10 Best Winter Tourist Destinations of Uttarakhand

If you are a snow lover and exploring winter holiday destinations in India, then do consider visiting Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand, a popular state in North India for tourism has many small hill stations where thousands of tourists reach to spend their winter holidays and experience the snowfall.

Let’s explore the best winter places to visit in Uttarakhand

1. Auli

Auli is a popular skiing destination of Uttarakhand and is famous for its snow peaked mountains. Auli is a hill resort with full of natural beauty. Apple orchards, old oaks, and pine trees increase the beauty of this place. Auli is the home of mountains ranges from Nanda Devi, Mana Parvat and Kamat Kamet. With the beauty of the mountains, this place looks very beautiful in winter. So, winter is the best time to visit Auli from November to February, when the temperature goes down at minus 8 degrees here.

More about Auli Uttarakhand – Travel Guide

• Auli is a less crowded place.
• The nearest airport to Auli is Dehradun and the nearest international airport is Delhi. Daily flights from other major cities are also available for Dehradun.

2. Chakrata

Chakrata hill station in Uttarakhand is a popular weekend getaway. The place is surrounded by dense green forest and picturesque waterfalls. This hill station is located between Tons River and the Yamuna River. It is known as a popular Picnic spot and situated at a distance of 98 kilometers from Dehradun. December to February is the best time to visit Chakrata in winter when the hill station is covered by snowfall.

Activities at Chakrata hill station – Skiing, bird-watching and exploring the wilderness

Best Places to visit in Chakrata – Tiger Falls, Budher, Kanasar, Chilmiri, Deoban (Devban), Mundali Meadows, Lakhamandal and Manjhgaon are the prominent places to visit in Chakrata.

3. Harsil

Harsil is an unexplored valley of Uttarakhand which is lesser-known to tourists. Harsil is a cool and calm destination that attracts a lot of peace lovers. The valley is filled with lush greenery, apple orchards, and deodar forests. Visitors can enjoy snowfall in Harsil from December to March.

4. Kanatal

Kantal, a small village of Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand is an unexplored hill station that is not very popular like Mussoorie or Rishikesh. It is a perfect weekend getaway for couples and for people looking for peace and wants to unwind from the hustle-bustle of city life. This quaint hamlet is a perfect destination near Delhi to see snow in winter. Homestay options are also available in Kantal. So, you can plan a family picnic or a small weekend tour in Kantal. The nearest tourist attraction to Kantal is the Kodia Jungle that is located at a distance of one kilometer from the town.

Activities and things to do at Kantal hill station – Sightseeing, Trekking, Camping, Valley Crossing, Rappelling, Jungle Safari.

5. Landour

Landour is a place that reminds you of the British raj. You can see the magnificent architecture and culture of those times in Landour. Just 5 km from Mussoorie, Landour is a very calm and noiseless place with Deodar trees and woody smell in the air gives a refreshing feeling. Landour is also famous for its wildlife. Animals like leopards, barking deer, jackals, goral and sloth are also spotted here. Snow Cap Mountains in winters is the major attraction of this place. Landour gets maximum snowfall comparatively in the entire Uttarakhand.

Popular Places to visit in Landour – Laal Tibba, Church of St. Paul, Kellogg’s Church, Chaar Dukan Area, and Landour Language School.

6. Chopta

Chopta is called the Mini Switzerland of Uttarakhand. The place looks very beautiful in the winters when covered with snow. Chopta is also a famous trekking destination in Uttarakhand. Hill station is a picturesque hamlet surrounded by dense forests consisting of Dwindling pines, Rhododendron and Deodar trees and is rich in flora and fauna. Visitors also prefer camping in Chopta. Spending night in a camp is an awesome experience here.

Activities and things to do at Chopta hill station – Camping and trekking, yoga, Snow trekking, snow skiing Rock craft, rock climbing, rappelling, Photography

7. Chaukori

Chaukori is a bowl-shaped small hamlet in Uttarakhand. It is situated at 2,010 meters above sea level from where the spectacular view of the Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot, and the Panchachuli peaks is visible. Visitors, who want to see snow in Chaukori, must visit in January or February. The place is surrounded by tea gardens, diverse flora & fauna, and lofty peaks.

Things to do at Chaukori hill station – taking long walks, camping, star gazing, and visiting tea gardens.

8. Kausani

Kausani is a famous hill station of Uttarakhand which attracts a lot of honeymooners and couples in winters. The best time to visit Kausani is from December to February. Snowfall mainly starts in January and remains till February.

Sightseeing and tourist attractions near Kausani – Anashakti Ashram, Lakshmi Ashram, Tea Gardens, Baijnath Temple

9. Khirsu

Khirsu is located in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. The scenic beauty of this hill station attracts a lot of nature lovers and romantic couples in winters. January and February are the best months for snowfall in Khirsu hill station.

10. Juda Lake

Juda Lake, also known as Juda Ka Talab in Kedarkantha is one of the most beautiful places of Uttarakhand covered with scenic views of Himalayas. This place of Uttarakhand can be visited any time of the year, as weather is always awesome here. Kedarkantha gets good amount of snow in winters. Sometimes snow can be seen till mid April here. Summers are also not very hot in Juda ka Talab and place remains covered with lush greenery. Kedarkantha is also a popular place for trekking.