In Uttarakhand, almost every place is a thing of wonder and beauty in itself. We have heard of places like Ranikhet, Almora, Nainital and so on. But, a place like Chaukori is literally a gem box situated approx. 180 km from Almora.

By all means, Chaukori, with its Himalayan peaks and dense forests, lives up to the expectations of a nature and mountain lover. It is situated in Pithoragarh district of Kumaon at an elevation of 2,010 m, and 173 km away from Nainital, the gateway to Uttarakhand. Chaukori is a stellar hill station, meant for those, who wouldn’t mind spending hours gazing at the magnificent Nanda Devi and Panchachuli peaks.

This stunning hill station located in the heart of the Himalayas is one of the few destinations that have tea estates in the region. Besides, fruits orchards, pine forests, the rhododendrons and oak forest give a lot more reasons to the tourists to walk in and around this lovely tourist-friendly place.

What else to see in Chaukori?

The sunrise and sunset, star-studded sky at night, warm hospitality of the Kumaon dwellers, the list goes on. It has a few ancient temples in and around Chaukori that date back to the Mahabharata-era, built by the Pandavas during their stay in the Kumaon hills.

Where to stay?

Be sure about a great stay by booking in advance a room in the KMVN Tourist Rest House Chaukori. They have cosy cottages that offer full-fledged views of the majestic Himalayas. Plus, the KMVN rest houses also have lip-smacking vegetarian food and spacious parking lots, and not to forget their own elevated square to enjoy unhindered view of the mountain peaks!

Photo by:  Amar, Creative Commons Attribution Licence

Another great option is Kaaphal Hill Homestay, which has a typical Himalayan village setting and a beautiful one at that! The incredibly warm hosts have made arrangement for comfortable rooms as well as delish, organic, and fresh Kumaoni food and fresh milk procured from their domesticated cattle. This is one place, where you would feel like home in the hills.

Best time to visit Chaukori

Summer and autumn is the most ideal time to visit Chaukori when the weather is moderate and conducive for exploring the town. The best months for sightseeing are April to June and September to November. July and August are the harbinger of rains, which might not suit many travellers. As for the winters, Chaukori experiences harsh winters with mercury hitting the 2 degree Celsius mark or even lower. So, if you enjoy visiting the mountains in winters, make sure you pack in the heaviest woollens you could carry.

How to reach Chaukori?

To reach Chaukori by air, board a flight to the Pantnagar airport in Uttarakhand. From the airport, it is a 205 km long ride by a private taxi that can be hired till Chaukori, Bageshwar and Almora.

Train travellers would need to alight at the Kathgodam railway station. The distance is 180 km long from Kathgodam to Chaukori; trains to Kathgodam are easily available from Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and other Indian cities. From the exit gate of the rail head, buses ply to Chaukori and other dropping points.

By road, Chaukori is comfortably linked by motorable roads with several Indian cities. Tourists from Delhi can board a bus to Kathgodam and Almora from the ISBT station.

If you close your eyes to picture Shukratal in Uttar Pradesh, you would be probably conjuring images of a mystical place. And, to this imagination, if you could add River Ganga flowing through the city and major historical sites, you would get the complete picture of how Shukratal actually is.

This ancient city offers unique sites and attractions that guarantee unrivalled experiences. Luckily, it is not difficult to get there—it is roughly 1 hour 26 min away by road from Delhi, and 2 hours away from Dehradun. Here, we take a close look at the landmark sites of this offbeatdestination in Uttar Pradesh.

Shukratal is situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of western UP on the banks of Ganga. It has been a site of pilgrimage since 5,000 years, given its connection with King Parikshit, the descendant of the Pandavas as mentioned in the Mahabharata. It is written that the great Sage Shuka Dev, son of Maharishi Vyasa, bestowed the knowledge of true liberation on the king, who was cursed to die within seven days.

Photo by:  Unknown, Creative Commons Attribution Licence

This place holds great significance for its antiquity. A special fair is organised at this site on Kartik Poornima that draws a large gathering to take a dip in the river

How to reach Shukratal?

While travelling to Haridwar or Dehradun from Delhi for about 120 km, travellers have to cross the Muzaffarnagar bypass road. On this route, while driving on the Morna-Bijnor road for 26 km, one can reach Shukratal. Do not rely on Google Maps to locate this place because you may never find it!

Akshay Vat – an ancient, silent spectator

Photo by:  Uttar Pradesh tourism, Creative Commons Attribution Licence

The most intriguing and awe-inspiring spots is the hillock, in which the holy Akshay Vat (banyan tree) stands. It is believed that it is the same aged tree, under which Sage Shuk Dev narrated Shrimad Bhagwat Katha to King Parikshit before his death. Interestingly, this banyan tree never sheds its leaves. It is quite an experience to see a magnanimous tree that has seen many civilisations come and go. This tree is surrounded by ancient temples, stay houses for pilgrims, immersion sites etc. There is a shrine, where the image of Lord Krishna wielding a flute is flanked by the idols of Shuka Dev, King Parikshit and a host of other sages. Long ago, River Ganga would flow close by but with the passage of time, it has moved a bit far away from this site.

A place where the Ganga came to meet Lord Shiva

This temple has an interesting backstory. When this temple was being built, River Ganga suddenly changed its course and came extremely close to the construction site. Anxious about the turn of events, the temple founders worshipped Goddess Ganga and prayed her to change the course. The prayers were accepted and construction was resumed. A shrine for the holy river was also constructed at the same time to honour the ancient river. The Shiva Temple has beautiful interiors made of marble, and the whole place emanates peaceful vibes.

Behold! The largest idol of Hanuman

Shukratal is famous for being home to the largest idol ever of Lord Hanuman. This idol stands 75 feet and 10 inches tall from the ground. In the temple complex are located the images of different species of monkeys found on this planet.