Places to visit in

Uttarakhand

Company Garden (locally often called Company Bagh) is a well-loved public garden found in Uttarakhand's hill towns. It reflects colonial-era landscaping influences and functions as a social and recreational hub for locals and visitors. The garden showcases regional montane plantings and offers accessible green space in otherwise built-up hill-station areas.

Eco Cave Gardens is a popular family-friendly cluster of interconnected caves and terraced hanging gardens located in Nainital, Uttarakhand. It showcases a small-scale urban ecosystem and offers visitors a cool microclimate, scenic viewpoints over Nainital and Naini Lake, and an accessible nature experience within the hill-station. The site contributes to local eco-tourism and provides recreational green space in a busy tourist town.

The Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun is a premier institution for forestry research and education in India and part of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). Housed in an imposing colonial-era building on a large wooded campus at the foothills of the Himalaya, the FRI and its museum document India's forestry heritage, botanical diversity, timber science, and conservation practices. The institute has played a central role in forest management, research, and training since the early 20th century and the campus is considered an architectural landmark and a green urban refuge.

Corbett Museum, Kaladhungi preserves the life and legacy of Jim Corbett — a British-Indian hunter turned pioneering conservationist and author. The museum is housed in Corbett's former residence and contains personal belongings, photographs, manuscripts and accounts related to his wildlife work and campaigns that contributed to the establishment of protected areas in India (later leading to what became Jim Corbett National Park). It serves as an important cultural and historical site that connects visitors to early wildlife conservation history in India.

Mall Road, Nainital is the lakeside promenade and social heart of Nainital, a popular hill station in Uttarakhand. Laid out during the British colonial era, it became the town's commercial and recreational hub, connecting the twin towns of Mallital and Tallital along Naini Lake. The Road combines natural beauty (serene views of Naini Lake and surrounding Himalayan peaks) with colonial-era architecture, local Kumaoni culture, and religious significance due to nearby temples (notably Naina Devi Temple).

Mall Road, Mussoorie is the town's central promenade and social heart, established during the British colonial era. It has long been the focal point for leisure, shopping and public life in Mussoorie, offering panoramic views of the Doon Valley and the outer Himalaya. The stretch reflects a blend of colonial architecture, Himalayan hill-station culture and modern tourism, making it significant for both visitors and locals.

Naini Lake is a natural freshwater body at the heart of Nainital town in Uttarakhand, known for its scenic beauty and as a focal point of local life. It is central to Nainital’s identity as a hill station established during the British colonial period and remains a major tourist attraction drawing visitors for leisure, religious pilgrimage (Naina Devi Temple), and nature appreciation.

Bhimtal Lake is a natural freshwater lake located in Bhimtal town in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India. It is the largest lake in the Nainital region and is known for its serene environment, scenic beauty, and biodiversity. The lake has historical significance tied to local legends and is an important part of the Kumaoni cultural landscape. It contributes to local livelihoods through tourism, fishing, and small-scale boating activities.

Sattal (Seven Lakes) is a cluster of interconnected freshwater lakes in the Lower Himalayan range of Uttarakhand, India. It is ecologically important as a freshwater wetland complex supporting diverse flora and fauna, including resident and migratory birds, amphibians, and rich riparian vegetation. The area is valued for conservation, birdwatching and as a quiet nature retreat close to the Kumaon hill towns.

Naukuchiatal is a scenic freshwater lake in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India. Its name means 'lake of nine corners'. It is valued for its natural beauty, tranquil atmosphere, and as part of the Kumaon Himalayan foothills. The lake and its surroundings are important for local ecology (wetlands and birdlife) and for low‑impact tourism that showcases Kumaoni culture and rural life. The elevation is approximately ~1,220 m (4,000 ft), offering pleasant climate and panoramic views of surrounding hills.

Khurpatal Lake is a serene freshwater lake set in the lower Himalayas of Uttarakhand. It holds local ecological importance as a habitat for aquatic life and birds and plays a role in the cultural life of nearby villages, serving as a peaceful natural retreat for residents and visitors. While not a major historical monument, the lake is valued for its unspoiled natural setting and as an example of the small hill lakes that dot the Kumaon region.

Deoria Tal is a high-altitude freshwater lake in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand (approx. 2,438 m / 7,999 ft). It is valued for its pristine natural beauty, tranquil setting and extraordinary mirror-like reflections of the Chaukhamba massif and other Garhwal peaks. The lake is considered sacred by locals and lies within a mixed oak, rhododendron and deodar forest that supports Himalayan birdlife and small mammals.

Natural importance: Dodital is a high‑altitude freshwater alpine lake in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, known as the source of the Assi Ganga (a tributary of the Bhagirathi). Surrounded by dense deodar, oak and rhododendron forests and framed by Himalayan peaks, it is an important habitat for high‑altitude flora and fauna and a popular site for nature conservation and trekking. Cultural importance: The lake and nearby meadows are part of local Garhwali landscape and traditions; villagers and pilgrim‑trekkers regard the area as spiritually significant.

Hemkund Lake (Hemkund Sahib) is a high-altitude glacial lake and a revered Sikh pilgrimage site located in Uttarakhand, India. Situated at about 4,329 meters (14,200 ft) above sea level, it is surrounded by seven snow-clad mountain peaks and is notable for its pristine turquoise waters and alpine landscape. The site blends natural significance (glacial lake, unique alpine ecosystem, proximity to the Valley of Flowers) with cultural and religious importance as a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs and Hindus.

Roopkund, also known as the 'Skeleton Lake', is a high-altitude glacial lake (about 5,029 m / 16,499 ft) in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand (Chamoli district). It is of major scientific interest because of the thousands of human skeletal remains visible around the lake when snow melts. Archaeological and genetic studies have shown that the remains date to multiple periods and include diverse ancestries, offering insights into historic human migrations, paleoepidemiology, and Himalayan life. Naturally, Roopkund is important for alpine ecology, glaciology, and as a dramatic scenic feature beneath peaks of the Trishul massif.

Satopanth Lake is a high-altitude glacial lake in Uttarakhand, India, lying in the Garhwal Himalaya near the pilgrimage town of Badrinath. The lake is considered sacred in Hindu tradition and is linked to ancient Himalayan pilgrimage routes. As a natural feature, it is significant for its glacier-fed waters, unique high-altitude ecology, and spectacular mountain vistas that contribute to the headwaters of the Alaknanda river system.

Kedartal (Kedartal Lake) is a high‑altitude glacial lake in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, valued primarily for its natural and scenic importance. The lake sits below the dramatic face of Kedar Dome and is a highlight of the Gangotri region trekking circuit. It is prized by trekkers, mountaineers and nature lovers for its pristine waters, reflections of surrounding peaks, and remote alpine setting.

Vasuki Tal is a high-altitude glacial lake located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, India, at an elevation of about 4,130 meters (13,550 ft). It holds natural importance as a pristine alpine lake formed by glacial activity and is situated near the famous Kedarnath and Chorabari Glacier areas. The lake is part of a fragile mountain ecosystem and is valued for its scenic beauty, proximity to trekking routes, and as a water source for downstream valleys.

Tehri Lake is a large man-made reservoir created by the Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi River. It is one of Uttarakhand's most important infrastructural and scenic landmarks — combining hydropower generation, irrigation benefits and a new landscape that has become a center for lakeside and adventure tourism. The lake reshaped the local geography and economy after the dam's construction, creating a unique high-altitude reservoir surrounded by Himalayan foothills.

Kempty Falls is a popular natural waterfall located near Mussoorie in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Formed by the rivers flowing down from the surrounding hills, it is a significant natural attraction in the Dehradun district and a focal point for local tourism. The fall's cascading tiers and plunge pools contribute to regional biodiversity by supporting riparian habitats and attracting both local and migratory bird species. Historically, Kempty Falls became a well-known picnic spot during the British colonial era; it is often associated with early hill-station tourism development in Mussoorie.