Ancient name of Joshimath is Jyotirmath and described in the ancient text as Kartikeyapura. The place is beautifully nestled at a height of about 6000 ft, is revered among pilgrims as one of four great Hindu monasteries. The place was established by the great Adi Guru Shri Shankaracharya in the 8th century. Till then Joshimath has become one of the hub of religious and cultural activities in Garhwal.



Joshimath is lovely place lies in the lap of snow clad mountains above the rivers Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. The greenery, mountains, serene ambiance and pleasant weather makes it one of the beautiful places in Garhwal region. Joshimath is a place of many temples and resting place for many pilgrims to reach more higher Badrinath temple. The entire route of river Dhauliganga coming from the Niti valley is lined with deodhar forests. From Malari the track goes towards Niti village, which is the last village of the valley and river runs towards Niti Pass (5,299m) and Marchokla.

From Joshimath there are number of places to visit. Auli famous for skiing is just 16 km from Joshimath. From Joshimath one can take ropeway path and reach Auli overlooking snow laden mountains. Nanda Devi National Park is just 23 km from Joshimath. There are treks to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Valley Of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara.

Sights And Activities

Vasudeva Temple
It is one of the famous Vishnu temples in North India. The temple is specially revered among Tamil vaishnavite saints. If you are expecting some architectural beauty you will be disappointed. The small temple is always crowded with pilgrims, the idol is carved out of a piece of black stone measuring 6 feet in height.

Rudraprayag
Rudranath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is highly revered in North India. The place is located on the confluence of the rivers Mandakini and Alaknanda. The entire place is sanctified with natural beauty, religious importance, lakes and glaciers.

Skiing At Auli
Rising above Joshimath, 14 km by road and 4 km from ropeway- Auli is India’s premier skiing resort. Ropeway is best way to reach Auli from Joshimath as view of beautiful Nanda Devi peak is unbelievable. The nice slope with gentle 5 km long is considered best in India. The snow is good, slopes are superb and setting is fabulous. There are few resorts and GMVN tourist rest house that arranges skiing.

Trekking
Joshimath is strategically located in the slopes of Garhwal Himalayas from where many difficult places can be reached. Trek to Valley Of Flowers via Govindghat, Badrinath temple and Mana village.