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The tall grey stone tower of the Narsingh Temple in Joshimath, seen from below against a deep blue sky
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Photo: Merrylynns · CC BY-SA 4.0
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagerelaxed

One day in Joshimath — the Narsingh temple, Jyotirmath and Auli

A one-day Joshimath plan: the Narsingh Temple and Adi Shankara's Jyotirmath in the morning, then Auli's meadow and slopes 26 minutes up the road. Free to copy.
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A first day in Joshimath. The morning goes to the town's two old foundations, the Narsingh Temple and Jyotirmath, Adi Shankara's northern math. Then drive 26 minutes up to Auli for the meadow and the line of peaks, or the ski slopes in winter. Next day, the two days with Badrinath carry on up the valley. See also when to visit and how to reach Joshimath.

Photos: Merrylynns (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Srijan96 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Anyone with a day in Joshimath, on the way to Badrinath or the Valley of Flowers, or here for Auli in the snow.

Day by day

Day 1

The temple and the math, then Auli

3 stops · 30 min on the road

The town's two old foundations in the morning, the high meadow in the afternoon.

  1. 08:30
    Narsingh Temple
    temple · 6 min from Joshimath · about 30 min there
    Joshimath's main temple, to Vishnu as Narsimha, where an idol of Badri is kept in winter by one Wikipedia account.
  2. ↓ 10 min by road · 5 km
    09:30
    Jyotir Math
    temple · 6 min from Joshimath · about 45 min there
    The northern of the four cardinal monasteries that tradition credits to Adi Shankara, with the cave where he is said to have meditated.
  3. ↓ 20 min by road · 10 km
    11:30
    Auli
    town · 26 min from Joshimath · about 1 h 30 min there
    The meadow and ski slope at about 2,800 m, 26 minutes up the road. In winter, ask whether the ropeway is running.

Getting there

Joshimath is about 248 km by road from Rishikesh on our routing. See the hub guide for the full arrival table.

Where to stay

Joshimath is the base. Since the town's ground subsidence, ask locally where it is safe to stay.

Know before you go

  • Joshimath has been sinking since 2021 and parts of the town were zoned as unsafe; ask locally which lanes and buildings to avoid.
  • Auli is much higher than the town, at about 2,800 m; carry a warm layer in any month.
  • Wikipedia says the ropeway to Auli runs only from November to March; we cannot confirm its status or fares, so ask in town.

Places on this route

Narsingh Temple, Joshimath — and Adi Shankara's Jyotirmath
Narsingh Temple, Joshimath — and Adi Shankara's Jyotirmath
temple · 6 min from Joshimath
Auli — the meadow and ski slope above Joshimath
Auli — the meadow and ski slope above Joshimath
town · 26 min from Joshimath

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

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Other ways to do it

All Joshimath itineraries →
Two days — Joshimath, Vishnuprayag and up to Badrinath
Two days — Joshimath, Vishnuprayag and up to Badrinath
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Multi-hub · starts in Joshimath
A two-day plan: Joshimath's Narsingh Temple, Jyotirmath and Vishnuprayag on day one, then up to the Badrinath Temple and Mana on day two. Free to copy.
Best May–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Joshimath →
Pandukeshwar — Yogadhyan Badri, below Badrinath
Pandukeshwar — Yogadhyan Badri, below Badrinath
town · 8.7 km away
Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib — the lake gurdwara above Ghangaria
Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib — the lake gurdwara above Ghangaria
temple · 17 km away
Valley of Flowers National Park — from Govindghat and Ghangaria
Valley of Flowers National Park — from Govindghat and Ghangaria
park · 21 km away
Badrinath Temple — the Char Dham shrine on the Alaknanda
Badrinath Temple — the Char Dham shrine on the Alaknanda
temple · 22 km away
Mana — the village beyond Badrinath, with Bheem Pul and Vyas Gufa
Mana — the village beyond Badrinath, with Bheem Pul and Vyas Gufa
town · 25 km away
Vasudhara Falls — the walk from Mana
Vasudhara Falls — the walk from Mana
waterfall · 28 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The painted stone façade of the Badrinath Temple with its gilt cupola, under green slopes and a blue sky
Badrinath
22 km away · 4 itineraries · 4 places
A grassy mountain meadow among rocky outcrops and forest at Chopta, with snow peaks hazy in the distance
Chopta
36 km away · 3 itineraries · 4 places
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
108 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Rows of boats with red cushioned seats moored on Nainital Lake, with forested hills across the water
Nainital
130 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
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Questions people ask

Is one day enough for Joshimath?

For the town and Auli, yes: the Narsingh Temple and Jyotirmath are a few minutes from the centre, and Auli is about 26 minutes up the road. The Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib need more, with at least one night at Ghangaria above Govindghat.

Is Auli worth visiting outside the ski season?

Yes, for the meadow and the view. Auli Bugyal is a high meadow at about 2,800 m, ringed by conifer and oak forest, with a long line of Himalayan peaks across the valley. In the snow months it is India's best-known ski slope; the rest of the year it is a place to walk and look.

Is it safe to stay in Joshimath?

Parts of the town were zoned as unsafe after cracks appeared in more than 700 buildings following the 2021 flood, and demolition began in January 2023. Ask your hotel and the local administration which areas are open, and prefer stays outside the zones marked unsafe.