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Almora
Almora is one of the three hill districts of Kumaon. The other
two being Nainital and Pithoragarh. It is the cultural capital
of Kumaon. Almora is also referred to as the unspoilt child
of nature. It is situated on a three-mile long horse saddle-shaped
ridge and is surrounded by four hill ranges – Banari Devi,
Kasar Devi, Shayahi Devi and Katarnal. The three peaks have
temples of Goddesses while Katarnal has an ancient Sun temple
worth visiting.
It has a moderate and salubrious climate. The best season
is April-June and September-November. For those interested
in snow views the best time to visit is in early summer and
autumn.
Almora is situated in the midst of the Himalayas, the king
of mountains and abode of the gods. From time immemorial people
have visited this region for peace, solitude and liberation
of the soul.
Almora is a good place to conveniently enjoy the spectacular
snowscape of the central Himalayas. On a clear day – and most
days in Almora are flawless – you can see forever and almost
every peak. Almora allows you to enjoy the mighty Himalayas
together with ridge after ridge of hills painted in different
hues of blue and green. The terraced fields, the stone slatted
barrack-like village houses have so far put up a valiant fight
against the encroachments of urban expansion and destructive
development.
Places
of Interest
Almora also has some beautiful health resorts. The chief among
them is Ranikhet (1,829 meters). Ranikhet literally
means queen’s field. It is said that a Rani camped here once
and gave this name to the city. During the days of the Raj,
Ranikhet was a British cantonment.
There are a number of places of tourist interest around Ranikhet.
Chaubatia is famous for its Orchards; Tarikhet, eight
kilometers away, was once the nerve center of the Freedom
Movement. Mahatma Gandhi also lived here for a while; Majkhali
presents a fascinating view of snowy peaks and Upat, about
six kilometers from Ranikhet, has an exquisite golf course.
Kausani, 32 miles from Almora, is situated at a height of
1,890 meters. An enterprising Englishman, Mr. Norman Troop,
developed it as a tea garden. Binsar, about 32 kilometers
from Almora is situated at height of 2,412 meters. The Chand
Rajas used to camp here during summer. It offers a wonderful
view of the Himalayas.
Bajinath situated on the banks of the Gomti (a local
river) in Garur Valley, is an idyllic place. It is famous
for its 13th century temples. Jageshwar has a group of Shiva
temples and is on the Almora-Pithoragarh road and is situated
in a densely wooded beautiful narrow valley. The temples were
constructed in the 13th century. They are a marvel to see
for their artistic beauty and craftsmanship. Jageshwar is
among the 12-jyotir lingas in the country.
Bageshwar and Sitalakhet are other places of interest.
Bageshwar is one of the main camping sites for the journey
to Pindari Glacier, which is situated at a height of 3,820
meters. Kafni Glacier is also close by (3,860 meters) and
Sitalakhet is the new tourist resort on the Syahi Devi hill.
Almora has a museum that is a storehouse of information
about the cultural heritage of Kumaon. There is a deer
park on the outskirts of the city. The Nanda Devi temple
in the heart of the city is a must for visitors.
VISITING
ALMORA
By Air
The nearest airport is a Pant Nagar (Nainital). Regular flights
operate during the summer.
By Rail
The nearest railhead for Almora is Kathgodam.
By Road
Almora is well connected with all-important cities by road.
ALMORA - ACCOMODATION
There are hotels, Inspection Bungalows, private cottages available
to suit all budgets.
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