Uttarakhand - the land of gods, the home of Himalayas and truly a paradise on earth, allures everyone from everywhere. The fresh air, the pure water, the chilling snow, the adversing mountains, the scenic beauty, the small villages, the simpler people and a tougher lifesytle is what that distinguishes Uttarakhand from rest of the world. Also known as Dev Bhumi, Uttarakhand is a boon for the pilgrim tourists. The Maha Kumba Mela, the Char Dham Yatra and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra give Uttarakhand an international recognisance. The major pilgrim places include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Devprayag,Nandadevi and Purnagiri. Uttarakhand is a paradise for nature lover′s and adventure sports enthusiasts. Mussoorie, the ′Queen of Hills′; Nainital, the ′Lake District′; Kausani, the ′Switzerland of India′; Ranikhet, Pithoragarh, Pauri and Munsyari are just few highlights for the nature lovers. For adventure and excitement, one may choose Mountaineering (Bhagirathi, Chowkhamba, Nanda Devi, Kamet, Pindari, Sahastrataal, Milam, Kafni, Khatling, Gaumukh), Trekking, Skiing (Auli, Dayara Bugyal, Munsyari, Mundali), Skating, Water Sports like rafting, boating and angling and Aero Sports like Hand Gliding, Paragliding (Pithoragarh, Jolly Grant, Pauri). The State is also a treasure house of exotic flora and fauna and is an ideal location for eco-tourism, as well as wildlife tourism. The world-famous Jim Corbett National Park is the pride of Uttarakhand. Other important sanctuaries are, Rajaji National Park, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Asan Barrage, Chilla etc. Last but not the least, the rich cultural traditions and the cool and invigorating climate of Uttarakhand sums up for a perfect holiday destination to relax and unwind.