my next stop

Uttarakhand

Dwarahat (Dunagiri)

Fifty odd Katyuri stone temples in a quiet Kumaon bazaar

HeritageOffbeatSpiritual

Best time to visit Dwarahat (Dunagiri)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: March to April and October to November
  • Shoulder: February, May, September and December, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: no month is a write-off here

Planning a specific month? MarchAprilOctoberNovember

Dwarahat (Dunagiri) season by season

Winter December to February Shoulder

Dec to Feb run 2 to 16 C with frost on the temple plinths, clear enough for Trishul from the Dunagiri ridge and nobody else about.

Summer March to May Prime time

March to May give the best light on the carved stone, 18 to 28 C, and the Syalde Bikhauti drums fill the bazaar in mid April.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jul and Aug soak the temple courtyards and put slides on the Ranikhet road; the moss and green are lovely if you can sit them out.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct and Nov are ideal: cold clean mornings, the Nanda Devi wall from Dunagiri and the eight temple groups completely empty.

What Dwarahat (Dunagiri) is actually like

A one street bazaar with two basic hotels and a KMVN; pilgrims bound for Dunagiri, students, no tourist scene at all

Things to do in Dwarahat

The local places worth your time in and around Dwarahat, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Ratan Deo Temples, Dwarahat

    Heritage · in town

    ASI protected cluster of Katyuri era shrines, one of the eight old temple groups in the town

  • Badrinath Group, Dwarahat

    Temple · in town

    ASI protected Katyuri temple group still in worship; its old idol was replaced after the Rohillas desecrated it

  • Kacheri Group, Dwarahat

    Heritage · in town

    ASI protected Kachahri ki Dewal or court temples, a row of pillared Katyuri era shrines in the town

  • Dunagiri Temple

    Temple · 15 km out

    Hilltop Shakti temple of Dunagiri Devi, counted as an Ugra Peeth and among the oldest Shakti shrines of Kumaon

  • Mahavatar Babaji Cave

    Cave · 22 km out

    Cave above Kukuchina where Lahiri Mahasaya is said to have received Kriya Yoga from Mahavatar Babaji

  • Pandukholi

    Trek · 24 km out

    Hilltop with a basic ashram where the Pandavas are said to have hidden, about a 5 km walk near Dunagiri

Getting to Dwarahat (Dunagiri)

Kathgodam railhead to Dwarahat about 5 h by bus via Ranikhet, or a 1 h shared jeep from Ranikhet

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
1432 m
State
Uttarakhand
Coordinates
29.7649, 79.4245

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Dwarahat (Dunagiri)?

March to April and October to November is peak season in Dwarahat (Dunagiri). February, May, September and December is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. No month is a write-off here. March to May give the best light on the carved stone, 18 to 28 C, and the Syalde Bikhauti drums fill the bazaar in mid April.

How many days do you need in Dwarahat (Dunagiri)?

2 days is the usual stay. A one street bazaar with two basic hotels and a KMVN; pilgrims bound for Dunagiri, students, no tourist scene at all.

How do you get to Dwarahat (Dunagiri)?

Kathgodam railhead to Dwarahat about 5 h by bus via Ranikhet, or a 1 h shared jeep from Ranikhet. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Dwarahat (Dunagiri) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Dwarahat (Dunagiri)?

Apr: Syalde Bikhauti fair, drums through the bazaar. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Dwarahat?

Ratan Deo Temples, Dwarahat, Badrinath Group, Dwarahat, Kacheri Group, Dwarahat, Dunagiri Temple, Mahavatar Babaji Cave and Pandukholi. ASI protected cluster of Katyuri era shrines, one of the eight old temple groups in the town.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Uttarakhand

All 40 destinations in Uttarakhand