Garhwal

Garhwal and Kumaon constitute the entire Uttarakhand. Garhwal Region is blessed with the immense beauty of lush green meadows, snow-capped peaks, and the panoramic view of the enchanting surroundings making Garhwal, the heart of Uttarakhand. The region also houses the famous pilgrimage sites namely, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Hemkund Sahib. People of the Garhwal region speak the Garhwali language. The region attracts thousands of tourists every year who visit the various districts of Garhwal to spend a nice time on their vacation. Apart from that, the area has attracted the famous writer Ruskin Bond, who eventually settled in Landour to live amidst nature and admire what the universe has blessed us with. Garhwal in Uttarakhand is an important part of the state and there are 7 districts that lie under this region, namely Chamoli, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, and Uttarkashi. The region provides a lot of opportunities for various adventure activities such as trekking, skiing and so much more.

Garhwal Geography

The state of Uttarakhand is divided into two regions, Garhwal and Kumaon. Garhwal, located at an elevation of 3116m above sea level, is a destination with picturesque and stunning views of the region. There are 13 districts in the state of Uttarakhand out of which 7 districts fall under the Garhwal region, including Chamoli, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, and the rest of the 6 districts are located in the other division of Uttarakhand, the Kumaon Region.

Plan My Package Recommends: Places To Visit In Garhwal

Chamoli

Chamoli is a small town in the Garhwal region located between the Badrinath and Joshimath route and is perched at an elevation of 1300 m above sea level. It is one of the scenic destinations of Uttarakhand. The weather of Chamoli is quite pleasant during summers, which is also the best time to visit Chamoli. Monsoons are pleasant as well but bring landslides and snows in winters. With the nearest airport being Jolly Grant Airport and the nearest railway station in Rishikesh, Chamoli is easily accessible from various cities. Some popular places to visit Chamoli are Vasundhara Falls, Rudranath, Gopinath temple, etc.

Dehradun

Located at an elevation of 430 m above sea level, Dehradun is the capital of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Doon Valley in the Garhwal region. Offering immense beauty with panoramic views, Dehradun is a famous tourist hotspot that attracts hundreds of tourists every year with its beauty and charm. Dehradun in monsoon brings lush green views of the valley and winters are cold but enjoyable. Summers remain pleasant and are the best time to visit Dehradun. Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport and Dehradun has a well-connected rail network as well as a road network that makes Dehradun easily accessible to tourists. Some popular tourist attractions to explore in Dehradun are Shikhar Falls, Robber’s Cave, Jaberkhet Wildlife Reserve, etc.

Haridwar

Perched at an elevation of 314 m above sea level, Haridwar is one of the most important and holy sites in the country. The district attracts hundreds of pilgrims and tourists every year. Chandi Devi Temple, Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary, Har ki Pauri, Patanjali Yogpeet are some of the popular attractions in Haridwar. Winters in Haridwar are a very pleasant time as one can see various festivals being celebrated and the cold weather adds to the beauty. Monsoon witnesses rainfall and landslides. Summers, however, are very pleasant and March is the best time to visit Haridwar. The district is easily accessible with Jolly Grant Aiport being the nearest airport and Haridwar Junction, being the nearest railway station. Apart from that, Haridwar also has a well-connected road network.

Pauri Garhwal

Located in the Garhwal region in the state of Uttarakhand, Pauri Garhwal is blessed with immense scenic beauty. It is the district headquarter of Pauri. Popular places in Pauri Garhwal that one can explore are the Ransi Stadium, Kandoliya Temple, Danda Nagraj Temple, Chaukhamba View Points. Summers in Pauri Garhwal, witnesses temperatures ranging between 15℃ to 25℃, making it the best time to visit Pauri Garhwal. Monsoon brings rainfall that may lead to hindrances in outdoor activities and winters are extremely cold. Jolly Grant Airport and Kotdwara Railway Station are the nearest airport and the nearest railway station, respectively, making Pauri Garhwal accessible to the tourists. One can reach Pauri Garhwal from the neighboring districts easily by bus or by hiring a cab.

Rudraprayag

Situated at an average elevation of 895 m above sea level, Rudraprayag is a beautiful town blessed with lakes, rivers, and glaciers. It is located at the meeting point of the rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini. Most tourists prefer to start their Char Dham Yatra from Rudraprayag itself. Popular tourist attractions to see in Rudraprayag is Dhari Devi Temple, Kartik Swami, Augustmuni, Koteshwar Mahadev, etc. With the nearest airport being Jolly Grant Aiport and the nearest railway station at Rishikesh, Rudraprayag is easily accessible to tourists. Summers in Rudraprayag are quite hot but monsoon brings moderate to heavy rainfall making the weather pleasant. However, winters remain cold. Thus March to October remains the best time to visit Rudraprayag as the weather remains cool and pleasant.

Tehri Garhwal

Established by Maharaja Sudarshan Shah, Tehri Garhwal is another district in the state of Uttarakhand. Famous for its Tehri Dam, Tehri Garhwal is located at an elevation of 1750 m above sea level. Some famous places in Tehri Garhwal include Tehri Dam, Chandrabadni Temple, Buda Kedar, etc. Summers in Rudraprayag are very hot but monsoon brings moderate to heavy rainfall, giving relief from the hot weather and winters are quite cool and pleasant. Tehri is easily accessible by air, train, and road with the nearest airport being Jolly Grant Aiport and the nearest railway station being the Yog Nagri station in Rishikesh. It also has a well-connected road network with major cities of the country.

Uttarkashi

Uttarkashi located in the state of Uttarakhand is situated at an elevation of 1158m above sea level. It is also called the City of Gods and houses one of the oldest shrines, The Vishwanath Temple. Popular attractions in Uttarkashi include Kedartal, Maneri Dam, Nelong Valley, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, etc. Uttarkashi is easily accessible by Jolly Grant Aiport and Rishikesh Railway Station. Summers are cool, the monsoon is lovely and the winters are extremely pleasant in Uttarkashi.

Places Near Garhwal

Kumaon

Uttarakhand has 13 districts, and the state is divided into two regions, Garhwal and Kumaon. Kumaon has 6 districts namely, Almora, (famous for Kasar Devi, which is a small village, and Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary), Bageshwar( famous for its Bagnath Temple), Champawat ( Famous for its Baleshwar Temple), Nainital (famous for numerous attractions including the Tiffin Top, Snow View Point, and Kilbury), and Udham Singh Nagar, (famous for Drona Sagar Lake). About 375km from the capital city, Delhi, Kumaon has plenty of districts for tourists to explore from. Nainital is one of the most popular tourist destinations, which witnesses hundreds and thousands of tourists every year and is also called the City Of Lakes. Another destination, Champawat, which is blessed with immense beauty and mesmerizing views of the enchanting valley, is also worth exploring.

Best Time To Visit Garhwal

Garhwal Weather

Garhwal consists of 7 different districts with 7 different weather conditions, however, Uttarakhand, due to its location, is a cold state with extremely cold winters, cool summers, and pleasant monsoon. Usually, the best time to visit various cities differ, however, tourists are advised to visit the region during the summer months as the weather remains pleasant and the region offers plenty of opportunities to try different adventure activities.

How To Reach Garhwal

Garhwal By Air

The most common airport to enter the Garhwal region is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. There are several taxis and cabs available outside the airport. One can hire these cabs to reach their destination.

Garhwal By Train

The Railway Stations of Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun is the most common railway station used by tourists to travel to various places in the Garhwal region. Janshatabdi train runs from Delhi to Dehradun and Hemkunt Special train runs from Chandigarh to Dehradun Several buses and taxis are available outside the station.

Garhwal By Road

The districts of the Garhwal region have a very well-connected road network from major cities of the country. One can take NH9 from Delhi to reach Garhwal.

Places To Stay In Garhwal

The Solitaire Express, Dehradun

Located on Rajpur Road in Dehradun, The Solitaire Express takes luxury up a notch by providing you with the ultimate comfort that you are looking for. The decor, the ambiance, and the lightings will surprise you to no end. Hotel rooms range from Premium Rooms, Executive Suites, and Family Suites. Dining options include two multi-cuisine restaurants namely, Crystal Multicuisine Restaurant and the Terrace Restaurant.

Lakshya’s Hotel, Haridwar

Lakshya’s Hotel, located near Har Ki Pauri, is a luxury hotel in Haridwar. The extremely trained and polite staff, cater to all your needs. Availability of 24 hours hot water, wake-up calls, and in-house dining at Aroma restaurant are available. Banquet halls such as Sapphire Hall, are used for celebrating parties which can carry 600 guests in one go and there is Pearl Hall for kitty parties and Ruby Hall for conducting meetings.

Shikhar Nature Resort, Uttarkashi

Shikhar Nature Resort is a luxury resort in Uttarkashi, making sure that your stay is a comfortable one. The rooms are designed in the shape of a tent. At such an exotic location, you can admire the lush greenery and the serenity of the place as the views are mind-blowing.

Places To Eat In Garhwal

Bakeries in Dehradun

Dehradun houses two very famous bakeries of the Garhwal region, namely Sunrise and Ellora Bakery, which is very popular among the locals and serves some mouth-watering cakes, pastries, cupcakes, muffins, rusks, cookies, and so on.

Cafe De Piccolo

Located in Rajpur Road, Cafe De Piccolo is a cafe in Dehradun that will relieve you of your stress and give you a homely vibe with a lovely ambiance. The cafe serves some tasty treats worth drooling over and has a European touch which is sure to give you a vibe like none other.