Uttarkashi sits at roughly 1,150 m on the Bhagirathi, in Garhwal, and is the headquarters of the district that holds Gangotri and Yamunotri. Its name means northern Kashi. Local tradition, drawing on the Skanda Purana, holds that Shiva makes his home here as in Varanasi, and the Kashi Vishwanath temple at the town's centre is the focus of that belief. The town is small, with a 2011 census population of about 17,500, and most visitors pass through on the way to the higher shrines.
That is a good reason to stay a night or two. The town has two temples worth a slow morning, a hill goddess shrine, and one of India's best-known mountaineering schools, the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, on the opposite bank. Within reach are a dam at Maneri, a forest lake at Nachiketa Tal and, for trekkers, Dodital and Dayara Bugyal. Gangotri and Yamunotri have their own Raahzo guides, so this one stays with Uttarkashi and its surroundings.
It is a practical base for families and older travellers if you plan for the road. Journeys in from Rishikesh or Dehradun take most of a day, the monsoon can disrupt the valley road, and January is properly cold. In April to June and September to November, with a car and driver, a rest after lunch and the two temples done early, two nights feel full without feeling rushed.
Before you plan
Uttarkashi at a glance
- Best months
- April to June and September to…April to June and September to November are the most comfortable; December to February is cold, and July to August brings monsoon road delays.
- Ideal trip length
- 2 nights for the town and nearby sights2 nights for the town and nearby sights; 4 to 5 days if you add Dodital or Dayara Bugyal
- Airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, DehradunJolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED), about 160–165 km away by road; allow roughly 6 to 8 hours by road
- Railway station
- Rishikesh and DehradunRishikesh and Dehradun (DDN) are the usual railheads, around 145 km away by road; both are well connected to Delhi
- Getting around
- Private car and driver is easiestPrivate car and driver is easiest; local taxis and shared jeeps serve the town and the valley road
- Daily budget
- Modest by Indian hill-town standardsModest by Indian hill-town standards; most of the cost is car hire and trek operators, so confirm rates locally
- Senior comfort
- Good in town with planning: temples…Good in town with planning: temples are close to roads, but the journey in is long and treks are not suitable
- Language
- Hindi and GarhwaliHindi and Garhwali; English is understood at hotels and trek operators
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Uttarkashi: April, May, October, November. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Uttarkashi itinerary
One good day
1 day in Uttarkashi
Start at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the morning, then cross to the Shakti temple and look at the trident. Take a taxi up to Kuteti Devi on Hari Parvat for the view over the Bhagirathi. After lunch and a rest, drive to Maneri Dam for a short stop on the Gangotri road, or look at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering from the town side if you have not arranged a visit.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Uttarkashi
Visit the Vishwanath and Shakti temples early, then go up to Kuteti Devi by taxi and walk down if the weather suits. Rest after lunch. In the afternoon, write ahead to see the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering's museum and campus, if admitted, and finish with a walk by the river at dusk.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Uttarkashi
Spend the morning at the Vishwanath and Shakti temples, then go to Kuteti Devi. Keep the afternoon slow, with a visit to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering if access is arranged.
Day-by-day plan →
