Places to Visit in Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh is a scenic town in the Kumaon hills of eastern Uttarakhand. Pithoragarh is situated in a serene valley known as Soar Valley. The borders of Tibet and Nepal touch Pithoragarh. Kali River flows through Pithoragarh. Pithoragarh is a rest stop for pilgrims who are going for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Tour.

Chand rulers once ruled over this vast hilly region of Pithoragarh during the 18th century. They built forts and temples here, which even today are the major tourist places in Pithoragarh. Dense deodar forests, small tribal hamlets, and emerald-green farmlands make Pithoragarh a very scenic hill station in Uttarakhand. Pithoragarh offers panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks of Nanda Devi, Panchachuli, Api (Nepal), and Chandak hill.

You can tour Pithoragarh when you book any of the Uttarakhand holiday packages. Pithoragarh has some very scenic places, and below we have given the top ones.

1. Chandak

Chandak is a hill near Pithoragarh which is one of the best places to visit in Pithoragarh. You can trek to Chandak and view the panorama of Soar Valley. Mostamanu Temple is a famous temple here. You can try hand gliding in Chandak.

2. Askot Sanctuary

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is one of the best tourist places in Pithoragarh that you can visit. Here you can spot the musk deer, jungle cat, brown bear, leopard, and many colorful birds. You can also visit many temples near the sanctuary. A jungle safari through the dense forests in the sanctuary is an experience of a lifetime.

3. Ralam Glacier

Ralam Glacier is located in the hills of Pithoragarh and is closer to the hill station of Munsiyari. A trek to Ralam Glacier is a Famous Treks in Uttarakhand. Munsyari is the base for this trek and this trek can take 8-10 days. Ralam Glacier trek can take you through scenic Kumaoni hamlets, gurgling rivers, dense forests, and alpine landscapes.

4. Jhulaghat

The hanging bridge over River Kali is the reason why this small village is also called Jhulaghat. Jhulaghat is one of the scenic Pithoragarh sightseeing places that you can visit. You can enter Nepal by crossing this hanging bridge. Kali River is a major river that runs along the Indo-Nepal border. River rafting is an adventurous activity that you can do here.

5. Pithoragarh Fort

Pithoragarh Fort is one of the famous places to visit in Pithoragarh. The Gorkhas built the Pithoragarh Fort in 1789 after they took over Pithoragarh. The fort is located on top of a hill, and you can only see the ruins of the fort. You can, however, have scenic views of the surrounding valley from Pithoragarh Fort.

6. Thal Kedar Temple

Thal Kedar Temple is one of the many temples in Pithoragarh and also one of the places to visit in Pithoragarh. Lord Shiva is the main Hindu god of this temple. Thal Kedar Temple is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. You can trek through dense forests to reach this temple. Trek starts either from Pithoragarh town, Nakuleshwar Temple, or Aincholi. The rock shivalinga is almost 1000 million years old.

7. Gangolihat

Gangolihat is a small town in Pithoragarh that has many ancient temples and caves. Itt is also one of the places to visit in Pithoragarh. Haat Kalika, Ambika Dewal, Chamunda Mandir, and Vaishnavi Mandir are some famous temples here. Haat Kalika is famous among soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Armed Forces. The underground caves like Patal Bhuvaneshwar are ideal for trekking. Gangolihat offers magnificent views of Panchachuli, Nanda Devi.

8. Dhwaj Temple

Dhwaj Temple is located on the highest mountain peak in Pithoragarh. Lord Shiva and Goddess Jayanti are the main deities of this temple. You can reach this temple from Pithoragarh town after a trek of 4 km which takes 2 hours of trekking. The dense forests surrounding Dhwaj Temple make it a very scenic location. The forests are home to leopards and Himalayan Black Bears.

9. Arjuneshwar Temple

One of the best places to visit in Pithoragarh is Arjuneshwar Temple, and it is one of the famous temples in Pithoragarh. Arjun, one of the Pandava brothers, built this temple in the memory of Lord Shiva. There are many other temples nearby that are devoted to the local gods of this region. You will have to trek from Pithoragarh town to reach Arjuneshwar Temple.

10. Didihat

Didihat is one of the best scenic tourist places in Pithoragarh that you should visit. It is a small village on a hill and has ruins of temples and forts that date back centuries. These were built during the reign of the Doti and Chand dynasties. Didihat is a stopover destination on the route to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. You can have scenic panoramic views of Trishul and Panchachuli mountain peaks from Didihat.

11. Nakuleshwar Temple

Nakuleshwar Temple is one of the must-visit temples in Pithoragarh. Legends tell that the Pandava brothers, Nakul and Sahadeva built this temple for Lord Shiva. The temples around Nakuleshwara Temple have many stone sculptures of Hindu deities like Suya, Shiva-Parvati, Uma-Vasudeva, Mahishasur Mardani, etc. The architecture of this temple is similar to the Khajuraho group of temples in Madhya Pradesh.

12. Kafni Glacier Trek

Kafni Glacier is a trekking destination near Pithoragarh. The Kafni Glacier trek is one of the spectacular treks in Uttarakhand. Kafni Glacier is a glacier below the Nand Kot mountain peak and is to the left side of Pindari Glacier. The trekking trail goes through Kumaoni villages, dense forests, river streams, and lush green valleys. You may camp here and enjoy the views of Maiktoli, Nanda Khat, and Nanda Devi peaks.

13. Kapileshwar Mahadev Temple

One of the famous temples in Pithoragarh is Kapileshwar Mahadev Temple. Lord Shiva is the main deity to which this temple is dedicated. Kapileshwar Mahadev Temple is a cave temple near Pithoragarh. Soar Valley looks very beautiful from this temple. To reach the shiva linga, you will have to creep and crawl through a narrow tunnel that is in a dark cave.

14. Pancheshwar Mahadev Temple

Pancheshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the many temples in Pithoragarh that you can visit. This temple is built on the meeting place of rivers Kali and Saryu. Pancheshwar Temple is also known as the temple of Chaumu. The temple is near the Indo-Nepal border. Lord Shiva is the chief Hindu deity of this temple. You must take a dip here in the rivers to get pure. You can also do fishing here and take back a trophy for the best fishing.

15. Lateshwar Mandir

Lateshwar Mandir is one of the temples in Pithoragarh that you should visit. Lord Shiva is the main deity of Lateshwar Temple. There is a stream that flows near the temple and taking a dip in this stream is believed to be very refreshing. The temple has spacious premises and people come here during festivals and religious occasions like Shivratri to do puja and take blessings of the lord.

16. Pancheshwar Dam

Pancheshwar Dam is built on the confluence of the meeting place of the Mahakali and Sarju rivers, and this dam is very close to the international border with Nepal. The dam is still in the construction stages, but when it is finished, it will be one of the tallest dams in the world.

17. Narayan Ashram

It is one of the best places to visit in Pithoragarh. Narayan Swami built Narayan Ashram in 1936. Narayan Ashram has a library, school, and meditation spaces. The surrounding natural beauty of mountains and green valleys make Narayan Ashram a great place for relaxation and seeking peace of mind.

18. Berinag

The small mountain town of Berinag is close to Pithoragarh. Berinag is also one of the top Pithoragarh sightseeing places. Berinag is famous for its temples that are built in memory of the snake god. There are many lush green fruit orchards in Berinag. Berinag also offers stunning views of Nanda Devi and Trishul mountain peaks. The tea gardens of Berinag produce the finest tea.

19. Naini Saini Airport

Naini Saini Airport, also called Pithoragarh Airport, is an airstrip that is developed for small aircraft. It is not fully functional yet.

20. Munsiyari

Munsiyari is near Pithoragarh and is one of the most beautiful hill stations in Uttarakhand. From Munsiyari, you can see fascinating views of Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot, and Panchachuli peaks. Munsiyari is also the base from where you can go on treks to Namik, Ralam, and Milam glaciers. Munsiyari also serves as the base for Johar Valley. There are many tourist places in Munsiyari like Birthi Falls and Maheshwari Kund where you can go for sightseeing tours.

21. Adi Kailash

Adi Kailash is a snow-capped mountain peak in Pithoragarh, which is the same replica of Mount Kailash in Tibet. It is also called Chota Kailash and is part of the very famous Panch Kailash Yatra. Adi Kailash trek is one of the best treks in Uttarakhand. On the trek route, you can cross the Kali river, dense forests, fruit orchards, valleys and sacred sites. Gauri Kund Lake and Parvati Sarovar are at the base of Adi Kailash.

22. Om Parvat

Om Parvat is one of the most sacred mountain peaks in Uttarakhand. The mountain peak gets its name from the symbol “Aum” that forms on the peak, when snow covers the entire peak. Om Parvat trek is one of the best treks in Uttarakhand. It is a famous pilgrimage tour in Uttarakhand, and Om Parvat also comes in Adi Kailash Yatra. Om Parvat is at the places where borders of India, Tibet and Nepal meet. Om Parvat is one of the major mountain peaks that you can see in your Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.