Almora is a picturesque town in Uttarakhand often referred as one of the oldest hill station in India. The beauty of Almora can't be described in world. Several famous personalities like Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda all were lost of words when tried to describe the beauty of this place.
Almora is a town in the background of snowy peaks of Himalayas, surrounded by lush green pine forest along with Koshi and Suyal rivers. All these factors make Almora is fine place to travel and spend a quite yet memorable vacation.
Almora is not only famous for its Himalayan peaks but several trekking routes for the adventure tourists. Trekking through the heart of Himalayas is an experience that no person can ever forget. Almora is the perfect place to live this experience.
Today Almora has been developed with all modern amenities to meet the demand of tourists. The town is rich in culture and heritage. Tourists would love to buy some local handicrafts, so unique that it can't be found anywhere else in India. Don't forget to try some delicious mouthwatering local dishes and enjoy a wonderful stay in Almore.
WHEN TO TRAVEL
Summer is the best time to travel Almora. Escape the heat of North India and spend some quality time with your family during the summer vacation. Avoid traveling to Almora during monsoon that starts from July.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Almora Fort - Almora Fort belongs to the Chand Dynasty Kings. The architecture of the fort will definitely manage to impress you.
Nanda Devi Temple - Over 1000 years old Nanda Devi Temple is the major tourist attraction in Almora. The temple attracts large number of pilgrims around the year.
Govind Vallabh Pant Public Museum - This is the only museum in Almora. The museum exhibits collections related to the local history, archeology and culture of Almora.
Binsar temple - Located just 8km from Almora is another important temple in the region, The Bineshwar temple.
Kasar Devi Temple - The Kasar Devi temple is located 6km from Almora. To reach the temple devotees will have to trek for around 1km.
Chitai Temple - Located 8km from Almora, Chitai Temple is dedicated to Lord Golu. It is believed that the temple has magical power that fulfills the wishes of devotees.
Baijnath - The Baijnath temple is among the oldest Shiv temples in India. The temple was constrcuted by the Katyuri Kings on the junction of Gomti and Saryu river.
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary - Just 33km north of Almora is one of the most beautiful wildlife Sanctuaries in India. Apart from its rich wildlife species the sanctuary is famous for the Zero Point, from where one can view some of the most breathtaking peaks of Himalayas like Nanda Devi, Shivling, Trishul, and Kedarnath Peak.
Kasar Devi Temple - Kasar Devi temple gained attention after Swami Vivekananda meditated here. The temple is around 8km from Binsar and very popular among foreign tourists.
Jageshwar - Jageshwar is an important Hindu pilgrimage town located 36km from Almora. The town is famous for temples like Jageshwar Mahadev, Sri Mahamritunjaya Mahadev, Dandeshwar Shiv Temple Complex, Vinayak Kshetra and Jhanker Saim Mahadev. In total there are over 124 temples in Jageshwar.
Deer Park - Just 3km from Almora, Deer Park is home to some endangered wildlife species like deer, Himalayan Black Beer and Leopard.
Katarmal - Katarmal is famous for the 800 years old Sun temple. This is the second only temple in India after the Konark Sun Temple in Orissa.
ALMORA HOTELS
There are few hotels in Almora like Quality Inn The Den Almora, Hotel Mount Heaven Almora, Club Mahindra Valley Resort Almora, Kasaar Jungle Resort Almora and WelcomHeritage Kumaon Hotel Almora.
HOW TO REACH
By Air - The nearest airport from Almora is located in Pantnagar (125km). Reaching Almora by air is perhaps the best way. There are fligts to Pantnagar from Delhi on alternate days. It will take around 4 hours to reach Almora from Pantnagar.
By Train - Kathgodam station is the nearest railway station from Almora around 35km away. You can take taxi from the station to reach Almora that will cost around Rs600 to 1000.
By Road - There are daily direct buses to Almora from ISBT Anand Vihar in Delhi. The bus will take around 14 to 16 hours. Alternatively you can drive to Almora from Delhi. It will save around 4 to 6 hours depending on your driving.
