I grew up in the beautiful hills of Uttarakhand, but then I had to move to Allahabad for my engineering studies and later for work in the bustling cities. Life became a whirlwind of stress and competition, and I found myself in cramped concrete jungles instead of the lush greenery I was used to. It felt like I was thrown from paradise into a tough reality. I used to roam freely in the hills, but now everything was so different. Most of my working life was spent in Bengaluru, where I dealt with endless traffic jams for years. There was no way out. During those hectic work hours, I would occasionally escape to some green spots with my team, but those breaks were just short-lived.
Itinerary
This itinerary was planned with my friend for a pleasure journey to only one Dham, Gangotri.
We followed this route and added some overnight stays to off-the-beaten-path spots like Chamba, New Tehri, Maneri, Raithal, and Harsil.
Where to stay
The big question is where to stay in these places. I personally always prefer to stay in GVMN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) guest houses, which can be booked online. Staff is good, though not all GMVNs are maintained so well, but their surroundings and campus are beautiful everywhere. I blindly book state-run hotels everywhere. I recommend it for average and budget hotels.
Travel expenses
We rented a taxi in Haridwar for a week at Rs. 2500 a day. We wrapped up our trip in seven days. We covered the driver’s meal costs, even though it wasn’t part of the deal. Overall, the taxi cost us Rs. 18000, hotels were Rs. 13500, food came to Rs. 12000, and other random expenses added up to Rs. 5000. In total, we spent Rs. 48,500 for two people.
Driving along the winding roads with a beautiful valley on one side and mountains on the other, I arrived at the GMVN Maneri Rest House, which I had booked the day before reaching Uttarkashi. It was around 1 PM, and the place was completely empty, just me and my friend Rakshit. The caretaker, who also cooked, showed us to our room. The accommodations were surprisingly nice for the price of Rs. 1800, and the best part was that all the rooms overlooked Maneri Lake. The view was stunning—there was no one else
around, and the scenery felt like a postcard from New Zealand. I pulled a chair onto the balcony, ordered some tea from the caretaker, and just sat there, mesmerized. I couldn’t take my eyes off the lake; the solitude wrapped around me, and I felt a deep sense of peace wash over me, releasing all my stress like a stream flowing away. Time flew by as I sat there, soaking in the hidden joy of a place filled with tranquility
and beauty. No meditation needed—just gazing at the lake was enough. We had already eaten lunch in Uttarkashi, and by 5 PM, we called our driver to take us to Maneri Dam. Since entering the dam area
wasn’t allowed, we drove another 10 km to view it from a distance and witness the powerful water flow from one of its gates. There were plenty of tourists here snapping photos, and we spent about an hour enjoying the sight and feeling the mist from the water.
Returned to the guesthouse, grabbed a cup of tea at a little kiosk on the road, chatted with the shopkeeper, and headed back to our room. We had already ordered chicken, and since we were the only guests, the cook brought it out just for us. It was a simple dish, but you could tell it was made with care and love. The next morning, I woke up at 5:30 AM and stepped out onto the balcony. The dawn was just breaking, and I spotted a flock of sheep wandering down the road between our hotel and the lake, just a
short distance away. The view was breathtaking. The fog rolled down the hills, the lake lay still, seemingly unconcerned with the past or future, and the sheep moved by like a gentle melody. It was one of those rare sights I’ll never forget. Good bye Maneri.
Our next stay is at Raithal.
We picked another stop along the way. We had two choices: Barsu and Raithal. Both are unique and off the beaten path, but we opted for Raithal since Barsu was 20 KM off the main route to Gangotri, while Raithal was just 10 KM away. The drive was an awesome adventure with lots of hairpin turns and narrow roads, flanked by lush green terraced fields. When we finally reached the top, we found a charming little
village nestled in the Himalayas. The hills were bare, with only a few clusters of green trees scattered around. The GMVN rest house stood out as a notable place to stay, but there was also a small private hotel nearby catering to trekkers. The GMVN rooms are nice, like cottages, but they could use some upkeep since most tourists overlook this spot in their rush to get to Gangotri. There’s a pretty average restaurant available too.
There’s something oddly satisfying about spending a night in these quiet spots. You find a kind of peace here that you didn’t even realize you were looking for. Just sitting on the balcony, gazing at the mountains with patches of red flowers blooming Bruce trees and sheep grazing on the hills is pure bliss.
In front of us, there are snow-covered mountains wrapped in drifting clouds, adding to the charm of Raithal. That’s all I can see from the balcony of my GMVN rest house. And as a bonus, a film crew from Uttarakhand is filming just next to us!
We noticed a bunch of young bikers from Dehradun and some families giving trekking a shot at Dayara Bugyal. The trek is around 7 km long and usually requires at least one night in a tent. The route is split into three sections: Raithal to Goi is 4 km, Goi to Chilpada is 2 km, and Chilpada to Dayara Bugyal is just 1 km. If you’re interested, you can register for one of the 60 trekking sites in Uttarakhand on the Single Window System forest department’s website, swstourismuki.com.
I haven’t tried it myself, but I’m just passing along the info I found at the start of the trek in Raithal.
Epilogue
If you have the flexibility to extend your journey by a day or two while traveling to Gangotri, consider visiting two alternative locations along the route: Maneri and either Raithal or Barsu. Maneri is conveniently located on the way, while Raithal is approximately 10 kilometers off the main path, and Barsu is about 20 kilometers away. These lesser-known destinations provide a refreshing respite from continuous driving and help alleviate motion sickness, allowing you to experience the authentic beauty of Garhwal, far removed from the hustle and bustle of tourist crowds. I suggest these stops after passing through Uttarkashi.
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