Almora

The minimum eligible age to consume alcohol in Uttarakhand is 21 years. You cannot buy and drink liquor if you are younger.

Temples : 

Almora, being called the Town of Temples, has some spectacular examples of the same. Let’s see what they are:

• Nanda Devi Temple - This auspicious temple is situated in the middle of the town. The deities worshipped there are Hindu Goddesses Nanda and Sunanda. Visit when are fairs are organised, which starts on Nag Panchami every year. Surrounded by snow- capped mountains; the entire location is enchanting and mesmerising.

• Kasar Devi Temple - This is a famous temple in Almora which is frequented by the locals and the tourists too. Built around 2nd century, the temple offers splendid views to the nearby valleys. Situated at the top of a mountain, this temple was visited by Swami Vivekananda in 1890-s and he meditated there. A fair is organised every year during the Kartik Poornima, in the honour of Devi.

• Jageshwar Dham - Jageshwar Dham is an auspicious village with around 124 stone temples dedicated to Shiva. The biggest among them is Dandeshwar temple. Apart from his, the other temples are Surya mandir, Nau Durga mandir, Mrityunjay mandir, etc. The place is frequented by the locals as they are all devotees of Shiva. During the annual festival on Shivratri, the village gets crowded by the locals from the entire Kumaon Region.

• Chitai Temple - The deity worshipped in this temple is a Hindu god Golu Devta. Golu Devta is believed to be a typical mythological god of Kumaon. He is worshipped as an incarnation of Shiva. It is believed that Godu Devta grants the wishes of his devotees really quick. The devotees offer bells to the temple after a wish is fulfilled. You will see a lot of bells of different sizes in the temple.

• Katarmal Sun Temple - This is a beautifully constructed temple where sun is worshipped as Vraddhaditya. There are 44 other temples surrounding the main temple. Once, an antique idol was stolen from the temple premises.

• Jhula Devi Temple - The story behind the establishment of the Jhula Devi Temple is very interesting. When the temple was not there, the villagers were too much scared of the wild animals like tigers, leopards, bears, etc., dwelling in a nearby jungle. They were attacked by the animals several times which made their living in that place almost impossible. They started praying to Maa Durga, goddess of strength and power. It is believed that Devi Durga appeared in the dream of a villager and she ordered to dig a place to discover an idol of her. Hence, the idol was taken out and a temple was constructed there. Since then, the villagers started to live freely and the children started playing without fear. The girls used to swing and enjoy. Then Maa Durga appeared again in someone’s dream and ordered to offer a swing to her. A wooden swing, called jhula in Hindi, was made and the idol was placed on it. Since then, the temple is known as Jhula Devi Temple, which means goddess on swing.

• Maa Dunaguri Temple - The temple with 500 steps is a must visit for all as the place is amidst great scenic beauty. You have to take a flight of 500 steps to reach the temple.

• Sri Ram Shila Mandir - This temple is often visited by the locals. The deity worshipped there is Sri Ram and his wife Sita.

• Patal Devi Temple - This temple is named Patal Devi as the temple is underground. Patal means the place below the ground. You have to go down through a tough way to reach the temple. The journey down there is thrilling with stone stairs. Hold the chains on either side for support.

• Gananath Mandir - This beautiful Shiva temple is near some beautiful natural caves. The entire location is bewitching with echoing sounds of the bell rings and hymns chanted. Visit the place during Kartik purnima in the month of November to see the annual festival and fair.

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are in Almora, you can never afford to miss this beautiful sanctuary with a great variety of flora and fauna. There are almost seven types of grasses. The entire place is covered with lush Rhododendron and pine trees. You can see Himalayan Gorals, wild boars, pine martens, red foxes, grey langurs, and a lot of other animals. Visit the place in March to see the beautiful red rhododendron flowers bloom.  

Zero point

This is a view point inside the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. You will get spectacular views of the Kedarnath, Trishul, Nanda Devi and shivling peaks of the Himalayan range.

Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum

This is a spectacular museum run by the Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army. The museum showcases the selflessness of the Kumaon Regiment soldiers and the memories of the soldiers who lost their lives safeguarding their motherland.

Bright End Corner

The Bright End Corner is a View Point to encounter spectacular sunrise and sunset. The place is calm and serene with a library nearby, the name of which is Vivekananda Library and as the name suggests, it houses a lot of books on Swami Vivekananda.  

Archaeological Museum, Jageshwar

The museum showcases the antique sculptures of the Jageshwar temples. There are almost 175 sculptures relating to Jageshwar. The main attraction of the museum, Pona Raja sculpture, is situated in its central hall. Pona Raja was a king in Kumaon. You can visit the museum from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Fridays.

Govind Vallabh Pant Museum

If you are interested in knowing the Kumaoni culture, visit Govind Vallabh Pant Museum. The museum showcases various photographs, sculptures and artefacts relating to the exotic Kumaon region. The visiting time of this museum is 10.30 am to 4.30 pm.

Rock Shelter

Called the Painted Rock Shelters, the place has a number of caves, where ancient humans used to dwell. It is named painted as you will find ancient paintings depicting their daily life, on the walls of the caves. Most of the paintings show animals, trees, humans, hunting processes, etc., in red and white colours. It is really fascinating to see what life was like then.

Simtola

This is picturesque picnic spot near Almora. It also acts as a view point to see the adjoining serene valleys. Opposite to the Horseshoe Ridge, this place is a major tourist attraction. The dense pine vegetation is worth visiting.

Trekking

If you find adventure in trekking, Almora has a number of treks for you which will surely mesmerize you. The Jageshwar trek is the best among all. What makes this trek so captivating is the enchanting natural beauty all along the trek. The lush greenery of the pine and rhododendron trees, the interesting wildlife, the magnificent birds, all have conspired to gift you an experience you will cherish lifelong.   

Wildlife

Almora has a great biodiversity. If you are an animal lover, you must visit the Bansar Wildlife Sanctuary to get amazed by the peculiar animals there. Also, Almora is a home to a large variety of birds. Don’t forget to carry your binoculars on treks.

Mountain biking

The lofty hills offer great paths for mountain biking. You will get to hire bikes near the areas meant for mountain biking. Satisfy your adventure craves by doing this adventurous sport on the enchanting mountains covered with lush green forests.

Nature

Almora is such a great tourist spot as it is filled with natural beauty and breath-taking views. The view from Zero Point to the Himalayan Ranges is extremely beautiful. Visit the place to see how captivating it is.

Locals

The locals of Almora are very simple and friendly. They are always happy to help. Don’t hesitate to seek help from the locals in case you can’t figure about something about this heavenly destination.

Food

The local cuisine of Kumaon region is mouth-watering. You will fall in love with the innovative sweets of Almora, such as the Bal Mithai which is a rich fudgy bar- like desert with sugar pearls all over. Another great desert is Singauri. It is made with evaporated milk wrapped in a leaf with a mouth-watering aroma.

Love Chocolate? The one you will get in Almora is Choklate. Made with condensed milk, you will love this super -yummy fudge. When you are in Almora, don’t forget to have the local Adrak Chai. Wondering what is it? It is Ginger flavoured Tea.

Festivals

The Town of Temples celebrates its festivals in an auspicious way. The main festival there is the Nanda Devi Festival celebrated in the month of September. The Uttaraini festival celebrated in January is also one of the prime festivals there. The other festivals include Jageshwar festival, holi, and Diwali.

Website :

Almora Travel Website

Uttrakhand Tourism