Almora, a hill district located in the central Kumaon region in the state of Uttarakhand, India is considered as ‘the Cultural heart’ of the region. The quaint town is a perfect blend of a rich cultural heritage and unsurpassed beauty accompanied by dense woodlands, picturesque gorges, sparkling lakes, ravishing streams and rustic countryside. Nestled between the two rivers- Kosi and Suyal, Almora lies at an altitude of 1638 mts. Almora, a hill district, is situated atop a crescent shaped mountain ridge on Kashaya hill; the eastern part is known as Talifat while the western part is known as Selifat. With snow peaked Himalayan ranges in the backdrop, Almora is enclosed by dense forests comprising predominantly pine and fir trees. The lively headquarter of Almora hill district is bounded by Bageshwar in the north, Pithoragarh in the east, Nainital in the west and Garhwal region in the south.

History of Almora

Almora has a rich history to boast about. Established in 1568, it is a cantonment town as well as a municipal board. The history of the town can be traced back to the 7th century; the region was under the control of Katyur Dynasty till 11th century. Then it came under the rule of Chand dynasty and Almora came to light in 1560 AD when Raja Balo Kalyan Chand repositioned his capital from Champawat to Almora. In 1790, Gorkhas attacked Chands and conquered Almora. But Gorkhas didn’t survive for long and suffered defeat in the hands of British who undertook the place in 1815 AD. The remnants of the castles, ancient monuments, and temples, forts of the kings, courts and offices set up by British officials stand testament to the bygone era. The rich history of the town is still evident in the architecture of the houses, wooden cottages with carved facades and in the roads made out of slate stone. Also known as the town of temples, Almora possesses several famous temples.

Almora- A Famed Getaway

The town has been popular since centuries and had been visited by eminent personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and many others. Jawaharlal Nehru spent some time in Almora Jail during the struggle for independence and he left behind a reminiscent description of the beauty of the town. The famed versifier Rabindranath Tagore stayed here and inspired by the beauty of the place cited few magnificent verses. The town is the hometown of freedom fighter Gobind Ballabh Pant. Almora is also the place of birth of Noble Laureate Sir Ronald Ross. The American actor, Uma Thurman also stayed here during her childhood days. Almora is the native town of celebrities like Uday Shankar, Prasoon Joshi and Mohan Upreti too.

Swami Vivekananda, during his Himalayan excursion, stayed here in a cave at Kasar Devi, situated 6 kms outside the town. He purportedly achieved enlightenment here only and had a reverie to spread his thoughts across the world. He had a strong desire to establish an ashram in the Himalayas for observing pure Advaita Vedanta. The Vivekananda Hill Agricultural Research Laboratory is also sited here.

Being the second largest city of the Kumaon region, Almora serves as a transit point to various other popular hill stations of Uttarakhand.

Best Season for Travelling

Best time to visit Almora is from April-June and Sep-Nov i.e. during summers and after monsoons. The weather is salubrious and pleasant in summers with temperatures ranging from 11-29 degree Celsius. It’s fun to venture out during the daytime; even the nights are enjoyable. During winters, the climate is extreme and temperatures range from 4-15 degree Celsius.

Almora is a picturesque town famous for its antique handiwork, scrumptious fare and amazing flora and fauna.