By- Anamika Mishra
Uttarakhand is a land of misty Himalayas, roaring rivers, serene forests and ancient temples. Without a doubt, it is one of my most favourite states in India. Though the famous Shiva temples (Badrinath & Kedarnath), Nainital, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh etc are some of the most common attractions of Uttarakhand; this time I got a chance to explore the hidden gems in Uttarakhand. These offbeat places in Uttarakhand totally left me awestruck. All thanks to Uttarakhand Tourism for this amazing experience. If you are a regular follow of me on social media (especially Instagram) then you must be have seen all the updates from my trip. If not, click here to see all the Instagram story highlights.
In this post, I’ll be sharing 9 totally amazing offbeat places in Uttarakhand that I explored and you must too.
1- NAUKUCHIATAL
Naukuchiatal is a beautiful place situated just about 27 km up, from Nainital. It’s a very peaceful place. The main attraction of this place is the Naukuchia lake itself which has 9 corners. We stayed in the govt. TRH (Tourist Rest House) which was right behind the lake. Have a look!
2- KAKRIGHAT
Kakrighat is famous for it’s Neem Karoli Baba Ashram. This ashram is situated on the banks of Kosi river. Swami Vivekanand also came here for meditation. It’s a nice place to stop by, when driving towards Ranikhet. We spent a really nice time here, sipping our cups of chai and soaking in to the moment.
3- SHITLAKHET
Many of you might have heard about Ranikhet, this is about 20 km from Ranikhet. If you are looking for a place to relax and escape the chaotic city life, then spend a day or two in Shitlakhet for a digital detox. If you in Shitlakhet, take time to visit the famous Katarmal Sun Temple too. It’s just about 18 km from this little quaint village.
4- KAUSANI
Kausani is perfect place to enjoy the view of beautiful Himalayas and to witness the sunset and sunrise. Our TRH had the best view. Nanda Devi peaks, Trishul parbat and other mountain peaks were right in front of us. Sad that my camera couldn’t do justice to what I saw with my eyes, but I think it’s enough to give you an idea about the same! Also, when in Kausani don’t forget to visit famous writer Sumitra Nandan Pant’s home, Anasakti Ashram and the ancient Baijnath Temple.
5- CHAUKORI
Chaukori is a beautiful kaleidoscopic beautiful village to enjoy the view of mountains. This village is defined as a village straight out of a fairytale. It is surrounded by Himalayan peaks and dense forests. And yes, it’s TRH is the MOST BEAUTIFUL TRH I have ever experienced
6- PATAL BHUVNESHWAR
Patal Bhuvneshwar is an ancient save temple where you need to rapple down to 90 ft to reach the caves. It was an incredible experience to visit this temple. This is actually Lord Shiva’s temple and has 33 koti Hindu Gods. Previously, photography wasn’t allowed here but due to sudden change in rules, govt. has now allowed photography here and we were first lot to click photos inside we informed the authorities there about the new rule for ASI monuments by Govt. of India.
7- LOHAGHAT
Haunted stories of Lohaghat are quite famous, especially Mount Abbott where Dr. Morris Hospital is situated. It is said that this place is haunted. I’ll share the tale about this place in detail in another blog post, but for now I just want to say that do visit Mount Abbott and Lohaghat for a nice a peaceful time. It has got some really amazing views to capture, and of course enjoy.Mount Abbott
8- SHYAMLATAL
Frankly, I wasn’t sure about this place till the time I reached the lake. Though it is not THAT maintained and you might spot locals swimming and playing in the lake, but place is good for a day picnic. We visited this place for lunch, where we sat right next to the lake and ate. It was a one of it’s kinds experience.
9- TANAKPUR
Tanakpur is not a hill station. What makes this place special is its location. Tanakpur is located near the border of India and Nepal. There is just one bridge which you can walk and cross to reach Nepal. Of course we walked to Nepal, visited the first village Brahmdev in Nepal and came back. It was a good experience to cross border of the country just like that. You can also spend a nice time on the ghats of Tanakpur where you get to see the mountains right across the river.
So, these were the 9 hidden gems of Uttarakhand in Kumaon Region that I explored recently. I shall share a photoblog and details about main attractions real soon. Till then, happy exploring.
anamikamishra.com
