auli
Travel Uttarakhand Journal

“Auli” – Ski Destination of Uttarakhand

Auli is one of the beautiful tourist destinations in Uttarakhand which is famous for skiing. Located at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level Auli is a natural site and attracts tourists from all over the world. Auli is a popular hill station with apple orchards, oak trees, and cedar trees with several ski resorts situated amidst the Himalayan range. Auli is also a popular skiing destination in India due to its slopes and clean environment. Apart from skiing destination in India Auli also offers several treks in the hills of Garhwal Himalayas from where the trekkers can enjoy the mesmerizing views of the snow-capped mountains.

Auli is particularly known for its oak-edged slopes and coniferous forests. Auli has its history dates back to the 8th century. According to some beliefs, Guru Adi Shankaracharya visited this place and blessed Auli with his presence. This place is also known as ‘Bugyal’, which means ‘Grassland’. It also offers spectacular views of the Nandadevi, Mana Parbat, and Kamat mountain ranges. So, let us take you on a trip today to the beautiful tourist destination Auli. Especially if you want to spend the holidays, then it would be a good experience to visit the beautiful tourist places here.

Places To Visit In Auli

Auli Artificial Lake

auli artificial lake

Auli’s Artificial Lake is an ancient lake, situated at a very high altitude and one of the highest man-made lakes in the world. The lake was built by the government to provide artificial snow on ski slopes during the months of low snowfall. The water of this lake is filled with the snow guns kept near the ski slopes.

Joshimath

joshimath

Joshimath is a holy city located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Located at an altitude of 1875 meters above sea level, the city is surrounded by snow-capped Himalayan ranges. This place is an iconic place for the people of Hinduism and many temples are also established here. Established in the 8th century Joshimath is one of the four monasteries established by Adi Shankaracharya. Joshimath also offers trekking opportunities in the upper reaches of the Chamoli district. The region’s most famous trekking routes start from Joshimath and lead tourists to the Valley of Flowers.

Gurson Bugyal

gurson bugyal

Located at an elevation 3500 meters above sea level Gurson Bugyal is 3 km from Auli. This place is known for its lush natural scenery during summer. There are conifers and oak forests all around. It can be reached from Joshimath via ropeway. Due to a lack of accommodation facilities, travelers roam here all day and return to Auli at night. You can also visit Chattarkund, a small lake, as it is only 1 km from Gurson Bugyal. This lake is known for its clean and sweet water.

Trishul Peak

trishul peak

Trishul Parvat, located 23490 feet above sea level, is a major attraction of Auli. The Trishul Mountains are a group of three Himalayan mountain peaks of Western Kumaon grouped together. This mountain named after the trident of Lord Shiva. A mysterious reservoir, Roopkund Lake lies beneath this mountain. About 600 skeletons of humans and horses were found in this lake. It is also visible from Kausani and Bedini Bugyal. This place is also a training ground for Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force personnel.

Also Read:  "Har Ki Dun Trek" Experience The Pristine Beauty of The Valley

Kwani Bugyal

kwani bugyal

Located at a distance of 12 km from Gurson Bugyal at an altitude of 1280 meters above sea level, Kwani Bugyal is a very popular place among trekkers. The mesmerizing view of the snow-capped mountains like Nandadevi and Dunagiri, it is a favorite camping spot.

Bhavishya Badri

bhavishya badri temple

Bhavishya Badri Temple is a very popular and ancient temple. It Temple is located in village Subhai, 17 kilometers from Joshimath in Uttarakhand. This temple is situated at an altitude of 2,744 meters above sea level. The Bhavishya Badri Temple is situated amidst the dense forest and can only be visited by trekking. It is located on an ancient pilgrimage route to the Kailash and Mansarovar ranges on the banks of the river Dhauli.

According to legend, when the Nar and Narayan mountains will collapse at the end of Kal-Yug and the route to Badrinath Dham will be blocked and inaccessible forever, then Lord Badri will appear in this Bhavishya Badri temple.

Narsingh Temple

nar singh temple

Narsingh Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu located in the Joshimath area of Chamoli district of Devbhoomi, Uttarakhand. It is the most popular temple of Joshimath, this temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, who was the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Narasimha Temple used to be the home of Saint Badri Nath. About 1200 years old this temple is said that Adi guru Shankaracharya himself established Lord Narasimha’s Shaligram at this place.

The idol of Lord Narasimha installed in this temple is shrinking day by day. Statue’s left wrist is thin and is getting thinner every day. According to beliefs, on the day the wrist is cut short and separated from the statue, the path going to Badrinath will be blocked due to the landslide forever. Then at a distance of about 23 km from Joshimath, the new Badrinath will be established in ‘Bhavishya Badri’.

Chhatrakund

chhatrakund

Chattrakund is a small lake of sweet crystal clear water near Auli, Joshimath. Situated at an elevation of about 3300 meters above sea level, Chatrakund is surrounded by lush green forest. Chatrakund Lake has located 4 km from Auli and 1 km from Gurson Bugyal. One can have mesmerizing views of nature from here.

Chenab Lake

chenab lake

Chenab Lake is an artificial lake, which serves as a reservoir for the people of Auli, Uttarakhand. It is a small crystalline lake that is still poorly researched and in its purest condition, capturing tourists’ sights and making it an enchanting place.

The trek to Chenab Lake is for those who really want a raw and authentic trekking experience – passing through rocky passes with twigs and plants. Protected by the Garhwal Himalayan Range, Chenab Lake still has crystal clear water that acts like a spectacle for the mountains.

Vishnu Prayag

vishnu prayag

Vishnuprayag is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and is situated at an altitude of 1,372 meters above sea level. According to mythological belief, Narad Muni did penance of Lord Vishnu at this place. Here you can also visit a famous Vishnu temple which was built by the Queen of Indore in 1889. Here the two tributaries of Alaknanda and Dauhliganga can be clearly seen together. Vishnuprayag is actually one of the five places (Panchprayag) where the river meets its sister tributaries before turning into the mighty Ganges River.

Also Read:  Shri Hemkund Sahib Yatra - A Treasure Trunk of Various Folklores

Places To Stay In Auli

Hotels in Auli

  • Blue Poppy Resorts
  • The Tattva
  • Hotel Atithi
  • Hotel Brahma Kamal
  • Grand Ishwari Narayani Hotel
  • Panchvati Inn
  • Hotel Mount View Annexy
  • Hotel Shiva Palace
  • The Snow City
  • Hotel Mount View

View deals on Tripadvisor

Home Stay In Auli

  • Wild Home Stay Auli Joshimath
  • Himalayan Abode Home Stay

View deals on Tripadvisor

Camps Stay In Auli

  • The Chardham Camp
  • Auli Resort
  • Auli Nature Camp
  • Himalayan Eco Lodges Camps Joshimath
  • Nanda View Resort

View deals on Tripadvisor

Things To Do In Auli

Skiing, Ropeway Ride, Trekking, Hiking, Camping, Sight Seeing, Photography

Best Time To Visit Auli

Although you can visit Auli in any month of the year, but since Auli is famous for snow skiing and if you have the intention to try your hands at skiing, then the time between November and March is considered to be the best. Due to heavy snowfall between December to February, the climate here is very cold, while the weather between May and November is cold and you can relax by indulging in outdoor activities.

Auli Temperature

Auli is a high altitude place. Due to this, the weather here is mostly cold. The best season to visit Auli is summer. The temperature of Auli in summer ranges from a maximum of 15 to 20 degrees and a minimum of 4-8 degrees.

How To Reach Auli?

By Air

Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is 286 km from Auli. Everyday regular flights from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore come to Dehradun. Travelers can easily reach Auli via bus or cab from the airport.

By Rail

Rishikesh railway station is the nearest railway station to Auli, which is 200 km from here. The railway station of Rishikesh is well connected to all the major cities of the country. Travelers can reach Auli via cab or budget bus service after reaching the railway station.

By Road

Your experience of going to Auli by road is a life-long experience because the natural beauty of the road during the journey makes your journey even more exciting. Buses ply at regular intervals from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, and Delhi’s Kashmiri Gate. Apart from this, many buses also ply for Auli from the major cities of Uttarakhand, like Pauri, Joshimath, and Rudraprayag. Travelers can also reach Auli via NH94 by hiring a cab or a jeep. Apart from this, NH58 also connects Rishikesh to Auli and you can reach Auli in just 5 to 6 hours.

You May Like To Read

10 Best Hill Stations of Uttarakhand
“Mussoorie” – The Queen of Hills
“Munsiyari” – The Little Kashmir
“Chakrata” – The Cantonment Town of British Indian Army
“Kausani” – The Switzerland Of India
Bhimtal – A Small, But Wonderful and Splendid Hill Station
Chopta, The “Mini Switzerland” of Uttarakhand
“Almora”- Pride Of Uttarakhand
“Ranikhet”- The Queen’s Farm
“Lansdowne” – Home For The Garhwal Rifle Regiment
10 Best Places To Visit Near Nainital