Good experience to visit there .i damm sure you will also enjoy there . There is very peace and calm . Nature is a true love than man . There are many other species of animal and plants. Plants enhance the beauty of the nature. According to me people have to visit there .
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Date of stay: February 2024
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi friends, myself Abhinav from Mumbai, feeling very good to write a review for devi Darshan (Sunil sir and team).
Reached joshimath on 7th feb evening at 6:30 p.m, was very cold down at joshimath, Auli lies 16 kms above joshimath at around 3300 mtrs above sea level, it was all snow, Sunil sir arranged an Alto for us as only Alto with a local driver can take u up driving technically on roads completely covered with snow (for jan - feb) else u can easily drive up ur car if roads are cleared, reaching Auli at 8 p.m the first thing I saw was sky, very clear, lots n lots of stars, hvnt seen much in my whole life, and stepping out of car was all snow, but a millions of thanks to Sunil sir and team...as soon as v reached at helipad near Devi Darshan they bought 2 pairs of snow shoes, jackets and caps for us, they helped us to wear that shoes and reach to the lodge with an ease. (Wouldn't be possible with our daily wear due to snow), after reaching Devi Darshan they provided us with heating bags and heaters plus green tea.
Rooms - Good rooms with heating blankets and bed, a room heater provided alongwith, bathrooms got geysers for hot water thanks to dharmendra for this. (Devi Darshan team)
Food - Cooked by pushkar and Uttam (Devi Darshan team), full on tasty, hot every time, they add their flavours and blend them so really well that u feel to shift permanent to Auli if u get food made from them... All of ghar ka khaana types but mouth watering dishes, for breakfast u always get milk, corn flakes and organic honey alongwith some different varieties such as aloo parantha, chole puri, aloo puri etc and for dinner they make roti of ragi flour with brown rice, daily different subzis and Dal's. Heights of yumminess. Loved it.
First morning - Best views of Nandadevi peak, hathi ghoda peak. Breathtaking views of surrounding, really calm, really fresh breeze, with a coffee or tea which u can make anytime in ur stay with the arrangements available near sitting area consisting tea bags, sugar, milk powder, water heater etc.
Overall - Basically its a lodge, its all about location and services which u get the best from them, especially Sunil sir, dharmendra and nari bhaijji, they make u feel better then a home away from home, they help u acclimatize with the weather by their master tips.
Anytime u go Auli, always opt for Devi Darshan, trust me, ull remember it as an awesome stay only. Be disciplined and simple, they will make places in ur hearts forever. Thanks Sunil sir and team. Love u all... Best of luck for ur initiative. God bless u...
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Date of stay: February 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I wanted to see the majestic peak and in terms of the value for money , the views, the warmth of the staff, exciting local cuisine I am pretty sure to vouch for Devi Darshan .
For value for money. The most competitively priced place. Since it was their (Sunil Kainthola has a Doctorate in Philosophy) ancestral house the feel is amazing. Cleanliness is well taken care of.
Even though I did not meet Sunil. He has trained his mountain shepherds extremely well. You can tell from the hospitality you receive. Narendra took care of us and being a mountain climber and trainer himself had so many tips to give and based on his narrations I would definitely like to take one of the 5-7 day treks.
Ok since we visited just before the floods there was a funny disturbance in the air (similar to smog) that blocked the view of the Nanda Devi immediately after the sun came out over the peaks. The only views that we were blessed were from dawn till the sunrise. So that makes a revisit to the place even more necessary.
The dinner was very tasty and we got a very decent introduction to the Garhwali cuisine. Not to forget the great tips we got about the locals and why access to trekkers into the Nanda Devi biosphere (some areas) was banned.
The trek to Gorson meadows is a sure must as is a day visit to the Lata Village. In the Lata village we learned the most amazing thing. The villagers have 2 sets of houses. They are same in sizes the only difference is that they are at different altitudes . So the villagers move from their winter homes which are at a lower altitude to higher altitude during summer. Since we went during the summers we had our lunch at a locals summer house. I must say the those were the best Rajma chawal (Rice) that I have ever had.
Its better to have your own car from Dehradun. You can visit other important places like Badrinath, Joshimat etc at you convenience. The 5 days we spent there were truely worth it.
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Date of stay: May 2013
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and my family are avid travelers for more than 20 years and were planning for a long time to visit Auli. Finally we got the opportunity to make it to this beautiful place in the 1st week of June. Got to know of Devi Darshan Lodge from the internet and also got the booking there. We have stayed at many hotels/resorts/lodges/forest rest houses. But nothing can beat this lodge run by the Mountain Shepherds. Everything about the place turned out to be perfect and exactly to our tastes and liking. Firstly, I must talk about the staff we met there – Mukesh, Deepak and Shobhan, all local boys. They were wonderful, sincere, very cooperating and the best part – their smiles made us feel at home always. Whatever they said and did came from their hearts. I could not meet the other boys as they were busy with the trekkers. On the last day of our stay, we could meet Narendra, who also turned out to be a very well-mannered boy. I have not met such impressive hotel staff before ! The lodge itself is strategically located with commanding 180 degrees view of the Himalayas with cosy, neat rooms aptly named after mountain birds/animals – Kestrel, Koel, Sparrow, Musk deer etc. The best part of the lodge is the glass paneled dining hall/common room on the first floor, very tastefully decorated & topped up with a small library of books of various Himalayan expeditions, local customs, the local flora/fauna and other fiction. Unique ambience! So, if you do not feel like going out, simply watch the mountains from dawn to dusk with a book in your hand and fed by music from the chirping birds! Or take a hot cuppa of tea/coffee of a flavor of your choice and gaze at the gathering clouds over the snowy mountain peaks, leaving all your worries behind. Or try your hand at some indoor games. Another very welcome feature in the lodge is the absence of TV, which led us closer to the beautiful bountiful nature. The food served at the Lodge was excellent. On our last dinner, Shobhan treated us to delicious ‘Banana filter’ – banana wrapped in maida, deep fried and topped with local honey! This guy is a great cook. Mukesh turned out to be an ace mountain/rock climber, hard-core high-altitude trekker and had also done some mountain rescue. Very impressive indeed going by his simple looks! We listened intently as he told us interesting & some hair-raising stories of his expeditions and treks. Our one-day trek/camping to Gorson Bugyal was well organized. Deepak and Shobhan accompanied us and took care of the minutest details. Fed us with tasty dinner in the middle of the forest. It was a unique first-time experience. Lastly, but not the least, a word about Dr Sunil Kainthola. We had heard a lot about him. Unfortunately we could not meet him. However looking at the whole beautiful setup, we could easily visualize the man behind it all, the one who has been leading the unique initiative – Mountain Shepherds. Well done, Dr Sunil! We hope and pray that your vision and plans for the local populace will be realized soon. Our heartfelt thanks to Devi Darshan Lodge, Auli for making our stay very memorable. Looking forward to going back to you soon. Highly recommended to all. – Pravin Tirkey and family, New Delhi.
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Date of stay: June 2013
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were a group of 14 ladies. Had booked in Devi Darshan lodge as the reviews on trip advisor were good. We arrived at night after a long drive from Haridwar. It had rained and hence our bus could not go upto the parking of the lodge. We had to walk and on reaching the lodge, my initial thought was that the building was the cow shed. Little did I know that that was the lodge. The rooms on the ground floor were very bad. Had a huge Scorpion in it. So all of us had to use the 4 rooms upstairs. We were 14 pax in 4 rooms. There was no staff. Just two boys who ran around to get our luggage and organise our food. It was the worst hotel/lodge I have experienced. I request trip advisor to check the hotels before they give them a rating as this was very misleading. The sheets and pillows were not fresh. Other than the beautiful view, this place is not to be lived in.
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Date of stay: June 2016
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went to Auli in February with 5 friends for vacation. We had booked Devi Darshan for accomodation. We had heard about this place through one of our friends and the reviews also sounded positive. When we reached the place, we were impressed by the interiors of the lodge and the scenic beauty was breathtaking. The hospitality was brilliant and the facilities were top class. We were very happy and satisfied with our choice. The rooms are very clean and comfortable. We enjoyed our trip to the maximum and Devi Darshan lodge played a big hand in it.
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Date of stay: February 2015
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First of all, if you are looking for a good branded hotel, staff who will run behind you, then this isn't the right place for you. Please don't waste their time (which few people do after coming there), You should look for some other options.
But if you are looking for a cozy, warm and welcoming place, people who will treat you like family, then this is the place.
It's managed by 4 folks, who also arrange treks. One of the best people I have seen. Really good friendly and helpful nature.
My car got stuck while going there. I called them and they sent help. In the morning they all went with me to get the car back too.
Sit with them, talk to them, they will tell a lot of tales and stories of their interesting life.
As I said, it's not a hotel, so you don't get a menu for food. Just let them know what you will like to eat, and they will try their best to do that (Please consider that this is one of the remote places. It's tough to even get proper vegetables there, so please be considerate)
The rooms are decent. With electric blanket, you won't feel any cold in the night.
The common area is the best place, and that's where you will spend most of your time. There are lots of board games there, few books, where you can spend time. The view from the common area is simply breath taking. You can view the whole Himalayan mountain range from there.
One simple thing. They aren't there to make money, and that could be the best thing you can look into anyone.
Thanx guys for making my stay so memorable. Enjoy.
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Date of stay: January 2015
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Rooms on 1st floor have quick access to common area.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Devi darshan lodge is located very near to ski resort, with amazing 360 degrees view of Nanda Devi and Himalayas. I have stayed with a group of travelers at this place in first week of April for skiing and the experience was really amazing. Though this place has basic but sufficient amenities given remote location and those guys are wonderful to take care of everything you need, be it hot water or freshly cooked food which tastes just like it’s cooked at home, and they are always available on just a call away whenever you need anything.
The room and whole area is clean, they provide electric heated bed and quilts to combat with extreme cold even in month of April, basic breakfast and hot drinks are always available in cozy common area from where the view is again mesmerizing. They arranged bonfire during whole 3 days stay and suggested surrounding areas for nature walk or trek.
Overall wonderful place to stay surrounded by nature, away from noise and crowd, and amazing people to take care of everything. Keep doing great you guys.
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Date of stay: April 2015
Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â Rooms located at first floor have best view, and are better.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Returning to the splendid land of the Gods is always a pleasure, this being my third visit to Uttarakhand! The scenic view of Goddess Nanda from Devi Dashan Lodge has it's own pristine charm.... You simply feel Blessed! Longing to return to the place since my last visit, I couldn't believe my eyes when stepped in... the property looked almost untouched with just a few minor changes like positioning of the beds in the rooms.
What I appreciate the best is the entire concept of Community Owned Tourism, which provides job opportunities to the youth of this area who are deprived of their fundamental right to livelihood due to various governmental policies. (For more information, do visit www.mountainshepherds.com)
The lodge is very well maintained, with rooms on the ground floor and first floor. Rooms on top are better as they open into a passage leading you straight into the dining area (just what you want when it's freezing outside). With four rooms on top (three with double occupancy and one for a family of four), they easily provide for accommodation of around 10 people.
Warm water to have a bath is provided within ten minutes from the time you ask for it. Heaters are provided in every room
The food provided by them is of excellent taste and quality, with ample variety to choose from. Packed lunch is provided while going for a trek at Gorson meadows (strongly recommended by me... The view from the top is amazing! You can also camp in the meadow overnight in tents provided by them). A variety of tea and coffee are kept on the sideboard with a water heater and milk powder, so that everyone has free access to them along with delicious biscuits.
The boys are extremely courteous, helpful, dedicated to their job... Entertaining too!!! Not a minute spent there was regretted by me. They have a small library with an amazing collection of books, binoculars, games like ludo and chess. Not having a television is the greatest incentive! Much more quality time is spent with the people you're with, while chatting around in the dining area which has French windows on all sides allowing you to have a complete view of the lovely snow-capped mountains all around the hotel.
A visit to Lata village is also a must according to me... It's a beautiful village Very close to the Indo-Tibetan border and the only route to scale India's second highest peak- Nanda Devi! I learnt a lot about the culture and lifestyle of the people around here.
While striking a deal with Mountain Shepherds Initiative, do inquire about their property at Kuflon, Uttarkashi as well. This site also provides for camping in tents - an unbeatable experience by itself. They also helped us visit Badrinath, Mana (last village before the Indo-Tibetan Border, very close to Badrinath temple), Gangotri and Harsil.
I missed the friends who came with us on our previous visit, as also our dear guide - Bijju Ji!
If you're planning your next holiday............ With Mountain Shepherds @ Devi Darshan it is!!!
P.S. I'm extremely grateful to Sunil Ji for all the planning that went into making our trip so special and memorable that we all long to return at our earliest; and also very thankful to all the boys viz. Narri Bhaiji, Mukesh Bhai, Ashish Bhai, Pathan Bhai, and Sovan Bhai and Sonyy for all the running around they did with us and for the lovely treatment meted out to us. The warmth this place has, simply made me feel as I have been staying here all my life! I'm sure I'll return VERY SOON!
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Date of stay: May 2014
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â The family room with four beds has the BEST view, but don't worry... any room is warm and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
On entering the dining hall of Devi Darshan lodge we were awestruck at the majestic view of the mountain range. During out stay, they changed colours -black,brown,gold. After an evening of rain and hail, a huge rainbow encompassed the range and the mountain shepherds showed us how the peaks had become white with fresh snow ! On the last two days, the clouds cleared and we were overjoyed to have had a view of the majestic Nanda Devi in white,gold, silver and silhouette !
Our stay, as you can see, in the first week of October 2012 was memorable. Narendra was very welcoming and informative- we spent hours with him. With sensitivity he shared with us his spectrum of the history, geography and culture of the region and added a whole new dimension to our visit. Nandu took us for a lovely mountain walk. Aryan plied us with so many creatively envisaged menus and tasty meals.
The care with which the place is run (with all comforts) and the display of community crafts, books and artefacts is very heartwarming.
Thank you Dr.Sunil for guiding us through our trip planning and for the wonderful project envisaged. Our best wishes always with Mountain Shepherds . We shall be back !
Saradindu Bishakha and Dibendu Bose.
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Date of stay: October 2012
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Navi Mumbai (New Mumbai), Maharashtra, India8 contributions2 helpful votes
Jai Nanda Devi. Yes, the journey is safe. We went with kids 5 and 10 years of age respectively in the peak of snow fall during December 23rd - 29th 2014. Even my mother 72 years of age felt wonderful about the hospitality of this team. Please take an opportunity and visit the place. It is worth it. Best wishes.
For tariff, please contact them directly.
Room types, there are family rooms(4 people), which are on ground floor and there are 2 people room, on the 1st floor.
1st floor rooms have direct access to the common area, which is the place where one spends most of the time, so I would suggest to go for 1st floor rooms
There are more places to choose from in the Auli area.
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Devi Darshan Lodge
LOCATION
IndiaUttarakhandChamoli DistrictAuli
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
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