Almora was the capital city of the Chand Dynasty for over a thousand years later became a summer haven for the British. Despite this, Almora is known as the cultural capital of Kumaon. Over the years, this hill station has preserved its distinct culture. The buildings, food, festivals and the language echo the culture of Kumaon. The eastern portion of Almora is called Talifat while the western portion is called Selifat. Now, Almora is a cantonment town.
Almora is a place to explore. Almora welcomes thousands of adventure travellers, nature lovers, and photographers every year. Filled with the richness of tradition and culture, Almora also attracts many pilgrims. The Nanda Devi temple and Kasar Devi temple are dedicated to the mountain goddesses of the Kumaon region. It is said that Swami Vivekananda had visited the Kasar Devi temple in the early 1890s and is also mentioned in his journals. Located on the bank of Ganges, stands the Rudreshwar Mahadev Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are also other noted temples like Katarmal Sun Temple, Jhula Devi Temple, Baijnath and Binsar Mahadev Temple.
The Govind Vallabh Pant Museum showcases a wide range of artifacts, paintings, sculptures and weapons from the Chand Dynasty. On the outskirts of Almore, cave paintings depicting man and various animals can be found at Phuaseema, Pharkanauli, and Lakhuudiyar.
Almora offers immense opportunity to indulge in the adventure. Almora is known for its biking trails. Although it is filled with tourists from April to June, summer would be idyllic for biking across the rugged mountains. Bikes can be rented at hotels or stores by the hour or by the day. Since the altitude is low, one does not require extensive training to do mountain biking. Nature and adventure lovers can explore different plains and forests across the mountains of Almora.
Also, there are a lot of trekking activities in Almora. The treks can last from one day to a weekend trek to the nearby towns. There are routes that go deeper into the Himalayas. Nature and wildlife enthusiasts also admire the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary for its lush greenery and the rich wildlife.
Kali Sarada River is perfect for rafting. A ride on this river through the Kumaon region is exhilarating and will definitely pump you up. The ideal time to do this would be from March to April and October and December. If you are rafting for the first time, this would a perfect spot to start. The ride will take you past the dense forests and quaint villages of the Kumaon region. With a peaceful start till the convergence of Rivers Kali and Saryu, the ride causes an adrenaline rush while making a descent to the plains.
Fall in love with the nature in Almora. For those who want to witness the scenic sunrise and sunset, Bright End Corner is the place for you. Only 2 kilometers from Almora, you can see the hues of orange and red while the sun rises at dawn and how they disappear at dusk. Bright End Corner is also famous because it is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda. He had spent time meditating and writing about Almora during his visit in the Himalayas.
You are never done visiting a place unless you try its local cuisine. Almora is known for the traditional milk sweet Bal Mithai. There are a variety of delectable authentic dishes like Bhaang Ki Khatai, Mixed dal Salad, Kappa, Aloo ke Gutke, Aloo Daal Pakora and Rus.
So buckle yourself to this hill station and have no regrets on this holiday by soaking your tensions away.