Adventure Base & Calm Homestay, Uttarakhand
Ram Gaon· 5.0 · 10 stays
The home is a base to explore the wider Kumaon and Garhwal regions of the Western Himalaya. Depending on your direction of travel, you can reach some of North India’s most significant natural and spiritual sites.
In the Garhwal region, you can head to Rishikesh for the evening Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat or Parmarth Niketan, a powerful ceremony of light and sound on the riverbank. Rishikesh is also the gateway to the Char Dham pilgrimage. Further up, Chopta serves as the base for the 4-hour climb to Tungnath, the world’s highest Shiva temple, and onward to the Chandrashila peak. Auli, known for its oak and rhododendron meadows, becomes a popular ski destination from December to March. The UNESCO World Heritage site, the Valley of Flowers, is a monsoon trek accessible from the Govindghat trailhead from July to September.
If your travels take you towards the Kumaon region, you can visit Jim Corbett National Park (Ramnagar gate is a key entry point) for a chance to see tigers in the wild, open from October to June. Near the orchard town of Mukteshwar, you can visit the 350-year-old Mukteshwar Temple and the nearby Chauli Ki Jali, a cliff edge with sweeping views of the valley.
The best way to reach the home depends on which part of Uttarakhand you plan to explore.
By air: The two main airports are Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport (DED) for the Garhwal region (Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Auli, Chopta) and Pantnagar Airport (PGH) for the Kumaon region (Nainital, Mukteshwar, Almora).
By rail: The primary railheads follow a similar geographic split. Haridwar is the main station for Garhwal, serving as the starting point for Rishikesh and the Char Dham yatra. Kathgodam is the railhead for Kumaon, from where you can get taxis to Nainital, Mukteshwar, and Almora.
By road: Rishikesh is the main road hub for Garhwal, while Nainital serves the same purpose for Kumaon. Both are well-connected to major cities in North India. From these hubs, you can hire local taxis to reach smaller towns and villages.
The region is accessible year-round, but different seasons offer different experiences. The clearest skies and most pleasant weather are from March to June and again from September to November. This is the best time for trekking and sightseeing.
The monsoon months of July and August bring lush greenery but also the risk of landslides, which can cause road closures. High-altitude destinations like Auli and Chopta are often closed from December to February due to heavy snowfall, though this is also the peak season for skiing in Auli.
