First, 2 nights in Rishikesh
Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa
A Taj resort on a forested Ganges bend at Shivpuri, upstream of Rishikesh — river-view rooms, an infinity pool, a spa, and an on-site rafting base.
Rishikesh · Resort · Premium★★★★★
Premium Accommodation11 NightsPremiumHill Station
Slow Uttarakhand — Premium
Route
Enquire About This JourneyRishikesh → Haridwar → Mussoorie → Nainital → Corbett
PricingEnquire for rates
About This Journey
Slow Uttarakhand — Premium
Slow Uttarakhand takes the state's full circuit — Rishikesh, Haridwar, Mussoorie, Nainital and Corbett — over eleven nights, with the extra length used to slow the pace between stops rather than to add a sixth destination. It is the same Grand Journey route, walked rather than driven through.
- 01
Five stops, no day treated as a transit day
Because the trip runs eleven nights across five towns, transfers between Rishikesh, Haridwar, Mussoorie, Nainital and Corbett leave room to arrive unhurried rather than checking in late after a full driving day.
- 02
Two full days each at Nainital and Corbett
Nainital's lake, temple, Mall Road and ropeway and Corbett's two safari outings both get genuine multi-day stays rather than a single overnight each.
- 03
A five-hotel arc, one tier throughout
The route runs through Ananda in the Himalayas, Haveli Hari Ganga, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, Naini Retreat and Taj Corbett Resort & Spa at luxury tier, or their premium equivalents.
Chapter Two — Where You'll Stay
5 Real Stays, In Order
Handpicked along your own route — not a hotel chain repeated city to city.
Next, one night in Haridwar
Haveli Hari Ganga, Haridwar
An 1918 heritage haveli with its own private ghat on the Ganges at Haridwar — carved balconies, a rooftop river view, and the aarti from your own steps.
Haridwar · Boutique · Luxury★★★★
Next, 2 nights in Mussoorie
Kasmanda Palace, Mussoorie
An 1836 former royal summer palace directly on Mussoorie's Mall Road — turrets, a private chapel, and a garden looking over the town to the plains.
Mussoorie · Hotel · Premium★★★★
Next, 3 nights in Nainital
Manu Maharani, Nainital
A tiered lakeside hotel at the quieter Mallital end of Naini Lake — lake and garden view rooms, a spa, and an easy walk to the temple and the boat jetty.
Nainital · Hotel · Premium★★★★
Finally, 3 nights in Corbett
Aahana — The Corbett Wilderness
A rustic riverside jungle lodge on the Kosi near Corbett — stone-and-wood cottages, some with plunge pools, a communal pool, and naturalist-led safaris.
Corbett · Resort · Premium★★★★
Chapter Three — Day by Day
Real Uttarakhand Attractions in This Itinerary
10 of your 12days — the full itinerary follows below. Scroll to travel the route.
Day 2 · Rishikesh
Rishikesh — Rafting and the Evening Aarti
A morning of white-water rafting on the Ganges, a run of roughly two to three hours through named rapids from Shivpuri or Marine Drive down toward the town, grade two to three and suited to first-timers. The afternoon is free, or given to a yoga class at one of the riverside ashrams. The evening returns to the ghats for the aarti, either at Triveni Ghat or the quieter Parmarth Niketan.
Day 3 · Rishikesh → Haridwar
Rishikesh to Haridwar
A short drive of about forty minutes down to Haridwar, where the Ganges leaves the hills for the plains. The afternoon covers the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples, each on a hill above the town and reached by cable car, and a walk through the pilgrim bazaar of sweet shops and brass stalls. As evening comes, you take a seat at Har Ki Pauri for Haridwar's larger, more ceremonial Ganga aarti.
Day 4 · Haridwar → Mussoorie
Haridwar to Mussoorie
A drive of about two and a half hours from the plains town of Haridwar up into the hills, through Dehradun. Robber's Cave, just outside Dehradun, breaks the climb with a wade through its cool limestone gorge. You arrive in Mussoorie in the afternoon, the temperature dropping steadily as the road climbs the last stretch, with the evening free for Mall Road.
Day 5 · Mussoorie
Mussoorie — Kempty Falls, Gun Hill and Camel's Back Road
A full day around the hill station. Kempty Falls in the morning, the developed waterfall fifteen kilometres out, best reached early before the day-tripper crowds. Back in town, the ropeway up to Gun Hill for the Doon valley and snow-peak panorama. Late afternoon is the level walk along Camel's Back Road, timed for the sunset over the valley, finishing back on Mall Road for dinner.
Day 6 · Mussoorie → Nainital
Mussoorie to Nainital — Across the Kumaon Hills
A long transfer day, around seven hours, dropping back to the plains near Dehradun before climbing again into the Kumaon hills to Nainital. The road runs through Haldwani and Kathgodam, the rail-head town at the base of the climb. You reach Nainital by early evening, in time for a first walk along Mall Road beside the lake as the town's lights come on across the water.
Day 7 · Nainital
Nainital — the Lake and the Naina Devi Temple
A morning on Naini Lake itself, a rowed or pedal-boat outing past the Mall Road promenade to the far shore and back. The Naina Devi temple at the lake's northern end, rebuilt after the 1880 landslide that reshaped the town. The afternoon is free for the lakeside cafes, or a walk out to the quieter Sattal or Bhimtal lakes nearby if there is time.
Day 8 · Nainital
Nainital — Mall Road and the Snow View Ropeway
A morning ropeway ride up to Snow View, for a wide Himalayan panorama that takes in Nanda Devi and Trishul on a clear day, best done early before the haze rises. The rest of the morning is Mall Road, the bazaar of woollens, walking sticks and candle shops that lines the lake's eastern edge. The afternoon is unhurried, or given to Tiffin Top or Land's End for a quieter viewpoint away from the main ropeway crowds.
Day 9 · Nainital → Corbett
Nainital to Corbett
A drive of about three hours down from the hills to the Corbett buffer zone near Ramnagar, dropping back through forest and farmland. You check into a riverside lodge on the Kosi by early afternoon, with time for a look around the grounds before the day's light fades. Safari permits and zone allocations are usually confirmed the evening before, so the first full safari begins early the next morning.
Day 10 · Corbett
Corbett — Morning Jungle Safari
An early start for the day's first safari slot, into one of Corbett's permit zones by open jeep with a naturalist. The three-hour drive covers sal forest, grassland and river crossings, reading pug marks and alarm calls for signs of tiger and elephant, with deer, langur and a wide range of birdlife seen along the way regardless. The afternoon is free at the lodge, by the river, before a second safari or a quiet evening on the riverside deck.
Day 11 · Corbett
Corbett — a Second Safari and the Riverbank
A second safari, usually in the afternoon slot and often into a different zone from the first, to widen the chances of a sighting and see the park in different light. The rest of the day is spent at the lodge on the Kosi or Ramganga riverbank, watching for birdlife and, on the far bank, sometimes elephants coming down to drink. Many lodges end the day with a bonfire and dinner by the water.
Chapter Four — The Full Itinerary
12 Days, In Full
Every day, start to finish — including the transfers the day-by-day chapter above skipped.
Rishikesh
Arrive in Rishikesh
The usual way in is a drive from Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport, about forty-five minutes, or from Delhi, about five and a half hours by road. The Dehradun–Haridwar rail line also stops close by. You settle in by the Ganges in the afternoon. The evening is for a first walk across Laxman Jhula and along the ghats, ending at Triveni Ghat for the aarti as the light drops.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh — Rafting and the Evening Aarti
A morning of white-water rafting on the Ganges, a run of roughly two to three hours through named rapids from Shivpuri or Marine Drive down toward the town, grade two to three and suited to first-timers. The afternoon is free, or given to a yoga class at one of the riverside ashrams. The evening returns to the ghats for the aarti, either at Triveni Ghat or the quieter Parmarth Niketan.
Rishikesh → Haridwar
Rishikesh to Haridwar
A short drive of about forty minutes down to Haridwar, where the Ganges leaves the hills for the plains. The afternoon covers the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples, each on a hill above the town and reached by cable car, and a walk through the pilgrim bazaar of sweet shops and brass stalls. As evening comes, you take a seat at Har Ki Pauri for Haridwar's larger, more ceremonial Ganga aarti.
Haridwar → Mussoorie
Haridwar to Mussoorie
A drive of about two and a half hours from the plains town of Haridwar up into the hills, through Dehradun. Robber's Cave, just outside Dehradun, breaks the climb with a wade through its cool limestone gorge. You arrive in Mussoorie in the afternoon, the temperature dropping steadily as the road climbs the last stretch, with the evening free for Mall Road.
Mussoorie
Mussoorie — Kempty Falls, Gun Hill and Camel's Back Road
A full day around the hill station. Kempty Falls in the morning, the developed waterfall fifteen kilometres out, best reached early before the day-tripper crowds. Back in town, the ropeway up to Gun Hill for the Doon valley and snow-peak panorama. Late afternoon is the level walk along Camel's Back Road, timed for the sunset over the valley, finishing back on Mall Road for dinner.
Mussoorie → Nainital
Mussoorie to Nainital — Across the Kumaon Hills
A long transfer day, around seven hours, dropping back to the plains near Dehradun before climbing again into the Kumaon hills to Nainital. The road runs through Haldwani and Kathgodam, the rail-head town at the base of the climb. You reach Nainital by early evening, in time for a first walk along Mall Road beside the lake as the town's lights come on across the water.
Nainital
Nainital — the Lake and the Naina Devi Temple
A morning on Naini Lake itself, a rowed or pedal-boat outing past the Mall Road promenade to the far shore and back. The Naina Devi temple at the lake's northern end, rebuilt after the 1880 landslide that reshaped the town. The afternoon is free for the lakeside cafes, or a walk out to the quieter Sattal or Bhimtal lakes nearby if there is time.
Nainital
Nainital — Mall Road and the Snow View Ropeway
A morning ropeway ride up to Snow View, for a wide Himalayan panorama that takes in Nanda Devi and Trishul on a clear day, best done early before the haze rises. The rest of the morning is Mall Road, the bazaar of woollens, walking sticks and candle shops that lines the lake's eastern edge. The afternoon is unhurried, or given to Tiffin Top or Land's End for a quieter viewpoint away from the main ropeway crowds.
Nainital → Corbett
Nainital to Corbett
A drive of about three hours down from the hills to the Corbett buffer zone near Ramnagar, dropping back through forest and farmland. You check into a riverside lodge on the Kosi by early afternoon, with time for a look around the grounds before the day's light fades. Safari permits and zone allocations are usually confirmed the evening before, so the first full safari begins early the next morning.
Corbett
Corbett — Morning Jungle Safari
An early start for the day's first safari slot, into one of Corbett's permit zones by open jeep with a naturalist. The three-hour drive covers sal forest, grassland and river crossings, reading pug marks and alarm calls for signs of tiger and elephant, with deer, langur and a wide range of birdlife seen along the way regardless. The afternoon is free at the lodge, by the river, before a second safari or a quiet evening on the riverside deck.
Corbett
Corbett — a Second Safari and the Riverbank
A second safari, usually in the afternoon slot and often into a different zone from the first, to widen the chances of a sighting and see the park in different light. The rest of the day is spent at the lodge on the Kosi or Ramganga riverbank, watching for birdlife and, on the far bank, sometimes elephants coming down to drink. Many lodges end the day with a bonfire and dinner by the water.
Corbett
Corbett — Departure
A last early safari if the timing allows, or a relaxed morning on the riverbank. Corbett is reached from Delhi in about six hours by road, or via Ramnagar's rail link, or a short flight connection through Dehradun or Pantnagar depending on the route. It is the usual last stop on an Uttarakhand circuit before flying or training onward.
Guest Stories
What Our Travelers Say
Real words from real journeys — rated 5.0 across 310 Google reviews.
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An absolutely flawless experience. We felt like royalty from the moment we landed in Delhi until our departure.
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Truly exceptional — Brijesh, our tour planner, was incredibly attentive, professional, and meticulous in organizing a flawless itinerary.
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Mentions guide Brijesh
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Nothing short of magical. Brijesh crafted a seamless itinerary that balanced sightseeing, culture, and relaxation, making our journey truly special.
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Everything went beyond our expectations. Our driver Rajesh kept us comfortable in every city, and Vicky was endlessly knowledgeable.
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Mentions guide Rajesh & Vicky
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From the moment we landed until we left, our driver Manish made us feel so taken care of — he made the trip even more memorable.
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Brijesh is a super good man! A comfortable journey through six cities, exactly to our desires and limits.
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Mentions guide Brijesh & Manish
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Excellent hotels and tour guides. Our driver Manish was superb in every way — reliable, and full of local knowledge.
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Chapter Five — Terms & Conditions
Straightforward, In Writing
Cancellation windows, refund timing, and rescheduling terms for this journey follow our one sitewide policy — nothing package-specific to dig through.
Read the Return & Refund PolicyFrequently Asked
Before You Book
How is this different from Uttarakhand In-Depth or the Grand Journey?
All three cover the same five-stop route over eleven nights; Slow Uttarakhand is simply framed around an unhurried pace between stops rather than depth of sightseeing or photography.
Is eleven nights too long for one state?
Not for this route — it covers five genuinely distinct towns (river town, pilgrimage town, two hill stations, wildlife reserve), so the length reflects real ground covered, not padding.
Chapter Six — Similar Journeys
More of Uttarakhand, Privately
Before you go
Planning Uttarakhand
Travel Tips
Private Tour or Group Tour in India? An Honest Comparison
First-Time IndiaPlanning GuideTravel Tips
Travel Tips
Getting Around India: Trains, Flights or a Private Car?
First-Time IndiaPlanning GuideTravel Tips
Travel Tips
Eating Well in India Without Getting Ill: A Practical Guide
First-Time IndiaFood & CulturePlanning Guide
Why Choose Us
The Same Trust, Sized to This Trip
01
Planning, Built Around You
This route was shaped around Uttarakhand's real places, not lifted from a fixed template.
13 years — Brijesh Sharma, Bespoke Itinerary Specialist
02
Handpicked Hotels
Every stay on this trip was chosen in person, not off a ratings page.
5 real stays, 4–5★
03
A Private Fleet, Always Yours
One driver, air-conditioned, for the whole route — no shared shuttle.
Premium sedans & SUVs · One driver, the whole trip
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