Auli, located in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Haridwar – Rishikesh - Badri Road and 268 KM from Rishikesh, at a height of 2915 - 3049 M, is blessed with a breathtaking panoramic view of the lofty peaks of the greatest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. The snow-clad peaks of Mt.Nanda Devi, Kamet, Mana Parbat, Dunagiri, Beethartoli, Nilkanth, Hathi Parbat, Ghori Parbat and Nar Parbat are clearly visible from Auli. This place is a recently developed winter ski resort and offers excellent treks and nature walks to nearby places. Auli is known as 'Bugyal' in the regional language which means meadow.

How to reach:
Traveling to Auli is adventurous and only accessed by road. In Uttarakhand traveling in night is not allowed for this area without prior government permit. Even the enthusiasts should not venture on this road at night. The tourists traveling from New Delhi need to take a stop over at Haridwar or Rishikesh. Any train leaving New Delhi for Dehradun or Rishikesh stops at Haridwar.

By Bus from Delhi:
Buses for Haridwar leave from ISBT Kashmere Gate every 30–45 minutes for Haridwar /Rishikesh /Dehradun and ply along National Highway 58. The buses with cushioned seats with recline option are available. The buses are also operated by different State Transport Corporation. It takes 7–8 hours to reach Haridwar (214 KM) from Delhi. Spend the evening at Hari-ki-Pauri, take a holy dip in river Ganga then experience the famous Sandhya Ganga Aarti, an evening prayer held daily at Hari-ki-Pauri around 6.30 PM. Dinner should be kept light as next day will be a long drive through snaky roads. There are many eating options such as 'Hoshiyarpuri' or 'Chotiwala'.

The cheapest option to reach Joshimath is by bus which leaves at around 3.45 AM (confirm the timing). Reach early for bus and get front seats on right hand side as all the great views lies in right. The bus will take around 9-10 hrs to reach Joshimath. To catch the Cable Car (Joshimath Auli Gondola) one must reach at Joshimath before 3.00 PM as last ride up is 4.30 PM (summers) and 3.30 PM (winter).

Car takes 7 to 8 hours to reach Joshimath. Private Cars are available for hire from the taxi stand opposite to the Bus stand. Rates are fixed for all destinations and so there is no chance of bargaining and cheating. Its better to travel by a car as it time taken is less and there are plenty picturesque points. The tourists traveling by car may visit and spend some time at Dev-Prayag, Teen Dhara, Rudra-Prayag, Karna-Prayag, etc. Shared transport may be available near the bus stand.

By Train:
The nearest railway station is Haridwar which is connected to almost all parts of India.

By Air:
Jolly Grant (17 km from Dehradun and 279 KM from Auli) is the nearest airport.

Tourists’ interest:

Skiing:  Auli skiing facilities and resorts were set up here by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam in order to promote Auli as a skiing destination. The geo-morphological features with a vertical drop of 500 M and snow fields at Auli are ideal for skiing. It attracts skiers from all over the country GMVN organises skiing courses here, ranging from 2 days to 14 days.
Gurso Bugyal (3056 m altitude): It is just 3 KM from Auli. Gurso is a huge beautiful meadow spread out and blessed with picture like beauty by nature. The place has mixed forest type with oak and conifers with the breathtaking beauty of the snowfields. The Ropeway service is available to reach here. It is just 1.5 KM from the last tower of ropeway. Come here enjoying lined with forests of oak and conifer. The place rests in peace and calmness as it is devoid of any commercial activity, it is just the kind of place where you can spend an entire day admiring the beauty and return to Auli then.
Chattrakund: While on trip to Gurso Bugyal, just a kilometer ahead is Chattrakund which you can be visited easily. In the centre of jungle is this sweet water lake called Chattrakund, the lake is small yet the view of a small beautiful lake is like a scene out fairy tale.
Kwani Bugyal: It is a beautiful meadow situated at 12 KM from Auli and at a height of 3350 M. Kwani Bugyal is quite popular with trekkers. The best time to be here is in June and September. Some travel agencies organise camps here with all the facilities of cooks, guides, camping equipment here. In summers, it is like one big camp going on here as trekkers from all over camp here.
Chenab Lake: A tough road links this beautiful Lake with Dang village near Joshimath.  
Joshimath: Auli is accessed through Joshimath at a distance of 16 KM. The place has ancient temples which date back to as long as 8th Century, when spiritual Hindu scholar Adi guru Shankaracharya had established a few of these shrines. Joshimath is also the base camp and gateway to Badrinath situated on Haridwar – Badrinath Road. The famous 'Valley of Flowers' is also visited through Joshimath.
Vanishinarayan Kalpeshwar: The cave by the name of Kalpeshwar is situated in a beautiful valley which people come to visit. It is 12 KM from Joshimath and 10 KM from village Helang.

Bhavishya Badri: The Bhavishya or future Badri is situated at Subain near Tapovan, about 17 km east of Joshimath. According to Hindu belief, when evil is on the rise in this world, the two mountains Nara and Narayan at Badrinath will close up on each other and destroy the route to the present Badrinath. This would also mark the end of the present world and the beginning of a new one. Lord Badrinath will then appear at the Bhavishya Badri temple and be worshipped here instead of at the present one.

Accommodation facilities:

The advance booking can be made directly or through www.arraytours.com. Please call +91 9433001192, (Phone) +91 33 24427635. The above data are indicative as provided by the respective hotel or collected from various sources. The author is not responsible for any difference with the actual.