I have visited the Kumaon side of Uttarakhand quite a bit but not so much the Garhwal side. Putting my limited experience together, I nonetheless realized that a seven – day itinerary can be drawn up. This holiday will bring together the charming Saur Village & the divine towns of Devprayag & Haridwar.

Let’s begin!

Day 1 – Drive to Devprayag

1. Drive to Devprayag (~6.5 hours) & reach by evening. Chill at your accommodation!

Day 2 – Angling, Kayaking & Waterfall

1. Use this day to soak in the experience of the river Ganges either in the form of angling or kayaking or white-water rafting or yoga by the river or simply reading a book on the banks.
2. If you stay at Banyan by The Ganges, ask the staff to take you to the waterfall. Enjoy a heady shower there.

Day 3 – Devprayag & Danda Nagraja Mandir

1. Drive to the Danda Nagraja Mandir (~1.25 hours) after an early breakfast. Offer prayers & gape at the snowy Himalayas in the distance. Try your hand (& eyes) at bird-watching.
2. Return to your accommodation, partake a hearty lunch & rest a while.
3. Drive to Devprayag (~45 minutes) in the early evening hours. Pray at the Raghunathji Mandir & then attend the evening Ganga Aarti at the Sangam.
4. Drive back to your accommodation to call it a day.

Day 4 – Drive to Saur Village

1. Check out from your accommodation & head to Saur Village (~1.25 hours).
2. Check in to your accommodation.
3. Spend the day & evening at leisure. Take a walk around and experience village life at its best.

Day 5 – Tehri Dam & Kanatal

1. After breakfast, head to Tehri Dam (~3 hours). Good to get a permit beforehand. While you cannot go on top of the dam, you can drive up the hill & get grand views. There are water activities/ sports in the reservoir that you can indulge in. The boat ride gives a chance to see the reservoir in its entirety.
2. Head to Kanatal (~1.5 hours) from Tehri and spend the day soaking in the beauty of the little-discovered hill station. You will find apple orchards & majestic hills quite charming.
3. Back to Saur for dinner.

Day 5 – Drive to Haridwar

1. After breakfast, head to Haridwar (~3.75 hours). Check in to your accommodation. In the evening, head to the ghats for the Ganga Aarti. I recommend you go for the main aarti by booking online beforehand. However, this advance booking is done months in advance; so, you may have to plan accordingly.
2. Back to hotel.

Day 6 – Haridwar

1. Spend time at the Har Ki Pauri. It is believed that a dip in the Ganga here will wash away one’s sins. Do note that the river current is strong; do NOT cross the barricades while taking a dip. Life along the banks of the Ganga, specially in a town as holy as Haridwar, takes another form altogether.
2. Post lunch, visit the Maa Chandi Devi Mandir. You can either trek to the temple or take a rope-way. You will be surrounded with greenery & divine presence. The temple architecture itself is quite humble.
3. If you have time, you can also visit the Shri Mata Mansa Devi Mandir. It is located on the Bilwa Parvat & is accessed by a rope-way or by trekking. There is a combined rope-way ticket for Maa Chandi Devi & Shri Mata Mansa Devi temples; availing this may be beneficial.

Day 7 – Back to Base

1. The saddest day of the trip – the day it ends! But begin it with a morning Ganga Aarti.
2. Check out after breakfast & head home. (Haridwar to Delhi = 4.25 hours)

Accommodation Recommendations

Devprayag – Banyan by The Ganges (Review here – https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g23500560-d10756664-r863524265-Banyan_by_the_Ganges-Chaitur_Pauri_Garhwal_District_Uttarakhand.html?m=19905)

Saur Village – Saur Cottages (Review here – https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1131922-d6627879-r205329616-DueNorth_Saur_Cottages-New_Tehri_Tehri_Garhwal_District_Uttarakhand.html?m=19905)

Haridwar – Haveli Hari Ganga by Leisure Hotels Group

While I like to maximize my trips with as much sightseeing as I can, I don’t believe in overdoing it. I recommend the same – don’t treat sightseeing as a competition or a checklist. So, even if you don’t manage to see a few of the above, it’s okay.

It’s more important to enjoy yourself. Happy sightseeing!