Auli - Ski Resort & Honeymoon Destination Uttarakhand, India
Auli is a prominent ski destination and honeymoon spot in the state of Uttarakhand, India that is nestled by the Himalayan Mountains. International tourists consider it one of the best ski resorts even surpassing Manali and Gulmarg. Auli is a major stop over for tourists on the way to Badrinath, a Charm Dham Yatra site. The breathtaking landscape and the lofty Himalayan range make it a scenic place of visit. November-February is the peak season for ski enthusiasts. The ski festival takes place every year between January-March and brings in audience from all over the world. There is also temporary training facility for ski novices. Auli also has a 4 km gondola cable car, considered the largest in the Asian subcontinent. Tourists who take less interest in skiing activities can opt to visit during March to June, it is the summer time and you will enjoy a pleasant weather.
Best Time to Visit Auli for Ski - November - February
How to Reach Auli - The best way to reach Auli is from Dehradun. By road, it is around 300 km from Auli. Jolly Grant in Dehradun is the nearest airport from Auli.
What to see in Auli
Auli feature pilgrimage centers, scenic locales, ski slopes and lake.
Skiing - This remains the ultimate attraction and the main reason why tourists visit Auli. There is a 500-meter ski lift and skiers are able to avail slopes worth 20 km. The snow lifts link the upper and lower slopes of the ski surface. The various ski events and the annual festival remains a major draw.
Auli Artificial Lake - Situated adjacent to the hotel Clifftop Club, the artificial lake in Auli is the highest of its kind in the world. This made-made lake helps in creating artificial snow to facilitate skiing when there is less amount of snowfall. The water from this lake will be fed to the snow guns to create a skiing surface sometimes even beyond the actual ski season.
Auli gondola ride - The 4 km long gondola ride or the cable car lift of 3016 meters above sea level is considered as a tourist attraction. You get clear views of the snow covered Himalayas from here. The lower end is situated at 1906 meters while the upper tower has the maximum elevation of 3016 meters. The ride takes around 15 minutes but is an experience of a lifetime.
Picturesque peaks - This ski town has a number of surrounding peaks such as Kamet, Mana and Nanda Devi. The stunning beauty of this place and the tranquil surroundings make Auli the best place for rejuvenation of mind and soul. You will know the reason why the monks traveled to the Himalayas for meditation.
Trekking in Auli - Trekking is another option in the hills of Auli besides skiing. You can trek up to 12 km in a day here and travel to places such as Gorson, Tali, Kuari Pass, Tapovan and Khulara.
Excursion from Auli
Some of the popular places close to Auli are:
Badrinath - A hindu pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand and one of the Char Dham's in the country. It is 60 km from Joshimath.
Narsingh Temple - This is the abode of Badrinathji during the winter months when the priests move the idol from the Badrinath Temple to the Narsingh Temple.
Kalpavrisksha - Considered the oldest tree in the country dating to at least 1200 years, the Kalpavrisksha is also significant as the tree under which 8th century saint Adi Shankaracharya meditated. It stands on the way to the Badrinath Temple.
