Almora

Surrounded by fruit orchards and pine forests, Almora is a former hill station dotted with colonial-era buildings which has grown into a thriving town, despite its seemingly remote location. Situated at an altitude of 1650m in the foothills of the Himalayas, the town is characterised by panoramic mountain views and is used as a starting or ending point for the unforgettable Shakti treks. 

The surrounding hill state of Uttarakhand offers a huge diversity of birdlife, comprising close to 680 species of birds – this is about 50% of the bird species found in India, so for any birder, a visit to Uttarakhand should be high up on their wish list. Spotted forktail, redbilled blue magpie, Kaleeje, Golden Eagle and Himalayan Friffon are a few examples of the many species you can expect to see in this region.

Almora itself is known as a town of temples and its most famous is the Nanda Devi temple. Decorated with erotic folk-art carvings, this stone temple dates back to the Chand raja era and is the setting for the Nanda Devi Fair every September.

I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.
George Bernard Shaw