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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 to Joshimath by road; the nearest airport.About 170 mi 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 (check)₹500–800 per car, 8.1 mi (check)
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 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 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 hill roadShared taxi or bus down the 8.1 mi hill road | About 30–45 min |
| Badrinath | Road via Joshimath, about 57 kmRoad via Joshimath, about 35 mi | 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.