Binsar

Nestled on one side of the Kumaon range is the calm hill town of Binsar. Standing at an altitude of 2,480m, Binsar is just 30 km off Almora in the Uttarakhand state. One of the most scenic spots in the Kumaon Himalayas, Binsar is an idyllic hamlet for those who is looking quite and calm holiday with natural beauty. The hillstation named after Bineshwar, an ancient Shiva Temple built by the King Kalyan.

Binsar is an ancient town. It was the summer capital of the Chand Rajas. Also a designated wildlife sanctuary, no visit to Binsar is complete without considerable time spent at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.  The hillstation has about 166 identified bird species.

Binsar has rich in flora and fauna. The flora classified into moist, mixed deciduous forest, temperate moist coniferous forests including deodar and blue pine, sub-alpine birch fir and spruce forests. The fauna consists of Leopard, Langur, Himalayan black bear, Kakar, Goral, Musk deer, Thar etc and the commonly seen avifauna are; Brainfever, Spotter dove, Wagtail, Monal pheasant cheer pheasant, Koklas pheasant, Yellow backed sunbird, White capped redstart and many species of butterflies.  

Surrounded by oak forests, rhododendron, pine and deodar it makes a peacefully atmospheric tourist spots. One can catch some amazing views of the Himalays, peaks of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Shivaling, Trishul, Nanda Kot, Panchchuli and the majestic Nanda Devi. Besides these, it is an ideal setting for riding, trekking, camping and bird watching. Placid activities like outdoor camping, Nature walks, Overnight camping Binsar give it all and more.

A museum at the entry to Binsar provides a lots of information on the flora and fauna of the region and the sanctuary.

Sight seeing in and around Binsar

Jageshwar Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva it is considered as one of the most sacred 'tirthas' in the Kumaon region. The linga considered to represent one of the 12 Jothirlingams in India. The temple holds much significance for the devout and it is a must-see destination in Binsar. The temple complex comprises 124 temples. The Mrityunjaya temple seems to be the oldest dating back to the 8th century.

Kalika and Binsar Mahadev
Kalika is situated one kilometre from Upat. Dedicated to Goddess Kali it also boasts a forest nursery. From here one can enjoy the beautiful snowcapped mountain peak. From Kalika a 45 minute drive away, through misty, pine forests is the Binsar Mahadev.

Almora
It is situated 34 km from Binsar. From here one can have an easy access to the Chithai Temple, Kasar Devi, Deer Park, Nanda Devi Temple and Ramakrishna Mission Ashram. One can get the Kumaon art and culture at the Gobind Vallabh Pant Public Museum near the bus stand. It also boasts many shopping centers including 200 year old Lal Bazaar. The Famous Nanda Devi Mela is held at the 100 year old Nanda Devi Temple.

Jalna
Situated 59 km from Almora Jalna is at an ltitude of 5,500 metres. The place offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas. Thousands of people from all over India comes here at the Kutumbari Devi temple and Banari Devi temple nearby.

Katannal
It is a must-see for people interested in ancient architecture. It houses the famous Sun temple built by the Katyuri Rajas, about 900 years ago, atop a steep hill.

Ranikhet
Set along a 1,800 m high ride, Ranikhet is a beautiful thickly forested cantonment town in the Almora district of Uttarakhand in the Kumaon hills.

There are many places of interest for tourists who visit Binsar. Notable among them are Bright End Corner — which offers an unforgettable sunset view, the Chithai Temple — with its unique collection of brass bells of all sizes, donated by devotes, Kasar Devi — where Europeans have settled down, the Nanda Devi Temple — the cultural and religious centre of Almora for many centuries and Lala Bazaar — a unique, 200-year-old market.