Binsar is among one of the most beautiful and serene destination in the Himalayas and is located atop the Jhandi dhar hills of Kumaon at an altitude of 2412 mtrs. It is a notified forest reserve and bird sanctuary with over 200 species of birds found in the area. Located at a distance of 26 Kms from Almora i.e. a picturesque district of Uttarakhand, it was once the capital of Chand Raj dynasty. From Binsar, one can catch a wonderful view of the himlayan peaks like Kedarnath peak, Shivling and the famous Nanda devi from a place called ‘Zero point’.

Duration of stay: A minimum of three day stay is recommended.

Things to do:

·         Binsar wildlife Sanctuary: The Binsar wildlife sanctuary was set up in 1988 and encompasses and area of almost 50 sq.Kms. The forest is home to a variety of flora and fauna with over 200 species of birds found in the area. Some of the commonly seen wildlife animals are deer, wildboar and leopard. The area is also filled with alpine flora, ferns, hanging moss and many other species of wild flowers. 

·         Zero Point: Zero point is the highest point in Almora district and is the best place to catch the most amazing  view of the magnificent Himalayan range. One can see the snow-clad peaks of Kedarnath, Shivling, Trishul and the Nanda Devi from this point. It is best visible during the period of autumn and spring. 

·         Jageshwar: Approximately at a distance of 60 from Binsar lies the famous temple town of Jageshwar. Jageshwar is a pilgrimage town and most of the temples are dedicated to Lord shiva. The city has a cluster of 124 different temples dating from 9^th to the 13^th century AD. Legend has it that Lord shiva came to this town to meditate and upon hearing these all the womenfolk went to see him to pay their respects. Upon hearing these, the men folk of the town got infuriated and hence Shiva took upon the form of a child. Hence, the main temple at Jageshwar is the ‘Bal jageshwar temple’ dedicated to child shiva. 

·         Kasar Devi temple: It is said that the hippie culture of the early 80s started from here and also housed dutch monks during the period of 1970-80’s. Swami Vivekanda also meditated at this place during 1820. The place is still a major foreign tourist attraction. 

·         Almora: Mahatma Gandhi once quoted after having visited Almora “After having been for nearly three weeks in the Almora hills, I am more than ever amazed why our people need to go to Europe in search of health’. Considered to be the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of uttarakhand, Almora is a picturesque hill station located at a distance of 26 ms from Binsar. It is a town filled with rich cultural and historic heritage.

How to reach:

• Air: Pantnagar - 150 kms
• Rail: Kathgodham – 117 Kms.
• Road: Almora – 26 Kms