Gopeshwar Toursim

Gopeshwar is the headquarters of the district of Chamoli. It is located at an elevation of 1300 meters above sea level and is famous as a religious destination with many temples and shrines. Gopeshwar is also known for its natural beauty and salubrious climate. It is believed that the name Gopeshwar has some links with Lord Krishna. Gopeshwar is considered to be one of the most important towns of the Garhwal region. There are a large number of tourists visiting this untouched beauty of nature.

Tourist Places in Chamoli Gopeshwar

Gopeshwar has many tourist attracting spots. Tourists go there to enjoy the soothing climate and the peaceful atmosphere of the place. Many well known tourist spots and religious shrines are laid out all over the town. The following places are the most famous and interesting tourist spots in Gopeshwar.

Gopinath Temple

The Gopinath Temple was built during the reign of Katyuri Dynasty (9-11th Century AD). It is one of the famous temples of Gopeshwar where Lord Rudranath, deity of one of the panch kedar during winters is worhsipped. There is an age-old story linked to the construction of this temple. A king by the name of Saggar lived in this area that had a cow. The cow used to give milk daily to the Shiva Linga and when the King saw this, he constructed a temple here and since then the temple became popular. Two of the greatest Hindu Gods are worshipped here, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In Gopinath Temple, Shiva Linga is worshipped as the ekanan (face of Lord Shiva).

Chamolanath Temple

The idol of Chamolanath emerged from the ground in Chamoli centuries ago and this is how the town of Chamoli got its name. According to a Hindu Pujari by the name of Anand Singh, the temple was constructed in the year 1946. Chamolanath temple is situated in Chamoli near the Block Development Office. The hexagonal structure of the temple brings an unusual contrast to the ancient idol inside.

Chandika Devi Temple

Chandika Devi Temple is also known as Ma Mahishasur Mardini as in this site Mahishasur was killed by Chandika Devi. The temple also comes under the eight siddh peeths dedicated to the Goddesses in Uttarakhand. The earthquake of 1999 extremely damaged the temple and now it is rebuilt in a moderate way.

Saggar

Saggar Village is the starting point of the trek to Rudranath, the 4th Kedar dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a 22km long trek and is considered to be one of the toughest treks amongst the Panch Kedar. The Saggar Village is situated 5 kms away from Gopeshwar and a small temple dedicated to Raja Saggar can also be sighted there.

Places to See Around Chamoli Gopeshwar

Gopeshwar is a place known as nature’s paradise and it attracts people from all over the globe. It offers scenic beauty, adventure sports, peaceful atmosphere and religious centers. Gopeshwar is surrounded by many famous temples and places of tourist’s interests.

Adi Badri Temple

Located 17 kms from Karnaprayag, the Adi Badri Temple is a group of sixteen temples that belongs to the Gupta Period. The temple is bestowed with such charm and scenic beauty that devotees visit the temple throughout the year for eternal peace and truth. Adi Guru Shankaraharya initiated the construction of these temples. The black stone idol of Lord Vishnu is enshrined in the main Narayana temple and is it distinguished by placing it on a raised platform in the form of a pyramid.

Ali Bedni Bugyal

Bedni Bugyal is situated at the border of Garhwal and Kumaon in the district of Chamoli in Uttarakhand. The trek to Bedni bugyal offers varied colors and diversified splendidness of nature. Located at an altitude of 3,354 mts above sea level, Bedni Bugyal is one of the most attractive alpine meadows in Uttarakhand. The best view of the mighty Trishul Parbat can be seen from Bedni Bugyal.
Tourists can enjoy a purely enchanting experience of the reflection of the Trishul peak on the crystal clear water of Bedni Kund. The best time to visit Bedni Bugyal is from May to November.

Auli

Located in the Chamoli district of Garhwal region, Auli covers an elevation of 2,519 mts to 3,050 mts above sea level. It is one of the best skiing destinations in India. Auli is a Bugyal which in the regional language means meadows. These green meadows and becomes a white sheet during winters. Auli offers the best skiing resorts. In the year 2011, Auli also hosted the First SAF Winter Games. The slpoes of Auli provides enchanting vies of the Himalayan ranges.

Trekking courses of 7 days and 14 days are conducted by GMVN at Auli and special facilities are also available for day tourists. Auli offers most preferable skiing conditions. The upper and the lower slopes are linked through 500 mts long ski-lift and 800 mts long chair-lift. You can visit Auli all throughout the year except monsoons. But if you want to enjoy the snow then December to March would be the best time to visit.

Auli Ropeway

After Gulmarg, Auli ropeway is the highest and the longest ropeway in Asia. The cable car in Auli covers a distance of 4 kms. Located 3010 mtrs above sea level, Auli ropeway is one of the major attractions in Auli that offers a magnificent view of the Himalayas. Locally, Auli cable car is known as Gondola that connects Auli with Joshimath. There is a great influx of tourists to Auli as it is one of the best paragliding and skiing destinations in India.

Badrinath

The town of Badrinath is located between Nar and Narayana mountain ranges, 301 kms north of Rishikesh. Badrinath is the most important dhams out of all the four dhams in India and is the most well-known religious Hindu towns in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.  Badrinath is situated on the left banks of the Alaknanda River at an elevation of 3,133 mts above sea level.
Badrinarayan Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the main attraction of the Badrinath town. The conical shape temple structure presents 15 idols, all built in black stone. The meditative posture of Lord Vishnu is represented here.

The other attractions of Badrinath town are

• Tapt Kund which is a natural hermal spring on the banks of the river Alaknanada.
• Neelkanth, a snow covered peak of Badrinath
• Panch Prayag – Vishnuprayag, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Nandaprayag and Karnaprayag
• Mata Muthi Temple dedicated to the mother of Sri Badrinathji
• Mana village which is popular as the last village of India and is inhabited by the Indo-Mongolian tribe
  
  

The best time to go for the char dham yatra is from May to October, except the monsoons as frequent landslides occur during monsoons.

Bhavishya Badri

Located at an unexplored place up the Dhaulinga River, Bhavishya Badri is one of the Panch badri Temples. It is situated 17 kms from Joshimath in Subain Village at an elevation of 2744 mts. There is a 3 km trek between the dense forests after Tapovan. Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the small temple and is known to be the future home of Badrinath. It is believed that at the end of Kalyug, a devastating landslide will block the route to Badrinath dham. The landslide will take place when the right arm of Narsing idol in the Narsing Temple will fall down. This will change the seat of Badrinath to Bhavishya Badri.

March to May and September to November is the ideal time to visit. Monsoons and winters should be avoided. Tourists and devotees cana lso enjoy the amazing trekking route to Bhavishya Badri.

Bhavishya Kedar

Bhavishya Kedar is a small temple located near the Jyotirmath in Joshimath. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and as the name represents, it is the future home of Kedarnath. Kedarnath seat will become Bhavishya Kedar when the prediction about Badrinath and Bhavishya Badri will become true. The temple has an image of Goddess Parvati and a small Shiv Linga.

Chamoli

Chamoli, popularly known as the “Abode of Gods” is the second largest district of Uttarakhand state. The town of Chamoli is known for its shrines and temples as it has a strong relation with the Hindu myths and legends. Chamoli is also the birth place of the famed Chipko Movement and this led to a shift in the focus to the natural beauty of this hill station. Chamoli has preserved the rich culture of the Garhwal region and is known for its traditional villages.

The town holds the most spectacular natural beauty be it the scenery, the amazing valleys, water-edges, variety of flora or the climatic elements. Chamoli is situated in Central Himalayas at an elevation of 1300 meters above sea level. Other fascinating spots near Chamoli are Chopta Auli, The Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib.

Chattrakund

Chattrakund is a small lake, 4kms away from Auli in Joshimath. The water of the lake is very sweet and crystal clear. It is located at an elevation of 3300 mtrs and is surrounded by green forests. Chattrakund is a spot for honeymooners and trekkers which can be reached only through a trek.

Chenab Lake

Chenab Lake is an unexplored and untouched beauty that can be reached after crossing the last village of Joshimath, Dang Village. It is a small crystalline water lake that attracts large number of tourists even though there is no built path to the lake. The atmosphere of the lake is very relaxing as it is surrounded by oak and deodar forests and huge green meadows. The best time to visit the Chenab Lake is between May to October.

Hotels and Resorts in Gopeshwar

There are not many options for Hotels in Gopeshwar. The best place to stay will be the GMVN Guest Houses. Here is a brief guide about the GMVN Guest Houses:

GMVN Birahi - TRH
GMVN Tourist House Birahi, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India

GMVN Gopeshwar - Tourist Bungalow
GMVN Tourist Rest House Gopeshwar, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India

Head Office (Dehradun)
Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.
74/1, Rajpur Road, Dehradun - 248001
Contact Number: 0135 - 2740896
Fax: 0135 - 2746847
E-mail: gmvn@gmvnl.com, gmvn@sancharnet.in
Website: gmvnl.com

Rishikesh - Tourist Informatiom Centre, Yatra Office
Haridwar By Pass Road, Rishikesh - 249201
Shail Vihar
Contact Number: 0135 - 2431793
E-mail: yatra@gmvnl.com, yatraoffice@sancharnet.in

Distance from Nearby Cities to Chamoli Gopeshwar

Delhi to Gopeshwar - 456 km
Meerut to Gopeshwar - 384 km
Rishikesh to Gopeshwar - 205 km
Haridwar to Gopeshwar - 231 km
Badrinath to Gopeshwar - 101 km
Dehradun to Gopeshwar - 248 km
Srinagar to Gopeshwar - 103 km
Kotdwar to Gopeshwar - 233 km
Kedarnath to Gopeshwar - 101 km
Chamoli to Gopeshwar - 3 km
Pauri to Gopeshwar - 132 km
Mussoorie to Gopeshwar - 229 km
Tehri Garhwal to Gopeshwar - 155 km
Joshimath to Gopeshwar - 60 km
Uttarkashi to Gopeshwar - 235 km
Kedarnath to Gopeshwar - 101 km

Best Time to Visit Gopeshwar

The best time to visit the region would be from October to March. These months give the best holiday experience to tourists as the weather remains quite pleasant during this period. If you want to enjoy the beauty of Gopeshwar then plan your trip during the onset of summers or during winters.

How to Reach Chamoli Gopeshwar

By Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport which is at a distance of 225 kms away from Gopeshwar. The airport is well connecting from Delhi through daily flights. Taxis are easily available from the airport and also Gopeshwar is connected to Jolly Grant Airport through motor able roads.

By Train
Rishikesh Railway station is the nearest railway station located 205 kms away from Gopeshwar. You can get frequent trains to Rishikesh from all major cities of India. One can reach Gopeshwar from Rishikes through well connected motorable roads and also taxis are available from the railway station. Buses are available from Rudraprayag, Rishikesh, Srinagar and many other places to Gopeshwar.

By Road
Luxury buses are available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate to Rishikesh and Srinagar. You can also hire a taxi from all the major states of Uttarakahnd and Gopeshwar is well connected through motorable roads. Gopeshwar is located on the connecting road of NH119 and NH58. 

Important Telephone Numbers of Gopeshwar Tourism

If you are planning for a vacation to Gopeshwar, it is advisable to keep few important numbers handy. The following are the details of Gopeshwar Tourism Board from where you can get all information related to the tourism of Gopeshwar

Dehradun (Head Office)
74/1, Rajpur Road,
Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.,
Dehradun-248001.
Ph.: 91-135- 2748478
Email: Gmvn@Gmvnl.com, Gmvn@Sancharnet.in