PITHORAGARH HILL STATION

Pithoragarh is in the inner Himalayas at a height of 1,851 meters in a spectacular valley situated in the northern state of Uttaranchal, Before February 1,1960 Pithoragarh was a part of district of Almora and became a separate district in same year.the headqurter of district Pithoragarh is the city Pithoragarh itself. head offices of all Govt. departments are situated in the city. District Pithoragarh has good civic facilities.

Pithoragarh is rich in natural beauty and it offers best view of the Himalaya. Some of the peaks like Nanda Devi, Panchchuli, Trishul, Nandakhat falls in this district. District pithoragarh has some finest glacires in the world such as Milam Glacier,Sunder Dhunga Glacier, Ralam Glacier, Namik Glacier. Pithoragarh has a cool climate which makes it comfortable all year round Pithoragarh. Pithoragarh is also famous for its bugyals or pasture grounds of velvet-like green grass.

The area was closed to tourists till 1981. But with the start of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, tourist interest in the area is increasing by leaps and bounds. Festivals and religious ceremonies take place in all parts of the Pithoragarh all year around. The festival of Devi Dhura is famous for its large scale stone-pelting by two rival teams.

Some of the ritualistic festive events of Beas, Chaudas and Darma Valley takes place once in 12 years. The festival of Kanar-Chhiplakot is another major event in this area. The temple of Punyagiri on the banks of the river of Sharda is frequented by thousands of devotees from the plains of Uttar Pradesh throughout the year. At Jaul Jibi, a fair is held every autumn when woolens, copper pots and small, shaggy-maned Himalayan horses are bought and sold.

Top Places to Visit around Pithoragarh

There are a number of lakes around Pithoragarh. Two of them, Jolingkong and Anchherital are situated at a height of 4,634 meters and 3,658 meters, respectively. Some beautiful old temples are also scattered around the district. A visit to the shrine at Purnagiri, 20 kilometers from Tanakpur, is believed to lead to fulfillment of one' s desires. There is also a Sikh shrine near Lohaghat called Ritha Sahib, associated with the visit of Guru Nanak. It is believed that the bitter ritha turned sweet after the touch of the Guru.

Champawat

76 kms from Pithoragarh at an altitude of 1615 mts is Champawat, the erstwhile capital of the Chand Rajas of Kumaon. The ancient fort now houses the Tehsil offices. The site of several shrines, the principal temple here is the Nagnath temple.

Devidhura

45 kms from Lohaghat lies Devidhura at a height of 2500 mts. It is the site of the famous temple of Barahi Devi, and also the venue of a grand fair on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

Kali Temple (Gangolihat)

Gangolihat, an important religious site, lies 77 kms from Pithoragarh. At the ancient Kali temple, a colourful fair is held during Navratris. The famous Patal Bhuvneshwari caves are located 14 kms away.

Chaukori

112 kms from Pithoragarh is picturesque Chaukori which boasts a splendid view of the Himalayas. Tourist rest house is available.

Punyagiri Temple

Punyagiri temple is one of the most renowned temples in the Kumaon region. Lakhs of pilgrims visit the shrine during April to June. The site is around 20 kms from Tanakpur, out of which 6 kms is to be trekked.

Rameshwar

36 kms from Pithoragarh is Rameshwar, located at the confluence of the Ram Ganga (East) and Saryu rivers. It is the site of a Shiva temple, where a huge fair is held every year on Makarsankranti (January).

Panchuli Peak View

About 30 km from Pithoragarh on the crest of a ridge, is a market proclaiming Panchuli View. On looking straight ahead and one can see, rising against the distant, blue, sky the five snow-covered peaks of Panchuli.

Jaul Jibi

68 kms from Pithoragarh, Jaul Jibi is the venue of a grand fair, held every year at the confluence of the rivers Gori and Kali, in the month of November, which attracts people from neighbouring Nepal too.

Nanda Devi Mela(Milam)

This majestic glacier lies 208 kms from Pithoragrah. From Munsiyari one has to trek for 54 kms. Rest Houses are available enroute.

Munsiyari

Munsiyari lies 154 kms from Pithoragarh enroute to Milam Glacier. Perched at an altitude of 7000 feet, Munsiyari commands a fascinating view of the Panchchuli Range and Gori river.

Shyamla Tal

132 kms from Pithoragarh is Shyamla Tal, a beautiful natural lake at the bank of which is located Swami Vivekananda Ashram where accomodation facilities are available on request.

Chhota Kailash

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route: The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is conducted by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam. The road journey for this Yatra concludes at Tawaghat near Dharchula.

Baleshwar

Baleshwar is 76 kilometers from Pithoragarh on the Tanakpur road. Its temples are the best examples of hill architecture. They were constructed by the early Chand rajas in the 8th century.

Chandak

Chandak, 7 km from Pithoragarh, is a beautiful location, commanding a panoramic view of the Pithoragarh valley. It is 1.830 meters in altitude. An important fair is held at the Mostmanu temple in August.

How to Reach Pithoragarh?

Pithoragarh is mostly connected with all the major cities and regular transport service. There are buses to Almora, Nainital, Haldwani, Delhi and Tankapur. An all weather air strip has been constructed at Pithoragarh.

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BY AIR

Nearest airport to Pithoragarh is Pantnagar which is 210 kms away. You can take a flight to Pantnagar and afterwards you can hire a cab or taxi to this beautiful city. Besides this, the airport in Pithoragarh will be soon functional making it easier for visitors to reach there.

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BY RAIL

Pithoragarh is well connected by roadways to all major cities in Uttarakhand and with Delhi. You can travel to this place by buses operated either by the state or private companies or drive by your own vehicle.

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BY ROAD

If you are planning to travel to by train, you can take a train to Tanakpur railway station which is situated at a distance of 148 km from Pithoragarh. After reaching Tanakpur, you can hire a cab or taxi to Pithoragarh.

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