It's summertime and people have already started planning their summer trips to the beautiful lush green mountains of India. When it comes to hill stations, Uttarakhand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in our country. The state is divided into two regions, namely Kumaon and Pauri Garhwal. Both of these regions have a number of stunning picturesque tourist attractions, making it a must-visit for all travellers. Be it the Himalayan mountain range, trekking points, green valleys, deep forests or the famous temples, Uttarakhand has it all. Let's have a look at the top 5 hill stations in the Kumaon region.
Nainital
Credit: umstwit
Nainital is one of the well-developed and most popular hill stations in Uttarakhand. It attracts thousands of tourists, including foreigners, throughout the year and is known to be a famous honeymoon spot for all the newly-wed couples. Nainital, which is located at an elevation of 1938 m, derived its name from a lake called Naini, which is situated right in the middle of the town.
Surrounded by mountains on three of its sides, Nainital offers a beautiful mountain view to the tourists. The highest point of Nainital is Naina Peak, also known as China Peak, at an altitude of 2,615 m.
Places To Visit In Nainital: Naina Devi Temple, Naina Peak, Nainital Lake, Raj Bhavan, Bhimtal, High Altitude Zoo and Sattal
Best Time To Visit Nainital: March to May and December to February
Distance: Nainital is located at a distance of 294 km from Delhi, 66 km from Ramnagar and 278 km from Dehradun.
How To Reach: Located at a distance of 68 km, Pantnagar Airport is the nearest airport to Nainital and the tourists can get direct flights from Delhi to Pantnagar. People who are willing to travel by train can reach Nainital via Kathgodam railway station, which is located at a distance of 24 km from Nainital. Tourists can also travel by car as Nainital is well connected by roadways.
Kausani
Credit: Abhijit Kar Gupta
Located at an elevation of 1890 m, Kausani is a small hill station in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. The hill station is quite popular amongst tourists for its alluring panoramic view of magnificent mountain peaks. Mahatma Gandhi nicknamed Kausani as the Switzerland of India because of its stunning views of peaks such as Nanda Devi, Panchchuli and Trisul.
Places To Visit In Kausani: Rudradhari Falls and Caves, Baijnath Temple, Someshwar, Kausani Tea Estate, Rudrahari Mahadev Temple, Bageshwar, Kot Bhramari Temple and Pinnath
Best Time To Visit Kausani: April to June and September to February
Distance: Kausani is located at a distance of 401 km from Delhi, 115 km from Nainital, 318 km from Dehradun and 241 km from Jim Corbett National Park.
How To Reach: Pantnagar Airport, which is at a distance of 168 km from Kausani, is the nearest airport and there are direct flights from Delhi. Situated at a distance of 134 km, Kathgodam is the nearest railway station to Kausani. Apart from these, the hill station is also well connected with cities such as Delhi, Nainital, Ranikhet and others by roadways.
Ranikhet
Credit: Parth Joshi
Nestled in Uttarakhand's Almora district, Ranikhet is one the most beautiful hill stations in India with amazing flora and fauna. Located at an altitude of about 1869 m, Ranikhet is surrounded by the beautiful Himalayan mountain ranges. Tourists, including foreigners, can be seen visiting this hill station throughout the year as it is one of the prime places to visit in Kumaon. Ranikhet, popularly known as the Queen of Meadows, is also quite famous for trekking and a few other adventure activities, such as rock climbing, rappelling and water rafting.
Places To Visit In Ranikhet: Mankameshwar Temple, Bhalu Dam, Katarmal Sun Temple, Binsar Mahadev Temple, Hairakhan Temple, Chaubatia Orchards, KRC Museum, Jhula-Devi Temple and Army Golf Course
Best Time To Visit Ranikhet: April to June and September to November
Distance: Ranikhet is located at a distance of 350 km from Delhi, 325 km from Dehradun, 56 km from Nainital and 50 km from Almora.
How To Reach: Tourists can travel directly from Delhi to Pantnagar Airport, which is the nearest airport from Ranikhet. This hill station is also well connected by roadways. Tourists, who are willing to travel by train, can reach Ranikhet from Kathgodam railway station.
Munsiyari
Credit: solarshakti
Munsiyari is another popular hill station in the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand that offers a stunning view of the snow-capped Himalayan mountain range. Located at a height of 2298 m, Munsiyari provides the closest sight of Panchachuli, which is a group of five peaks, and tourists flock to this hill station to catch a glimpse of the grand peaks of historical importance. In recent times, this hill station has also made its name in the list of popular trekking destinations in India. The Namik Glacier Trek is one of the most famous routes for trekkers.
Places To Visit In Munsiyari: Thamri Kund, Darkot Village, Kalamuni Temple, Birthi Falls, Khaliya Top, Betulidhar and Panchachuli Peaks
Best Time To Visit Munsiyari: September to June
Distance: Munsiyari is situated at a distance of about 356 km from Delhi, 201 km from Almora, 307 km from Nainital and 511 km from Dehradun.
How To Reach: Munsiyari is well connected by roadways. But, if you are willing to travel by train or flight, then you have to take a cab from either Kathgodam, the nearest railway station, or Pantnagar Airport, which is the nearest airport.
Almora
Credit: Ashish Gupta
In 1568, Kalyan Chand founded Almora during the rule of Chand dynasty. Situated at an altitude of 1638 m, Almora offers an amazing sight of the lofty Himalayan mountain range and is famous for its rich culture and tradition. This hill stations also has a range of trekking points till Ranikhet, Mornaula, Binsar and Mukteshwar.
Places To Visit In Almora: Jageshwar, Binsar, Kasar Devi, Nanda Devi Temple, Katarmal, Chitai, Banari Devi, Almora Fort and Govind Vallabh Pant Public Museum
Best Time To Visit Almora: April to June and September to November
Distance: Almora is located at a distance of 364 km from Delhi, 357 km from Dehradun, 50 km from Ranikhet and 64 km from Nainital.
How To Reach: There are direct flights from Delhi to Pantnagar Airport, which is the nearest airport from Almora. Tourists can also reach Almora by car as the hill station is well connected to the major cities in the north. The nearest railway station to Almora is Kathgodam and tourists can avail direct trains from Delhi, Agra, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur and Patna.