Barring the monsoon which lasts between July and September, you can visit Uttarakhand in both summer and winter months as each have their unique specialty. In summer, between April and June, destinations in Uttarakhand like Nainital, Mussoorie, Landour, Almora, Kausani, Ranikhet offer respite from the heat of the plains in its serene settings. The summer months are also a great time for the Chardham trek. Winters turn Uttarakhand, specially destinations like Auli, into a white winter paradise where you can go skiing. Besides, destinations like Mukteshwar afford stunning vistas of the Nanda Devi, Panchchuli and Trishul peaks in the cold months.

The skiing slopes of Auli are abuzz with tourists in the winter months between late-November to March. Little wonder, it is called the ‘ski capital of India’. To catch some splendid mountain scenery with a view of the peaks of Nanda Devi, Panchchuli and Trishul, you can head to Mukteshwar. Nainital, though busy, is a great destination in winter. Despite the chill in the air, it is wonderful to walk around in the Mall, sip tea at a cafe and take in views of the ever-bustling Naini Lake. Binsar is a great destination for bird-watching in winter. And a trip to places like Ranikhet, Almora, Kausani, Mussoorie and Landour is a never a bad idea in the peak of winter.

While Corbett has three distinct seasons, winter (November to February), summer (March to June) and monsoon (July to October), of them the best is the time between mid-November and June, a time when the weather is favourable, the animals are out grazing across its various zones and the Royal Bengal Tiger can be rather easily spotted basking in sun. The gates ideal for spotting the big cat are Dhikala and Bijrani where you can take up a jeep safari while keeping your cameras and binoculars handy.

Rishikesh hosts the famous International Yoga Festival. There are several popular yoga centres in Rishikesh such as Parmarth Niketan on the banks of the Ganges, Sivananda Ashram, Omkarananda Ganga Sadan which are known for their yoga classes. Other than that Rishikesh forms a great base for going up to Kaudiyala and Shivpuri for a rafting or kayaking expedition. The Lakshman Jhula and even Ram Jhula are the lifelines of Rishikesh with the hubbub of the place centered around these sites on whose banks lie some truly atmospheric cafes serving multi-cuisine offering, a whole lot of them being strictly vegan.

. The mountain village of Govind Ghat in Garhwal forms the base for your trek to the Valley of Flowers. Take the trail that goes 14 kilometre upwards to the village of Gangharia, also called Govind Dham at an elevation of 10,000 foot. From here, a trek forks left, taking you 5 kilometre uphill through the Bhyundar Valley, popularly known as the Valley of Flowers. The Valley of Flowers at an altitude of 10,997 foot was discovered by Frank Smythe, a mountaineer, in 1931, who gave the place its current name owing to the region’s range of exotic flora. The valley is spread across 10 kilometre and cannot be covered in a single day’s hike.