Almora
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Jawaharlal Nehru served a term of imprisonment in the jail at Almora during the British rule. He left behind an elaborate account of the pleasures of solitude and the varied moods of nature in his various letters written from this place to his daughter.
Understand
Almora, a town of about 60,000, is situated in the Kumaon mountains of the Himalayas in eastern Uttarakhand. Most of the town is situated on a crescent shaped mountain ridge about 5 km long, and most of it is above 1,800 m. The rivers Kosi and Suyal flow around Almora providing a natural barrier. Unlike Shimla, Ranikhet and Nainital, which were developed by the English, Almora is a hill station totally developed by the Kumaoni Indians.
The town is typical of crowded hill towns in northern India, but the natural beauty around it is astounding. Almora is also called a town of temples. Situated in the centre of the town is the temple of Goddess Nanda Devi. The mountain is visible from the nearby areas as well.
Almora is an agricultural base and also a trade centre.
The town is typical of crowded hill towns in northern India, but the natural beauty around it is astounding. Almora is also called a town of temples. Situated in the centre of the town is the temple of Goddess Nanda Devi. The mountain is visible from the nearby areas as well.
Almora is an agricultural base and also a trade centre.
Get in
Almora can be reached by three different routes. The most common of it is via Nainital. Almora lies 90 km north of the nearest railway station at Kathgodam.
Driving to Almora takes 10 to 12 hours. From Delhi, it's highway driving throughout. NH 24 connects Delhi to Rampur via Hapur. At Rampur, turn and head north on NH 87 all the way up to Almora. En-route halts include the Wonderland, Rwy crossing, Moradabad and The Kaichi temple, Kaichi.
JA 101 - Dep. Delhi 1315 Arr. PantNagar 1415 (Mon, Wed, Fri)
JA 102 - Dep. Delhi 1445 Arr. PantNagar 1545 (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Fare - ₹2250/$ 90 for adults, ₹1400/$ 55 for children.
Taxi fare is around ₹1200-₹1500.
By train
The town is served by the Kathgodam station, which is located approximately 35 km away. Taxis charge ₹600 to Almora. You can also share a cab at ₹125 per person. Most hotels will arrange for pick up on prior request, ₹700-₹1000. The station handles 46 express trains per week.- Shatabadi Express(12040) daily-EC, CC-Dep New Delhi 0620 hrs, Arrival Kathgodam 1120 hrs
- Bagh Exp (daily) - Dep. Howrah 2145 Arr. 0935 - 2 nights
- Dehradun Kathgodam Exp (Wed, Sun) - Dep. 2230 Arr. 0725 - 1 night
- Ranikhet Exp (daily) - Dep. Delhi Jn 2245 Arr. 0500 - 1 night
- Sampark Kranti Exp (daily) - Dep. Delhi Jn 1600 Arr. 2245 - 7 hours
By road
There are daily bus services from Delhi. The buses leave from ISBT Anand Vihar and are run by Uttarakhand Roadways.Driving to Almora takes 10 to 12 hours. From Delhi, it's highway driving throughout. NH 24 connects Delhi to Rampur via Hapur. At Rampur, turn and head north on NH 87 all the way up to Almora. En-route halts include the Wonderland, Rwy crossing, Moradabad and The Kaichi temple, Kaichi.
By plane
Contrary to popular belief, flying into Almora is the fastest way to reach the hill station. Almora is served by PantNagar Airport (PGH), located about 4 hours away. It is served only by Jagson airlines. It is one of the least busy airports in the country, handling only 6 scheduled flights a week.JA 101 - Dep. Delhi 1315 Arr. PantNagar 1415 (Mon, Wed, Fri)
JA 102 - Dep. Delhi 1445 Arr. PantNagar 1545 (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Fare - ₹2250/$ 90 for adults, ₹1400/$ 55 for children.
Taxi fare is around ₹1200-₹1500.
See
- Binsar temple The Bineshwar temple is a large temple complex situated 8 km from Almora. In addition, there is a good view from the nearby Binsar Top.
Temples NearbyThere are many temples in and around Almora. One can visit Chitai Temple, 8 km from city, and a group of temples in Jageshwar (20 km from Almora).
Kasar Devi, 8 km from the city, has great views.
Do
Walk the famous bazaar - still with glimpses of the old Kumaouni culture
Buy
- Copperware
- Woolen garments.
-
Himalaya Woollens
address: Fair ViewLocal hand woven tweeds that you can also see being made.
Eat
Bal Mithai, a famous milk sweet of Almora. Also Choklate (not chocolate), a condensed milk sweet with fudge-like consistency and Singauri, again a kind of milk sweet wrapped in a green Malu leaf, which gives it its acclaimed flavour.
Drink
Lots of 'adrak' (ginger) tea - the popular local drink - is offered to welcome guests and also to keep warm.
Sleep
Budget
Hotels include the upscale Club Mahindra and the relatively down-to-earth KMVN (Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam) Tourist Rest House.-
Ayush Guest House
phone: +91 9719376490address: Paparsali Badi, Almora -
phone: +91 94120 92267address: Near Taxi Stand Link Road Almora
-
phone: +91 9410158598, +91 5962251019address: KasardeviThe jungal house is home to Kishan and his wife Prema.They live here with their 2 sons Rakhshit & Vishal. They are a typical kumaoni family,living in the central block of the house. They have build the extra room for guests. 4 rooms.
Mid-range
Splurge
- Binsar Resort.
- Kalmatia Sangam - just outside of Almora.
- Khali Estate.
- Sitala Estate .
Go next
- Binsar is a wildlife sanctuary 25 km from Almora. Taxis can be taken at the Almora taxi stand. The sanctuary has one resort (Club Mahindra Resort) and a forest guesthouse with an attached restaurant. Binsar has a beautifully lazy feel around it. There are jungle walkaways and one can see lots of birds everywhere. In the winter Binsar can be very cold and heavy woolens are required.
- Quaint hill resorts such as Chaukori, Ranikhet, Sitlakhet, Binsar, Kausani and Bageshwar are all around Almora and attract nature lovers.