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Places to Visit in Almora

Located about seven kilometers away from the city of Almora, Kartarmal is considered to be one of the hidden gems of Almora district. The village is popular for the per-historic sun temple located amidst the beautiful trails of the Almora. This temple is dated back to 800 years and is believed to be built by the Katyuri kings. It is the second most famous temple in Almora and also backs the sun temple in Odisha. Adding to the list of places to visit in Almora, Katarmal Sun Temple is a blissful visit. 

The magnificent view of the city from the temple is an add on experience to the tourists that plan to visit this temple. Unlike the Kasar Devi temple, this temple is not a standalone, but a temple complex. The temple complex consists of a main temple for sun God which otherwise called as Burhadita or Vraddhaditya. It is then surrounded by almost 44 shrines dedicating to sun God. The temple architecture and sculptures are major attraction of the place and engages its tourists well. 

This abode is considered as one of the hippie trails and most exciting of Almora’s tourist places. Its history is traced back to second century. The temple is dedicated to a goddess called Kasar Devi and is considered one of the most popular temples in this township. Every year there are a number of devotees that visit this temple during the special annual festival organised by the villagers and temple authorities. 

The temple is located on the edge of a ridge on the Almora- Bageshwar highway on Kaashay Hills. Kasar Devi temple became famous after Swami Vivekananda visited the place while he was in Almora. Since then the temple is adored for its importance and history that walks back till the second century. Just outside the village is located Crank’s Ridge which was one of the popular destination during the hippie movement. This also is one of the reasons for major tourist attraction of this temple.

The temple has an annual feast organised by the villagers. The most exciting part of the festival is the ‘Kasar Devi fair’ which is like icing on the cake. This festival also attracts several tourists to the village. 

Chitai temple, also called as Golu Devta temple is one other tourist attraction spot in Almora. It is located approximately 15 kilometres away from the city of Almora and is one of the popular tourist destination among the devotees of Lord Shiva. The temple was constructed dedicating it to the incarnation of Lord Shiva in the form of Gaur Bhairav. 

It is also believed that this temple grants its devotees all the wishes that they ask for. These beliefs of the devotees make the temple one of the popular tourist destination in Almora.

Situated on the foot of the majestic Himalayan ranges, Almora, a small hamlet was sure to have been the best of nature’s hubs in India. The small district not only possess some of the extremely beautiful landscapes, but quite surprisingly is a home for historic and cultural heritage sites as well. 

The exuberant tourist destination is a serene get away for bag packers and nature lovers. 

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is a famous wildlife abode to explore in Almora. It is approximately 33 kilometres away from the city and is situated on top of Jhandi Dhar Hills within the district premises. The sanctuary is surrounded by dense forests and is an absolute thrill to watch animals here from a distance. If you trace the history of this place, you can find that Binsar was once a summer resort of Chand Kings during 11th to 17th century. 

The wildlife sanctuary was constructed in the year 1988 with an intention to protect the vegetation and animals of the central Himalayan region. The place gained its fame back then and it still continues to be one of the most famous tourist location in Almora. The sanctuary has a variety of flora and fauna that are of major attraction to the tourists. 

Some of the animals you can witness here are leopards, jungle cats, barking deer’s, langur’s, wood peckers and so on. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is a great start to tick off the list of different places to visit in Almora. The sanctuary is spread over about 45 kilometres and is of great educational value to its visitors.  

Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum belongs to the Kumaon Regiment, which is known to be the most decorated infantry that traces its history back to the 18th century. It is also popular for being a part of every campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army. The museum is located in the city premises and is a reflection of the glory of Kumaon regiment. The museum showcases several military memorabilia, medals and weapons conquered during the wars that were fought pre and post-independence of India. 

The museum is also a face for the majesty of the regiment and its importance to the Indian Army. Built in the year 1974, the museum is also a face for several soldiers and officers that are a part of this regiment. The museum also consists of the coffin of General T N Raina which is exhibited respecting his commitment and service to the nation. The entry to the museum is paid and it is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on week days, weekends and on national holidays.

Located about 520 meters above the sea level, Martola is one of the most picturesque destinations that surround the Almora city. There may be numerous places to visit in Almora, but Martola is something that no tourist can miss out on. The place is best known for the lush greenery around it and mesmerising hill top view. It is also said that a number of tourists that visit the place desire to stay here permanently because of the beauty it is surrounded with. 

The alluring view of the city with mesmerising backdrop of Himalayas make this destination much more than desirable and set a reputation for Almora’s tourist places. The escapade is about 10 kilometres away from the city and a best spot for family getaways. The scenic wonder is one of its kind and the best among all the other places to visit in Almora.