Tips for solo travel in Uttarakhand will surely come in handy for those looking to travel solo to the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Traveling all alone to a new destination can certainly a nervous affair.
But having spent a month in Garwhal traveling to popular places along with far-flung areas, I’ll be lisiting down tips for solo travel in Uttarakhand to help my fellow travelers and put your concerns away.
Tips for Solo Travel in Uttarakhand
Unlike the Himalayan state of Himachal, which is way easier to travel to, Uttarakhand can be a bit difficult if you are used to comfort and luxury especially Garwhal Himalays.
But do not worry. Here are 11 solo travel tips for Uttarakhand.
| Pack Light Whenever Traveling Solo In Uttarakhand |
| Travel in Public Transport & Shared Cabs As A Solo Traveler In Uttarakhand |
| Use Press Cabs for quick and Overnight Journeys in Garwhal |
| Find A Suitable Accommodation As Per Your Budget |
| Don’t Splurge on Cafes Eat At Dhabas instead |
| Have A clear Understanding of How To commuting to your destination |
| Don’t Venture All Alone When Traveling Solo to Remote Areas |
| Avoid Peak Yatra and Summer Season for traveling Solo in Uttarakhand |
| Respect the local customs and traditions when traveling solo in Uttarakhand |
| Return to Your Destination before dark |
| Always be Alert and Don’t Get Too Intoxicated while alone in Uttarakhand |
1. Pack Light Whenever Traveling Solo in Uttarakhand
Pack light is always the best thing to do when traveling solo. When traveling alone, it is you who has to carry your own luggage. If you pack too much stuff, it might ruin your experience.
Another reason to pack light is the mountainous terrain of Uttarakhand. A lot of times you might have to take the trail to reach your destination.
Altitude coupled with uphill climb can really turn into a nightmare with too much weight. So make sure you pack light and always carry a rucksack while traveling solo instead of suitcase.
By the way, here is a complete list of super important things to carry for a trip to Uttarakhand.
2. Travel in Public Transport & Shared Cabs As A Solo Traveler In Uttarakhand
Hiring a cabs when traveling solo can really burn a big hole in your pocket. Therefore, you should always rely on public transport instead.
Towns of Uttarakhand located in lower himalayas and plains are well connected by trains and buses from major north indian cities.
The middle and high himalayan regions of Uttarakhand can be accessed by UTC and private operated buses along with shared cabs where buses don’t run.
3.Use Press Cabs For Quick & Overnight Journeys In Garwhal
Uttarakhand usually does not buses which run overnight in the mountainious. I find this very inconvenient.
But here is a tip that you could use if you wanted to travel overnight in Garwhal region. So at around mid-night, press cabs leave from Dehradun to various main mountain towns of Garwhal like Uttarakashi, joshimath.
So if you are someone who is looking to travel overnight, you can make use of these press cabs. I personally travelled by this Press Cabs while traveling to Harsil,
By the way, here is a super handy harsil valley itinerary for first-time travelers.
4. Find A Suitable Accommodation As per Your Budget
Hostels are the got to places of stay for solo travelers. But unlike Himachal, hostel culture in Uttarakhand is still in its nascent stages.
Especially in Garwhal Himalays where hostel culture is absent except for mussorie and rishikesh. Kumaon though is better when it comes to hostels.
Therefore, based on your budget and comfort you can opt for hotels, guesthouses in case budget-friendly hostels and homestays are not available.
I personally prefer only homestays, but I had to opt for cheap hotels or guesthouses in places like Sankri or Purola which were popular towns with no proper homestays.
Also in famous tourists places like Sari village, a lot of properties will market themselves as homestays but they usually turn out to be guesthouses. This is coming from a personal experience.
5. Don’t Splurge On Cafes Eat At Dhabas Instead
Eating out in Cafes all the time can result in uptick towards the budget. So instead you can opt for eating at Dhabas or if you are staying in homestays meals are usually included.
I personally prefer homestays where in food part gets covered. Plus I get to eat home-cooked food. In that way, I avoid eating at Dhabas as well. But when needed I generally prefer to eat out at Dhabas only.
6. Have A clear Understanding of How To Commuting to Your Destination
If you are used to making trips to Himachal, I would advise you to just figure out your commute to the destination well beforehand if you rely on public transport.
Unlike Himachal, most of the public transport is restricted to only the main towns of Uttarakhand. Plus there are no overnight buses which run in Uttarakhand.
For instance, to reach Harsil I had to break my journey twice and commute by press cabs from Dehradun in order reach Harsil in the quickest way possible.
By the way, if you are having trouble picking between Manali vs Harsil valley, here is comparison blog that should come in handy.
7. Don’t Venture All Alone In Remote Areas As A Solo Traveler In Uttarakhand
As a solo traveler, I would advise that you don’t venture to remote villages all alone without any local contact.
Although locals are amiable, but there are instances where you could meet drunkards or you might not be very well-received in areas with no tourist influx.
For instance, during my travels to remote villages of Uttarakashi like Fitari, Kasla, I was glad that I a guide along with me.
Having a local really made sure that no questioned why I was traveling alone plus it help in finding a place to stay in the remote village of Kasla.
If you were wondering How Safe Uttarakhand is for a solo traveler, here is a detailed blog which discuss about the same based on my travel experiences.
8.Try To Avoid And Peak Summer Season As A Solo Traveler
The yatra-season also coincides with the peak summer season rush. Both these factors result in exponential rise in the travel-related costs and crowd.
So try to avoid peak season if you are looking to visit and travel to mainstream tourist and religious sites.
9. Respect Local Customs and Traditions In Uttarakhand As A Solo Traveler
Himalayan region have their own eccentric customs and traditions. And as a solo traveler you must respect them even if you don’t agree with them.
The locals, especially from the upper regions of Uttarakhand worship their deities with zeal and fear. So make sure you don’t not disrespect any customs or traditions which might anger them.
Plus, try to maintain a sanctity of the place you are visiting. Don’t play loud music or litter the place. Keep it as pristine as it is. Especially if its a place of religious significance.
10. Return To Your Destination Back Before The Dark
If you are outdoors when traveling alone be it on a hiking or an exploration trip, make sure that you return before dark. Dangers of wild animals like leopards, bears etc looms large after the sun sets.
Also make sure that you inform of your whereabouts to your homestay or hotel hosts along with your loved ones. So that people know where to find you incase of any unforeseen circumstances.
11. Always be Alert and Don’t Get Too Intoxicated While Alone in Uttarakhand
This one is a no brainer. As a solo traveler, getting too intoxicated is a really bad idea and can result in bad situations.
Therefore, make sure that you are always alert and inform about your whereabouts to your hosts and loved ones.
Although locals of Uttarakhand are friendly and amiable, but staying vigilant is always better. Better safe than sorry.
That’s it for this blog. I hope that these tips for solo travel in Uttarakhand will come in very handy for you as a solo traveler.
In case you have questions or queries on tips for solo travel in Uttarakhand, make sure to drop them in the comments below. I’ll be happy to answer them.