The district of Pithoragarh was formed out of the district of Almora in Uttarakhand on 24 February 1960. The district shares international borders with Tibet in the North and Nepal on the east.
The town of Pithoragarh lies in the Saur Valley in the centre of four hills Chandak, Dhwaj, Kumdar and Thal Kedar. The beautiful town is a virtual paradise for nature lovers and is also known as The Mini Kashmir of India.
Pithoragarh was once a summer capital of one the mighty and brave King Prithviraj Chauhan
Pithoragarh is surrounded by majestic peaks like Nanda Devi (east), Nanda Devi (west), Trishul, Nandakhat, Rajrambha, Panchchuli group and many other small mountains, alpine meadows and glaciers. Pithoragarh is surrounded some of the glaciers such as the Milam glacier, Ralam glacier, Namik glacier and Sunder Dhunga glacier.
The alpine meadows, numerous temples, rich and green jungles, the glaciers and the rivers there have made Pithoragarh a tourist destination and is visited by tourist, trekkers, botanists and pilgrims throughout the year.
This beautiful hill district is the Gateway to Himalayas from the north and the famous sacred pilgrimage path to Mount Kailash or The Om Parvat and Lake Mansarovar passes through Pithoragarh.
This mountain town covered with dense woody forests and challenging undulate terrains is a good location for adventurous sports like skiing, trekking and paragliding.
Pithoragarh Uttarakhand is a part of Kumaon tourism , and the local languages spoken are Kumaoni and Hindi. The best time to visit Pithoragarh would be from March - June and September - October
Chandak Hills Located at a distance of about 8kms from Pithoragarh it is in the northern part of Soar valley. The top of the hills provide a beautiful view of the snow covered peaks of Nanda Devi (east), Nanda Devi (west), Trishul, Panchchuli group etc. It is a good trek with the scenic view of the Soar Valley in the backdrop.
The Motsa Manu Temple is on top of the Chandak Hills. This highly revered temple can be reached by trek or one can drive to the temple. It is frequented by locals and tourists alike. It also provides a good view of the vicinity Recommended.
Kapileshwar Mahadev is a cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located around 3 km away from the town. This is one of the many well known temples around here. The temple is on a hilltop and can be reached by a 1 hr trek from the town. One has to get inside a small, compressed cave in order to reach the temple.
Pithoragarh Fort , located at a hill top, is a major attraction in this city. This fort was built in 1789 by the Gorkhas during their rule on Garhwal. This fort was also called as the London Fort by the Britishers. It also offers an eye catching views of mighty Kumaon Himalayan ranges and also the beautiful river Kali Kumaon.
Dhwaj Shikhar ( 10km + 4 kms trek ) It is 10km or 20-30 min away from main Pithragarh town and a 4km steep uphill climb trek is required to reach the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Ma Jayanti. The temple is situated at the peak of a highest mountain Dhwaj Shikhar in Pithoragarh and view of the Himalayas from the temple is simply amazing.
Kamaksha Temple is located at a distance of about 7 km from Pithoragarh Town is situated on the top of a hilltop. This revered temple is dedicated to goddess Kamaksha and is the second in the country other that the temple in Guahati. The temple also provides one of the best views of the valley and the majestic Himalayas.
Maharajke Park is a beautiful park built in memory of brave Kumaon regiment soldiers who fought and captured Maharjke in Kashmir in 1965 War. On 7 September, 9 Kumaon Regiment, under the command Capt V K Bogra advanced and captured Maharajke. Naik Ganesh Dutt of the 9 Kumaon was awarded the Vir Chakra for his role in capturing Maharjke against Pakistani defenses. A good place to visit and Remommended.
Thal Kedar is located at a distance of about 15 kms form Pithoragarh town. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a good trek from to the temple. The temple also offers a good view of the Kumaon Himalayas. This holy temple is visited by lost of local and pilgrims alike all year round.
Askot Wildlife Sanctuary is located at a distance of around 54kms from Pithoragarh town. The sanctuary is home to the white Himalayan leopard. Many other animals such as Himalayan Black bears and musk deer can also be found there. The sanctuary also provides a beautiful view of the Himalayas. The place is a quite popular among tourist and wildlife enthusiasts. Recommended
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Pithoragarh town lies in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. The town of Pithoragarh spreads over 8 Sq.Kms at an altitude of approx 1645 metres from sea level in the beautiful Saur Valley. Pithoragarh is surrounded by huge mountains peaks of Nanda Devi ( East ), Nanda Devi ( West ), Trishul, Nandakhat, Rajrambha and the Panchauli Group and some of the important rivers such as Dhauli, Dhauli, Gori, Ram Ganga, Sarju and Kali flow through the District.
The population of Pithoragarh district according to the 2011 census was 483,439 in which Pithoragarh town has population of 56,044 of which 29,127 are males and 26,917 are females. with a sex ratio of 924 female per 1000 male. The literacy rate is about 92.48 percent.
Hindus form around 93.31 percent population of the people in Pithoragarh. Hindi and Kumaoni and the major languages spoken by the people. Other languages spoken in the region are Garhwali, Punjabi and English. People of all religion live together in peace and close harmony with each other.
Almost all Hindu festivals are celebrated here in Pithoragarh. As it falls in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand Fuldeyi, Bikhauti, Harela, Ghee Sankranti, Khatarua, Holi Uttaraini are most celebrated throughout the region.
Jhulaghat lies near the India and Nepal Border. It got its name from the hanging bridge on the river Kali. Wollens and Electronics markets.
Narayan Ashram ( approx 135 kms ) from Pithoragarh is an ashram built by Narayan Swami. It provides education and training for the locals. The location is admits scenic surroundings.
Wikipedia on Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh - Trip Advisor - Satyendra Garg, Holiday IQ
Image courtesy - Pithoragarh by Ajay Kanyal