There is a very beautiful and important city located in the midst of Pauri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. If you are travelling or have travelled to Badrinath, Valley of flowers, Hemkund, Roopkund, Nanda Devi or Auli then for sure you might have crossed this town. This city needs to be called out for all it has to offer, from being an educational hub of Garhwal to offering some of the best local and historical temples.
This city is called Srinagar, not the one which is famous for it’s Dal Lake but the one which is located in Uttarakhand.This city is 150 KM from Dehradun and is the last city on the plains after which the mountains begin. What surprised me is that the largest and biggest city in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand is still unknown and undiscovered by the many tourists who are visiting Uttarakhand.
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How to Reach Srinagar Garhwal
Train: Haridwar is the major nearest railway station which is almost 130km from the city. Kotdwara & Rishikesh railway stations are small and most of the major trains do not stop at these stations.
Bus: There is direct bus connectivity from the major cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun. There is no direct bus connectivity from outside Uttarakhand. You may have to change your buses either from these cities when you enter Uttarakhand.
Airport: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. The airport is almost 150km from Srinagar. You can hire a private cab for the Dehradun bus station and from there you can catch a bus for Srinagar.
Best Time to Visit
Summer in Srinagar will not excite you so the best months to explore this beautiful city will be from September to March. Winter is extremely beautiful with some snowfall in certain parts of Srinagar. The temperature in Srinagar during winter will be 2°C to sub-zero so pack a lot of warm clothes as the winter in the Himalayas are very different from that of plains.
Where to Stay in Srinagar Garhwal?
Let me tell you something that you should always keep in mind when you travel to any new place to explore it. Plan your stay with the locals. There are options of Hotels, lodges, rest houses and dharamshalas but the experience of staying with the locals and having local food and their warm hospitality is what will make your trip worth remembering.
Things to Do
Hill Top
This is one of the places which gives you the best view of the entire city and of the river Alaknanda. To reach this place you will have to take a short hike and people mostly hike to this place for the best sunset and sunrise experience. Srinagar is all about this pristine view.
Chauras Complex
This is the place where yoga and meditation meets nature & mountains. Chauras complex is a sweet spot located outside the city where people mostly go for some peace and quiet. The view of the city and the river with some roadside hot maggie and tea is what you will not get in your cities.
Sri Yantra Tapoo
Sri yantra tapoo holds a very significant mythological and divine importance for this city. It is a small little island in the Alaknanda river which serves people with some great spots to sit, relax and bask under the sun to relax the body.
Baba Gorakhnath Caves
Baba gorakhnath caves in my view is one of the most important and historic shrines but this place has been abandoned and not been taken care of by the local and state government. Still these caves have a very high number of visitors, both local and outsiders. These are the mountains where Guru Gorakhnath meditated and met his students.
Keshorai Math Temple
This is one of the most beautiful and oldest temples you will find in this city. Keshorai math temple was built in 1682 AD and was dedicated to Lord Vishnu & Lordess Saraswati. The temple structure is almost very unique and beautiful. The Carved out stones used is what makes it very unique for me.
Gola Bazaar
Gola Bazaar is one of the biggest and largest markets in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. This bazaar is the commercial market for people from all across the Garhwal region. The best and most famous items you can shop around are the locally crafted handicrafts, shawls, jackets, local pickles, and jams are very common among visitors.
Village Tourism
Village tourism is something that is not very famous among tourists. But this is something that needs to be explored for understanding the culture and religious significance of that place. Akhada, Maletta, Jaletha, and many more will help understand the local life, their lifestyle, or food. This is a very unique and one of its kind experience. You can enjoy some important local festivals like Baikunth Chaturdashi Mela, which is a 4-5 days festival where you get to enjoy the local sports and cultural shows.
Places to Visit Nearby Srinagar Garhwal
Uttrakhand is a place where adventure can combine religious places and that will give you a wholesome experience. Srinagar is in the middle of where you get to reach some of the most famous tourist places. Here are some of the places you can catch up on:
- Dhari Devi Temple
- Pauri
- Rudraprayag
- New Tehri
- Devprayag
I really love to read such a nice article.
Thanks for sharing the detailed guide with the readers. Srinagar is indeed a beautiful place to explore and everyone must visit it at least once in the life. Keep sharing such amazing places and educating readers about its beauty. Thanks!!