Best Hill Stations in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand often referred as the ‘The Land of Gods’ is a perfect place where, tranquility and grandeur meets. The lush green mountains harbouring little houses, clear lakes, snow capped mountains and dense pine trees add to the scenic beauty of the place. This is also a destination for adventure sports like rock climbing, paragliding, rafting, skiing etc. We have listed the best 5 hill stations in Uttarakhand.

Kausani:

Kausani

Kausani, originally known as Valna is a famous hill station of the state providing an amazing view of about 350kms stretch of the Himalayas. It is located 47kms north of Almora in the Bageshwar district of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The hill station is located at an altitude of 1,890 m above sea level. The place is known for its rich panoramic excellence and views of the enchanting Himalayas.

This is a land of lush green hill station with spellbinding snow clad Himalayan view, silent valleys and bubbling creeks, song of birds, and the large coniferous trees. The peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Panchachuli are clearly visible from the hill station.

There are 6 main places to visit in the hill station such as Sumitranandhan Pant Gallery, Anasakti Ashram (Gandhi Ashram), Rudradhari Falls and Caves, Kausani Tea Estate, Baijnath temple and Lakshmi Ashram, a Gandhian Basic Education Centre for schoolgirls.

This is an ideal place for honeymooners. The hill station is a holiday destination for adventure and nature lovers from all over the world. This is the best place for those who seek an escape from the hustle-bustle of big cities and wish to spend a quietholiday in the lap of Nature.

The place is very clean with pleasant, healthy climate. This hill station can be visited any time of the year. If you want to enjoy the lush greenery of Uttarakhand then visit between the months of July to Mid September. Kausani is covered with the sheets of snow from December to Mid February.

There is a small local market in Kausani from where you can buy Kausani Shawls. These are all handmade by the villagers. You can also buy the special tea of Kausani from Kausani Tea Estate.There are a few restaurants in Kausani that offer Indian, Continental, Chinese with a few local Kumaoni dishes to the guests.

Nainital:

Nainital

Nainital is a picturesque hill station located at an altitude of 1,938 m above sea level in the Kumaon region popularly known as the Lake District of India. The hill station derives its name from Naini Lake, a main tourist spot of the place. This famous tourist destination of India attracts thousands of travellers every year. The place is surrounded with lakes and lush greenery.

The Naini temple at the banks of Naini Lake is an important pilgrim centre here believed to be one of the 64 Shakti Peeths, where some parts of the burned body of Sati (Parvati) fell when being carried by Lord Shiva.

It is also believed that, it is in this Naini Lake Lord Shiva performed his tandava. The Naini peak or the China peak is the highest in the hill station with a height of 2,611m. The Mall, now known as the Govind Ballabh Pant Marg, is another main tourist attraction here.

Nainital Zoo is a very important tourist spot where you can find rare species of snow leopard, steppe eagle and the Himalayan black bear. The Governor House of the Raj Bhavan with its sprawling gardens is one of the few Raj Bhavans open for public viewing. The latest attraction of the hill station is the Eco Cave Garden where your children can learn about ecosphere. Also the Observatory or the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) is located 9kms from Nainital on Manora Peak.

The best time to visit Nainital is from March to November. During Snowfall in winters of December & January the whole hill station will be beautifully capped with snow. You will also get to taste typical Kumouni foods like Chudkani & Bhattiya made of bhatt & Soya been, Gautras made of Gahat, Jholee made from mattha, & Gaba vegetable.

Lansdowne:

Lansdowne

Lansdowne is one of the calm, scenic & unspoilt hill stations of India.The hill station is located at an altitude of 1,700 m above sea level surrounded with thick oak and blue pine forests in the Pauri Garhwal district of the state. Lansdowne got its name from Lord Lansdowne, who was the then Viceroy of India during the period of 1888-1894. The place is clean and well maintained because of Cantonment Area of Garhwal Rifles.

You can find here many old buildings of British colonial architecture and military history.This is an ideal location for Eco-tourism as it is well preserved by the government and the Indian Army. The hill station is popular for its scenic beauty, weather and peaceful surroundings. Travellers can enjoy the majestic view of the Himalayas, the majestic sunrise and sunsets from different view points of the hill station.

The hill station is the perfect place to meditate and rejuvenate your soul. The main tourist spots to visit here are Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhulla Lake, Tip N Top View point, War Memorial, Darwan Singh Museum, Bhim Pakora, Hawaghar, etc.

Tourists can go for jungle walks, small treks, Boating, Stargazing in night, Bird watching, water activity in Kho river (Kotdwar road). This is one of the best weekend destinations of Uttarakhand.

Eventhough this is an all time tourist destination, the best time to visit is from March to October.

Mussoorie:

Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a beautiful hill station located at a height of 2,005 m above sea level. The city is located at a distance of 35 kms from Dehradun. It is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas and is known as the Queen of the Hills. The place derived its name from the plants of Mussoorie or shrub mansoor which are available in large quantities in this region.

The lush green hills, the varied flora and fauna and the majestic view of the Shivalik ranges and the Doon Valley attracts thousands of tourists from all parts of the world every year. The hill station is also famous for the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration where officers are trained for the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service.

The main tourist places to visit here are The Mall which extends from Cloud's End in the west to Rockville in the east. The Mall is heightened by the presence of the Municipal garden, the Tibetan School and Home, and the National Academy of Administration.

You can also enjoy the ropeway on the second highest peak of Mussoorie, the Gun Hill which gives a bird's eye view of the town, the majestic Himalayan ranges and the Doon school. Tourists can also go for a wonderful 4km nature walk from Kurli Bazaar to Library Point called the Camel's Back Rock.

Another main tourist attraction here is the beautiful Jharipani Falls located 6 kms from the city on the Mussoorie-Jharipani Road. Childer's Lodge is the highest peak of the hill station. From the highest point of the city Lal Tibba you can get the thrilling view of the snow-clad Himalayas. You must visit Kempty Falls which is 15kms from the city at an altitude of 4,500 ft.

Mussoorie is also known as the gateway to Yamunotri and Gangotri. The nearest railway station is Dehradun and the nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun. This is a popular cool summer retreat in India. The climate is cool and pleasant all through the year here.

The best season time to visit is from March to June and again from September to November. Summer season is the best time for trekking, rock climbing and camping.

Chopta:

Chopta

Chopta is a scenic hill station, also known as ‘Mini Switzerland of India’. The hill station is located at an altitude of 2,700 m, in the Rudraprayag District of the State. The place is surrounded by dense forest, and offers majestic view of Snow Clad Himalayan Ranges and lush green meadows. It is also the starting point of the trek to famous Tungnath Mandir (Panch Kedar Temple) and Chandrashila Summit. The Chandrashila Summit offers 360° panoramic view of snow clad Himalayan peaks including Nanda Devi, Trishul and Chaukhamba.

The Chopta region is rich in varied flora and fauna, with plenty of Rhododendron and Deodar trees all around. The hill station offers splendid views of the imposing Himalayan range including Trishul, Nanda Devi and Chaukhamba. The place is situated amidst thick forest of pine, deodar and rhododendrons.

The main tourist attraction here is the famous Tungnath Temple (Panch Kedar). The Devariya Tal and Kartikswami are the two trekking points here.

Chopta, Tungnath and Chandrashila are covered with snow during winters. If you visit the place during Dec-Feb, you may witness snowfall and enjoy trekking in snow. But the roads are occasionally blocked near Chopta in case of heavy snowfall. During summer, the Himalayas are clearly visible and the cool breeze adds charm to the vacation. The best of the hill station can be enjoyed during winters as it looks like mini Switzerland during winters.

There are many budget holiday homes in the hill stations of Uttarakhand that offer its visitors standard accommodation facilities at affordable prices.