Almora Tourism

Being situated in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, the city of Almora is well-known for its cuisines, wildlife and culture. The city was popular as “Rajapur” when the Chand kings used to rule the place. Almora is bounded by thick fir and pine forests. The city was also visited by Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi. Almora was established by the people of Kumaon unlike the nearby hill stations such as Ranikhet and Nainital which were established by the British people. The city is also popular as “The Town of Temples”. Following are the top 10 sight-seeing places in Almora:

Katarmal Sun Temple in Almora

This temple is dedicated to Sun (God) and is situated at a distance of 16 kilometers from the city of Almora. This holy temple dates back to the ninth century AD and was built by Medieval Katyuri Emperors. The ceilings and walls of the temple are embellished with beautiful carvings. Katarmal Sun Temple happens to be the second important sun temple of India which is renowned for its unique architecture. Inside the temple complex one can witness a pious shrine which is encircled by 45 small shrines which have been sculpted from stone.

Visitor’s Information: Entry is free for all. The temple remains open throughout the week. Duration of checking out the temple is one-two hours.

Things to do: You can visit Ranikhet which is 17 kilometers away from the Katarmal Temple. Kosi village which is located very close to the temple can also be visited.

Martola in Almora

Martola is located 10 km away from Almora and is a very famous tourist spot. The place lies in the midst of verdant forests. Martola is well-known for its lush green gardens and is a sought-after place for its picturesque sites. A plethora of tourists flock the place to take pleasure in the pictorial surroundings. Martola is positioned 520 m above the sea level and boasts the background of the giant Himalayas.

Visitor’s Information: Famous for Himalayas, nature, sight-seeing places and gardens. Entry is free for all. Takes about one to two hours to explore the entire place.

Things to do: You can enjoy trekking at Martola. Check out the Katarmal Sun Temple located in the vicinity. Enjoy a leisurely walk.

Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum in Almora

This well-known museum was set up in the 1970’s. It is positioned uphill from Mall road in the city of Almora. This museum has an amazing treasure of weapons and other stuff that were recovered from different wars such as the India-China war in 1962 and World War II. The main reason to set up this museum was to revere the courageous soldiers and also to preserve the culture of Kumaon region.

Visitor’s Information: Renowned for Indian army, history and war relics. Entry fee is Rs 20. The museum can be visited any day between 9 AM to 5 PM. The time duration to explore the place is one hour.

Things to do: To bask in the natural beauty of the place, enjoy trekking, have a peaceful and pleasurable time at the nearby eateries.

Gobind Vallabh Pant Museum in Almora

This famous museum of Almora is named after Gobind Vallabh Pant who was the renowned freedom fighter of India. Situated at the Mall road of the city, the museum boasts a remarkable compilation of ancient items. All these antique stuff belong to the medieval period when the Chand and Katyuri Kings used to rule the region. This prominent museum is also embellished with folk paintings. The enormous information on the History and Culture of Uttarakhand can also be found here.

Visitor’s Information: Famous for artifacts, Kumaon paintings and historical information. Entry is free for all. The museum timings are from 10.30 AM to 4.30 PM(for all days of the week). One hour is enough to check out this entire museum.

Things to do: Enjoy the mouth-watering sweets on the Mall road, Almora. Pay a visit to a historical shrine.

Chitai Golu Dewta Temple in Almora

The main deity of Uttarakhand’s Kumaun region who is also famous as the “God of Justice” is the deity of this temple as well. There are myriad legends associated with this pious shrine and this is the reason why it is flocked by innumerable devotees. A large number of devotees pay a visit to this temple to offer letters (with their wishes and problems) and they hang a bell when all their wishes get fulfilled. You can witness a vast number of bells hanging here in various sizes and shapes. The temple has a tranquil environment which makes it a notable and a must-visit place.

Visitor’s Information: Entry is free. Remains open on all days. Pilgrimage site. Takes half an hour to one hour to travel around the place.

Things to do: Trekking is a pleasurable activity that can be enjoyed here. Take pleasure in the striking views. Check out the Dana Golu Dewta temple located nearby.

Kasar Devi temple in Almora

The temple is devoted to the main deity – Kasar Devi and dates back to the second century AD. The average elevation of the temple is 2100 m above the sea level. Kasar Devi shrine is the most sought-after place among hikers because the place offers picturesque views of the environs. The temple is surrounded by thick Deodar and Pine forests which invite a variety of bird species. Swami Vivekananda paid a visit to this temple and practiced meditation for a few days. It is also said that many spirituality leaders and mediators have also visited this place in 60s. This holy place comes under the belt of Van Allen which is one among the 3 places (the other 2 are- 1. Stone Henge(England) and 2. Machu Picchu (Peru)) in the entire world that come under the same belt.

Visitor’s Information: Entry is free. Popular for natural beauty and pilgrimage. Remains open on all days. Takes about 1-1.5 hours to roam around the place.

Things to do: Backpacking, trekking and bird watching are some enjoyable activities to do at this site. You can take a break at Crank’s Ridge. (Crank’s Ridge is also popular as “Hippie Hill” is a ridge covered with pine and it lies on the way to the temple of Kasar Devi.)

Binsar Wildlife Santuary in Almora

In 1988, this place was set up as a forest reserve which earlier used to be the summer capital of Chand Rulers. The sanctuary is located 23.7 km away from Almora and it takes about an hour to reach the place. The elevation of this sanctuary is from 900-2500 m with its peak called the “Zero Point”. You can enjoy the beautiful views of the nearby peaks (Nanda Devi, Shivling, Kedarnath and Trishul) from this point. The main reason to establish this forest was to preserve a special kind of Oak (Shrinking Broad Leaf Oak). The sanctuary houses more than 200 species of migratory and resident birds.

Visitor’s Information: Entry fee is Rs 150 for the adults and if you want to take your vehicle inside the sanctuary you need to pay an extra Rs 250. The sanctuary remains open from dawn to dusk. Takes about 2 hours to cover the entire place. Famous for wildlife, flora, adventure and fauna.

Things to do: Enjoy trekking. Check out the “Zero Point”. Pay homage to Binsar Mahadev; the temple lies on the way to the sanctuary.

Bright End Corner in Almora

This spot is said to be a vantage point which bestows its visitors with the best scenic views of sunrise as well as sunset in the midst of the Himalaya mountains. Bright End Corner marks the starting point of Mall road of the Almora city. This renowned site of Almora is named after Mr. Brighton. The place also boasts a number of meditation centers. There is also a library here which is well-known as the “Swami Vivekananda Library”.

Visitor’s Information: Popular for picturesque views, sunrise and sunset views, mountain ranges. Entry is totally free and open to everyone. Takes around half an hour to explore and bask in the beauty of the place.

Things to do: Binge eating at the coffee shops, have picnic with your friends and family, calm down at the mediation centers, visit the Vivekananda library.

Kalimut in Almora

Located amidst the fir and pine trees, Kalimut is one of the most sought-after picnic spots of Almora. This place is just 3 km away from the city of Almora. Earlier this place was a diamond mine. Kalimut is said to be a granite hill. This picturesque village town is positioned at horseshoe ridge’s end and is preferred by a majority of people for its peaceful environs. A large number of people visit the place with their friends and family to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place.

Visitor’s Information: The place is visited by a plethora of people to take pleasure in nature’s beauty and photography. Kalimut remains open to everyone from morning till sunset. To explore the place you need minimum 1.5 to 2 hours on your hands.

Things to do: Visit the Kaali Temple which is located in the vicinity of Kalimut. Enjoy shopping and trekking.

Binsar Zero Point in Almora

If you want to behold the Himalayas at its best, you ought to check out the Binsar Zero Point located inside the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. From this point you can enjoy the striking views of a number of Himalayan peaks such as – Shivling, Nanda Devi, Kedarnath and Trisul. In addition, Zero Point also offers the pictorial views of the terrain as well as the neighboring valleys located in the vicinity of the sanctuary. Photographers and nature lovers find it as a must-visit place in Almora.

Visitor’s Information: Visited for scenic beauty and photography. Entry fee is Rs 150 for grown-ups and Rs 250 extra if you take your vehicle inside. Remains open on all days from dawn to dusk. Takes 30 minutes to one hour to travel around the site.

Things to do: Enjoy Photography and trekking. Visit the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

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