Chaukori - Hill Station
If you are looking for the place where you can have some beautiful time in solitude, this is a wonderful place to spend your time.
Chaukori is a little but picturesque hamlet in the State of Uttarakhand. Tourist and devotees both enjoy making a visit to this heart-warming place. Like other hill stations in Uttarakhand. It also a wonderful destination to visit, situated in the district of Pithoragarh. This will be an ideal destination for nature lovers and pilgrims. Visitors from this hill station can view the sky-touching peaks covered with snow. The small village is surrounded with natural vegetation. From Chaukori, people can easily see the Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot peaks. Visitors can also spend a good time visiting the majestic tea gardens in the region.
As soon as you step in Chaukori, you'll have a feeling of complete calm and solitude. At this small hill resort one can also soak up the views of the five Panchauli peaks as well which surrounds the Chokuri as a boundary.
Chaukori is very popular for its tea garden especially which were set up by the British. It is also conceived as a heavenly location in Uttarakhand among the tourists. Chokuri is beautifully tucked away at a height of 2010 meters above the sea level.
If you are interested in visiting the place you can plan a comfortable trip too. During summers the temperature varies from 28 degree to 15 degree Celsius, it means the temperature is average which good for visitors. April, May and June are affordable months to go Chokuri. In these months the weather is good and pleasant.
Uttarakhand Chaukori is still to be explored and found. While visiting Pithoragarh, you can never afford to miss a visit to Chaukori. There are multiple attractions to help you spend some quality time with your friends and family.
How To Reach - Chaukori
Though you can also arrive at the closest airport (Pantnagar) and take a taxi from there to reach Chaukori, road or train travel is more preferable options of reaching. Most of the well-known cities and towns of Uttarakhand connect to the town of Chaukori.
Chaukori by Air
Pantnagar Airport are the nearest airways to the town of Chaukori. From Chaukori the aloofness is around 250 kilo meters. Pantnagar airport offers the availability of transportation to many towns such as Chaukori, Bageshwar and Almora. Taxis are available at the airport; one can hire taxis to get their desired location.
Nearest Airport: Dehradun - 125 kms from Chamoli
Chaukori by Road
Tourists can reach Chaukori by bus, the major and well known cities are well connected with the town. Buses are also available from the nearer places like Haldwani and Almora. Apart from the state buses, pilgrims can also catch buses from other states of India such as Delhi and Nainital. The distance between Chaukori and Nainital is around 480 kilo meters. If you are traveling from Nainital to Chaukori you may be charged nearly Rs. 280 to 300 for general class.
Buses from Kathgodam are also available to reach Almora and from Almora to Chaukori. Other major cities which provide the transportation facility for Chaukori include, Almora, Pithoragarh, Kausani, Didihat and so many among others. Night buses also ready to leave from Delhi to Almora which requires a ten hour (10 hr) journey.
Chaukori by Train
The nearest railway station to the city is located in the hamlet of Kathgodam. From Chaukori town is situated at a distance 198 kilo meters from the closest rail head Kathgodam. From the railway station you can hire private cars or can get buses to reach Chaukori. Trains are also there from capital city Delhi to Kathgodam on a daily basis. The general class will charge around 146 and 860 for the air conditioned coaches.
Best Time to Visit Chaukori
October to March is the ideal months to be here. Why are winters in Chaukori the best time to visit? Simply and ironically because the skies are clear and the views are majestic. Summers and monsoon just make it harder to handle travelling on the steep terrain, while winters, although make you deck up on the layers, are a more satiating experience because of the chilly winds and the softer-hued sunrise and sunsets.
Summer (March-June): March marks the beginning of summer season in Chaukori, and it lasts until June. Summer season in the city is not too harsh. The temperature remains around 17 to 25 degrees Celcius. This is considered to be the best time to explore the town since the weather remains pleasantly warm and the heat is quite bearable.
Monsoon (July - September): From July onwards, monsoon season starts taking over the summer months thus, bringing down the temperature. Though the weather remains cool, the rain in this season impedes outdoor activities. Therefore, these months are certainly not the best time to visit Chaukori.
Winter (October - February): October marks the onset of winter season which lasts until February. These months are incredibly cold as the temperature lingers between 3 to 15 degrees Celcius. The weather is chilly and therefore not appropriate for travel buffs to step outside.
Top places to visit in Chaukori
Here are the top 6 places to visit in Chaukori
Patal Bhubaneshwari
Patal Bhubaneshwari, for many tourists, remains one of their most memorable experiences in the district, which is about 37 km from Chaukori. The myth behind this cave cum sanctuary is that, the Pandavas with their wife Draupadi stayed for a while here while on their final journey to salvation in the Himalayas.
While crawling into the cave, the entrance feels extremely restrictive, and patients of chronic heart ailments are discouraged from venturing in here. However, once inside, there is an unprecedented rush of relief and peace, and the cave itself has a whole water body located inside it. The cave itself is not a single cavity, but a series of caves within caves, made completely out of limestone, and by the safekeeping of the authorities is very well preserved, and electrically illuminated. The cave becomes a spiritual spot for many who come seeking peace and fulfillment in Chaukori.
Nakuleshwara Temple
Situated 10 km from the town, this temple has a very fascinating story attached to it. It is said that this temple was built by the last two Pandavas namely Nakula and Sahadev and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
With an aura of tranquility, the temple is constructed in Khajuraho style consisted of 38 stone images of different Gods which are deteriorating fast.
Arjuneshwar Shiva Temple
The temples in all of Chaukori, are a live symbol of the dedication that great men placed in the leading deities of the area, chiefly Lord Shiva. This temple was constructed by one of the Pandava brothers, who was known throughout India for his impeccable archery, Arjuna.
The Pandavas, while on their journey to the Himalayas as their final spiritual abode, constructed many temples and set up holy shrines as a form of homage to the Hindu deities for their willing support to the Pandavas. The temple is situated on a hill at a height of about 6000 feet, and needless to say, you need to be wearing your most confortable pair of shoes to complete the trek to this temple.
Nagmandir, Berinag
Berinag, about 10 km from Chaukori, houses this temple dedicated to Sheshnag, the serpent with multitude heads, holding the Earth stable and also forms the bed of Lord Vishnu of the Hindu mythology, often incarnating with him for the wellbeing of mankind.
The Sheshnag Temple is said to have been constructed py the Pants (the Hindu Brahmins of Maharashtra), who found a lot of different colored snakes coiled up at a point and at the spot of this natural marvel and constructed this temple to behold the glory of the serpent god Sheshnagm who left his quarelling family, and observed a strict penance to achieve higher bliss. The temple, constructed in the 14th century, sees devotess who worship the lesser known Hindu deities.
Kapileshwar Mahadev
Kapileshwar Mahdev remains a very pure and religiously relevant spot for devotees of Lord Shiva. Sage Kapil constructed this temple, which is just above Tekari and Takaura villages.
Everyday, prayers are offered and hymns are sung in strict accordance to the doctrines dictated by the texts and devotees are open to offer their respects at the shrine as well. The Northeast path opens up to the Dharchaula Pithorgarh route, for those interested in exploring the district beyond Chaukori.
Ghunsera Devi Temple
History students can rejoice, for this really dated temple, houses some anciently carved shrines, with a few dating back to the Gupta Age. The stone idols were a predominant part of the culture in the hilly regions of Uttaranchal, that promotes idol worship.
More importantly, these idols in the temple complex were established by the Khol Kings of Kartikeya Pura. The actual live specimens of such an era are extremely valuable, and unique to such rare parts of the country.
