Almora

Location : In Almora district of Uttarakhand; Co-Ordinates: 29 037' North and 79040' East
Best Time to Visit : April - June, September - November
Main Attractions : Jageshwar Temple, Gana Nath Temple, Chaiti Temple, Katarmal Temple

Almora is located in the Kumaon region of the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. It is a quaint town full of life, with a prosperous cultural inheritance and history. It is believed to be the ‘Artistic Capital’ of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Almora is surrounded by dense and impenetrable pine and fir trees. Rivers Koshi (Kaushiki) and Suyal (Salmale) flow along the city, giving it very charming, postcard perfect scenery for visitors.

It is interesting to note that many prominent personalities have their roots in Almora. Hollywood actress Uma Thurman spent most of her childhood and teenage years in the town of Almora. Famous lyricist Prasoon Joshi, respected artist Uday Shankar and Mohan Upreti have also spent a part of their life in Almora. Famous cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s father stayed here and had farms till 1964. Mahatma Gandhi was a great aficionado of Almora and stayed for fortnights at a stretch.

Tourist Attractions

Almora is a district place located at centre south of Uttarakhand State in India. Situated at an altitude of 1, 638 meters above the sea level, Almora offers breathtaking views of the majestic snow capped Himalayas.

Places to See Near Almora

The town of Almora is an extremely beautiful and hospitable hill station in Uttarakhand. It is a homogenous mixture of its royal past, British heritage and modern comforts.

History of Almora

History of Almora can be traced back to ancient times of Mahabharata. However, the earliest historical account of the place is provided by a Chinese pilgrim of seventh century. The pilgrim wrote in great detail about a kingdom called ‘Brahmaputra’.

How to Reach

By Air
The nearest airport is the Pantnagar Airport, located about 125 km away from the main city of Almora. From the airport, one can take a pre-paid taxi to Almora. There are flights to Delhi from Pantnagar Airport on alternate days

By Train
Nearest railway station to Almora is at Kathgodam which is about 91 km away. Railway connects Kathgodam to most of the major cities in India. It takes around 3-4 hours by taxi to reach Almora city from Kathgodam.

By Road
Almora is well connected to major destinations of the region. From Delhi, one has to first take NH 24 to Rampur and from there NH 87 to Kathgodam. From Kathgodam, a state highway (Ranikhet-Almora Road) via Bhowali leads to Almora.