Kausani is a surreal and scenic extravaganza best known for its
snow-capped mountains, misty valleys, luxuriant pine forests, and
pristine beauty. Tagged as Switzerland of India by Mahatma Gandhi, this
is one of the picturesque and heavenly hill retreats—splendid and romantic in a nutshell.
This quaint town is situated 6,075 mt above sea level and 53 km from Almora.
It is known for its 250 km wide views of Himalayan snow peaks, which is
enough to ignite the adventurer in you. Apart from admiring the
paradise-like charm and beauty of the place, there are some fun and adventurous things to do in Kausani that’ll make you visit the heaven over and over again.
Leisure things to do in Kausani
Dine at the Garden restaurant
Enjoying
a sumptuous meal at Garden restaurant is one of the most wonderful
things to do in Kausani. It is a bamboo thatched roofed eating place
where one can enjoy the stunning and spectacular vistas of snowy
Himalayan peaks while relishing global and local delicacies.
Opening hours: 7 am to 9 pm
Must try: Mandwa flour chapatis with ghee
Must try: Mandwa flour chapatis with ghee
Shop at the Mall Road in Kausani
Whether
you love shopping or not, don’t resist picking some traditional
craftware from MG road, which is the bustling market area in Kausani.
The range is usually wide with best buys being warm hand knitted caps,
shawls, pullovers and gloves.
Kumaoni jams, pickles, chutneys and tea from Puran Singh Tea Store and Anand and Sons are highly recommended.
Visit the famous temples in Kausani
Kausani is known for many heritage temples and the excellent artwork and architecture they display. Temple excursion is one of the best things to do in Kausani for religious tourists as well as architecture admirers.
When you are out to visit the most famous temples in Kausani, here are the ones that must feature in your itinerary.
- The artistic Someshwar temple devoted to Lord Shiva, founded by the Chand Dynasty
- Rudrahari Mahadev temple – an incredible cave temple situated by the bank of River Kosi; also, there is a waterfall by the same name, which can be reached by a trek through a forested trail.
- Baijnath temple in Kausani is a Shiva temple, popular for its marvels of Nagara style of architecture
- Kot Bhramari Temple is snuggled on a hill top, dedicated to Goddess Bhramari. If you happen to be there in August, do not miss the gala annual fair on Nanda Ashtami, organised at the Kot Bhramari temple, also known as Kote-ke-mai, or Bhramari Devi temple.
Tour the famous ashrams and museums in Kausani
Kausani is home to many holy ashramas which add to the serenity and beauty of the place. Tourists from India and abroad come here to walk the lanes of history and see the cultural heritage of Kausani.
- Anasakti Ashram, popular as Gandhi Ashram is one of the most beautiful and popular ones from the list. Gandhiji stayed here for a while writing Anasakti Yog. Now, the ashram has been turned into a museum showcasing his writings and photographs. There is no entry fees. From a visit perspective, spend approximately 2 hours exploring the ashram.
- Lakshmi Ashram, which was started by Catherine Hillman is another tourist spot, surrounded by tranquil hills and plush green forests. This ashram aims at empowering rural women of Kumaon region by training them for growing vegetables, professional cooking skills, housekeeping etc. Taking a tour of these ashramas is one of the not-to-miss things to do in Kausani.
- Another beautiful place to visit during Kausani trip is the Sumitranandan Pant Gallery. This is a museum displaying awards, drafts, and manuscripts written by the legendary poet, Sumitranandan Pant. The ashram’s opening time is 10:30 am and it closes at 4:30 pm for tourists. You can explore this serene ashram for just INR 10 per person.
Go for adventure sports in Kausani
2. Trek to the most beautiful trails of the hill station
One of the famous adventurous and fun activities in Kausani is trekking. This blissful and spectacular hilly retreat boasts of some famous treks that are highly recommended for beginners and amateur trekkers.
- Trekking to Rudrahari falls is quite engrossing and thrilling through thick and plush pine woods
- Nestled between the lofty Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot mountains, Pindari glacier is a spectacular sight. The Pindari glacier trek offers jaw dropping view of mighty Himalayas and valleys.
- Pinnath is a temple dedicated to Bhairon and can be reached by a 5 km trek, which is simple and exciting
Adventure activities in Kausani
Kausani offers ample scope of super thrilling rock climbing, mountain biking, and rappelling. Various small and medium sized rocky cliffs are ideal places for this exciting adventure sport. Undoubtedly, rock climbing is one of the superb fun activities in Kausani- popular amongst youngsters and corporates on their offsite.
