Introduction:

Almora is a hill station in Uttarakhand State. Almora was the seat of power of the Chand Dynasty who ruled the land of Kumaon for almost one thousand years. An interesting fact about the discovery of Almora is that unlike other hill stations, it was not discovered and developed by the British. There is an interesting local legend about the discovery of Almora. Jawaharlal Nehru served a term of imprisonment in the Jail at Almora during the British rule.

Photo Credit: Travelling Slacker

Destination Facts:

Location: Uttarakhand, Kumaon.
Altitude : 1638 Meters
Area: 3082 sq.km.
Temperature: (Summer 12 to 28°C) & (Winter -2 to 15°C)
Languages spoken: Hindi, English

Getting there:

Nearest Airports: Nearest Airport is Pantnagar (Nainital): 127 km. Pithoragarh airport 125 km and the Major airport is Delhi.
Main Railway Station: Nearest Railway Station is located at Kathgodam
Main Bus Station or Road: Buses connect Almora with Kathgodam

Distance of a few Major Towns from Almora:
Delhi (378 km), Lucknow (460 km), Nainital (66 km) (via Ranikhet 103 km), Kathgodam (90 km), Haldwani 93 km Ramnagar 135 km Bageshwar 74 km .92 km via kausani Rudrapur 136 km Ranikhet 45km. Dwarahat 68 km.

Eating Around:
They serve North Indian, with dal, vegetables and fragrant long-grained basmati rice.

Places of Tourist interest:

The Mall:
The Mall of Almora is the hub of administrative activity. Parallel to the Mall is the market area, which is only open to pedestrian traffic. It has a distinctive hill station character with traditional carved wooden facades on buildings and shops at ground level.

Nanda Devi Temple:
Main temple complex with shrines dedicated to Nanda Devi and Lord Shiva. The temple of Nanda Devi, presiding deity of Almora and named after the region's highest peak, is built in the typical Kumaoni style of stone temple architecture.The temple complex throbs with music and dance during the Nanda Devi festival in August.

                                      Nanda Devi Temple

Bright End Corner:
A hilltop site 2.5 kms from Almora, has a magnificent view of the valleys and soaring peaks of Kumaon. It is also a good place to catch the sunrise and sunset that transform the surrounding landscape into a myriad hued spectacle of gold, green and red. There is a Circuit House for staying overnight at this secluded spot.

                                       Bright End Corner-Almora

Deer Park:
A Deer Park has been created amongst towering pine trees about 3 kms from town. With a collection of some deer species, leopards and the Himalayan black bear, the park is a good place for a walk, though the wildlife is not too exciting.

                                          Deer Park- Almora

Martola:
Martola, which is a wonderful picnic spot set amidst forested hills and beautiful gardens.

Binsar:
Binsar, a small hill town locally also known as Jhandi Dhar. There are private resorts outside the Binsar sanctuary and a wonderful forest rest house with antique furniture and fine cutlery.

Pindari Glacier:
Pindari Glacier is a short distance from Bageshwar, and is one of the popular trekking destinations in the Himalayas.

Getting around the destination:
By bus or private vehicles. Tourist taxis , share taxi, jeep,

Shopping Areas & Entertainment:
The main shopping areas in Almora are Lala Bazaar and Chowk Bazaar are steeped in traditional atmosphere, with traditional houses lining cobbled alleys. Shops sell woollens, the traditional tamta or copperware and locally woven tweeds. Sweaters and shawls made fromangora wool are also available here.

Best time to visit:
April- June, September- November is the best time to visit
Nanda Devi Festival- September.

Festival:
Dushara Festival- October.