Pithoragarh

Cradled in the broad, fertile Soar valley and ringed by green hills, Pithoragarh is often called 'Little Kashmir' for the way its bowl of cultivated land sits framed by mountains. It is the largest town and administrative centre of far-eastern Kumaon, a frontier district that shares borders with both Nepal and Tibet, and it has long served as a gateway to the remote valleys and high passes beyond.

The town's history is written into the hills around it: the Pithoragarh Fort, built by the Gorkhas in the late 18th century, looks down over the valley, while ancient temples such as Kapileshwar Mahadev, set in a cave, and the hilltop shrines of Dhwaj and Mostamanu speak to centuries of devotion.

From the viewpoint of Chandak hill the whole Soar valley unfolds, with glimpses of the great peaks beyond. More than a destination in itself, Pithoragarh is the practical and cultural hub from which travellers strike out toward Munsiyari, Dharchula and the pilgrim and trekking routes that lead deep into the eastern Himalaya.

March–June and September–November are most pleasant.