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Voykit pocket guide · India
Kotdwar
कोटद्वार
Use Kotdwar as a gateway to Garhwal, not a destination: half a day for Sidhbali temple and Kanvashram, then onward to Lansdowne or Badrinath.
Kotdwar is a small rail and road hub at the edge of the Shivalik hills, the main southern entrance to Uttarakhand's Garhwal region. Its own sights — a Hanuman temple, an ancient ashram — fill a few hours. Most travellers use it to change buses or trains toward Lansdowne, Rishikesh, or the Char Dham circuit.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- कोटद्वार
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (monsoon landslides), Dec–Jan (cold, fog)
- Stay
- 0–1 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 ₹800–1,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed · High ₹3,000+ 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
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 112
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Chai at a roadside stall | ₹10–20 |
| Thali meal (vegetarian) | ₹100–200 |
| Bottle of water (1 L) | ₹20 |
| Auto-rickshaw, town centre to Sidhbali | ₹50–100 |
| Bus Kotdwar → Rishikesh | ₹150–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DED · Dehradun (Jolly Grant)
- About 120 km (75 mi), 3–4 h by roadAbout 75 mi (120 km), 3–4 h by road
Typical fares
- Bus stand → Sidhbali temple
- ₹50–100 by auto-rickshaw
- Kotdwar → Lansdowne
- ₹150–200 by shared jeep, about 1 h (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
Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws cover the town; ₹50–100 for most rides. Shared jeeps run to nearby villages.
See and do
Known for
- Sidhbali temple
- Kanvashram (Kanva Ashram)
- Gateway to Garhwal
- Rail link to Delhi
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lansdowne | Bus or shared jeep, about 1 h | 1.5 h |
| Sidhbali temple | Auto-rickshaw or walk (2 km (1.2 mi) from centre)Auto-rickshaw or walk (1.2 mi (2 km) from centre) | 20 min |
| Kanvashram | Shared jeep or taxi, about 30 min | 45 min |
Sleep
- Near the bus stand / railway station
- Budget lodges and dhabas; convenient for early departures.
- Main Bazaar area
- A few mid-range hotels, closer to Sidhbali temple.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | कितना है?kitna hai? |
| Where is the bus stand? | बस स्टैंड कहाँ है?bus stand kahan hai? |
| One chai, please | एक चाय, कृपयाek chai, kripya |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
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
- Monsoon landslides can block roads to Badrinath and Kedarnath — check the weather before heading north.
- Touts at the bus stand may push overpriced taxis; use the prepaid counter or a known operator.
- ATMs are available but carry enough cash for small towns further in the hills.
Kotdwar is generally safe. The main risks are traffic on the narrow main road and touts at the transport hubs. Carry a torch for power cuts in budget lodges.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kotdwar yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sidhbali temple
- Kanvashram (Kanva Ashram)
- Gateway to Garhwal
- Rail link to Delhi
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Kotdwar, revision 4383836 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4383836
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kotdwar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.