Kosi River valley near Almora, Uttarakhand
Considered the cultural center of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Almora is a popular hill station 316 km from the state capital Dehradun. Situated at 1646 ms, popular pilgrimage sites like Nanda Devi and Jageshwar are located near Almora and fairs held at these temples attract thousands of devotees from across the world. Almora also serves as the starting point for many treks like Mornaula, Mukteshwar, Binsar, Ranikhet among others.
Almora was founded in 1568 by Kalyan Chand during the rule of the Chand dynasty. Prior to that the region was under the control of Katyuri King Bhaichaldeo who donated a part of Almora to Sri Chand Tiwari. Almora is also a good place to catch up on history. Govind Ballabh Pant Museum houses a rich collection of artifacts belonging to the Katyuri and the Chand dynasty. CHECK OUT
Besides the museum and temples, Almora also has the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary for the wildlife enthusiasts. Cave paintings dating back to the Stone Age can be found on the outskirts of Almora at Phulaseema (4 km), Pharkanauli and Lakhuudiyar (20 km). Humans doing daily chores and dancing and animals and reptiles form the theme of the paintings.
Almora is also a cantonment town and serves as the home to the Gorkha Rifles.
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN ALMORA
Almora has a decent range of budget and mid-range hotels along the Mall Road and Link Road. It also has a few resorts. During September, hotels rooms tend to get booked fast since tourists throng the town to attend the Nanda Devi fair and so it is advisable to make your travel plans in advance.
BEST PLACES TO EAT IN ALMORA
Bal Mithai is a popular sweet made of milk, found in Almora Options to eat in Almora are limited. Most of the restaurants are situated on Mall Road. The restaurants generally offer north Indian and Kumaoni cuisines. In-house restaurants in hotels are usually good options to eat. Most of them offer multiple cuisines like Indian, Chinese and Continental. A few cafes are also located on Mall Road.
BEST TIME TO VISIT ALMORA
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Almora is as given below. The best time to visit Almora is also specified.