Places to visit in Auli

The majestic grandeur of the Himalayan peaks, the deep gorge, alpine forests, the dizzying heights make Auli a coveted tourist destination. Into the many folds of the world’s youngest mountain ranges – the Himalayas, would there be a secret cave, a shrine, or a quaint tribal settlement?  Explore to find out what makes it to the bucket list of the places to visit in Auli.  

  • .      Auli Ropeway: A close brush with the Himalayan peaks sounds like a daring encounter? It would be close but not close enough! The Auli Ropeway that is about 3.9 km long starts at Joshimath and ends at Auli.  Reaching an ascent of 1110 metres, the ride takes about 15-20mts. Enjoy the views of the alpine forests, as you take a chair-lift or ski-lift and capture a snapshot of the skiing competitions, which can be viewed from the ropeway.

  • .      Joshimath: About 14 km from Auli, this is one of the places to visit in Auli, for pilgrims and tourists alike.  It is to Joshimath that the idol at Badrinath, is brought at down and placed in the Narsingh temple during winters. A popular Hindu pilgrimage site, Joshimath or Jyotirmath is also where the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga confluence at Vishnuprayag. The divine aura of the place is enhanced by the views of the Himalayan peaks such as Hathi Parbat.
    •  The 8th century Shankaracharya monastery, the 1200-year-old Kalpvriksha, temples of Naudevi, Surya, Hanuman and Gowrishankar are frequented by pilgrims.    

  • Auli artificial lake: A man-made lake, it is considered one of the highest elevation lakes of the world. Ensconced amidst the Auli cliffs, the water from the lake ensures that the ski-slopes are levelled up with proper level of snow. The lake is used to feed the snow guns to create the ice sheets/snow, when snowfall is not optimum during winter. 

  •    Chenab: With a serene atmosphere, amidst lush green forests of oak and deodar, the artificial lake has a charm of its own. It can be reached only through a trekking route through the Dang village in Joshimath. The last stretch of motorable road from Joshimath ends at Vishnuprayag. The trekking trail begins at this point to reach the Chenab meadow. When in season, the meadow transforms into a riot of colours, with the blooms that bristle in the Spring breeze.

  • Kwani Bugyal:  Pristine meadows, that adorn the Himalayan valley, would greet you at the 13km long trail to Kwani Bugyal. Bugyal meaning meadows, what adds an attraction to this trail is the Gorson Bugyal too, which is a green pasture land. Scintillating views of Mt Nanda Devi and Mt Dronagiri, at a close range, would reward you on this trail.  Camping at the meadow is one experience to look forward to at Kwani Bugyal. 

  •   Gorson Bugyal:  Emerald green pasture lands that glisten under the rays of the morning sun, are as refreshing as the morning dew! Breathe in the lush scenery as you trek to Gorson Bugyal located at an elevation of 3056 m is just about 3 km from Auli. Behold the spectacle that melts the snow cover during spring! Winter would be no less as snowflakes sitting pretty on leaf blades. Patches of green, with wisps of mists, and a bit of the sky azure is all that you need to pitch a tent here and enjoy the scenery!\


  • Chattrakund: At an elevation of 3300 m, the Chattrakund is a small lake, known for its crystal-clear waters and the beautiful alpine forests. Less crowded compared to the Auli slopes, Chattrakund is a lovers’ paradise and is one among the top places to visit in Auli.  About 4 km from Auli, the trail to the lake offers spectacular views of the undulating landscape and the mighty mountain ranges. 

  •     Narsingh temple: One of the sacred places to visit, while in Auli, is the Narsingh temple. It is popular as a part of the Sapt Badri. Located in Joshimath, the Narsingh temple is also the ‘winter home’ for Lord Badrinath. The prophecy of a devastating landslide at the end of the Kalyug, sounds in, in the shrine of this temple. The belief is, that when the right arm of the idol falls off completely, it would signal apocalypse.

  

Other places to visit in Auli are:

 ·        Saildhar Tapovan

·        Bhavishya Bhadri

·        Winter Ski resort

·        Vanshinarayan Kapleshwar

 

Places to visit near Auli

·        Badrinath at a distance of 55 km from Auli, is one of the four Dhams or the ultimate Hindu pilgrimage sites, believed to grant salvation.

·        Valley of Flowers: About 44 km from Auli, UNESCO world heritage site, the Valley of flowers is renowned for some of the rare and exotic varieties of alpine flora- endemic to the Himalayan region.  44 km

  • ·  Hemkund Sahib – About 42 km by road from Auli, Hemkund Sahib is at an elevation of 15000 ft above sea level. Famous for its Gurudwara, it draws Sikh pilgrims in huge numbers, every year.
  • ·        Malari – The village about 75 km from Auli is known for spectacular views of Dronagiri, the Nanda Devi national park, Tapovan and Joshimath. 
  • ·        Ghangaria – 40 km from Auli, Ghangaria is a picturesque hamlet at an elevation of about 3,050 m, that lies en route the trail of Hemkund Sahib and Valley of flowers.
  • ·        Kalpavriksha –  Also known as the Kalpataru - the divine wish-fulfilling tree, it is believed to be the oldest tree in India of divine powers. It is at a walking distance from the local market at Joshimath.
  • ·        Gopeshwar -  Famous for its ancient Shiva temple and other temples, Gopeshwar lies at a height of 1300 m and is about 69 km from Auli.
  • ·        Mana village – At a height of 3219 m, Mana is the last village on the Indo-Tibetan border. At a distance of 59.9 km from Auli, it has been marked as a tourism village by the Uttarakhand department.

 

 

 

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