Uttarakhand Tours & Experiences

Things to do in Uttarakhand

The state's activities gather in three areas: Rishikesh and Haridwar on the Ganga, the high temples and valleys of Garhwal, and the foothills around Corbett and Nainital. The Uttarakhand travel guide covers the sights.

Raft the Ganga at Rishikesh

Our Rishikesh river rafting runs start upstream, at points such as Shivpuri, 19 km out, and finish near the town, with a guide, helmet, life jacket and safety briefing. The state's rafting rules allow no one under 14 or over 65 on the river. More on things to do in Rishikesh.

Bungee jump or camp by the river

Uttarakhand Tourism names Mohanchatti, near Rishikesh, for bungee jumps of up to 83 metres, along with a giant swing and zipline. Our bungee jumping experience is a solo jump from a fixed platform over a gorge, and our riverside camping is a night in a tent, with a bonfire, on the Ganga's banks.

Practise yoga in Rishikesh

Our Rishikesh yoga retreat matches you to an ashram, teacher or riverside stay at your level, and our yoga teacher training places practitioners on residential certificate courses. Spiritual India — Varanasi and Rishikesh, 8 days includes a yoga class and a rafting run.

Watch the Ganga Aarti at Haridwar

At Har Ki Pauri the aarti is held at dusk every day, as priests raise brass lamps and the crowd floats diyas on the river. Our Haridwar day trip from Rishikesh adds a walk along the ghats with a private guide and a vantage point for the ceremony, four to five hours.

Make the Char Dham Yatra

The yatra visits Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, all above 3,000 metres, in that order. We run it by road on the Char Dham Yatra — 11 days or the Char Dham Yatra tour, by air on Helicopter Char Dham, and for Kedarnath alone on the 8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour. See things to do on the Char Dham.

Go on safari in Corbett

Corbett, India's first national park, set up in 1936, has eight safari zones, with Ramnagar as the main gateway. Our Jim Corbett tiger safari includes a private naturalist, the drive to the park and the permit for your zone and slot. See things to do in Jim Corbett.

Trek to the Valley of Flowers

This UNESCO World Heritage valley in Chamoli is reached on foot from Govindghat by way of Ghangaria, and no one may stay overnight inside it. Our Valley of Flowers trek arranges the drive, a local guide and porters or mules on request, with Hemkund Sahib as an option.

Go boating in Nainital

Naini Lake is used for paddle boats, kayaks, canoes and yachts, and walks lead up to Naina Peak and out to Khurpatal; see the Nainital travel guide.

Choosing between our tours and experiences

Our tours are whole journeys: four for the Char Dham, by road or by helicopter, the Haridwar evening with a private guide and vehicle, and two India tours that finish in Rishikesh, the North India Classic Tour — 14 days and Spiritual India. Our experiences are single activities to add to a stay. Compare the tours on Uttarakhand tour packages and the experiences under adventure, trekking, wildlife safaris and yoga and meditation.

When to go for these

• Rafting and river camps: the state's rules set the season from 1 September to 30 June; the river is closed to rafting in July and August.
• Yoga in Rishikesh: October to March is the most comfortable time, and March brings yoga festivals.
• Char Dham: the temples open in late April or May and close in October or November; May and June are the busiest weeks.
• Corbett: Dhikala is open from 15 November to 15 June; Jhirna and Dhela stay open all year.
• Valley of Flowers: open each year on dates set by the forest department, roughly June to October, with the most flowers from July to September.
• Monsoon: the rains reach Uttarakhand in the second half of June and normally withdraw by the end of September; July and August, the wettest months, bring landslides.

Rules worth knowing

Every Char Dham pilgrim and vehicle must be registered, free, on the state's portal or app, and Kedarnath helicopter tickets are sold only on IRCTC's HeliYatra site. Corbett permits are booked through the reserve's official website, private cars are not allowed in, and phones may not be used in the core tourism zones. On the river, helmets are compulsory and alcohol and smoking banned. In Rishikesh, meat, fish and eggs are not sold within the municipal limits.