Uttarakhand also known as Dev Bhoomi, a name which gives a heavenly abode to an artist’s imagination, is well known for its scenic beauty and pilgrimage sites. The combination of lush green trees and towering mountains with a clear blue sky makes it an alluring place to visit. These things are enough to stimulate an artist to produce a marvellous piece of art, whether it is a poem or a piece of painting and inspired generations to explore their creative capacity. Uttarakhand is divided into two divisions one is Garhwal, and the other is Kumaun. Both of these regions provide a majestic experience of serene treks with scenic beauty and humble hospitality. One can experience the hustle-bustle of city life in the capital city of Dehradun, which is also filled with Mughal and colonial period heritage buildings. This colonial impact can be seen in many other places of Mussoorie, Pauri in Garhwal and Nainital, Ranikhet Almora in Kumaun region.
The itinerary will cover two circuits; one will cover the huge mountains of Garhwal while another will take you to the wide valley valleys of Kumaun. The Garhwal circuit will take you to a spiritual journey that will begin from the yoga capital of the world, i.e., Rishikesh. This experience will be further elevated to the meadows of Chopta, Auli, Bedni, Dayara, which will be reached passing through moderate trek routes where one can encounter various Himalayan birds. Garhwal also enjoys the fortune of having Chota Char Dham, ie. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Garhwal Himalayas appears to have been a favourite place for the mythological tales of ancient times. With the world’s highest Shiva temple in Tungnath, which also comes under the Panch Kedar or Five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in this series, renowned Kedarnath, Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar follow the trail. Another interesting temple series is Sapta Badri or Seven Badri, which are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. These constitute seven shrines of Badrinath, Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Yogadhayan Badri, Vriddha Badri, Ardha Badri, and Dhyan Badri.
Another circuit is of Kumaun, which is a maze of mountains. Kumaun is derived from the word Kurmanchal, which means Land of Kurmavatar, the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is filled with beautiful hill stations like Kausani, Munsiyari, Ranikhet, whose sunsets will leave you spellbound. With prehistoric dwelling of the past, leaving its unique paintings behind visiting the site of Lakhudyar will provide an essence of the early past of humans in the Himalayas. The trail of the beautiful temple complex of Jageshwar, Katarmal, Dwarahat, Bageshwar, Baijnath will take back to the rich history of art and architecture. Walking in the woods of deodar will fill your mind and soul for a lifetime.