Almora

Away from the bright lights of cities, in a peaceful atmosphere lies Almora which brings alive all that is beautiful in nature. Almora is situated at the top a peak that is half circular.

Almora is a town in the shape of a horse shoe. It is on a 5 km long mountain range. It has its own historical, cultural and political importance. Once upon a time, it was the capital of Kumau. It was set up by King Balo Kalyan Chand in 1563.The descendents from the Kyutar dynasty and the Chand dynasty ruled here in the old times. The forts, other historical monuments, courts and governmental offices are still present today. The two rivers, Kaushik (Koshi) and Shalmali (Suyal) flow near the town. The snow capped peaks of the Himalayas look like a long train of ice and snow from here.

Each and every inch of Almora is filled with scenic beauty and the town has maintained its ancient tradition even today. This is clearly evident in the construction of the houses and in the roads made out of slate stone.

Almora is also called a town of temples. Situated in the centre of the town is the temple of Goddess Nanda Devi. Unlike Shimla, Ranikhet and Nainital which were developed by the English, Almora is a hill station totally developed by the Indians.

Almora has many fruit orchards like apples, peaches, apricots, plums, etc.

Tourists Spots:

Chitai Temple: This is a very busy area. This temple is dedicated to Lord Golu. The people of Kumau 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.

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 Vivekananda Library which has many books on literature. A little away is the Vivekananda Memorial where Swami Vivekananda 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.

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.

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

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. 

Bageshwar: 90 kms from Almora, Bageshwar is  the trade center of   Kumau.  Founded in 1450, on the banks of the river Sarayu, it has a temple of Baghnath. Hotels and tourists guesthouses are available here for accommodation. Further ahead from here is the Pindari Glacier.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Temperature:

Restaurants:

Distance from Main Cities:

Travel Plans :

Air: The closest Airport is Pantnagar which is 127 kms away.

Rail: The closest railway is Kathgodan. This is 91 kms away from Almora. Regular train services are there from   Delhi, Lucknow,  Calcutta, Agra , Bareli. Romper and meter gauge trains run  till Llama(112 kms) . From Kathgodam and Llama there are buses and taxis available.

Road: Almora is connected by road from all the main cities of Utter Pradesh and Delhi. The Kumau  Motor Owners Union runs buses from Haldwani. Nainital has many travel agents running their buses to Almora. 

Tourists Season: All through the year except  during monsoons.

What to Buy:  If you visit Almora do not forget to taste the locally made sweets  which are famous all through the country. Apart from this woollen clothings made from the fur of  the Angora rabbit can be bought here.  Brass and Copper items can also be bought.