Experience Authentic Kumaoni Living: A Serene Village Stay

KUMAON VILLAGE STAYS

For those who want a bit of nature and adventure, what could be better than staying well off the metalled road? From Almora, a low-altitude hike takes you over undulating country through beautiful terraced fields and forests into charming Kumaoni villages whose enterprising folk are now offering homestays. The best way to organise this trek is to stay a night or two at AyurVAID Kalmatia (Email: kalmatia@ayurvaid.com) in Almora. Email them at least a week in advance and ask them to book the overnight stays at Deora and Dhaulachina. You can also ask them to provide you with a guide.

Deora

The 12-km walk to Deora begins from Kalmatia Sangam in Almora, an easy 4-hour trek. Between Kalmatia Sangam Resorts and the chai shops, you will find a stone paved path running downhill, heading north past the village of Matgaon.

The village is scattered, extending all the way down the hill to the bottom of the valley. Follow the path as it skirts the bottom of the hill and turns to the northeast. You will cross a little cemented bridge and skirt the edges of fields until you come to a larger bridge over a stream.

Cross the river and head upstream, keeping to the true right of the valley. Continue upstream and you should reach the lovely little Mahegad Shiva Temple just a couple of hours after leaving Kalmatia. Cross over to the left bank of the stream and climb the embankment following the water pipes, until you find a path across the stream heading uphill. Climb down and up the right bank again, descending to the Bintola Fields soon after. Walk on the parapet of the small irrigation channel as it’s easier than walking through fields.

After Bintola Village the path turns left, or north, climbing gently up to a water point and some abandoned buildings. Follow the path as it descends past Rithapali Village and turns to the northeast, or right, to descend to the valley floor and the village of Naini.

There are some spectacular old temples in the vicinity with beautifully carved stone idols of Shiva-Parvati. One of the smaller shrines has a four-headed Shiva. From Naini, cross the small stream over a pucca bridge and the cemented path ascends gently to the northwest, up the hill to the small village of Deora.You can ask anyone for Nar Singh’s house and bunk down for the night after a wholesome dinner of rotis and delicious saag.

Dhaulachina

After your day’s in Deora, start on the easy 12-km walk to Dhaulachina, which should take from 4-5 hours. From the top of Deora Village follow the level path leading out to the east and then northeast, skirting the hill and then gently descending through groves of pine. It passes by the village of Chirala before descending sharply down to the valley floor. Follow the track heading north-northeast until you see a temple down by the stream on your right. Take that path on your right, to the old Sapteshwar Mahadev Temple. You can stop at the tea-shop by the stream here. The walk from Deora should have taken no longer than 1.5 hours. From the teashop, backtrack to the point where you turned off on the path to the right. Now head north for a few minutes and then take a left into the valley heading to the northwest. 

It is more convenient to walk on the cemented walls of the irrigation channel, but do this only if you have a head tot heights. Otherwise, descend to the valley floor and walk up northwest, crossing the stream over a pacca bridge. The path ascends gently for about as hour to the small hamilet of Pales then goes level, still heading noth west for a short while through ime forests, before dropping down a small shallow stream. Cross easily and climb up to the other bank.

From here, head north for about five minutes and you will come to a wide ditch. Head left up the ditch due northwest, for literally two minutes, and you will find a path leading up the steep embank. ment to your right.

A scramble up the steep slope will bring you onto the main road From here scramble up the hill in front of you again, moving a few degrees to your left, or north, through forests until you come upon a clearing with a few houses. This is the hamlet of Kahlon and from here you will find the ‘cheh footiya path, which winds its way up to Dhaulachina.

The last section, from the first houses of Dhaulachina to the main road and the Eco Tourist Resort, is a bit of a climb. But you will be in Dhaulachina by lunchtime and so you can head straight for the up-scale dhabu, the Hill View Hotel and Restaurant, for a filling lunch of delicious tandoori rotis and dal-subzi.

Head uphill a few hundred metres to the Eco Tourist Resort afterwards. The resort is perched on the lip of a hill, with tented accommodation, a lovely garden and equally lovely views. You can spend a lovely afternoon and evening birding in the forests spread around Dhaulachina.