Uttarakhand travel guide: Top destinations, costs, accommodations and best local cuisine

This stunning hilly state is also called devbhoomi or the land of gods, due to its religious sites. Tucked in the foothills of the Himalayas, and full of mountains, forests, and rivers, it is split into two main regions- Garhwal and Kumaon. It provides a range of attractions for tourists: places for religious pilgrimages, diverse wildlife and flora, picturesque hill stations and snow-capped peaks, and exciting activities such as white water rafting, paragliding, skiing, and bungee jumping.

Capital: Dehradun
Best time to visit: Feb-Apr and Sep-Nov

(Text by Riju Mehta/ET Bureau)

The most efficient way to get to Dehradun is by air, with a travel time of approximately one hour. In October, the most inexpensive flight costs Rs.2,539. Alternatively, you can opt for a train journey, which typically takes between 5 to 10 hours. The fare for chair cars on different trains varies - Jan Shatabdi costs Rs.535 and takes 5 hours and 50 minutes, Shatabdi Express costs Rs.710 and takes 6 hours and 10 minutes, while Vande Bharat Express costs Rs.1,065 and takes 4 hours and 45 minutes. For other trains, 2A class fare starts at Rs.815. Another available option is to travel via cab or bus, with AC bus fares starting at Rs.521 on RedBus and a travel time of 6 to 8 hours.

Cost by air: Rs.2,539; (Delhi-Dehradun, 1 hr)
Cost by train: Rs.535 onwards (Chair car, 5-6 hrs)

Accommodation for less than Rs.1,500 per night is easy to find, while midrange options range from Rs.2,000 to Rs.5,000, and luxury accommodations in larger cities start at Rs.8,000 per night. On the Uttarakhand government tourism website, https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/accommodation, you can also look for budget hotels, guest houses, and homestays.

Cost: Rs.30,000 for 10 nights

Uttarakhandi cuisine consists of simple dishes made with local ingredients and spices, but pack a punch of flavour. Some popular delicacies include chainsoo (urad/kali lentil dish); kafuli (made with spinach, fenugreek); kandali ka saag (leafy dish using local spices); dubuk (lentil dish); Garhwal ka fannah (lentil dish); baadi (dish made with buckwheat flour); phaanu (lentil stew), etc. Desserts include bal mithai (brown fudge made with thickened milk and coated with sugar poppy seeds); singodi (sweet made with thickened milk); jhangore ki kheer (made with millet, milk and dry fruit).

COST: Rs.500-1,500 per person, per day

Besides the Char Dham (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri), there are countless temples in Joshimath, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Rudraprayag, Devprayag, Tungnath, Guptakashi, Madhyamaheshwar, Jageshwar, Champawat and Bageshwar. Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib (Chamoli); Mindrolling monastery (Dehradun).

NATIONAL PARKS: Corbett (Nainital); Nanda Devi (Chamoli); Valley of Flowers (Chamoli); Rajaji (Dehradun, Pauri, Haridwar); Gangotri (Uttarkashi); Govind (Uttarkashi).

SANCTUARIES: Govind (Uttarkashi); Kedarnath (Chamoli); Askot (Pithoragarh); Sonanadi (Pauri); Binsar (Almora); Mussoorie (Dehradun); Nandhaur (Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar).

Skiing (Auli); paragliding (Mukteshwar, Dehradun, Kausani); bungee jumping (Rishikesh); white water rafting (Rishikesh, Devprayag); zip-lining (Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Nainital); trekking & camping.