| Awayfrom the tourist humdrum of Nainital and | | | | (lingam of light) that are highly revered by devotees. |
| Ranikhet, Almora has retained much of its traditional | | | | The main Jageshwar shrine has intricately carved |
| values and old world charm. One of the few hill | | | | pillars and a small museum exhibiting ancient artefacts. |
| stations that predated the British, the town of | | | | The ancient village, in an idyllic setting next to a |
| Almora still has cobbled street and fascinating stone | | | | gurgling stream and surrounded by fragrant pine |
| houses with exquisite carved wooden facades. | | | | forests, is a charming place to walk through. Winding |
| Refreshingly unspoilt, Almora is a peaceful little hill | | | | cobbled lanes, traditional homes with finely carved |
| resort where the evenings are cool, the views | | | | doors and windows and friendly people greet you on |
| panoramic and the ambience perfect for a quiet | | | | the way. KMVN runs a Tourist Rest house with |
| break from the big city bustle. Feast your eyes on | | | | rooms and a restaurant here. Gannath is another |
| mile upon mile of the most stupendous mountain | | | | ancient Shaivite shrine is 47 kms from Almora. Hidden |
| ranges in this part of the world. Go trekking and | | | | within dense forests, the shrine has special festivities |
| mountain-climbing. Shop for warm shawls and rustic | | | | during the day leading up to the full-moon night of |
| copper utensils- and don''t forget Almora''s famous | | | | Kartik Purnima (November). Ranikhet is a sylvan |
| baal mithai. | | | | cantonment town some 50 km west of Almora. At |
| | | | | 1,829 m Ranikhet spreads over ridges and dense pine |
| Historically Speaking | | | | forests where even today locals encounter the |
| | | | | occasional leopard on the outskirts of town. Though |
| The region around Almora was ruled by the Katyur | | | | one of the most beautiful hill resorts in Kumaon |
| dynasty from the 9th century AD. In 1560 Almora | | | | region, Ranikhet isn''t yet the main hub of tourist |
| was made the capital of the Chand rulers. Occupied | | | | activity and is relatively unspoilt. A laid-back style with |
| by the Chand dynasty till the 18th century, it was | | | | winding forest paths, a golf course, churches and |
| annexed by the Gurkhas in 1798 and finally the British | | | | sprawling colonial bungalows lends an air of |
| after the Gurkha wars of 1814 -1815. Overthe | | | | timelessness to the small town. According to popular |
| centuries, Almora's has retained its pre-eminence as a | | | | legend, a queen (rani) who once visited this area was |
| cultural and administrative centre and an important | | | | so charmed by its beauty that she stayed back and |
| market town for the region. | | | | established the town. Literally, Ranikhet stands for |
| How to get there by Air | | | | ''fields of the queen'', named after this popular story. |
| The nearest airport is at Pantnagar, 127 kms away. | | | | The ridge tops of Ranikhet are good vantage points |
| You will have to hire a taxi or take a bus to get to | | | | for views of Himalayan peaks including the Nanda |
| Almora. | | | | Devi group. Kausani , covered with pine forests is a |
| How to get there by Rail | | | | beautiful hill retreat 53 kms north of Almora. This |
| | | | | loosely scattered settlement offers a panoramic view |
| The nearest railhead is at Kathgodam, 90 kms down | | | | of Himalayan peaks. Renowned as a retreat and the |
| in the plains, connecting the region to many major | | | | location where Mahatma Gandhi stayed for some |
| north Indian cities including Delhi, Lucknow and Agra. | | | | time in 1929, Kausani still retains its links with Gandhian |
| There are private taxis at the station and daily buses | | | | ideals, including spinning the charkha (spinning wheel). |
| from Kathgodam to Almora. These take about 4 | | | | The Anashakti Ashram, where the Mahatma stayed |
| hours to wind their way up the mountain roads. | | | | and wrote his commentary on the Gita, has a rest |
| | | | | house and a library. Kausani is also a good base for |
| How to get there by Bus | | | | treks deeper into the Himalayas, including Bageshwar, |
| There are buses to Almora from other major hill | | | | Gwaldam and the Pindari Glacier. Kausani has a host |
| towns of Kumaon including Nainital (3 hours), Ranikhet | | | | of good hotels including ones run by KMVN. You could |
| (2 1/2 hours) and Kausani (3 hours). | | | | also stay at the Anashakti Ashram which in keeping |
| Best time to Visit | | | | with Gandhi ashrams anywhere has spartan |
| | | | | accommodation. Baijnath is a temple town mid-way |
| The best time to visit Almora is between April and | | | | between Kausani and Gwaldam. 71 kms from Almora, |
| June and again between September and November | | | | this hamlet sits in a broad valley next to the Gomti |
| which are the peak tourist seasons. The rains come | | | | River. The 12th and 13th century temples built during |
| in June till August and the mountains have a charm of | | | | the Katyur rule, is of great historical and architectural |
| their own then. The Nanda Devi festival in August | | | | significance. Though mostly in ruins, these stone |
| and the Dussehra celebration in | | | | temples have elaborately carved wooden doors and |
| September-October also draws a whole lot of | | | | windows. The main shrine, dedicated to goddess |
| visitors. | | | | Parvati (Shiva's consort), is one of the few |
| Hotels in Almora | | | | structures that still stands intact. Some basic |
| | | | | accommodation at the KMVN Tourist rest house and |
| Most of the hotels are around the Mall. There aren''t | | | | the irrigation department inspection bungalow besides |
| any 5-star international chains here, but tourist | | | | small cafes are available at the site.Bageshwar ,sitting |
| accommodation is largely comfortable and hotels are | | | | at the confluence of the Gomti and Sarayu rivers is |
| decent. Some good options are the Hotel Mount | | | | another important Hindu temple town . 90 kms from |
| Haven, Kasaar Jungle Resort and Khazanchand | | | | Almora, Bageshwar has a group of ancient 15th |
| Mansion. The tourist authority, KMVN, runs a | | | | century temples and two sacred pools. The main |
| holidayhome with a main building and tourist cottages. | | | | shrine dedicated to Baghnath or Shiva has the |
| You could also stay with some of the local families | | | | characteristic amalaka surrounded by a wooden roof. |
| that take in guests in the area of Kasara Devi | | | | The temple has a collection of bronze bells, which are |
| temple, 7 kms out of town. | | | | offerings made by devotees – an ancient |
| Emergency Number | | | | Kumaoni tradition followed in many shrines of the |
| | | | | region. According to legend, this temple town was |
| POLICE - Almora Police Station : 230323 Women''s | | | | built underneath the mythical Mount Nila by one of |
| Police Station : 232349 HOSPITAL - Victor Mohan | | | | Shiva's devotees and was inhabited by the gods and |
| Joshi Government District Women Hospital | | | | the gandharvas and apsaras or celestial beings. When |
| : +91-5962-230426 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting | | | | Shiva and Parvati entered the place, a voice from the |
| +91-5962-230426 end_of_the_skype_highlighting | | | | heavens welcomed them, thus giving the name |
| Pandit Har Govind Pant District Hospital | | | | ‘Vagishwar' (lord of the eloquent speech). The |
| : +91-5962-237773begin_of_the_skype_highlighting | | | | Uttarayani fair held in January is an important religious |
| +91-5962-237773 end_of_the_skype_highlighting | | | | festival at Bageshwar. KMVN runs a Tourist Bungalow |
| TOURSIM BOARD OFFICE - KMVN Regional Tourist | | | | and a restaurant in the town. It is possible to hire |
| Office | | | | trekking gear here. Pindari Glacier is a short distance |
| : 05962-230250 Uttarakhand Tourism Development | | | | from Bageshwar, and is one of the popular trekking |
| Board | | | | destinations in the Himalayas. Chaukori , to the |
| +(91)-(135)-2722323 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, | | | | northeast is a secluded retreat. Set amidst thick |
| 2624147hide | | | | alpine forests with a wonderful view of the Panchuli |
| Nearby Places | | | | peaks and Nanda Kot, Chaukori is secluded and |
| | | | | beautiful. Overnight halts are possible at the KMVN |
| Martola is a wonderful picnic spot set amidst forested | | | | Tourist rest house or at hotels in Berinag, 8 kms |
| hills and beautiful gardens, just 10 kms from Almora. | | | | away. Pithoragarh , the administrative centre of |
| Martola has become a refuge for many ex-city | | | | Kumaon lies along the Son valley. Sharing its borders |
| dwellers. Koshi, 12 kms from Almora, houses the | | | | with Tibet and Nepal, this is an important transit town |
| Govind Vallabh Pant Environment Research Institute. | | | | 188 kms northeast of Nainital. At a height of 1,650 |
| Koshi is also a popularpicnic resort with a guest house | | | | metres, Pithoragarh offers exhilarating views of |
| for overnight halts. Katarmal, considered to be the | | | | Nanda Devi and the Saipal and Api massifs in western |
| second most important sun temple in the country lies | | | | Nepal. It is also on the route of the highest pilgrimage |
| 17 kms from Almora. The structure is almost 800 | | | | of Kailash - Mansarovar in Tibet. The town has some |
| years old and was built by the Katyur rulers of | | | | ancient Chand dynasty temples and is guarded by a |
| Kumaon. Once replete with extraordinary carvings | | | | hill fort 7 kms away. There are several budget hotels |
| and sculpted images, the temple now lies in | | | | and the tourism department guesthouse in town. You |
| ruins.Binsar, a small hill town locally also known as | | | | can also stay in the tented accommodation provided |
| Jhandi Dhar is about 28 kms from Almora. Rising to a | | | | by private tour operators, which includes spacious |
| height of 2,412 metres, the town is presided by the | | | | living tents, baths and food. Munsiyari lies at the |
| temple of Bineshwar (an incarnation of Shiva). Once | | | | junction of the inner Himalayas bordering Nepal, 154 |
| the summer capital of the Chand rulers, Binsar is a | | | | kms from Pithoragarh. Down in a deep valley and |
| quiet locale with a splendid 300 km panoramic view | | | | gorge of the Gori River, Munsiyari has the best view |
| of major Himalayan peaks including Kedarnath, | | | | of the five symmetrical Panchuli peaks. The name |
| Chaukhamba, Trisul, Nandaghunti, Nanda Devi, | | | | literally stands for the five (panch) hearths (chuli) on |
| Nandakot and Panchuli. Binsar has now been | | | | which the Pandavas cooked their last meal before |
| designated a protected reserve forest area, with a | | | | ascending to heaven. A tough 11 km. trek leads along |
| bird sanctuary. You can take cool peaceful walks | | | | a trail to the Kalika Pass at 2,700 metres where |
| through oak and rhododendron forests. It is an easy | | | | there is a Shakti temple nestling amidst dense pine |
| day trip from Almora but you may stay on at the | | | | forests. 12 kms from Munsiyari is the hamlet of |
| tourist complex in town. In addition, there are private | | | | Malkot and glaciers of the Panchuli group. The alpine |
| resorts outside the Binsar sanctuary and a wonderful | | | | meadows or bugyal of Chiplakot lie 30 kms beyond |
| forest rest house with antique furniture and fine | | | | Munsiyari. The small town is also a base for treks to |
| cutlery. Jageshwar, is a holy site 34 kms from | | | | Milam, Ralam and Namik glaciers and expeditions to |
| Almora, with its complex of stone temples dedicated | | | | the Panchuli peaks. KMVN's tourist rest house and |
| to Shiva. The temples are of great historical and | | | | some other budget hotels offer rooms for overnight |
| architectural significance; they were constructed over | | | | halts at Munsiyari. You can also equip yourself with |
| a period of thousand years during the 8th century | | | | mountaineering or trekking gear from the speciality |
| AD. An important medieval centre of Shaivism, | | | | stores in town. |
| Jageshwar is considered one of the 12 jyotirlingas | | | | |