The origin of River Alaknanda is of special interest to the daring tourists who visit the important pilgrimages in Uttaranchal. The Ganges rises in the southern Himalayas on the Indian side of the Tibet border. The five headstreams of the Ganges including the Bhagirathi, Mandakini, Alakananda, Dhauliganga and Pindar all rise in the northern mountainous regions of the Uttarkhand region which forms a part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This river actually begins at the confluence of the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers in Uttarakhand. Satopanth is a triangular lake, which is located at a height of 4402 meters above the sea level and named after the Hindu trinity Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva. The main tributaries of the River Alakananda are Mandakini, Nandakini and Pindar rivers. The River Alakananda also merges with the River Bhagirathi near Devprayag. This river also has the major contribution in the flow of the Ganges River, more than River Bhagirathi, which is regarded by the Hindus as the origin of the Ganges. It is universally believed to have split off from the celestial Ganga River when it descended from heaven.There are several rivers, which rises in the Garhwal region with the River Alakananda at the holy confluence of five rivers, viz., Vishnuprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag.

Along the banks of the Alaknanda River within the two mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan with the Neelkanth peak on the background is the famous pilgrimage Badrinath Temple and the natural spring Tapt Kund. This picturesque panorama is a breathtaking sight and is itself an enchantment for tourists and is also known as the `Garhwal queen`. Many multi-day adventure trips including rafting and kayaking can be enjoyed here.