Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarkhand
Deorital is a beautiful lake, with its pristine waters captivating the mighty beauty of Chaukamba and Neelkanth peaks.It is surrounded by forests and greenlands and is by far one of the most beautiful tourist attraction of Garhwal Himalayas. The tour commences from Rishikesh. It is a very important Hindu pilgrimage town on the banks of the Ganga.Rishikesh is best known for its countless Ashrams, the Lakshman Jhoola, and most importantly the Neelkanth Temple of Lord Shiva.The next day drive down to Ukhimath. En route, see the two of the four Prayags, namely Rudraprayag and Devprayag. Devprayag is the confluence of River Alaknanda and Bhagirathi while Rudraprayag is the confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini.Ukhimath is on the banks of Mandakini. Its a stone's throw from Guptkashi and there is a lovely trekking trail connecting the two. Ukhimath can be reached by road as well. Ukhimath is the summer abode of Lord Kedarnath.During the frigid winter months, a moveable idol of Kedarnath is brought down to Ukhimath, accompanied by a lavish procession, and it presides here till Akshay Tritya, when the temple of Kedar opens again.Following a day in Ukhimath, put on your 'walking shoes' for a trek to Deorital. The trail is flanked by forests of Rhodendhrons, ferns and Himalayan pines. It takes 3 to 4 hours of moderately strenous trekking to reach deorital, and the banks of the lake is perfect for a camp under the skies. From Deorital, trek 3kms, to the village of Sari which serves as a midway halt en route to Chopta. From Sari, drive down to Chopta which is roughly 30 kms by road, for another overnight camping experience. The two most famous trekking destinations from Chopta are Tugnath and Chandrashila.The trek is strenous, but the natural beauty of your surroundings will definitely compensate for your strained hamstrings.The excursion is a day long one, and after the trek, come back to chopta for a night halt.From Chopta, drive down to Haridwar or the 'Gateway of the Gods'. Enjoy the beauty of this ancient hindu town and do not miss the magnificient evening 'Aarti' of the River Ganga at 'Har ki pyari'.