5 stories from Uttarakhand — treks, culture, seasons, and honest ground truth.
Five hundred species, one monsoon, and a valley that opens for exactly six weeks a year. A field guide to the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand — the route, the permits, and the honest season.
Chopta — the mini-Switzerland, post-monsoon green. Chopta's rolling meadows and the Tungnath ridge — the highest Shiva temple, now clear of cloud.
Kedarnath — the road to the shrine at 3,583m. Post-monsoon, the Kedarnath trail reopens; the journey through Gaurikund and the Mandakini valley is as much pilgrimage as trek.
Kumaon — the lakes of the eastern hills. Nainital, Bhimtal and the smaller lakes of Kumaon; colonial hill stations, forests, and Nanda Devi on the horizon.
Mussoorie — the queen of the hills. Mussoorie's colonial ridge, the ropeway to Gun Hill, and post-monsoon views over the Doon valley.