Almora: (65 km from Dunagiri Retreat, 2.5-3.0 hr drive depending number of stops)
Situated in the centre of newly formed Uttarakhand state and lying in the lap of Himalayas is Almora, an important destination from geographical, historical and political perspective. The town is situated between Kosi and Suyal rivers and offers a splendid view of the mighty Himalayas. This town is also home to the famous Nanda Devi temple, the centre of the Nanda Devi festival and fair every year. Just 3 kilometres from Almora town is the Kasar Devi temple and the Vivekananda cave. Many interesting places like the Bright-end Corner, Pandit Govin Vallabh Pant Museum, Vivekananda Memorial, Malla Mahal, Talla Mahal also lie in and around the town.

Almora is endowed with exceptional natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, exquisite handicrafts, delectable cuisine and exotic wildlife. The significance of this part of the Himalayas for the Hindus is comparable to that of the holy cities of Mecca and Jerusalem for the Muslims and the Christians respectively. Almora is a centre of Hindu civilization and culture. It has numerous temples.

Swami Vivekananda in praise of this town had remarked, “This is the land where philosophy was born...”

This charming hill resort was the flourishing capital of the Chand dynasty. The region was earlier under the reigns of the Katyuri king Baichaldeo, who donated this area to a Gujarati Brahmin Sri Chand Tiwari. In 1560 the capital of Chand Dynasty was shifted to Almora (from Champawat) by Kalyan Chand. The beautiful town is set on a 6 kms long horse saddle shaped ridge. It affords breathtaking views of the snowy summits of Himalayas

Jageshwar: (100 km from Dunagiri Retreat, via Almora, 3-4 hour drive)
Situated at distance of around 35 kilometres from Almora, Jageshwar is one of the most important religious places for Hindus in the entire Kumaon region. It is also reputed to be the abode of one of the 12 ‘Jyotirlingas’. The temple complex is nestled in a narrow but beautiful valley laden with Cedar trees. The oldest shrine here is that of ‘Mritunjaya’ and the biggest is that of ‘Dandeshwara’. The Mahashivratri mela organized here in spring is a major event in the Kumaon region. The entire temple complex is awashed with color at the time as droves of pilgrims come to worship and celebrate.

Binsar: (100 km from Dunagiri Retreat, via Almora, 3-4 hour drive)
Thirty kilometres from Almora, this place used to be the summer retreat of the Chand kings. It's name is derived from Bineshwar (Lord Shiva) Temple. The town, nestled amongst the thick Oak and Rhododendron forests has been converted into a wildlife sanctuary and is home to animals like panther and the barking deer. A major attraction of Binsar is the unobstructed view of the Himalayas. Some of the major peaks such as the Kedarnath, Badrinath, Shivling, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Nanda Kot, Nanda Devi and the Gangotri glacier can be easily spotted from here (by the way, these peaks can be seen from Dunagiri too – either from Sukhadevi or from Pandukholi).

Chaukori: (90 km from Dunagiri Retreat, via Bageshwar, 4 hour drive)
The charming little town of Chaukori is unlike any other hill station you have seen. Chaukori is a somnolent, peaceful hamlet, untouched by development, free from the clutches of tourism. Chaukori, in Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon Hills of Uttaranchal, is in the heart of the Himalayas. The benign peaks of Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot and the famous five of Panchuli are a constant presence. Chaukori village is a simple, one-horse road free from the maddening clamour of trinket vendors and travel guides trying to lure tourists to the "hotspots" - perhaps because there are no hotspots! In Chaukori, you are free to discover the joys of this laidback village on your own. There is little to do here besides basking in the blissful sunshine, breathing in the invigorating mountain air and feasting your eyes on the breathtaking scenery.

One of the most magnificent aspects of a stay at Chaukori is the fabulous sunrise and sunset that you are treated to. The night sky is studded with a million stars that simply take your breath away.

Patal Bhuvneshwar: (175 km from Dunagiri Retreat, via Almora, 5-6 hour drive)
About 175 km from Dunagiri towards Almora and Gangolihat, in Pithoragarh district, Patal Bhuvneshwar is a wonder of nature. The underground cave at Patal Bhuvneshwar has a vertical tunnel 40 meters long. At the bottom of the tunnel, there is a main passage which opens into several small horizontal caves, of which the longest accessible one is 120 meters in length. The ceiling of the caves is scattered with many stalactites believed to be the carvings of animals, gods and goddesses by the religious. The cave temple here is also believed to be the abode of thirty three crore deities.