Almora Tourist Guide- Charming Kumaoun Himalayas

Almora Tourist Guide: overview

Almora is a hill district in the central Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It is a beautiful scenic place situated at an altitude of 5900 ft. It was founded by Raja Kalyan of Chand Dynasty in 1560 AD. It is a town in the shape of a horse shoe perched on a 5 km long mountain range in between the river Kosi and Suyal. Nestled amidst the misty and green Kumaoun Himalayas, Almora is a little picturesque hilly town which has excellent scenic beauty and allures the nature loves from world over.

The panoramic landscape of Almora provides an unforgettable experience to travelers.  The green mountain ranges surrounding the town, along with the gushing Koshi and Suyal rivers make the scenic beauty of this hill station incomparable.

Why you must visit Almora?

The town of Almora is located at the foothills of crescent shaped mountains, surrounded by green mountain ranges and valleys. Almora is famous among tourists, as the town of temples, with the many holy temples located in and around the city. One of the main temples in Almora is the temple of Goddess Nanda Devi located in the center of town. The other important temples in the town are Chitai temple, Kasar Devi temple and Katarmal Sun temple. There are also some picturesque picnic spots near Almora that provide panoramic view of the region including Kalimath, Bright End Corner and Simtola. The town is also known for its growing business and commercial presence in the state of Uttarakhand. There is a lot for travelers to shop in the town including garments, handicrafts, and paintings. One of the well known shopping items here is the Angora cloth, which is made from the Angora rabbits.

What is unique in Almora?

Almora is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It is a picturesque district with a mesmerizing panoramic view of Himalayas. it is a tourists worldwide alluring grandeur of natural beauty. It affords breathtaking views of the snowy summits of Himalayas and is an excellent place for a peaceful holiday. Picturesque district of Almora is a fine blend of mountain beauty, ancient cultural influences, sanctified spots, thickly wooded forests, scenic valleys, quaint cottages, crystal lakes and gushing rivers all inspiring one to call it the 'Switzerland of India'. 

 There is a cave where Swami Vivekanand meditated and was enlightened. Almora was captured by British from Gorkhas, who have left their mark on this town. Nanda Devi festival is celebrated here, during which devotees from all over India visit this place. Almora district is endowed with exceptional natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, exquisite handicrafts, delectable cuisine and exotic wildlife, coupled with an easy accessibility.

History of Almora Uttarakhand

In 1560 the capital of Chand Dynasty was shifted to Almora by Kalyan Chand.  Almora town was founded by Raja Balo Kalyan Chand in 1563 A.D. in the northern part of Uttarakhand. In the 9th century AD (before its establishment), the region around Almora was ruled by the Katyur dynasty. Almora was then capital city of Chand Rulers. By 16th century it was ruled by rulers from Chandravansh.

In 1790 Almora was annexed by the Nepali Gorkhas and finally the British had taken over the control of this place from Gorkhas in 1815. Further development of Almora had been done by the British. It is said that Swami Vivekananda visited and meditated in this region in 1890s.

More about Almora

It is believed that Yoga first started in Almora region because of which it got the name of Yoga Capital of India. Religious people from different parts of the states come to Almora with spirituality in their minds. The amazing fact is that the famous Beatle’s gathered this place and their first album was written in this historic place. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi originated in this region that gave importance to Yoga and made this region famous for Yoga. He got his fame in the Transcendental meditation technique introduced by him.

Almora Weather

Almora has a pleasant and cool climate all through the year with the annual average maximum temperature is around 23°C and average minimum temperature is about 11.5°C.

Summers (April to July):  are moderate with maximum temperature below 30°C and is ideal for all sightseeing visits.

Monsoons (August to October): are associated with moderate rains, it makes Almora beautiful and attractive with fresh greeneries.

Winters (December to February): offer chilly cool climate with temperature touching down to 4°C. December and January months are freezing.

Best time to visit Almora

Best time to visit Almora is during March to November.

March to June months are inviting for outings and sightseeing.

July to November months are really beautiful with intermittent showers and those who like to be in rains are welcomed.

December to February months are chilly with snow fallings and dew.

Food in Almora

• There are no signature restaurants in Almora but though a number of dhabas dot the entire region. The food is quite standard and both veg. and non-veg. delicacies are available.

• If we talk about the desert the sweet specialties of the region - the khoya singori and bal mithai, available at the numerous sweet shops.

• For vegetarians, New Glory Restaurant is quite popular and of course the Madras Café, which serves quite a good range on South Indian food like tiffins, dosas, idlis and uttapams.

• The smaller dhabas near the Mall - they have the usual noodles, aloo-tikki and puri-aloo.

• Most popular is the Shikhar Restaurant, which serves Indian food - their chicken curry and rice is a good combo. Similar to this is the Swagath Restaurant, where you can take pleasure of the rabdi-falooda.