7 Wildly Beautiful Kumaon Offbeat Destinations for Nature Lovers

(And the Forgotten Legends They Whisper)

The first time I reached out to a local from Kumaon for “unheard-of” places, he chuckled before responding, “You really want to see what even city folks here haven't?” That was the moment I knew I was onto something not just scenic—but sacred.

This isn’t your regular list of travel destinations. These are ancient trails passed down through stories, not websites. Places where the wind carries secrets, and the silence is not empty but alive. You won’t find glossy signboards here. What you’ll find instead is space—for stillness, raw beauty, and something that today’s rushed world often forgets: depth.

In this article you will learn:

• 🗺️ 7 secret offbeat destinations in Kumaon nature lovers rarely talk about

• 🧭 Exact location tips & how to reach each place

• 💸 Realistic travel cost estimates based on local guides

• 🧓 Historical backstories, myths, and experiences shared by Kumaon locals

• 🌿 Special tips for nature-focused travelers seeking solitude

  
  

  

  
  

1. Soona Pani – The Ghost Hamlet that Heals

Locals call it "the abandoned spring that listens.” Located deep inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Soona Pani is not on Google Maps. It’s a crumbling village with only forest sounds and old Kumaoni stone homes standing under thick deodar canopies. According to village elders in Matkanya, this area was once a meditation point for monks fleeing invasions in the 16th century.

📍How to reach: Short trek from Binsar’s last forest check post (~2.5 km)

💰Trek + Local Homestay: ₹300–₹600/night

🔥Tip: Go during weekdays. The forest becomes eerily quiet—and that’s the magic.

2. Patal Bhubaneshwar’s Sister Cave – The ‘Sleeping Yogi’ Route

Everyone’s heard of Patal Bhubaneshwar. But a 4-hour forest walk northwards from Gangolihat leads you to a hidden cave system the locals call Supt Rishi Gufa—where yogis were said to go underground for months.

An 85-year-old priest near the base once told me, “These aren’t caves. They’re doorways. Just not all doors open to humans.”

📍How to reach: Ask locals at Gangolihat Temple for a guided trek

💰Local guide: ₹300–₹500 (worth every rupee)

🔥Tip: Carry incense and sweets. The cave-keepers believe you must “ask before entering.”

3. Khaliya Bugyal (But from the Forest Trail, Not the Tourist Path)

Most visitors to Khaliya Bugyal in Munsiyari take the well-marked 5 km trek. But there’s an older, forest-draped shepherd’s trail that starts from Balati village. You’ll pass frozen streams, bear claw marks, and eventually emerge onto the meadow’s quieter edge.

This trail taught me something about Kumaon—silence isn’t the absence of noise; it’s the presence of something deeper.

📍How to reach: Start from Balati village (~12 km loop)

💰DIY trek + tent rental: ₹800–₹1,200

🔥Tip: Talk to the shepherds. They might offer you rhododendron tea brewed with forest honey.

4. Koteswar Mahadev – River Whisperer’s Cave

While Almora draws the crowd, this hidden riverside cave temple near Lohaghat watches silently over Kali River’s narrowest bend. It’s where the priest chants into the water every morning, believing the river carries prayers faster from that bend.

📍How to reach: 45 min drive from Lohaghat, short 15 min walk

💰Temple donation + snack stop: ₹200–₹300

🔥Tip: Visit early morning when the fog hugs the river. There’s an energy that disappears with the sun.

5. Chaukori’s Sky Window: Nag Devta Peak

Instead of heading to the tea gardens, trek behind Chaukori into the lesser-known Nag Devta Peak. The name comes from a tale of a serpent spirit that guarded ancient astrologers’ manuscripts buried under a now-forgotten temple.

On clear days, the peak frames Nanda Devi like a jewel on the horizon—no crowds, no fences, just you and a breathing skyline.

📍How to reach: Ask any tea garden worker for the "Nag route"

💰Trek + optional guide: ₹150–₹400

🔥Tip: Carry a printed star map. Locals say this hill has “star memory.”

6. Dharchula’s Shadow Village: Sipu

Most border travelers stop at Dharchula, but very few cross the wooden bridge to the ghost village of Sipu. Destroyed partially during the 1950s Indo-Nepal conflicts, it now houses just 5 families and a tiny Buddhist-style shrine believed to protect wanderers from memory loss on high trails.

📍How to reach: Walk 1.5 km from Dharchula via suspension bridge

💰Free to enter, donation optional

🔥Tip: Ask the old monk to show you the memory stones. You’ll never forget them.

7. Tejam Ridge – Where You Sleep Above the Clouds

This one’s for travelers who chase sunsets like rituals. Tejam, a forgotten ridge near Berinag, is where you can camp solo with a valley that spills clouds into your tent by dawn. Locals believe spirits of ancient herbalists still roam here, guarding the rare roots that grow only in moonlight.

📍How to reach: Trek from Berinag Forest Rest House (~6 km)

💰Camp setup + basic food: ₹1,000/day

🔥Tip: Talk to Berinag forest officers. They might share a tea brewed with those moon herbs.

So if you’ve been chasing popular hill stations hoping to feel something deeper—maybe it’s time to take a quieter turn. Kumaon is not a destination. It’s a whisper. And the less you try to capture it in photos, the more it starts to reveal.

💬 Thinking of exploring any of these places soon? Drop your thoughts or questions below. I’ve got personal notes, maps, and some voice recordings from locals that I’d love to share with serious travelers.

👣 Want more offbeat Kumaon secrets delivered like letters from the hills? Stick around. The mountains have just started talking.

Sources and Local References from the Kumaon

• Interviews with Kumaon locals (Balati, Berinag, Gangolihat)

• Community discussions on Reddit (r/IndiaTravel, r/UttarakhandTrekker)

• Temple priests’ historical anecdotes collected during field visits (March–April 2024)

• Forest Rest House archives, Almora Circle

  
  

Blog by Deepak Bhandari Explorer of trails less taken | Let curiosity be your compass