Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand, India
Browse more guides: India travel | Asia destinations Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand, India Last updated: April 2026 · 12 min read Uttarakhand splits cleanly by purpose, and that's the cleanest way to plan it: pilgrimage means Char Dham (Yamunotri-Gangotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath), riverside means Rishikesh and Haridwar, hill stations mean Mussoorie, Nainital, Ranikhet and Kausani (all overrated for first-timers in peak season), wildlife means Jim Corbett and Rajaji, trekking means Valley of Flowers, Kedarkantha and Brahmatal. I grew up partly visiting Uttarakhand and have done both Garhwal and Kumaon as an adult, and the answer I keep coming back to for first-timers is: skip the famous hill stations, do Rishikesh, Auli, and Binsar instead. TL;DR: Pilgrimage . Char Dham (May-Oct, 10-12 days). Riverside , Rishikesh (3-4 days, year-round except monsoon). Winter snow , Auli (Jan-Mar, 3-4 days). Wildlife . Jim Corbett (Nov-Jun, 3 days). Trekking , Valley of Flowers (Jul-Sep). H...