Tourism is a major attraction of Almora district. The place abounds in numerous temples, several scopes of adventure tourism and also near by places of tourist interest. The Township of Almora is the district headquarters and has all the facilities for a tourist of twenty first century. One can have a panoramic view of the snowy peaks of Himalayas on any clear day and in addition a glimpse of the township with it`s tiled roofed houses and paved streets.
Pilgrimage Tourism of Almora District
Almora district has a lot to offer when it comes to pilgrimage tourism. The Shaivite temples include the temples dedicated to female form of Lord Shiva. The temples of Tripur, Sundari, Udyot, Chandeshwer and Parbateshwer were erected in the year 1688, after the victory of Udyot Chand, the then ruler of Almora over Doti and Garhwal, and are presently located on the hill just above the Lala Bazar. The temple of Parbateshwara was again endowed by the then rulers of Almora, Dip Chand in 1760 and was renamed Dipchandeshwar. This present temple is called the Nanda Devi temple when the image of Nanda was removed from the fort by Mr. Trail, a famous British, and the then divisional commissioner of Kumaon. Again eight temples of Bhirava, a form of Shiva, were erected during the reign of Gyan Chand to allay the wrath of Bhola Nath. These temples attract tourist from all over India. There are nine temples in Almora district which are dedicated to nine forms of Goddess Durga. There are also temples of Vishwanath, Someshwar and Kshetrapal.
Among the Vaishnavite temples, the most important is the temple of Siddha Narsimha. It was endowed by Gorkhalis. Raghunath temple was endowed in 1788 by Raja Mohan Singh Chand. There are four temples dedicated to Lord Ganesh. They are Bhitla Ganesh, Gairi Ganesh, Nanda Devi Ganesh and Siddha Ganesh. The Nar Singh temple at Narsimha Bari is another Vaishnavite temple. The temples of Murli Manohar, Hanuman and Badreshwer were erected very late. One of the Ganesh temples was endowed by the then ruler Kalyan Chand in 1731 A.D.
Adventure Tourism of Almora District
Adventure tourism is a big rage in Almora district. If a tourist is fired by the spirit of adventure, then he should visit Almora district, a land blessed with snowbound peaks, crystal glaciers, Rolling Meadows, jagged rock faces, scenic valleys, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, dense forests and hospitable people with rich culture. Trekking is the best way of getting to know this land, its people, culture and traditions. The mountain adventure season, which till recently was confined to the summer months now covers almost the full year including winter. This has been made possible by improved equipment and transportation and the availability of the year-round bookings in the areas hitherto considered inaccessible.
Leisure Tourism in Almora District
There are lots of places in and around Almora district where an excursion can be made within a day and is guaranteed to be a memorable experience. Around fifty kilometers from Almora the quiet and beautiful cantonment township of Ranikhet, is famous for its salubrious climate, balmy breeze captivating and panoramic Himalayan View and soothing and pollution free greenery of pines and oaks. It is also famous as the regimental center of the Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army, one of the most prestigious and the most decorated of all. The Kumaon Regimental museum and amicably maintained grassy and green golf course are memorable experiences even for the most experienced tourists. Kausani, situated around fifty two kilometers from Almora is famous for its breathtakingly close view of the Himalayan Peaks and its solitudes and greenery. Kausani`s beauty arrested the feet of even Mahatma Gandhi, who stayed for some time at this place. Another great man of India the famous Hindi poet Sumitranandan Pant was born here. There is small museum to earmark that sacred spot.
Situated only thirty kilometers away from the township of Almora lies Binsar nestled amongst thick forests of Oak and Rhodendron and yet offering surprisingly close views of the Himalayan peaks. The entire region is now a wildlife sanctuary and has a host of wildlife like Panther and Barking Deer. The temple of Binsar lies nearby. Situated around ninety kilometres from Almora, Bageshwar is now a new district head quarter and the centre of administration for the entire region called Danpur. The place is significant from both religious and tourist point of view. Situated at the confluence of the Saryu River and Gomti River, Bageshwar is the seat of the famous Uttaraini fair which is held every year in January. The famous and ancient temple of Bagnath from which the township gets it`s name has been attracting thousands of devout Hindus year after year since the birth of history. Situated between Ranikhet and Almora this picturesque place not only affords a wide view of the Himalayan peaks but is also full of fruit orchards. Scouting camps are frequently held here and there is a beautiful temple of Syahi Devi around three kilometers away on a lovely mountainous trail.
How to Reach
By rail: The nearest railway station is at Kathgodam situated around ninety kilometers away. Kathgodam is connected by rail directly with Delhi, the capital of India, Lucknow, the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Dehradun the capital of the state of Uttarakhand and Kolkata. From Kathgodam local transport, private taxies as well as buses run by private operators, and buses run by the state government corporation - UASRTC are available at all hours.
By air: The nearest airport to Almora is at Pantnagar, the seat of a famous agricultural university, about one hundred and twenty seven kilometres from Almora.
By road: By road Almora is connected conveniently and is merely three hundred and eighty kilometers away from Delhi, four hundred and sixty six kilometres from Lucknow and four hundred and fifteen kilometers from Dehradun.