Haridwar
Haridwar, also known as Hardwar is a divine city located in the state of Uttaranchal in Northern India. This place is known as the Gateway to the Gods and is among the seven holiest places of Hindu religion as God and Goddess are said to have left their footprints here. This holy city also serves as the gateway to the three sacred religious destinations of India i.e. Rishikesh, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. Etymologically the word Haridwar is derived from the Sanskrit word which means Dwara of Hari or Gateway to God, ‘Hari’ meaning god and ‘dwar’ meaning gate.
According to the Hindu mythology this is among the four holy places where drops of the elixir of immortality spilled out from the pitcher. This religious incident makes it a holy land for hosting the Kumbh Mela which is held at an interval of four, six and twelve years. The Holy River Ganga after flowing for 253 kilometers from its source at Gaumukh, at the edge of the Gangotri Glacier, enters the Indo-Gangetic Plain of North India at Haridwar which gave the city its ancient name, Gangadwára, the place where the Ganges descends to the plains.
Mussoorie
Strategically positioned above the Doon Valley, this beautiful hill station of Mussoorie with a year-round salubrious weather offers a holiday in Uttarakhand unlike any other. The Gun Hill that makes the highest point of the town gives an opportunity to gaze at the distant yet mighty peaks of Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Dotted by small and big wonders of nature including the Shivaliks, Kempty waterfall, this hill town is a perfect destination for a relaxing holiday in India. The dreamy hill station also displays the great colonial wealth in the form of churches, libraries, hotels and summer palaces. The fluttering Tibetan flags in the Happy Valley and the Tibetan Market below the Mall Road indicate quite a flavoursome blend of two distinguished cultures in this cordial town.