Hemkund Sahib - lake of snow OR Gurudwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib

Hemkund Sahib: An Incredible Spiritual Destination

The religious and cultural destination of Hemkund Sahib enjoys tremendous tourism value, and is beautifully located on the shores of the Hemkund Lake at a height of 4320 meters, in Uttarakhand. This lovely tourist spot -- enclosed by seven snow-covered mountain peaks -- is much venerated by the Sikhs for its great connect with the much revered Guru Govind Singh -- the tenth and last Sikh Guru.

Hemkund Sahib is the place where the revered guru unified with God following extended meditation in his earlier birth. Guru Govind Singh’s autobiography -- which contains a vivid description of the destination – enabled two devout Sikhs, Sant Sohan Singh and Havaldar Mohan Singh, to re-discover the place.

Hemkund, also called Lokpal, is also believed to be the place where Lakshman performed his penance. There’s a lake at this place called the Hemkund Lake. The lake (4329 mts.) is located in lovely surroundings. Its crystal clear, tranquil waters reflect images of the Saptashringa Peaks (5500mtrs) which surround it. The lake has a perimeter of about two kilometers. A sharp trek from Ghangharia takes the trekkers to this place in between four and six hours

When to Visit

This spiritual place opens every year in the first week of June. Tourists can visit the place till October 5.

Valley of Flowers: King of Paradise

Picturesquely situated in Uttarakhand, the Valley of Flowers is one of the best gifts from nature. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this beautiful destination, which is also a park with the same name, is regarded as one of the most striking tourist places of the state.

Legends suggest that the area was previously called Nandan Kanan or the Garden of Indra. It is also the same spot where Lord Hanuman is believed to have come across Sanjeevani Booti that eventually cured Lord Lakshamana.

Discovered way back in 1931, by an English mountaineer Frank Smythe, the Valley of Flowers National Park, covering a total area of 87.5 sq km boasts of the biggest collection of wild flowers species, which makes the place a pharmaceutical resource par excellence.

This beautiful tourist destination is situated off the Rishikesh-Badrinath road, 17 km away from Govindghat, 25 km away from Badrinath, 276 km away from Rishikesh, 315 km away from Dehradun, 529 km away from New Delhi, 185 km away from Srinagar and 39 km away from Joshimath.

When to Visit

July – October is the best period to visit this attractive tourist spot.