Sightseeing Highlights:
Pithoragarh Fort is on the top of a hill on the outskirts of the town and was built by the Gorkha rulers.
Chandak (8 kms) is a place where you get awesome views of the Himalayas and also has a very sacred Manu Temple here.
Thal Kedar (16 km) is an important religious centre for Shiva devotees, where a large fair is held on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. The natural beauty here is also worth seeing.
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is an enormous limestone cave with stalagmite and stalactite formations that are considered to be holy figures. It is 14 km from Gangolihat.
The Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary near Didihat, is a great place for wildlifers.
Dharachula is a beautiful town on the banks of the Kali River, and is on the Kailash yatra route. Munsyari (154 km) is another beautiful hill-station from where you get a stunning view of the Panchachuli Range.
Berinag (tea gardens at Chaukori (11 km from Berinag), Didihat (55km), and Jauljibi (77 km) apart from the glaciers or Gal, valleys and waterfalls that dot the region are must visits.
Activities:
The Pithoragarh region offers many adventure sports such as hang gliding, paragliding, trekking, skiing, canoeing, river rafting and fishing.
Excursions:
Excursions are arranged to Chandak, Thal Kedar, Gangolihat, Patal Bhuvneshwar, Berinag and Didihat.
Munsyari is the base camp for treks to Milam, Ralam and Namik Glacier, while Dharachula is the base camp for Kailas Mansarovar Yatra, Adi Kailash Yatra and Narayan Swami Ashram.
Skiing ranges are located at Khalia Top (7 km from Munsiyari), a high altitude meadow with a gentle slope and at Betuli Dhar, a high altitude alpine meadow with great slopes (5 km from Munsiyari). Chhiplakot at 3,090 m altitude altitude on Jauljibi-Munsiyari road also offers great skiing slopes.
Shoppers can look for decorative items made of Aipan (Alpana), doka (baskets), hill jatra mukhotas (masks), pichhauras (odhnis), traditional dikaras (clay idols), and colourful rugs and carpets that are made of a combination of Kumaoni and Tibetan knitting art.
Tourism info:
Tourist Office Pithoragarh,
Tel 05964-25527
District Information Office,
Pithoragarh,
Tel 05964-22549
There could not be a more picturesque gateway to the mighty Himalayas. The tiny Soar valley where Pithoragarh nestles is surrounded by snowcaps and glaciers, lakes, fast-flowing rivers, dense conifer forests, and grassy alpine meadows. It is a great place to recuperate before setting out on arduous, yet exhilarating journeys such as the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash.
Set at an altitude of 1,650 m above sea level, the Pal and Chand dynasties ruled Pithoragarh in medieval times and until 1960, when marked as a separate district, it was part of Almora district. It is the last district in India before we reach Tibet. Pithoragarh is bound by Tibet plateau, Nepal and China on its northern and eastern borders. River Kali runs along the borders with Nepal. This land is home to the nomadic hunter-gatherers, and the sheep and goat rearing Bhotiya tribes |
.gif){kind=small}
