Auli & the High Garhwal meadows in summer, snow from January to March
Auli is a high meadow above Joshimath with the Nanda Devi range across the valley: a ski slope in winter, a walking country in summer, and reached by road since the ropeway closed in 2023. Six days up the Alaknanda and back, with the great river confluences on the way and Badrinath in season.
6 Days / 5 NightsDelhi · Rishikesh · Joshimath · AuliBest for mountain scenery and winter snow
The road from Rishikesh into the high Garhwal follows the Ganga and then the Alaknanda through the five prayags — the confluences where the Himalayan rivers meet — to Joshimath, the last town before the Tibetan watershed. Above it, Auli: meadows at 2,500 to 3,050 metres, deep snow from January to March, and a horizon of peaks over seven thousand metres.
This itinerary is built for the road as it actually is in 2026: two long driving days broken at Rishikesh, two nights on the meadow, the Joshimath–Auli ropeway left out because it is closed, and a plain warning about the monsoon months. Private car and driver who know the valley.
Delhi~240 km · 5–6 hrsRishikesh~250 km · 8–9 hrsJoshimath~16 km · 45 minAuli~265 km · 9–10 hrsRishikesh~240 km · 5–6 hrsDelhi
Fully private · chauffeur-driven by a driver who knows the Alaknanda road · fly into and out of Dehradun to cut the two plains legs. Mountain distances are approximate; times depend on the road that day.
Day 1🏔️ —
Delhi · Rishikesh
To the Ganga, and an early night
The Shiva statue on the bank of the Ganga at RishikeshThe Ganga and its suspension bridges at RishikeshA mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan river
Delhi ~240 km · 5–6 hrs Rishikesh
The plains leg first, and gently: Delhi to Rishikesh by road in five or six hours, or a flight to Dehradun and half an hour in the car. Check in on the river, walk across the suspension bridge, watch the aarti at Triveni Ghat as the light goes, and sleep early. Tomorrow is the long day, and it starts before dawn.
Today’s highlights
Delhi to Rishikesh by private car, or fly to Dehradun and transfer in half an hour.
Check in on the river side of the town.
The suspension bridge on foot; the east-bank ghats.
Aarti at Triveni Ghat; an early night.
Good to know: If you can, fly into Dehradun rather than driving from Delhi. The airport is half an hour from Rishikesh and it turns a six-hour road day into an afternoon on the river, which is what tomorrow’s early start deserves.
Best photo spots
📸 The bridge with the river below📸 Triveni Ghat at dusk
🚗 Delhi to Rishikesh · or fly to Dehradun · the river in the evening
🏨 Where to stay
On the river, upstream of the town, for one quiet night before the mountains.
✨ Signature experience
The Ganga at Rishikesh, green and fast, the evening before you follow it into the hills.
✈️ Flying in
Dehradun (Jolly Grant) has nonstop flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kolkata and the new Noida airport at Jewar, among others.
💡 The road ahead
From Rishikesh the Garhwal is road-only. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag railway is under construction with a target of December 2028; it is not an option for this trip, whatever a headline says.
💡 Good to know
Rishikesh is vegetarian and alcohol-free by custom. Eat well and sleep; the alarm is early.
Make Day 1 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
A mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan riverBadrinath temple beside the Alaknanda riverA hill town on a forested ridge above the clouds in the Uttarakhand Himalaya
Rishikesh ~250 km · 8–9 hrs Joshimath
The great road day. The highway follows the Ganga to Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda meet and the river takes its name, then the Alaknanda alone through Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandprayag, each a confluence with a temple at the meeting of the waters, climbing all the while. Joshimath, at the end of it, is the last town before the high passes and the base for Auli, Badrinath and the Valley of Flowers.
Today’s highlights
Devprayag: the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda meeting to become the Ganga.
Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandprayag as the valley narrows.
Lunch at a roadside dhaba your driver trusts.
Joshimath by late afternoon; check in and rest.
Good to know: This is eight or nine hours on a mountain road on a good day and more on a bad one. We start before dawn, break it properly, and do not schedule anything at the end of it. If a landslide or roadwork holds the road, your driver has the live picture and your tour manager reroutes or rebooks; that is what the 24×7 line is for.
Best photo spots
📸 Devprayag’s two-coloured confluence from the bridge📸 The Alaknanda gorge below Rudraprayag📸 The first snow peaks above Chamoli
🚗 Rishikesh to Joshimath · the five confluences · long, and worth it
🏨 Where to stay
Joshimath is a working mountain town, not a resort, and one night is right. We use properties we have checked ourselves; the town suffered land subsidence in early 2023 and we choose accordingly.
✨ Signature experience
Standing on the bridge at Devprayag where two rivers of different colours meet and become the Ganga.
⚠️ Monsoon, plainly
From July to mid-September the Garhwal roads close often and without warning on district orders — for hours or for days. In 2026 alone the Char Dham Yatra was suspended for three days at the end of July and more than a hundred roads were shut on one day in mid-July. We do not run this itinerary in those weeks, and if you insist we build in buffer days and say so in writing.
🌡️ Weather note
The India Meteorological Department publishes no normals for Joshimath or Auli. The nearest published Garhwal station is Tehri, far lower: January 15°C by day and 3.5°C at night, October 23.5°C and 11.5°C. Auli, a thousand metres higher, is markedly colder; any Auli temperature table on another site is a model estimate.
💡 Good to know
Fuel up at Rishikesh and again at Srinagar. Carry water, snacks and a warm layer in the car; mountain road delays are normal and not dangerous.
Make Day 2 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
A hill town on a forested ridge above the clouds in the Uttarakhand HimalayaBadrinath temple beside the Alaknanda riverA mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan river
Joshimath ~16 km · 45 min Auli
Sixteen kilometres of hairpins from Joshimath to Auli, and the trees give way to meadow and the meadow to a horizon of snow. The Joshimath–Auli ropeway has been closed since January 2023 and there is no date for its return, so the road is the way — forty-five minutes, and the view improves with every bend. Check in, breathe, and do very little on the first afternoon; you are at around 2,800 metres and altitude is worth respecting.
Today’s highlights
The hairpin road up from Joshimath, with the view opening at every bend.
Check in on the meadow; an easy afternoon to acclimatise.
In winter: the slopes, the snow, the ski hire fitted for tomorrow.
In summer: a first short walk on the meadow above the hotel.
Good to know: Do not list the ropeway among your expectations. It closed on 5 January 2023 during the Joshimath subsidence crisis, was confirmed still shut by the state tourism department in February 2026, and a replacement exists only on paper. Auli is reached by road, which is fine, and any operator still selling the cable car is selling something that does not exist.
Best photo spots
📸 The Nanda Devi range from the meadow📸 The hairpins from above📸 Sunset on the peaks
🏔️ Joshimath to Auli by road · the ropeway is closed · acclimatise
🏨 Where to stay
Auli has a small number of hotels on or near the slopes, from the state-run tourism lodge to a few better private properties. Rooms are limited and in January–March they sell out; we book early.
✨ Signature experience
The first clear look at the Nanda Devi range across the valley, from a meadow, with nothing between you and it.
⛰️ Altitude
Auli lies between roughly 2,500 and 3,050 metres. Most people feel it as breathlessness on the stairs and a headache if they rush. Drink water, go slowly on the first afternoon, and tell us in advance about any heart or lung condition.
🏂 Winter
GMVN, the state tourism corporation, describes the slopes as usually under about three metres of snow in season. Skiing runs January to March; the national championships were held here in February 2026. Equipment and instruction are arranged locally and added at cost.
💡 Good to know
Sun at this altitude burns quickly, on snow especially. Sunglasses and sunscreen are not optional.
Make Day 3 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
Badrinath temple beside the Alaknanda riverA hill town on a forested ridge above the clouds in the Uttarakhand HimalayaA mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan river
Auli Badrinath ~45 km · 2 hrs each way (in season) Auli
Two versions of this day, and the season chooses. From late April to the temple’s closing in autumn, Badrinath is a day trip: down to Joshimath and up the Alaknanda past Vishnuprayag to the shrine on the river below the Neelkanth peak, one of the four Char Dham. Your registration is done in advance and your guide knows the darshan routine. In winter, when the road above Joshimath closes, the day belongs to Auli itself: skiing on the slopes, or a walk up onto the higher meadows with the whole range in view.
Today’s highlights
In season: Badrinath temple with your guide, registration handled, darshan without confusion.
Vishnuprayag, the fifth confluence, and the Mana valley beyond.
In winter: a full day on the slopes, or snow walks on the meadow.
In summer: the higher meadows above Auli on foot with a local guide.
Good to know: Badrinath opened on 23 April in 2026 and closes in the autumn on a date announced only at Vijayadashami, so we cannot print it here and neither can anyone else honestly. Registration on the state portal is mandatory and enforced at checkpoints; we do it for you, and you carry the QR letter and photo ID.
Best photo spots
📸 Badrinath temple with the Alaknanda below📸 Neelkanth at dawn📸 The upper meadows above Auli📸 Ski tracks against the peaks
Your day, part by part
Early morning
In season: depart for Badrinath. In winter: breakfast and the slopes.
Morning
Darshan with your guide; the temple town. Or skiing and instruction.
Afternoon
Return to Auli. Or a meadow walk with the range in view.
🙏 Badrinath in season · or skiing and meadow walks · the day the season chooses
🏨 Where to stay
Second night at Auli, same hotel.
✨ Signature experience
Badrinath’s painted temple front with the river and the snows behind it — or, in winter, the silence of a high meadow under snow.
📋 Registration
Char Dham registration is free and mandatory on the state tourist-care portal, with Aadhaar-based verification since 2025; without it you are turned back at the barriers. We complete it with your details.
🚶 Walking
The meadows above Auli give easy, high walks with the range in view; a local guide comes with you. We do not sell overnight camping on the high meadows, whose rules have been under legal review in 2026.
💡 Good to know
Kedarnath is not reachable from here as a day trip and its helicopters are suspended through the monsoon each year; see our separate Kedarnath and Char Dham itineraries if that is the aim.
Make Day 4 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
A mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan riverThe Shiva statue on the bank of the Ganga at RishikeshThe Ganga and its suspension bridges at Rishikesh
Auli ~265 km · 9–10 hrs Rishikesh
The long day in reverse, started at first light with the peaks pink above the meadow. Down through Joshimath and the confluences with the sun on the other side of the valley this time, lunch where you stopped on the way up, and Rishikesh by evening. One more night on the Ganga rather than pushing for Delhi in the dark.
Today’s highlights
First light on the peaks from the meadow before you leave.
The Alaknanda road descending; the confluences from the other direction.
Lunch on the road.
Rishikesh by evening; the river again.
Good to know: We do not drive Auli to Delhi in one day, and you should not accept an itinerary that does. Nine or ten hours on a mountain road followed by six on the highway is unsafe and miserable. The night at Rishikesh is the point of the plan, not padding.
Best photo spots
📸 The peaks at dawn from Auli📸 The Alaknanda gorge in afternoon light📸 Devprayag from above
🚗 Auli to Rishikesh · the long day, done safely · a night on the river
🏨 Where to stay
Back on the river at Rishikesh for the last night.
✨ Signature experience
Dawn on the meadow before the descent. Set the alarm.
🚗 Road reality
Landslides, roadworks and single-lane stretches are normal on the Alaknanda road in every season, and delays of an hour or two are common. Your driver has the live picture; your tour manager has the plan B.
🍽️ Taste of the day
Garhwali food at a roadside dhaba: mandua roti, phanu, the local dals. Your driver knows which ones are clean and good.
💡 Good to know
If the road is closed by an incident, we hold you at the nearest safe town and tell you plainly what the options are. That is why this itinerary has a buffer night at Rishikesh.
Make Day 5 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
The Ganga and its suspension bridges at RishikeshThe Shiva statue on the bank of the Ganga at RishikeshA mountain highway cut into the hillside above a turquoise Himalayan river
Rishikesh ~240 km · 5–6 hrs Delhi
A slow morning on the Ganga — a rafting run if the season is open and you have the energy, the ghats if you do not — and the road to Delhi, or the half-hour to Dehradun airport and a flight. After the high valley, the plain feels very flat.
Today’s highlights
Rafting in season, or the ghats, or a lie-in.
Private drive to Delhi, or Dehradun airport in half an hour.
Or stay: Rishikesh is where the Valley of Flowers and Char Dham routes begin too.
Good to know: Fly out of Dehradun if you can. It saves most of a day, and after five days in the mountains nobody wants the highway.
Best photo spots
📸 The river from your breakfast table📸 The bridge one last time
🚗 Rishikesh to Delhi · or fly from Dehradun · or onward into Garhwal
✈️ Flying out
Dehradun (Jolly Grant) is half an hour from Rishikesh with nonstop flights to a dozen Indian cities.
🏔️ Extend it
From Joshimath the Valley of Flowers (open 1 June to 31 October) is a further two days on foot. Our Valley of Flowers itinerary joins onto this one.
🌡️ Seasons, plainly
January to March for snow and skiing; late April to June and October to November for the meadows and Badrinath; July to mid-September is the monsoon and the roads close often — we do not recommend it.
💡 Rafting
September to the end of June, weather and river permitting; not guaranteed on any date and never in the monsoon.
💡 Good to know
Tell us your onward flight time when you enquire; we build the last day around it.
Make Day 6 yoursPrivate chauffeur & English-speaking guide · handpicked hill, river and forest stays · tailored to you.
Every itinerary above is available in the comfort level that suits you.
Budget
Clean 3★ stays & homestays, smart pacing.
Deluxe
Boutique 4★ hotels with the best views.
Premium
Premium resorts, private guides & experiences.
Luxury
Iconic retreats & bespoke touches throughout.
Family / Honeymoon
Tuned for couples or families — rooms, pace & extras.
Transparent, always
What’s included
✓ Inclusions
Two nights at Rishikesh, one at Joshimath and two at Auli at handpicked hotels, with breakfast
Private, chauffeur-driven car throughout with a mountain-experienced driver
Local guide for the Auli meadows and for Badrinath
Char Dham registration for Badrinath completed on your behalf, in season
A dedicated tour manager & 24×7 support, including live road updates
All applicable taxes and a GST invoice
✗ Exclusions
Flights (we can book them)
Lunches & dinners unless specified
Ski hire, lift passes and instruction at Auli in winter (arranged and added at cost)
Temple and monument entry fees (added at cost)
Personal expenses, tips & shopping
Travel insurance (strongly recommended for a mountain itinerary)
Answers
Auli & High Garhwal FAQs
No. The Joshimath–Auli ropeway has been closed since 5 January 2023, when cracks appeared near its first tower during the Joshimath land-subsidence crisis. The state tourism department confirmed it still shut in February 2026, and a replacement exists only as a project report with no construction start. Auli is reached by a 16 km road from Joshimath, about 45 minutes. We do not list the ropeway and you should be wary of anyone who does.
For snow and skiing, January to March; the slopes are usually under deep snow and the national championships were held there in February 2026. For green meadows and Badrinath, late April to June and October to November. July to mid-September is the monsoon, when Garhwal roads close often and unpredictably; we do not run this itinerary then.
Auli lies between roughly 2,500 and 3,050 metres. Most people feel it as breathlessness on stairs and a headache if they rush the first afternoon. Drink water, go slowly, and tell us in advance about any heart or lung condition. Children and older travellers manage well if the first day is kept easy, which it is.
As a day trip from Auli when the temple is open — it opened on 23 April in 2026 and closes in the autumn on a date announced only at Vijayadashami. Registration on the state portal is mandatory and enforced at checkpoints; we complete it for you. Outside the season the road above Joshimath closes and the day becomes skiing or meadow walks at Auli.
Long, and we say so. Rishikesh to Joshimath is roughly 250 km of mountain road, eight or nine hours on a good day. Auli back to Rishikesh is nine or ten. That is why the itinerary has a night on the river at each end and never drives from Auli to Delhi in one go.
On mountain roads it happens, most often in the monsoon and occasionally at other times. Your driver has the live picture, your tour manager reroutes or holds you at the nearest safe town, and we tell you plainly what the options are. The Rishikesh night on the way down is a deliberate buffer.
No. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag railway is under construction with a completion target of December 2028. Beyond Rishikesh the Garhwal is road-only. The Vande Bharat reaches Dehradun and Haridwar, and a flight to Dehradun is the best way to cut the plains leg.
The slopes and the season are; the ski hire, lift passes and instruction are arranged locally and added at cost, because they depend on snow, dates and your level. Tell us if you are beginners and we will arrange an instructor.
We do not sell overnight camping on the high meadows. Their use has been under legal review in 2026 and we would rather not promise what may not be permitted. Day walks up onto them with a local guide are included and are the better experience anyway.
Joshimath suffered serious land subsidence in early 2023 and the town is still living with the consequences. We stay one night there, at properties we have checked ourselves, and we tell guests about it rather than pretending it did not happen. Auli, on the ridge above, is a separate matter.
Yes, in season: the valley is open from 1 June to 31 October and its trailhead at Govindghat is a short drive from Joshimath. Two more nights on foot join the two itineraries.
Proper warm layers in every season — Auli is cold at night year-round and very cold in winter; sunglasses and sunscreen for altitude sun; walking shoes; your ID matching the Badrinath registration; and travel insurance, which we strongly recommend for any mountain itinerary.
Every Itinerary Diary journey is private and quoted to your own dates, party size and hotel category, so we do not publish a fixed price. Ski hire and temple fees are added at cost. Send us your dates and we will reply with a tailored itinerary and quote within one working day.
Yes. Itinerary Diary Tours & Travels is a registered company and every booking comes with a proper GST invoice.
Tell us your dates and how you love to travel. Your personal designer will send a tailored itinerary and quote within one working day — no obligation, no hidden charges.
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🔑100% private & tailor-made
Your own car, chauffeur and English-speaking guide — never a group tour.
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💎Handpicked hill, river & forest stays
Colonial-era hill hotels, riverside retreats and lodges at the park edge — matched to your style.
🧾Transparent pricing
No hidden charges; quoted per person in your currency, with a GST invoice.
Every Auli journey is private and quoted to your own plans — price on request. The cost depends on your travel dates, hotel category, room type, party size, domestic flights and the experiences you choose. Send your dates for an itemised quotation with named hotels, usually within one working day. Get a tailored quote
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Day 1🏔️ —
