu Valley to Song (16km). You can also get a bus all the way to Song from Almora or Bageshwar. From Song you walk 3km to Loharkhet, where there is a Tourist Bungalow and a PWD Bungalow.

On Day 2 it is a tough 11km walk, climbing about 1000m to the Dhakuri Pass (2835m), where there are good views of Nanda Khat (6600m) and Trisul (7100m). From the pass, you walk 2km to the KMVN Tourist Bungalow at Dhakuri.
From Dhakuri it is 7 hours to Dwali KMVN Tourist Bungalow. You can also walk 8km on Day 3 to Khati where there is a tourist bungalow and on Day 4 proceed to Dwali. From Dwali a trail leads to Kafni Glacier, which has Nanda Kot towering over it at 6850m.

Day 4 (or 5) you then go down through the Pindari Valley to the meadow of Phuriya. From there it takes eight hours to get to the Pindari Glacier and back to Dwali. From Dwali you return to Dhakri and from there to Song.

Munsiyari to the Milam Glacier
There are good views of Nanda Devi (7817m) on this trek. If you start at Almora you take the early morning bus to Munsiyari. You first go to the village of Lilam (4 hr) where there is a PWD bungalow. Day 2 you go to Bodgwar (7 hr) or Bugdiar. Day 3 you go to Martoli (6 hr) or to Railkot. Day 4 you go to the village of Milam (4 hr). It is then 2½ km to the Milam Glacier, from where there are views of Rishi Pahar (6990m) and Hardeol (7150m). You then return by the same route.

Joshimath to Ghat
This is a very beautiful trek. You need to have a tent, as there are not many facilities. The route that this treks takes over the Kuari Pass is known as the Curzon Trail.

You first take a bus to Auli and begin the trek there. In the beginning there are views of the Rishi Ganga on the way to Chitraganta. Day 2 you walk to Kuari Pass and on the way there are great views of Dunagiri (7066m) and Chaukhamba (7138m) and then to the meadow of Dakwani. The best views of Nandi Devi are a one-day walk from the pass.

The next day you proceed to Ghangri (6 hr), then to Ramni (6 hr) and then end at Ghat where you can get a bus or jeep. You could also proceed on for another three days to Tapovan.

Ghat to Mundoli
On this trek you pass Rupa Kund and Trisul (7120m). You begin at Ghat and then walk up to the village of Ramni (6 hr). From Ramni you then go to Sutol (7 hr) and then to Wan (6 hr). You then go up to the beautiful meadow of Badni Bugyal (5 hr) from where there are great views of the mountains including Trisul (7120m). Day 5 you go to Bhogabasa. On Day 6 to Rup Kund, and you then return to Bhogabasa (7 hr). You could then proceed to Mandoli from where you can get a bus or a jeep.

Khatling Glacier Trek
The Khatling Glacier is located between Gangotri and Kedarnath. There are several peaks over 6000m surrounding it. It is a relatively hard trek. Day 1 begins in Ghuttu and goes to Reeh, where there is a Forest Rest House. It is a hard walk on Day 2 to the village of Kalyani via the village of Gangi. Day 3 goes to Bhelbagi (3100m) at the base of the Glacier. On Day 4 you go to Khatling Glacier (3555m), from where there are great views of the mountains, if it is clear. You then return to Bhelbagi on the same day, a 15km trip.

Experienced, well-equipped trekkers can continue on to Kedarnath with the help of a guide

Yamunotri


Elevation: 3,185m (10,000 ft)

This is where the holy Yamuna River begins. Yamunotri is about 234km north of Haridwar. The Yamuna River flows west to east at Yamunotri. Yamunotri is the source of the Hanuman Ganga and the Tons River, which are tributaries of the Yamuna.

Yamunotri stands on the western flank of the always snow-covered Bandar­poonch Mountain 6,315m (20,730 ft). About 2,000 pilgrims a day come to Yamunotri while it is open.

The hard climb from Hanuman Chatti, where the road ends, takes five to six hours. On the way up is the confluence of the Yamuna and Nil Ganga, called Shani Prayag. There is a temple here dedicated to Shani. Worship at this temple is supposed to rid one of the ill-effects of unfavorable stars.

Technically the source of the Yamuna is Saptarishi Kund, a glacial lake. To get there you have to climb right up the mountain, a very hard 12km trek to the base of Kalinda Parbat. You need a guide and at least one day’s acclimatization at Yamunotri to reach Saptarishi Kund.

Yamunotri Temple
This temple (1839) is dedicated to the goddess Yamuna. The deity of Yamuna is carved from black stone, and there is also a deity of Gangadevi, who is white. Yamuna is the daughter of Surya (the sun god) and Sangya. She is the twin sister of Yamaraja, the “Lord of Death.” If you bathe in her waters, you are spared a painful death.

The Yamunotri Temple is built at the foot of Kalinda Parvata (4,421 m/ 14,505 feet). The temple usually opens the last week of April or the first week of May. It closes around the second week of November.

Saptarishi Kund
The actual source of the Yamuna is located at the very difficult-to-reach Saptarishi Kund. You must have a guide to go there. It is believed that seven great Rishis—Kasyapa, Atri, Bhadravaj, Visvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, and Vasistha— performed austerities for millions of years here in Satya-yuga.

It takes 16 hours to go up and back down. You have to deal with the high altitude, climbing up hills and over rock, ice, snow, and water. The kund is about a half km in diameter, and its water is dark blue with slushy snow. Very few people come here, as it is a difficult place to reach.

Other Places
Close to the temple are hot water springs where the water gushes out at boiling point. At Surya Kund, which is said to be the most sacred, pilgrims wrap rice and potatoes in a cloth and place it in the hot water. Within a few minutes the rice and potatoes are cooked.

You can slowly get in and bathe in Yamuna Bai Kund, which is about 15m (50 ft) from the temple.

Right next to the temple is Dibya Shila, which is worshiped before puja is offered to Yamunaji.

Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri
You have to walk the good part of a day, 14km uphill, to reach Yamunotri. It takes five or six hours to walk from Hanuman Chatti. At a distance of 6½ km from Hanuman Chatti there are sulfur springs.

Just past the halfway point is the town of Janaki Chatti, where you can stay for the night. From there you can go to the village of Kharsali (across the river, 1km away), which is a traditional Garhwali village. There is a temple here dedicated to Someshwar, the lord of the heavenly intoxicating Soma beverage. There are good views of the mountains from this temple.

It is a steep and continuous climb to the top, just wide enough for two horses or a dandi to pass. The views are fantastic. The last half kilometre is almost vertical. The walk up is very difficult, but it is easy to walk down. It is advised not to carry too much up the hill.

If you cannot walk up the hill there are other transportations. A dandi (Rs 1500 up and back) is like a palanquin carried by four persons. It is the most comfortable form of transportation, as you can stretch your legs out. Pony rides (Rs 500 up and back) are uncomfortable for most people. Going by khandi (Rs 300 up and back), being carried in a backpack by one person, is uncomfortable.

Where to Stay
Yamunotri is a small town of about 100 buildings. Most of the places are very basic. In Yamunotri there are several dharamshalas to stay at. One of the best places is the Ramananda Ashram. The Nigam Tourist Bungalow, up the hill to your right as you enter the town, has dorm beds for Rs 100. You can expect a basic double room in Yamunotri to be at least Rs 300. It is not such a big town, and most people stop for the night on the way up at Janaki-chatti.

On the way from Hanuman-chatti to Yamunotri, is the town of Janaki-chatti. Just past the halfway point, there is a Nigam Tourist Rest House with dorm beds for Rs 106 and rooms for Rs 600 to Rs 900. It is best to book a room here in advance. The Hotel Ganga Yamuna has rooms for Rs 350. There are several other private guest houses in Janaki-chatti. A decent room is Rs 200/250.

In Janaki-chatti there are just basic places to eat. Janaki-chatti is a much nicer town for staying the night than

Hanuman Chatti.
There is a Nigam Tourist Bungalow with rooms for Rs 300 a night in the town of Sayana-chatti, two-thirds of the way to Yamunotri from Rishikesh. It is usually fully booked.

A flashlight (torch) is needed because many of the places do not have electricity. Most of the places, however, will supply a candle.

Hanuman Chatti
Altitude: 2135m (8,300 ft)

If you are going to Yamunotri, this is where the road ends. You then have to walk the last 14km to Yamunotri. This is a small town with only basic accommodations. It is a place that most people would want to spend as little time as possible.
In this town is the Nigam Tourist Rest House, down a flight of stairs by the river, which has dorm beds for Rs 90 and double rooms for Rs 550. In June, this place must be booked in advance. The rest of the places in town are real dumps. They are dirty, expensive, and they may not have any water. Rooms are Rs 250 to Rs 400 for two beds with a dirty common bath. You may have to be satisfied with floor space. Except for the Tourist Rest House, there are no other decent places in town.

There is a good chance that there will be no bottled water in this town. I did find bottled water (Rs 20 a bottle) on the route up to Yamunotri. As you are coming back down from Yamunotri, it would be a good idea to get a bottle of water on the way down. I have heard that the so-called drinking water in this town is highly polluted.

Travel
Bus From Haridwar or Rishikesh (Rs 97) you first take a bus to Hanuman Chatti, which is where the road ends. The distance is about 220km, depending on the route, and takes 9 to 11 hours. The 6 am GMOU bus arrives in Hanuman Chatti at around 3 pm. If you take a later bus from Rishikesh you may have to stop on the way to Hanuman Chatti.

The first bus to Gangotri (11 hr) leaves at 5.30 am and must be reserved the night before. After the 5.30 am bus, the other buses to Gangotri leave when they are full. The next bus is scheduled to depart at 7 am, and that bus should arrive the same day. I took this bus and it left on time. There is no sign or booth to indicate where to reserve buses in advance. The people that reserve the morning buses sit near a building that looks like a shack, right next to the parked buses.

If you arrive in the afternoon it is a good idea to immediately start walking to Janakixe "Uttarkashi" -chatti (3 hr). Janaki-chatti is a much nicer and cleaner town than Hanuman-chatti, and there are several decent places to stay. You can leave your bags at the Nigam Guest House or one of the other guest houses for Rs 4 a bag. Sphere: Related Content