Chamoli, the abode of Gods, reputed for its shrines and temples, birth place of 'Chipko Movement ' with its strategic significance is one of the hill district of Uttaranchal, India. Chamoli proved itself " the most spectacular in its natural assets ; be it maintain scenery , valley aspects, water-edges, floristic varieties, dramatic landform or the climatic cardinalities.

In the arms of the heavenly Himalayas lies the enchanting land of Chamoli, which seems to be a benediction of earth. A blessed spot the place seems to have been particularly dear to Lord Shiva. There are hundreds of shrines dedicated to Lord shiva , the most important of all being the shrine of Badrinath.

The other shrines of religeous importance are Hemkund Saheb, three out of five Panch Kedar and Panch Badri, which are spread over the hills of Chamoli. During the monsoons, thousand brilliant blooms bursts forth in the fascinating " Valley of flowers" .

The place reverberates with spirituality and is associated with a number of legends. It is said that Hanuman found the Sanjeevani herb here to revivie the unconsccious laxman. It is blieved that Ved Vyas composed his immortal epic, the Mahabharata here.

Guru Gobind singh is also believed to have meditated here. Surrounded by Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Rudrapryag., Ptihoragarh, Almora and pauri Garhawa districts and with Tibet lying to its north, Chamoli attracts tourists and invites trekking inthusiasts from all over the world to discvover the fulles potential of their body & mind. Chamoli , a hill district of U.P., has immense geographical, historical, religious and cultural importance.

Chamoli lies in the arms of the heavenly Himalayas and is full of natural beauty. This land has inspiered the inaginations of great poets like kalidas. These mountain ranges, rivers and valleys are associated wit several Gods & Goddesses.

he celebrated shrine of Badrinath, a famous pilgirmage of Hindus, the well known " Valley of Flower" and Auli Bugyal are situated here. Today, this snow clad peaks which are a delight for adventure loving tourists. Gopeshwar is the district headquarter of chamoli and is situated at a height of 1308 mts.

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. 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.

Besides the ancient temple of Lord Shiva, Vaitarni Kund, a group of temples without idols and Oak View are other places of interest.

Vasudhara
Water falls have always captivated the human imagination. 5 Kms. from Mana village, toward the west is the Vasudhara fall with a sheer drop of 145 mtrs., set in a background of snowy peaks, glaciers and rocky heights. Violent wind sometimes sprays out the entire volume of the water falling and it appears that the water fall ceases for a minute or two, giving rise to a lot of superstitious ideas to the locals.

Valley of Flowers
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.

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. It was in 1931 that Frank Smythe and Holdsworth stumbled into the valley while returning from their successful Kamet expedition and were “at once transported from a region of solemn austerity to a fairy land of dainty flowers, most of them dwarf but brilliant in colour”. Smythe wrote about the valley and its flowers - “their carpet is a celestial one, breathing innocence and joy to the world overburdened with sophistication and sorrow”. His writing invoked a great interest of the people in this valley, both at home and abroad.

Legends associate this valley area with “Gandhamadan” from where Hanuman of Ramayana collected “Sanjeevani” herb to revive Laksmana. Hanuman had to visit far-flung areas in his search for the life-saving herb, some named after him. He visited Hanuman Chatti near Yamunotri, Hanuman Tibba near Gangotri, Hanuman peak near Nandadevi, Hanuman Chatti near Badrinath and ultimately the valley of flowers or Nanankanan as it is also known as.

The best time to visit the valley is during July and August when innumerable varieties of flowers bloom and present a spectacular sight. The valley itself is 10 kms. long and about 2 kms. wide in conical shape, with the river Pushpavati flowing through it. After one gets down at Govindghat on the main Badrinath highway, it involves a trek of 15 kms. to reach Ghangaria wherefrom a further short trek of 5 kms. leads one to the edge of the valley. The valley ranges between 3352 and 3658 mts. in altitude.

Satopanth Lake
This triangular lake of serene water has a perimeter of about half a kilometer. It is about 25 Kms. from Badrinath. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar, the Hindu trinity are believed to occupy one corner each, and which are named after them. The trek is hazardous, but full of dramatic scenery. There is no place to rest between, except caves. Cooked food, stove etc. have to be carried from Badrinath itself.

Bedni Bugyal
Situated near Wan, Bedini Bugyal is a charming green meadow adorned with flowers in a spell binding varieties, in full bloom. There is a small lake situated in the midst of the meadow, where Tarpans are offered by the devotees. Situated nearby is a small temple where the devotees pay there obeisance, during their halt at Bedni Bugyal.