Introduction:
Are you looking for budget-friendly places in Uttarakhand to spend your winters? Maybe, you are not yet fully convinced about learning the different destinations in Uttarakhand. What if I suggest you a few places in Uttarakhand where you can conclude your entire trip under 3k? Surprising, but that’s true!
As the winters are around the corner, I suggest you visit the below-mentioned destinations. Here, I share the first-hand experience that I’ve gained after travelling to each of these destinations. The pricing will surely suit your budget, and you get the best of the experiences at the same time! I suggest you choose them especially if you are visiting Uttarakhand during the winter.
1) Almora
Almora is a hill station located in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The hill station is known for its ancient architecture and vintage styled market. Almora has gained a lot of attention in the last few years due to its extravagant Dussehra celebrations. The destination is among the best budget-friendly places in Uttarakhand and suggested travelling during the winters.
The Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is known for its greenery and mesmerising treks and trails. If you are the one who’s looking for some peace and relief, you must visit Almora. The hill station receives a lesser snowfall during the winters making it more accessible for tourists. Meanwhile, you must carry enough jackets and thermals if you plan to visit Almora. The nights can be chilly and the temperatures can drop drastically. As you are on a budget trip, we suggest you stay at either Dharanaula or Mall Road in Almora. You can get the hotels and food at reasonable prices here. The hotel pricing starts at INR 500/night for two people here.
2) Chopta
I’ve seen many people claiming Chopta as an expensive hill station. To find out the same, I visited Chopta back in the year 2014. The hill station was not very famous then, and only a few companies extended their service here. Chopta had a couple of hotels and campsites than that charged us somewhere between 1200-1500/person/night then. After inquiring, I came to know that the nearest market from the hill station sits at a distance of around 30km, making the item expensive to transport.
However, if you are in Chopta, I suggest you stay in a hostel rather than staying at a hotel or a campsite. I remember staying at one of the hostels in Chopta during the new year weekend of 2020. The hostel was decently priced for the food and stay. Seeing the rush and lesser number of stays in Chopta, I would suggest you pre-book your stays in advance.
3) Kasar Devi
If you are fond of classically styled cafes while seeing the glorious mountains, Kasar Devi is the right place for you. The tiny hamlet located close to Almora is known for the panoramic view of the Himalayas. Kasar Devi was in the news in the past few years due to the magnetic field effect in the region. The spot is highly preferred by the ‘foreign tourists’ and you can generally find them here while they practice yoga or do the sightseeing.
Kasar Devi is one of the best budget-friendly places in Uttarakhand and is visited mostly during the winters. To reach here, you can take the direct bus from Dehradun to Almora or Delhi to Almora. It will take you around eight hours to reach Almora from Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi. From Almora, you can easily get a shared taxi to reach Kasar Devi. You can also plan to hire a cab and it will cost you somewhere between INR 1,000-1,500. We suggest you pre-book your hotels here as sometimes it might be difficult to find them on arrival.
4) Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi is one of my favourite winter destinations in Uttarakhand. The hill station is located at a distance of around 150Km from the capital city Dehradun. Uttarkashi is also the base camp of famous destinations like Gangotri, Dayara Bugyal, Sankri and Harshil. The government of Uttarakhand recently opened a tourist spot called Gartang Gali. The spot comes under the Neylong valley region of Uttarkashi and is a must-visit if you are here.
5) Champawat
Champawat is a famous but less known hill station in Uttarakhand. The tiny town joins Nepal and India and is famously known as the first capital city of the Kumaon region. Right from the cuisine to the dressing style and the fashion, you find traces of Nepali culture here. From Tanakpur (close to Champawat), you can easily travel to Bharmadev (Nepal) and come back within a day.
Champawat is mainly a destination for families and couples. For nature lovers and people who want a life away from the cities, Champawat is the right place. Additionally, the economically priced rooms and the food make it one of the best budget-friendly places in Uttarakhand.
Conclusion:
Honestly, if you travel across the off-beat destinations in Uttarakhand, you’ll find that most of them are the budget ones. However, it always depends upon your research about the place too. Sometimes, even a highly-priced destination can offer you a stay at economical prices. But, one thing that remains constant is the relief that you feel while you are in Uttarakhand!