Auli Travel Blog: Everything you need to know

With stunning landscape and topography, this place is heaven for the adventure and nature lovers. This place is quite popular as a Ski destination and recently hosted National winter games. Yes, you got it right. I'm talking about Auli.

Auli is a remote destination of Uttarakhand. Very few people have heard about it. That's why Auli is considered as a pristine destination and an excellent choice to escape your fast-paced city life.

From the last 3-4 years, Auli is among the trending destinations of Uttarakhand. Auli is a popular ski resort in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The sheer beauty of Auli is divine & enthralls the tourists with scenic beauty. Auli is endowed with beautiful mountains, verdant rich Coniferous, Oak forests with the sight of glorious mountain peaks as Durnagiri, Mt Nanda Devi, Mana Parwat, Dunagiri, Kamet, Hathi Parbat, Ghori Parbat, etc. Snow skiing is the main tourist attraction at Auli. The ride on beautiful scenic trails is a great experience for all skiers. Apart from Skiing, this place has lots of interesting things to experience.

What you can Experience here

Auli has so much to explore. Around the breathtaking views, sipping a cup of tea with your partner is always a great experience. Isn't it? So don't miss out on these fabulous experiences while you're touring this wonderful hamlet. Whenever you have free time just grab the chance, which helps you to create some lifetime memories! These are the things you can try on your trip-

• Stunning view of Himalayan mountains - Natural vistas, panoramic views of Himalayan peaks, lush wooded vegetation and green pastures give Auli a colorful look. Auli offers a pristine view of various snow peaks & mountains like Nanda Devi peak, Kamet parvat, Chaukhamba peak, Trishul peak, Hathi Parbat, and more

• Highest artificial lake- Auli has the world's highest man-made lake. This artificial lake is in the middle of the slopes of the mountain. This beautiful lake is surrounded by colorful flowers that enhance the beauty of this lake. The reason for creating this lake was to produce snow for skiing/winter games during less snowfall but this lake is also adding a lot to the beauty of Auli.

• Skiing in Winters- Auli is one of the best skiing destinations in India. Every year Winter sports and skiing championship is organized here which attracts lots of tourists not only from India but all over the world. After the first snowfall of winter in December skiing starts here. If you don't know how to ski then there is also a 1 to 2 week paid course organized by GMVN. This snowy excitement goes on all the way till March. The Ski resort provides skiers with the necessary equipment and all facilities. Facilities of the chair lift and a ski lift are also available for skiers.

• Asia's second-highest and longest ropeway - Auli ropeway is one of the major attractions in Auli which offers a splendid view of great mountains. It is the second-highest and longest ropeway after Gulmarg Gondola Cable Car of Gangtok in Asia with a total of 4 km distance. The ropeway is boarded from both Joshimath and Auli. The fair is approx Rs 500-1000 per person for a round trip. The chair lift is also available which only moves from Auli to Ski-resort and vice-versa at Rs 300 per-person.

• Trekking - Now comes my personal favorite part which is, trekking. If you love hiking and trekking then this is for you. There are many trekking options around Auli where you can see the different colors of nature, meadows, and feel the exhilarating freshness that gives you enchanting experience during your trek. In winters these treks are covered with white snow but in summer the white sheet turns into green meadows. The options for trekking in Auli are Gursobugyal, Chattrakund lake, etc.

• Camping - Who doesn't like to spend the night under the millions of stars? Do you? Maybe not. Auli is very popular for camping but make sure you're well-equipped to face the temperatures which can drop to 20 to -5 degrees.

How to get there

By Road - Auli is 15 km from Joshimath which is connected with NH-58 from Delhi to Badrinath. Follow the route till Joshimath and then take public transport, cab or take a ropeway to Auli.

By Rail - Rishikesh is the nearest rail junction to Auli (which takes 5-6 hrs) and then you can take public transport to Joshimath or you can book a taxi directly to Auli.

By Air - Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun is the nearest airport. Everyday minimum of 3 flights flies from Delhi to Dehradun. After reaching Dehradun, you can take a taxi directly to Auli which is at a distance of approx 280 km.

Best time to Visit

Auli is a famous hill station and Ski destination in India that's why this place remains packed throughout the year. Auli can be visited throughout the year, however, if you want to experience snow-skiing then, January and February is the best time for this.

Winters- From November to February, Auli's weather remains colder as compared to the rest of the year. The temperature can even go to below zero degrees. So it would better to carry warm clothes that keep you warm on the bone-chilling nights.

Summers- Auli is a great place to get relief from the intense heat waves. Auli weather remains pleasant and some time drops down to 5-6 degrees Celsius. The snow-covered mountains turn to green meadows that offers a picturesque view of the surrounding.

Monsoon- Visiting Auli in Monsoon can be tricky, but along with the Valley of Flower, it can be done.

Accommodation in Auli

This place is not properly commercialized yet that's why very few staying options available here. Cliff Top, GMVN Auli Tourist Bungalow, Auli resort, Blue Poppy, Manik Resort are some of the best options for a comfortable and relaxing stay near Ski Resort. But, because of less accommodation and high tourist demand for this place, hotel prices are quite higher than in other places of Uttarakhand. And it is always advised that book your accommodation in Auli before departure because sometimes the hotels are packed with tourists and you may not get any accommodation.

How to Plan a trip to Auli (For Solo/group travelers)?

Planning a trip is always important because one single mistake can ruin your whole trip. So make sure all of your plans are foolproof and if any problem occurs during execution then you should have the proper backup plan. Its important to fix your traveling dates, days and also your budget.

• Day 1 - You can take a bus or train from Delhi to Haridwar. It takes about 5 to 6 hours by bus and by train, it takes 4 to 5 hours to reach Haridwar. After reaching Haridwar you can take a public bus or shared taxi directly towards the Joshimath which takes 9 to 10 hours. Try to reach Haridwar early morning because if you reach Haridwar early then there is a chance to get a direct bus to Joshimath and you'll reach Joshimath in the evening. Stay in Joshimath and enjoy the beautiful evening.

• Day 2 & 3 - The next day by a taxi or a cable car, you can reach Auli ski resort which takes 30 or less minutes. Here you can indulge in several activities according to your interests like ski, tracking, etc. If you have enough time to explore Auli then it is better to stay in Auli. Auli is expensive then Joshimath so you might need to check your budget.

• Day 4 - Leave early from Joshimath to make sure you get the bus to Rishikesh. It would take you 9-10 hours to reach Rishikesh. From Rishikesh, you can easily get a bus to Delhi.

Places of attraction near Auli

While in Auli, you can also visit these nearby destinations-

1. Narsingh Temple, Joshimath - Joshimath, is the common halt for all the places like Auli, Badrinath, Valley of Flower and Hemkund Sahib. Narsingh Temple is a popular temple in the Joshimath which is within walking distance from the Joshimath bus stand. It is famous for its architecture and some prophecy.

2. Valley of Flower- To go Valley of Flowers national park you have to reach Govindghat which is 20 kilometers away from Joshimath. After that, you have to trek to 14 kms to Ghangaria and then 4 kms to Valley of Flower.

3. Badrinath - Badrinath is one most popular shrine among the Char Dham Pilgrimage sites & also highly revered among the Panch Badri. It is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is 45 km away from the Joshimath and is easily accessible in just 2 hours.

4. Mana Village - It is located just three kms ahead of Badrinath temple & is the last village at Indo-China Border. Mana village is on the bank of river Saraswati. It is famous for woolen garments made for sheep wool. The place has also religious importance and it is believed that Pandavas went to heaven from this village.

5. Trek to Gurso Bugyal - Gurso Bugyal is the place for trekking enthusiastic which is just 3 km away from the Auli. Tourists come here in daylight to spend some quality time and go back to Auli in the evening due to a lack of hotels. Bugyal means "Meadows" or "pasture". These large land of green pastures surrounded by coniferous forest and oak tree which is soothing to the eyes. There is also a small sweet water lake called Chattrakund in the mid of the dense forest which is at a distance of just one km from the Gurso Bugyal.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are the personal views of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)