Destinations of Kumaon

The crown jewel of Kumaon — a pear-shaped emerald lake ringed by forested hills, colonial charm, boating and the famous Mall Road.

• Naini Lake boating
• Naina Devi Temple
• Snow View Point
• Tiffin Top

A quieter cluster of seven interconnected freshwater lakes wrapped in oak and pine — a paradise for birders, kayakers and slow travellers.

• Bhimtal island aquarium
• Sattal kayaking
• Butterfly Research Centre
• Birdwatching

Apple orchards, deodar forests and a 350-degree wall of snow peaks. Home to Chauli Ki Jaali cliffs and a 5,000-year-old Shiva temple.

• Chauli Ki Jaali
• Mukteshwar Dham
• Himalaya viewpoints
• Adventure rappelling

A serene cantonment town of pine-clad ridges, the Golf Course at Upat, and uninterrupted views of the Nanda Devi massif.

• Upat Golf Course
• Jhula Devi Temple
• Chaubatia Orchards
• Kumaon Regiment Museum

The cultural capital of Kumaon set on a horseshoe ridge — handicrafts, Kumaoni cuisine, ancient temples and the soul of the region.

• Chitai Golu Devta
• Kasar Devi (the Hippie Hill)
• Bal Mithai sweets
• Nanda Devi Temple

Gandhi called it the 'Switzerland of India'. A 300-km panorama of Trishul, Nanda Devi and Panchachuli unfolds at sunrise over tea gardens.

• Sunrise Himalaya panorama
• Anasakti Ashram
• Kausani Tea Estate
• Baijnath Temple

A hushed wildlife sanctuary of oak and rhododendron where, from Zero Point, you see 300 km of Himalaya from Kedarnath to Api in Nepal.

• Zero Point panorama
• Jungle trails
• Leopard & deer spotting
• Stargazing

The gateway to the high Himalaya, sitting face-to-face with the five glittering peaks of Panchachuli. Base for the region's greatest glacier treks.

• Panchachuli sunrise
• Khaliya Top trek
• Birthi Falls
• Tribal Heritage Museum

An offbeat ridge of terraced tea gardens with one of the closest, widest views of Nanda Devi and Panchachuli — pure, crowd-free calm.

• Nanda Kot views
• Tea gardens
• Patal Bhuvaneshwar nearby
• Sunset point

A sacred valley of towering deodars sheltering 124 ancient stone temples beside the Jata Ganga stream — Kumaon's spiritual centre.

• Jageshwar Dham complex
• Deodar forest walk
• Dandeshwar temples
• Archaeological museum