About the City

Chamoli, the abode of Gods,It is a part of the district of Pauri garhwal of the Kumaon till 1960. It occupies the nort-eastern corner of the Garhwal tract and lies in the central or mid-Himalayas in the very heart of the snowy range. During the monsoons, a thousand blooms burst forth in all brilliance in the fascinating “Valley Of Flowers”. With an amazing wealth of flora set aglow with the golden rays of the sun, Chamoli is one place that reverberates with spirituality and has a strong association

Chamoli, carved as a seperate revenue district in 1960 out of the erstwhile Grahwal district, lies in the Central Himalya and constitutes a part of the celebrated 'Kedar Kshetra'.The District Chamoli is surrounded by Uttarkashi in North-West, Pithoragarh in South-West,Almora in South East,Rudraprayag in South-West and Tehri Grahwal in West. The geographical area of the District is around 7520 sq.kms.

Accessibility

• By Air
  Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 221 km.
• By Rail
  Rishikesh is the nearest railway station.
• By Road
  Well connected to Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Almora.

Places of Interest

• Gopeshwar
  Situated at a height of 1308 mts. amidst beautiful mountain ranges, terrace farms and small lakes, the picturesque township of Gopeshwar is the district headquarter of Chamoli.The picturesque town of Gopehswar has some good temples in and around the city. The main attractions are the ancient temple of Lord Shiva, Vaitarni Kund, a group of temples without idols and Oak View etc.
  An ancient temple of Lord Shiva is the main attraction of the town and thousands of pilgrims come here throughout the year to visit the temple. Owing to its natural beauty and fresh and serene atmosphere, Gopeshwar is becoming a major attraction for the tourists. Many well known tourist spots and religious centres are spread around this town. According to historians, the name Gopeshwar has associations with the name of Lord Krishna.

• Badrinath
  Badrinath, one of the most important pilgrim centre of the country is a part of sacred 'Char Dhams' of the State. It is situated at an elevation of 3,133 mts. above sea-level. Is is flanked by two mountain ranges known as Nar & Narayan, with the towering Neelkanth peak providing a splendid backdrop. This reversed spot ws once carpeted with wild berries which gave it the name ‘Badri Van’,meaning ‘forest of berries’.

  The Shri Badrinathji temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu was established by Adi Shankaracharya and later built by the rulers of Garhwal about two centuries ago. It can be divided into three partsthe Garbha, the Darshan Mandap and Sabha Mandap. The principal idol carved out of black stone represents meditating Lord Vishnu.

• Hemkund Sahib
  Hemkund or the 'Snow Lake' nestles at a height of 4329 m. amidst seven snow-covered mountains, which are collectively called Hemkund Parvat. It is situated nearly 29 kms from Joshimath via Govindghat, is set in one of the famous beauty spots of the central Himalayas and has a lake of crystal clear water located in beautiful surrounding. The sacred star shaped gurudwara near the lake is one of the most important Sikh pilgrim centre and is visited by large number of Sikhs and Hindus from all over the world.

  It is believed that Guru Govind Singh ji, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs meditated over here. Saints like Rishi Medhasa of the Markandeya Purana and legendary Lakshman, the brother of Lord Ram also performed penance here. A temple dedicated to Lord Lakshman is located near the gurudwara. The 15 kms trek from Govindghat to Hemkund is very popular, with breathtaking views. The best time to come here is from July - Oct.

• Tapovan
  In contract to the annoying hustle and bustle of city life of Joshimath, Tapovan is a peaceful place known for its hot springs which are belived to possess miraculous healing powers. Tapovan is 15 kms. from Joshimath. A 3 kms. trek from here leads to Bhavishya Badri, one of the five Badris.
  
• Valley of Flowers
  This 'paradise' of nature lovers was discovered by Frank Smythe along with R. L. Holdsworth in the 1930s. It lies 6 kms from Bhyundar village and covers an area of 87.5 kms, exceptionally rich in floral wealth.A profusion of wildflowers - iris, violets, roses, primulas, anemones, potentillas - mark this valley, celebrated all over the world for its lush beauty. A narrow river flows through the valley, now declared a national park. Reached by an easy bridle-path from Govindghat, visitors are  no longer allowed to camp within the valley.According to mythological legends, Lord Hanuman visited the valley to collect 'Sanjeevani' herb to save the life of Lakshman, the brother of Lord Rama.The valley had always been known to the local people who avoided getting to this area for fear of fairies, who they believed, would take them away.

  The Pushpawati river flows through the verdant valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. The snow melts from May onwards and the entire valley blooms with exotic flowers till September. There are over 521 species of flowering plants and the area was declared a national park in 1982 to preserve the bio-diversity of the valley. The park is also inhabiting by animals like' Himalayan black bears, musk deer, brown bears, snow leopards, tahr, bharal, serow and rich variety of butterflies. The valley ranges between 3352 and 3658 mts. in altitude.

• Kagbhusandi Lake
  This is a small oblong lake with emerald green water. It is at an altitude of 5230 mts., near Kankul Pass(5230 mts.), and is almost a kilometer in length. Myriad blossoms decorate its banks during the season, a wildest profusion of colours make the trekker forget the hardships and the exhaustion of the trek.