Destinations
Auli Travel Guide
Skiing, cable cars and Himalayan views — how to get to Auli and when the snow is actually good.
- From Rishikesh
- ~270-280 km, 9-10 hrs
- Elevation
- ~2,500-3,050 m
- Ski season
- Dec-Mar
- Nearest town
- Joshimath (~16 km)
Auli is a small alpine meadow and India’s best-known ski destination, set among conifer and oak forests with unobstructed views of peaks including Nanda Devi. It sits about 16 km from Joshimath, the same gateway town used on the road to Badrinath.
Getting there
From Rishikesh, Auli is roughly 270-280 km, about 9-10 hours by road via Joshimath — comparable to the drive to Badrinath, since the routes overlap for most of the way. A cable car also connects Joshimath directly to Auli, one of the longer ropeways of its kind in the region.
Skiing season
Auli’s skiing season runs roughly December to March, with the heaviest and most reliable snow typically in January-February. Ski and equipment rental, along with basic lessons, are available locally during the season.
Beyond skiing
Outside winter, Auli is a quieter meadow destination for walking and mountain views, particularly pleasant in May-June and September-October when the skies tend to be clearest. The cable car ride itself is worth doing regardless of season for the views over the valley.
Combining Auli with Badrinath
Since both destinations route through Joshimath, Auli works naturally as a one or two-day detour on a Badrinath or Char Dham trip — either on the way in, to acclimatise further, or on the way back down.
