Rudraprayag Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Rudraprayag

Chandrashila is a captivating tourist spot nestled at an elevation of 4000 m above sea level. Situated in the Himalayan ranges of Garhwal, this place offers enchanting views of the nearby lakes, meadows, Nandadevi, Trisul, Kedar Bandarpunch and Chaukhamba peaks.

According to legends,it was in this place where Lord Rama meditated after conquering Ravana, the King of Demons. It is also believed that the moon-God, Lord Chandra performed penance here. Tourists can take up scaling, skiing and trekking activities in this region.

The Chandrashila trek is one of the most popular trekking routes among visitors. This trek route starts in Chopta and leads to Tungnath covering a distance of 5 km. Continuous steep climbing makes the trekking rigorous. However, as the route remains closed during winters, trekkers can reach the destination by an alternative route - Deoria Tal-Duggalbitta-Tungnath-Chandrashila.

Deoria Tal is a crystal clear lake, which is situated at an altitude of 2438 m above sea level, at a distance of 3 km from Sari. This is the same lake where a Yaksha put forth questions to the Pandavas, as per the legend. The village of Sari is the last bus terminal of the Chopta-Ukhimath road.

Deoria Tal can be reached after trekking for 2 km from this place.The lake is surrounded by thick forests comprising trees like rhododendrons and a Mahal tree. One can also find beautiful flowers in proximity to the lake. The lake offers the majestic views of the Himalayan Peaks, the reflection of which can be seen in the water. Many of the travellers also visit this place for fishing and birdwatching.

Indrasani Mansa Devi Temple is a famous religious site located in the Kandali Patti village. According to mythology, this is an ancient temple built during the age of Adi Shankaracharya. The Indrasani Mansa Devi Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Serpents, Mansa Devi.

Situated at a distance of 6 km from the Rudraprayag town, this temple exhibits a unique architectural style. According to the Skandpurana, Devibhagvata and Kedarkhand epics, Indrasani Devi is regarded as a Mansi Kanya of Kashyapa. She is also known as Vaishnavi, Shavi and Vishari and a folklore reveals that the Goddess can cure persons bitten by snakes.

Jakholi is an important tourist site located in the Rudraprayag District. This small village offers the opportunity of trekking to visitors as it is surrounded by the beautiful mountain ranges. The Chamunda Devi Temple and the Rudranath Temple are the worth visiting shrines located near this place. Tilwarathe, another tourist hotspot is located in the close vicinity of the place.

Kalimath is a major tourist site located in the district of Rudraprayag. This place is regarded as one of the Siddha Peeths in India. Kalimath has a temple dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali. During the auspicious occasion of Navratri, this temple is visited by numerous devotees from different parts of the country. Ukhimath and Guptakashi are the worth visiting tourist sites located in its vicinity.

Kartik Swami is one of the holy places located in the Rudraprayag District. Located at a distance of 38 km from the Rudraprayag town, this place has a temple dedicated to the Hindu God Kartikeya, son of the Lord Shiva. Nestled at an elevation of 3048 m above sea level, this place is surrounded by the mighty Himalayan ranges.

According to mythology, once Lord Shiva asked his two sons to take a round of the universe and announced that the winner would get the opportunity to worship the parents first. Lord Ganesh, another son of Shiva, won the competition by encircling his parents (which meant the universe to him) and made Kartikeya very angry.

As a result he gave away his bones to his father and his flesh to his mother. These bones are still there in the temple, which are worshipped by numerous devotees. Situated on the Rudraprayag-Pokhri route, this temple can be reached by a trekking of 3 km from the Kanak Chauri village.

Koteshwar Temple is a noted Hindu shrine located at a distance of 3 km from the Rudraprayag town. This is a cave temple situated on the banks of the river Alaknanda. According to beliefs, the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva meditated in this cave on his way to Kedarnath and the idol was formed naturally.

During the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, a fair is organised here. Numerous devotees come here to offer prayers during the months of August and September.

Maa Hariyali Devi Temple is a popular religious site located at a distance of 37 km from the Rudraprayag town. Nestled at an elevation of 1400 m above sea level, this site is surrounded by the mighty Himalayan ranges. The Goddess of the temple is known by the names, Sitla Mata, Bala Devi and Vaishno Devi.

The temple is also enshrined with the idols of Kshatrapal and Heet Devi. Famous as one of the most important shrines among the 58 Siddha Peeths, this temple is an important tourist spot to visit.

According to mythology, when Mahamaya was conceived as the seventh child of Devki, Kansa, the king of Mathura, threw Mahamaya on the ground to kill her. As a result, her several body parts got scattered all over the earth.

Since the hand of the Goddess Mahamaya fell here, this place became a Siddha Peeth. On the auspicious occasions of Janmashtami and Diwali, numerous devotees visit this temple. They carry the idol of the goddess Hariyali Devi over a distance of 7 km to Hariyali Kantha.

Madmaheshwar Temple is located in the close vicinity of the source of the Madmaheshwar river. Nestled at an elevation of 3289 m above sea level, this shrine is regarded as the second Kedar. According to legends, when lord Shiva was hiding from the Pandavas, he buried himself at Kedarnath to avoid them. His body appeared here at Madmaheshwar.

The temple is closed for six months in winter and during this time, the silver idols of this temple are transferred to Ukhimath. This place also offers the opportunity to visit nearby tourist attractions like Kali Temple, Kedarnath, Saraswati Kund and the peaks of Chaukhamba Neelkanth.

Rudraprayag Temple is a major religious centre located at the confluence of the two rivers, namely Alaknanda and Mandakini. Devoted to the Hindu God of destruction, Lord Shiva, this temple is visited by numerous visitors every year.

According to mythology, Lord Shiva emerged here in the incarnation of ‘Rudra’ and blessed the Saint Narad, who had sought His blessings by virtue of penance to excel in the field of music. This place also offers the opportunity to visit the Jagdamba Temple located nearby.

Triyuginarayan located in Rudraprayag is a holy place to visit. According to beliefs, it was the capital of Himvat, where Hindu God Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati during the methodological era of Satyug. Interestingly, the Havan Kund which was used for the marriage is still burning. It is believed that the ashes of the fire bless devotees with marital bliss.

There is a Vishnu Temple located in the vicinity of this holy place. It has an architectural style similar to that of the Kedarnath Temple. Tourists visiting this place can also visit Rudrakund, Vishnukund and Brahmakund.

The Saraswati Kund is the source of these three kunds. According to beliefs, the water of this kund emerges from the naval of Lord Vishnu. The place is also known for curing the infertility of women.  

Tunganath is an important holy place nestled on the Chandrashila Peak at an elevation of 3680 m above sea level. Regarded as one of the ‘Panch Kedars’, this place has the highest temple dedicated to Hindu God, Lord Shiva. According to Hindu mythology, in this place the hand of Lord Shiva was found when his body in the bull form reappeared at five different places.

The temple is enshrined with a 2.5 ft high statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya along with a Shivalingam. This place offers alluring views of the Kedarnath peaks, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The Nandadevi Temple and Akash Ganga Waterfall are the nearby tourist hotspots. Chopta is the nearest road head to reach this temple.

Ukhimath is a pilgrimage site, which is situated at an elevation of 1311 m above sea level on the Gopeshwar-Guptkashi road, in the Rudraprayag district. During winters, heavy snowfall forces closure of the main temple of Kedarnath.

During this time, the deity is worshipped in the Omkareshwar Temple of Ukhimath. The place has been named after Usha, the daughter of Banasur. Tourists can enjoy the view of the snow-capped Himalayas from this region.