Almora Travel Guide

Travelmasti provides travel information on Almora city, Almora Hotels Booking, Almora travel guide and all travel destinations and places to see in and around Almora Uttaranchal.

Almora: Picturesque district of Almora is a fine blend of mountain beauty; ancient cultural influences, sanctified spots, thickly wooded forests, scenic valleys, quaint cottages, crystal lakes and gushing rivers…… all inspiring one to call it the ‘Switzerland of India’. 

Almora is a hill district in the central Kumaon region of Uttaranchal. It is a beautiful scenic place situated at an altitude of 5900 ft.

It was founded by Raja Kalyan of Chand Dynasty in 1560 AD. Almora is a town in the shape of a horse shoe perched on a 5 km long mountain

range in between the river Kosi and Suyal There is a cave where Swami Vivekanand meditated and was enlightened. Almora was captured by British from Gorkhas, who have left their mark on this town. Nanda Devi festival is celebrated here, during which devotees from all over India visit this place.

Sight Seeing: Nearby places of tourist interest where an excursion can be made within a day are Bright End Corner’s unforgettable sunset, Chitai temple with it’s unique collection of brass bells of all sizes, gifted to the temple by devotees since centuries,

Kasar Devi which houses many Europeans who fell in love with the place so much that they settle down, Nanda Devi Temple the cultural and religious center of Almora for now hundreds of years and Lala Bazaar a unique market of more than two hundred years with paved streets of stone.

Bright End Corner: Almora is 2 kms away from here. A highlight of this point is the sunset and the sunrise seen through the Himalayan peaks. A circuit house close by allows tourists to spend some time in this peaceful surrounding. Close by is the Vivekanand

Library which has many books on literature. A little away is the Vivekanand Memorial where Swami Vivekanand had stopped for a while on his journey to the Himalayas.

Martola: This picnic spot amidst gardens is 10 kms away from Almora.

Most of the people who live here are foreigners. Buses and taxis come up to a point called Panuwanaula and from there onwards one has to walk.

Kalimutt : 4.5 kms from Almora,  this picnic spot gives a lovely view of the Himalayan Peaks.

Deer Park:

3 kms from Almora this park is  in NTD (Narayan Tiwari Dewai).

State Museum: This museum is near the bus stand . It is closed on Mondays and other Government Holidays. It is open from 10:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Simtola: 3 kms from Almora Simtola is a picnic spot from where one can view the beautiful mountains covered with pine and deodar trees.

Chitai Temple: This is a very busy area. This temple is dedicated to Lord Golu.

The people of Kumaon worship him. Once a wish is fulfilled people hang little bells in this temple. Therefore there are thousands of little bells hanging there. The view of the Himalayas is extremely beautiful from here. This temple is 8 kms away by walk through a beautiful pine forest, but one can go by cart too.

Katarmal:

This 800-year old Sun Temple is the second in importance after the Sun Temple of Konark in Orissa. Seven kms away from Almora this historical important temple  is an example of intricate sculpturing. This temple is in need of restoration now.

Binsar:

30 kms from Almora Binsar  has a temple of Shiva who is also called  Bineswar. 2412 mts above sea level this temple was constructed by King Kalyan of the Chand  Dynasty.  Visiting this temple gives one peace of mind.

Jageshwar:

34 kms away from Almora  this temple of Shiva  is situated amidst a dense Deodar forest and has a lot of mythological importance. Here there are about 164 temples of this  kind. 

Nanda Devi Temple:

This 1000-year old temple is one of the main attraction of Almora. Its walls have carvings on them. Every year a festival is held here in which youth from various mountainous areas come here to participate in this dance festival.

Gannath: 

47 kms from Almora this is an ancient Shiva temple  with natural caves.  2116 mts above sea level this place is a favourite with nature lovers. 

Kasar Devi:

Near Kalimutt is the temple of  Kasar Devi.

This ancient temple was built on a mountain peak in the second century. The distance between Kalimatt and Kasar Devi is less than 1 km and can be easily covered by foot. The surrounding area has become the home of many foreigners. The main town is 6 km away.

Accessibility

By Air: The nearest airport is a Pant Nagar (Nainital). During the summer regular flights are operational.

Rail: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam (90kms.). Connected by rail with Lucknow, Delhi and Howrah.

Road : Connected by road with most places of Uttaranchal
Distance from Almora:
Lucknow (466),
Dehradun (412),
Nainital (71),
Delhi (382),

Bareilly (205),
Kathgodam (90),
Pithoragarh (122),
Haridwar (357),
Haldwani (96).

Almora Tour Operator

Nainital Travel Guide

Travelmasti provides Nainital travel guide, Nainital hotels, travel information on Nainital city and all travel destinations and places to see in and around Nainital Uttaranchal.

Travel to Nainital by taking exclusive travel packages for Nainital sightseeing tours and travel ecursions to nearby places. Nainital Travel guide also highlights various travel attractions of Nainital, famous markets, food and top hotels in Nainital. Travel guide of Nainital also tells about how to reach Nainital, climate of Nainital besides various other tourist information.

Nainital – The first recorded discovery of this now popular hill station of Nainital, was in 1841 when a British, Mr. Barron, chanced upon the lake. Moved by the scenic beauty of the lake and thickly forested hills, he constructed a house named Pilgrim’s Cottage.

It was the first of many residences, which were to transform Nainital into a popular resort. By 1858, Nainital became a well-known hill station, and within a few years became the summer seat of the provincial government.

According to local belief the origin of Nainital dates back to mythological times. Sati, Lord Shiva’s consort committed suicide at the yajna of Daksha Prajapati.

When Lord Shiva roamed across the universe carrying her dead body, Sati’s eye fell near the lake, where the Naina Devi temple now stands. The waters of the lake are therefore considered sacred and the Naina Devi temple is the venue of an autumnal fair. In ancient times, the lake was know as the Tri-rishi Sarovar, the lake of three rishis-Atri, Pulastya and Pulaha.

Prior to 1839, the valley was covered by thick forests and inhabited by hill tribesmen. A major landslide in 1880 led to the formation of the flat level ground by the lake, where a variety of entertainment awaits the traveler.  Nainital’s attractions range from quiet walks in meadows to the forests of pine and deciduous, the adventure sports as well as popular entertainment. This hill resort can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Nainital is also known as ‘Lake Paradise’. In its beautiful ‘lakes ‘, option of boating through yachts, paddle boats and traditional rowing boats are available. The Nainital Boat House Club exclusively holds the management of Yachting in Nainital. In Nainital district, Sat Tal, Bhim Tal and Naukuchiyatal also have water sport and boating facilities. Nainital is famous for its candles, woolens, woodcrafts and handicrafts.

General Info

Area : 11.7 Sq. km.

Population : 30,951 (1991 census)

Altitude : 1938 meters above sea level.

Season : March- June, mid September – October
Clothing: Summer – Light Woolens; Winters – Heavy Woolens

Language : Hindi, English & Kumaoni.

Local Transport : Rickshaws, Dandies, Ropeway, Ponies, Taxis.

STD Code: 05942

Accessibility

Rail – Nearest railway station is at Kathgodam -35 km, which is connected by meter guage to Agra, Bareilly and Lucknow.

Road – Nainital is connected by road to major centers of northern India, some of the major road distances are:

Almora – 62 km.

Agra – 379 km.

Delhi – 277 km.

Kausani – 117 km

Ranikhet – 60km.

Corbett (Dhikala) – 128 km.

Bareilly – 141 km

Places to visit

Snow View – Situated at 2270 meters this popular vantage point is accessible by rope way. It offers an excellent view of the northern Himalayan ranges.

Naina Peak – At 2611 meters this is the highest peak bordering the lake. A popular picnic spot which offers a panoramic view of the resort.

Dorothy’s Seat – Named in memory of an English woman who was killed in an air crash. This pleasant spot offers a partial view of Nainital.

Land’s End – Situated at 2881 meters on the southern border of the lake, this hill affords a view of another lake, Khurpa Tal.

Hanuman Garhi – A place of religious interest, also good for viewing the setting sun.

State Observatory – Located on the top of a ridge, the observatory is open to the public in the evening.

The Mall – Nainital’s popular promenade offers a variety of entertainment

Excursion

Kilbury – 10 km. Accessible by road, it is part of a forest reserve and rich in flora and bird life.

Khurpa Tal – 10 km. A small lake along the Nainital-Kaladhungi-Ramnagar Road, popular with picnickers and anglers.

Bhowali – 11 km. Situated at an altitude of 1706 meter on the main Haldwani-Almora Road, it is a popular health resort.

Jeolikote – 18 km. A noted bee-keeping Center.

Sat Tal – 21 km. One of the most picturesque resorts of Kumaon, it has seven interconnected lakes. KMVN provides accommodation facilities.

Bhim Tal – 22 km. Fast developing into an independent tourist center, this lake resort offers a quite vacation and facilities for water sports. KMVN has a Tourist Bungalow here.

Naukuchiya Tal – 26 km. A nine-cornered lake situated in an enchanting valley, this is a popular haunt of anglers and naturalists.

Ramgarh – 26 km. A picturesque hamlet set in the midst of fruit orchards. This fruit belt of Kumaon is famous for its juicy fruits all over India.

Kaladhungi – 35 km. Situated in the Terai, and surrounded by thick forests of Sal, this was the winter home of noted hunter and naturalist, Jim Corbett. His house has been turned into a museum.

Ram Nagar – 50 km.

Mukteshwar – 51 km. from Nainital, Mukteshwar set atop a high ridge, is one of Kumaon’s beautiful resorts. It abounds in fruit orchards and dense coniferous forests. It also offers a fine view of the majestic Himalayas, as well as of Almora. The famous Indian Veterinary Research Institute is located in Mukteshwar.

Ghorakhal – 37 km. Famous for the temple of Gollu Devta, a demi god highly revered by the Kumaoni. The famous Sainik School of India is also located here.

State Govt. Tourism Accommodation

Nainital Club.

Naina Tourist Rest House (KMVN), Sukhatal, Mallital.

Sarovar Tourist Rest House (KMVN), Tallital.

Rope Way Tourist Rest House (KMVN), Snow View.

There are a number of restaurants in Nainital, serving a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine.

Hospitals – Badri Dutt Pande Hospital, Mallital.

Festivals – Autumn Festival (October), Nanda Devi Fair (August-September).

Best time to visit – The best time to visit any hill resort in India is certainly the summer months from March to June. The months of September and October are also pleasant to be visited. Though the monsoon season in between from end of June to August should be avoided. Book hotels in Nainital: Nainital Hotels.

Nainital Tour Operator