Located on a high altitude of around 6,000 ft above the sea level, Joshimath is a renowned hill station in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. It is placed on the beautiful slopes of the mountains and is surrounded by rivers Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. This place is particularly popular because when Badrinath closes during the winters the priests from Badrinath Temple come to Joshimath and continue their worship here at the Narsimha Temple. Joshimath is also a popular base for the trekkers.
Being at a very high altitude, Joshimath has a very cool climate. Even in the summers the temperature is as low as 20 degrees C and goes below zero degrees in the winters. The best time to visit this place is in the summers around June when the temperature is more tolerable and you can check out the tourist spots.
There are no ATMs in Joshimath. There may be a few local banks. It is best to carry cash to this place. There may not be any moneychangers here so carry Indian currency only.
No special permits are required to travel to Joshimath. Just a visa to India is all what is needed.
By Air:Dehradun which is 270 km away is the nearest airport to Joshimath. Regular flight services to Dehra Dun airport have been suspended with effect from 21st February 2007 till the end of 2008 for airport renovation and upgradation
By Rail: the nearest station is at Haridwar, which is around 300 km away and connects Joshimath to all major stations of India by vast railway network.
By Road: Joshimath also has a good network of Roads. Long distance buses travel between Rishikesh and Joshimath.
NandadeviMountain Trekking – Organized by hotel Nanda Devi, you can take their mountain trekking or river rafting trip.
NarsimhadevaTemple – Biggest in Joshimath, this temple is a diety of Lord Narasimha. Though you may also find other gods of Ramayana here like Ram, Sita, Hanuman and Garuda. This 1200 years old temple is open from 5 am in the morning to 8:30 pm in the evening.
VasudevaTemple – Devoted to Lord Vasudeva, This temple is 30m away from NarsimhadevaTemple.
Shankaracharya Math – This temple is located on the ridge along the upper part of the town. Here you may find the Kalpavriksha tree where Shankaracharya is said to have attained self-realization. The tree is gigantic and is believed to be more than 2400 years old.
There are few restaurants scattered around the place and most accommodations have their personal catering facilities available too. Being a pilgrimage, most food served here is vegetarian. You can enjoy the snacks at small joints located on the road sides scattered all around for the tourist and residents of Joshimath.
Where To Stay:
The road to Badrinath is closed after 4:30 pm. So anybody arriving after that time would need to spend a night at Joshimath. There are a few guest houses and private lodges available which you can hire.
Stay at Dronagiri which is a famous and luxurious place to stay in Joshimath.
If you want to go low budget, you can try for Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Tourist Bungalows at the North end of town.
You can also try Kamet, Marwari, Jyoti Lodge or Kedar Holy Home. They all offer good services at reasonable price.
