Bageshwar

Why visit Attractions What to do Weather How to reach Where to stay

An undiscovered temple town
Exceptionally rich scenic delights
Surrounded by lush grasslands
Several high-altitude treks start here

WHAT TO KNOW

Tucked away in the verdant valley of the Kumaon region lies the quaint temple town of Bageshwar. The town, surrounded by the majestic Bhileshwar and Nileshwar mountains, sits pretty at the confluence of rivers Saryu and Gomti. Not just natural and scenic vistas, Bageshwar is also home to the revered Bagnath temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is visited by devotees in large numbers all year round but witnesses a whopping footfall during the annual Shivratri festival. Legend has it that the temple sits at the site where Lord Shiva had appeared in his tiger (bagh in Hindi) avatar here to bless sage Markandeya, who had worshipped the deity. The annual Uttarayani fair, which is held on Makar Sankranti at the confluence of river Saryu and Gomti, is a grand affair and is attended by visitors from far and wide. This fair is considered one of Uttarakhand's ancient events. As the headquarters of the Bageshwar district, the eponymous town attracts a steady stream of tourists and trekkers throughout the year.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

September to June is the best time to visit Bageshwar. In winter, the town is covered in snow.

Attractions

What To Do

Trekking

A halting point for some of the most exhilarating treks in Uttarakhand to sites such as Pindari, Sunderdhunga and Kafni glaciers, Bageshwar is an important destination for adventure tourism. The Pindari Glacier trail provides for a 90 km round-trip trek and includes other adventure sports like ice climbing and mountain biking. Perhaps the best known trekking route in Kumaon passing by the Pindari, Sunderdhunga and Kafni glaciers, this route follows the Pindar river. The other popular trek is to the Namik glacier. The lush grasslands surrounding Bageshwar make for excellent camping sites as well.

Temple trail

Being a temple town, devotess, pilgrims and visitors can visit some of the revered shrines here like Bhadrakali Temple, Jwala Devi Temple, Agnikund Temple and Shitla Devi Temple, and soak in the devotional atmosphere.