MOUNTAIN ESCAPES
| KAUSANI |
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| Kausani guide
>>> Kausani travel guide and tourist information on Kausani, how to get to
Kausani, also details on sightseeing in Kausani, best time to visit Kausani and
accommodation in Kausani |
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A 300 km wide view curves across the Himalayas
from Kausani, a breathtakingly beautiful hill station in the Kumaon Hills in Uttaranchal.
The eye sweeps past dense forests and glowing hills lit up by the setting sun. The
panorama unfolds over the snow-covered peaks of Nanda Devi and Trishul, their impenetrable
beauty overshadowing the lesser mountains scattered at their feet. At 7,817 mt, Nanda
Devi is the second highest peak in India and has exerted a tremendous impact on
the cultures and lives of the Kumaoni and Garhwali peoples. Mt. Trishul
and Nanda Ghunti hover close by, symbolic of Shiva's trident and his
wife's veil.
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Besides these heart-stopping views, Kausani
offers blissfully undiluted silence and tranquillity. The crisp air in Kausani is laden
with the scent of pines. Tea gardens and pear orchards dot the landscape around Kausani
while the summer months see a profusion of wild flowers in the valleys. Kausani itself is
perched on a narrow ridge on Pingnath Peak, overlooking mountain vistas, while the rivers
Gomti and Kosi flank the town.
Kausani has had many moments in the sun - as the birthplace of Hindi poet Krishna Nandan
Pant, and again as the hill station where Mahatma Gandhi spent some happy days in 1929.
Gandhiji stayed at the Anasakti Ashram, where he explored the Anasakti
Yoga. The Ashram at Kausani used to be a guesthouse in a tea estate, and is now a research
centre and library. A Gandhi memorial has been erected here and evening prayers are said
in the main hall. There is a regular flow of pilgrims trying to combine a glimpse of the
sanctum with a view of the spectacular sunset.
Some good treks lead into the Himalayas from Kausani, such as the Adi Kailash trek and the
Bageshwar Sunderdhanga trek. The area is quite a camper's paradise. In spite of its
spectacular beauty, Kausani remains an unspoilt town where you can retreat for a quiet
sojourn at any time of the year. Getting
to Kausani
Kausani lies 53 km north of Almora in Uttaranchal. Delhi is 410 km away, a journey of 14
hours by road. The closest airport is at Pantnagar, 180 km. The nearest railhead is at
Kathgodam, 142 km, with trains arriving from Delhi. From Kathgodam you can catch a bus or
take a tourist taxi to Kausani.
Best time to visit Kausani
You can visit Kausani at any time of the year except for the monsoon period from end June
to September. Summer - April to June - is the best time to be in Kausani, with
temperatures ranging between 11°C and 26°C. The winters are cold - temperatures average
between 2°C and 14°C and there are chances of snow. Carry light woollens for summer and
heavy woollens for winter.
Accommodation in Kausani
Kausani is a mid-budget traveller's delight. The Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam has a tourist
guesthouse here. In addition to the Forest Rest House, State Bunglow and Zila Parishad Dak
Bunglow, there are other lodges and motels. Room tariffs range from Rs 300 to Rs 1500 for
a double room. Decent accommodation is also available at the Anasakti Ashram. |
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