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Voykit pocket guide · India
Auli
Go for 2 nights in Jan–Mar for snow and the ropeway, or Jun–Oct for the Gurson Bugyal meadow walk; skip in monsoon landslide weeks.
Auli is a small ski slope and meadow station at 2,500–3,050 m in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, reached by a 13 km climb from Joshimath. There is almost nothing to do but ride the ropeway, walk to Gurson Bugyal and look at Nanda Devi; two nights is the working answer, three if you are learning to ski.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Jan–Mar for snow and skiing; Jun–Oct for meadows and trekking
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug monsoon landslide risk; late Dec ice on the road
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–4,500 excl. bed · High ₹4,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · Tourist helpline 1363
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea or coffee at the hill café | ₹50–100 |
| Plate of Maggi noodles | ₹80–150 |
| Simple thali in Joshimath | ₹150–300 |
| Ropeway, round trip | ₹1,000 |
| Chair lift, round trip | ₹500 |
| Taxi Joshimath to Auli, one way | ₹500–800 per car |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DED · Jolly Grant, Dehradun
- About 273 km (170 mi) to Joshimath by road; the nearest airport.About 170 mi (273 km) to Joshimath by road; the nearest airport.
Typical fares
- Ropeway, round trip
- ₹1,000, about 15 min each way
- Chair lift, round trip
- ₹500
- Joshimath to Auli taxi
- ₹500–800 per car, 13 km (8.1 mi) (check)₹500–800 per car, 8.1 mi (13 km) (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot, plus the ropeway between Joshimath and the Auli slopes and a chair lift on the upper slope. Shared taxis and buses run the 13 km (8.1 mi) from Joshimath; there is no local bus network on the hill itself.On foot, plus the ropeway between Joshimath and the Auli slopes and a chair lift on the upper slope. Shared taxis and buses run the 8.1 mi (13 km) from Joshimath; there is no local bus network on the hill itself.
See and do
Known for
- Ski slopes above Joshimath
- Auli ropeway (cable car)
- Gurson Bugyal meadow
- Views of Nanda Devi and Kamet
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Joshimath | Shared taxi or bus down the 13 km (8.1 mi) hill roadShared taxi or bus down the 8.1 mi (13 km) hill road | About 30–45 min |
| Badrinath | Road via Joshimath, about 57 km (35 mi)Road via Joshimath, about 35 mi (57 km) | 2–2.5 h |
| Ghangaria and Valley of Flowers | Road to Govindghat, then trek | Half a day to the trailhead |
| Tapovan hot springs | Taxi from Joshimath | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Auli top (near the ropeway upper tower)
- Closest to the slopes and the meadow trail; few beds, book ahead in ski season.
- Joshimath (13 km below)
- More rooms, cheaper food and the bus stand; you add a daily climb or ropeway ride.
- GMVN ski resort area
- Government-run beds and courses; the practical base if you are skiing.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Where is the ropeway? | रोपवे कहाँ है?ropeway kahan hai |
| I need a doctor | मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिएmujhe doctor chahiye |
| Please stop here | यहाँ रोकिएyahan rokiye |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude: 2,500–3,050 m. Sleep the first night in Joshimath if you came from the plains the same day.
- Ropeway and chair lift stop in the afternoon and in high wind: check the last ride before you go up.
- Winter temperatures fall to about -8 °C; bring a windproof jacket, gloves, hat and snow boots.
- Landslides and road closures are common in the monsoon; ask locally before any road leg.
- Food on the hill is limited and priced high because everything comes up from Joshimath.
Auli itself is calm and low-crime; the real risks are altitude, cold, snow-blindness and mountain roads, so treat the drive and the first night as part of the trip.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Auli yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ski slopes above Joshimath
- Auli ropeway (cable car)
- Gurson Bugyal meadow
- Views of Nanda Devi and Kamet
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Uttarakhand Tourism: uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/
- Indian Railways (IRCTC): www.irctc.co.in/
- Wikivoyage: Auli, revision 5029338 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5029338
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Auli
मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिए
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Auli; most are in New Delhi, with consulates in Dehradun for some countries (check).
Carry cash: card and ATM coverage on the hill is thin, and Joshimath is the nearest reliable stop.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/auli). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.