From rustic villages to alpine meadows, from ancient temples to picturesque valleys, there are plenty of places to visit near Uttarkashi that will certainly blow your mind.
Therefore, based on my long travels, I’ve come with places to visit near Uttarkashi. I am sure you’ll fall in love with all these places just like I did.
Places To Visit Near Uttarkashi
There is no dearth of picturesque places to visit near Uttarkashi. It doesn’t matter if you are hiker, slow traveler, pilgrim, places near Uttarkashi caters to every kind of traveler.
I personally slow-traveled across several places near Uttarkashi and had a memorable time altogether. Just to clear one thing before we start, Uttarkashi refers to the administrative town and not the district as a whole.
By the way, if its your first time to Uttarakhand, here is a comprehensive list of things to pack for Uttarakhand.
1. Harsil Valley – Lofty Peaks, Ancient Villages, Towering Pines
Perched at altitude of 2600 m harsil valley is nothing short of wonderland. Surrounded loft snowy-peaks, huge pines, pristine villages, picturesque hiking trails, Harsil valley is my personal favourite.
Places to visit in Harsil valley include, Mukhwa, Bagori, Dharali, Jhala, Purali, Jaspur, Cholmi. Lama top, Satal hike, Bagori to Jhala hike make for a awesome day hikes.
I’ve got a super handy itinerary to Harsil valley, in case you are planning to visit anytime soon. Do make sure to check it out. Harsil is km from Uttarkashi town.
Tell me You wouldn’t want to see landscapes ! Incredible vistas from Lama Top, Harsil.
2. Gangotri Dham – The Abode Of Goddess Ganga
Char dham in Uttarakhand needs no introduction. Gangotri, the source of river ganga is one of the 4 sacred shrines.
Blessed with surreal vistas of right in the lap of Himalayas, Gangotri dham is frequented by pilgrims, travelers, adventure seekers in huge numbers.
Actual source of the River Ganga (Bhagirathi) lies near Gaumukh, which frequented by pilgrims & trekkers alike. Glacial lake perched at an altitude 5000m is another popular trek near gangotri.
3. Gartang Gali & Nelang Valley – The Ancient Trade Route That Once Thrived
Gartang Gali & Nelang valley are a couple of places near uttarkashi which have risen in popularity. Prior to the indo-china conflict of 1962, trade with tibet thrived via Nelang valley.
But the aftermath, made it off-limits for outsiders. Even the locals where settled in the village of Bagori.
But things have are different now. There is no permit required to visit the eccentric gartang galil, while Nelang does require permits from DC office in Uttarkashi.
The terrain of Nelang valley is similar to cold-deserts like Ladakh, Spiti, Zanskar.
4. Dayara Bugyal – One Of The Most Scenic & Popular Hikes In Uttarkhand
Dayara Bugyal is probably one of the most famous hikes of Uttarkhand. Located at an altitude of around 3000 m, Dayara bugyal is blessed with the glorious views of Himalayan peaks like.
Dayara bugyal can be either approached from Raithal village or Barsu village. In that way, you’ll also be able to cover at least one or both the villages if you decided to do a loop.
The undulating meadows at Dayara have different charm in different season.
Such Snowy peaks much wow. On The trail To Dayara Bugyal.
5. Tihar village – Get A Sneak Peak Into Garwhali Lifestyle
Perched at relative higher altitude than most of the villages in the vicinity like Barsu, Raithal, Tihar is a postcard worthy village and an alternative route to Gidara bugyal.
With Tihar village getting road-connectivity now, it is still relatively unknown when compared to other famous villages in the area like Raithal, Barsu.
A typical Garwhali village with plethora of traditional styled houses, Tihar is as rustic as it can get. Plus the village is perched so high up that you don’t even have to hike to see the Himalayan peaks.
One of my personal favourites near Uttarkashi, The village of Tihar is just surreal !
6. Gidara Bugyal – One Of the Grandest Meadow Treks In Uttarakhand
Gidara bugyal is another famous meadow trek in Bhatwari block, with trekking companies operating treks on this regularly.
Unlike its counterpart Dayara bugyal, Gidara bugyal is not very easy, but nonetheless a great hike with grander views of peaks and an opportunity to saunter on the rolling meadows.
The main route to Gidara is via Bhangeli village, but in the near future an alternative route might come up from the village of Tihar as well.
7. Yamunotri – The Source Of The River Yamuna
Yamunotri considered as the source of river Yamuna is one of the sacred places to visit near Uttarkashi. Jan ki chatti is the base of Yamunotri.
The temple is further ahead. And it requires a hike of 7 km from Jan Ki Chatti. Yamunotri is one of four Char dhams like Gangorti.
By the way, here is a super handy itinerary for Uttarkashi, that will be very useful as a first time traveler.
8. Dhatmir – Ancient Village Stuck Back In Time
Imagine a rustic Himalayan village with typical wooden houses perched high up in the mountain with no road connectivity and internet. Yes Dhatmir in Har ki Dun valley is exactly that.
The moment you enter the village, it feels like you’ve been transported back in time. The life here is simple but very harsh. On a personal level, Dhatmir has to be one of favourite villages in the Himalayas.
Dhatmir is reachable only by a 6 km hike from the nearest road head at Taluka.
Someshwar Devta Temple, Dhatmir !
9. Dharkot – One Of The Best Offbeat Places To Visit Near Uttarkashi
Like Dhatmir Dharkot is another village with typical traditional houses, amazing vistas, no road & internet connectivity in the Har ki Dun valley.
Dharkot can be reached on foot from Dhatmir or even from Gangad, and should be approximately around 8-10 km hike. Mind you this is a very remote village although near the popular Har Ki Dun.
But trust me you are going to have an amazing time here and will be in awe of the beauty and hospitality of the local folks.
Village of Dharkot as seen from Dhatmir to Dharkot trail.
10. Gangad – The Gateway To The Valley Of Gods
Gangad is another of those far-flung rustic villages on the popular trail of Har ki dun. You get the first glimpse of black peak and Swargarohini peak from the village of Ganga with Supin river flowing alongside the village.
The village looks primitive with sea of wooden houses, no luxuries, no road, no internet. But that’s probably the best part of the ancient villages like Gangad. And obviously the worst in this day and age.
There is also a beautiful temple dedicated to Someshwar devta, which is the norm in most of the villages of Sankri and Jakhol area.
11. Jakhol – Perfect Base For The Adventures Deep In The Himalayas
Jakhol located some 16 km from Sankri is the gateway to your adventures in the Himalayas.
Base to challenging Himalayan treks and gateway to even more remote villages, the sizeable village of Jakhol is very pretty to say the least.
Although, the road connectivity and internet connectivity means continuous interaction with the outside world, the village is still untouched in the truest sense.
12. Kasla – A Scenic Dwelling In The Hinterlands of Supin valley
If have aversion for touristy places and want to explore the actual places not frequented by tourists, rustic villages like Kasla is perfect.
Although Kasla is now connected with a road, it still retains its bucolic charm and a best way to observe the culture and lifestyle of Himalayan folks.
And of course not mention the scenic vistas that Kasla has to offer. As I said you can go by road but public transport is limited and private cabs are very expensive.
13. Leka Top – An Easy Hike With Scenic Vistas
I am always on a look out of day hikes with rewarding views and Leka top offers you exactly that. Just a gradual 6km hike from the village of Jakhol, Leka Top is a surreal vantage point with views of Himalayan peaks.
Swargarohini, Black Peak, Kedarkantha peaks are popular ones visible from Leka Top. If you were to continue beyond Leka Top you could eventually reach Sirga village and further to Taluka.
Offbeat Places near Uttarkashi that I intend to visit In The future
Here is list of places that will surely be on my agenda the next time I visit Uttarkashi district.
| Pilang – A remote Village near Bhatwari. |
| Sila – A rustic village near Uttarkashi and the base to Kush Kalyan |
| Khedatal – A Lake perched above Bhatwari |
| Doni – A rustic village in Rupin valley |
| Masari – A remote locale in the Rupin valley |
| Kalap – Another remote village in Rupin valley. You know I love to visit rustic villages |
To conclude, I hope this list of places to visit near Uttarkashi will be of a great help to you on your trip. In case you have any further queries, do make sure to drop them in the comments.