Karnaprayag is one of the five sacred confluences of the Alaknanda, where the Pindar River from the Pindari Glacier joins it. It is named after Karna of the Mahabharata, who is said to have worshipped the sun here. Steps lead down to the meeting of the two rivers, and the Uma Devi temple stands above. The roads to Badrinath and to Kumaon divide in the town.

Adi Badri is a group of sixteen small stone temples beside the road from Karnaprayag to Ranikhet, built between the 5th and 8th centuries. The main shrine holds a black stone image of Vishnu and counts as the first of the Panch Badri. Fourteen temples survive on the compact site, which is cared for by the Archaeological Survey of India and can be seen in half an hour.

The Valley of Flowers is a high Himalayan valley in Chamoli district, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. From July to early September its meadows are covered with hundreds of species of alpine flowers, among them blue poppies, primulas and cobra lilies. It is reached by a trek from Govindghat via Ghangaria, and visitors must leave the valley by evening.

Hemkund Sahib is a Sikh gurdwara beside a glacial lake at about 4,300 metres, ringed by seven peaks. It marks the place where, according to tradition, Guru Gobind Singh meditated in a previous life. The star-shaped building is reached by a steep trek of about six kilometres from Ghangaria. The shrine is open roughly from late May to early October, and pilgrims bathe in the icy lake.

Auli is a ski resort on the slopes above Joshimath, between about 2,500 and 3,000 metres. A long cable car links it with the town, and chairlifts serve the slopes in winter. An artificial lake supplies snow-making. In every season the meadows give a wide view of Nanda Devi, Kamet and Dunagiri. Skiing is usually possible from January to March; summer brings walkers.