Have you ever found a place that feels like a well-kept secret? That’s Kasar Devi. Tucked away in the Kumaon hills high above Almora, this small village has a quiet magic that’s hard to describe but easy to feel. There’s a sense of peace here, one that has drawn spiritual seekers and creative minds for over a century.
You’ll find an ancient temple sitting on a unique geomagnetic field (the Van Allen Belt, shared with spots like Machu Picchu), and you’ll walk the same ridge that inspired thinkers and artists during the “Hippie Trail” era.
This guide will walk you through the essential places to visit in Kasar Devi, from sacred sites to legendary viewpoints. Many Uttarakhand tour packages now feature Kasar Devi, recognizing it as a perfect blend of serenity and history.
Our advice? Pack light, keep your schedule loose, and give yourself time to wander. The best tourists destinations in Kasar Devi often reveal themselves in the quiet moments between the main “sights.”
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Your Kasar Devi Adventure Map
Here’s a quick look at the popular places to see in Kasar Devi worth building your days around:
● Kasar Devi Temple: The village’s anchor, ancient, atmospheric, and made for slow mornings.
● Crank’s Ridge (Hippie Hill): An easy walk with Kumaon air, cafe breaks, and a storied past.
● Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary: Oak forests, big skies from Zero Point, and serious birdlife.
● Nearby Temples & Treasures: Day trips to a rare sun temple, a cedar-forest temple cluster, and a bell-covered shrine.
● Almora's Charming Spots: Viewpoints, a small museum, and parks close enough for an easy afternoon.
If Kasar Devi has a center of gravity, it’s the Kasar Devi Temple. The village takes its name (and much of its reputation) from this hilltop shrine, believed to date back to the 2nd century CE. It’s dedicated to Goddess Kasar Devi, and while the temple itself is modest, the setting does a lot of the talking: open sky, layered hills, and a hush that makes you lower your voice without thinking about it.
The site is also associated with the Van Allen Belt, a magnetic field that’s said to pass through places like Machu Picchu in Peru and Stonehenge in England. That idea, combined with the quiet, is part of why meditation has long been tied to this spot.
Swami Vivekananda visited in the 1890s to meditate and later wrote about its significance, a detail locals and repeat visitors still mention with pride.
● Location: Binsar Road, Kasar Devi, Almora, Uttarakhand 263601.
● Timings: Generally open from sunrise to sunset, around 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
● Entry Fee: Absolutely free, no ticket required.
● What to do: Sit quietly and soak in the stillness, take in the Himalayan view, and time your visit for sunrise or sunset if you can. It’s an easy place to linger.
Suggested Read: Travel Tips for Kasar Devi: Plan Your Uttarakhand Trip Smartly
2. Crank’s Ridge (Hippie Hill)
A short stroll from the temple, Crank’s Ridge curves along a pine-covered hillside, a simple path with an outsized reputation. You’ll also hear it called “Hippie Hill,” a nod to the 1960s and 70s, when Kasar Devi became a magnet for travellers who were chasing art, ideas, and a quieter way of living.
Writers, artists, and spiritual seekers passed through, and the ridge picked up its lore along the way. Names like Bob Dylan and Robert Thurman (Uma Thurman’s father) are often linked to this stretch, adding to the sense that you’re walking through a small chapter of counterculture history.
Today, the draw is wonderfully straightforward: an easy walk, clean mountain air, and the kind of views that make you stop mid-sentence. Small cafes dot the route, which means you can break for a hot chocolate and watch the hills change colour as the light shifts.
There are no gates, no ticket counters, and no official hours, it’s just an open ridge road. If you’re collecting the most popular tourists spots in Kasar Devi, this one earns its place without trying too hard.
3. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
For a change of scenery (and a deeper dose of Kumaon forest) plan a trip to Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, roughly 26–30 km from Kasar Devi. Established in 1988, the sanctuary was set up to protect its oak forests and the wildlife that depends on them.
The headline here is birdlife: more than 200 species have been recorded, and patient walkers often spot standouts like the Forktail and the Monal Pheasant. Larger animals are around too, even if sightings are never guaranteed, barking deer, Himalayan bear, and leopard are all part of the sanctuary’s cast.
Most visitors exploring the popular places to see in Kasar Devi aim for “Zero Point,” the sanctuary’s best-known viewpoint. The walk is about 1.5 km, and it pays off in the way only a Himalayan panorama can: peaks like Kedarnath, Trishul, and Nanda Devi lined up across the horizon, crisp on a clear day and moody when clouds roll in.
● Location: On the Almora-Binsar road, about 26 km from Almora town.
● Timings: The sanctuary is usually open from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM.
● Entry Fee: For Indians, it's about ₹150 per person. There's also a fee for the car you take inside, which is around ₹250 for a small car.
● What to do: Take a forest walk, go birdwatching, and make time for the trek to Zero Point for those wide-open Himalayan views.
Ancient Treasures and Top Places to See in Kasar Devi
One of Kasar Devi’s underrated advantages is how well it works as a base. Within the easy day-trip range, you’ll find temples and heritage sites that show off Kumaon’s depth, from rare sun worship to stone shrines hidden in cedar forests. If you’re building a longer list of tourist destinations in Kasar Devi, start here.
Katarmal Sun Temple sits quietly on a hill, dedicated to the Sun God and far less crowded than you’d expect for something this distinctive. Built around 800 years ago by King Katarmalla, it’s among the few sun temples in India, the kind of detail that makes history lovers sit up.
The main shrine is ringed by 44 smaller ones, many with intricate carvings that reward a slow look. Reaching it involves a bit of a walk, but the approach through villages and the sudden reveal of the architecture make the effort feel like part of the visit, not a chore.
It’s also one of the more underrated tourist places in Kasar Devi for travellers who enjoy history, quiet trails, and old Himalayan temple architecture.
● Location: Katarmal Village, Almora District, Uttarakhand. It is located about 1.5 km from Kosi village.
● Timings: Open from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and then from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
● Entry Fee: Free for everyone to visit.
Suggested Read: Discovering Best Treks in Kasar Devi for Unforgettable Adventures
About 35 km away, Jageshwar feels like a destination designed for unhurried walking. It’s a cluster of more than 100 ancient stone temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, set inside a dense deodar forest. Many of these structures are said to be 1,300 to 1,800 years old, and the age shows in the stonework and the worn steps.
A river runs nearby, the cedars rise straight and tall, and the whole complex carries a calm that’s hard to manufacture. If you’re looking for top places to see in Kasar Devi in one day, Jageshwar is the kind of day trip that stays with you long after you’re back on the ridge.
● Location: Jageshwar, Almora District, Uttarakhand. Situated in a valley about 36 km northeast of Almora.
● Timings: The complex is generally open from early morning to evening, roughly 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with a break in the afternoon.
● Entry Fee: There is no entry fee to explore the temple complex.
6. Chitai Golu Devta Temple
Chitai Golu Devta Temple is unforgettable, not because it’s grand, but because it’s alive with offerings. Dedicated to Golu Devta, widely revered as the God of Justice, the temple is wrapped in a tradition that’s both simple and striking: devotees write wishes or grievances on paper and tie them here, then return with a brass bell once their request is fulfilled.
Over time, that practice has filled the temple with bells, thousands upon thousands, from tiny chimes to heavy, weathered brass. It’s one of those quietly memorable experiences that makes this spot stand out among the tourist places in Kasar Devi, especially when the wind moves through the courtyard and the entire space turns into a soft, echoing soundscape.
● Location: State Highway 37, Chitai, Almora, Uttarakhand 263601.
● Timings: Open from 6:00 AM to around 8:00 PM.
● Entry Fee: Free. You only pay if you want to buy a bell to offer.
If local culture is what pulls you into the hills, these top places to see in Kasar Devi and nearby are a strong starting point. For a broader Kumaon-and-beyond shortlist, here are top places to visit in Uttarakhand.
Exploring Almora Town: More Sights to See
Almora is close enough to Kasar Devi that you can treat it like an extension of your trip rather than a separate stop. If you have a free afternoon (or you want to mix temples and trails with a bit of town life) these spots are easy to fit in.
● Bright End Corner: Just 2 km from Almora near Mall Road, this viewpoint is made for golden-hour watching. It’s named after Mr. Brighton and frames the Himalayan peaks on clear days. No set timings, no entry fee, and no fuss: just show up when the light is good.
● Govind Ballabh Pant Museum: Located on Mall Road, this museum is a quick, worthwhile stop if you’re curious about the region’s past. It houses artefacts from the Katyuri and Chand dynasties, along with traditional Kumaoni “Aipan” paintings. Timings are 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and there’s no entry fee.
● Deer Park (Mrig Vihar): Around 3 km from Almora, Mrig Vihar is a small park for a quiet walk among pine trees. Deer are the main attraction, and you may also see a Himalayan black bear or a leopard in protected enclosures. Entry is about ₹20 for adults and ₹10 for children, and it’s typically open from around 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
● Simtola: Roughly 5 km from Almora on Highway 309A, Simtola is a relaxed picnic spot on a horseshoe-shaped ridge. Pine and deodar trees give it shade, and the views open out to valleys and distant mountains. It’s an easy place to slow down, especially for families.
Prefer a simple plan where transport and timing are already sorted? WanderOn’s Uttarakhand Trip: Binsar & Kasar Devi is a neat option for a short, low-stress getaway.
Planning Your Kasar Devi Trip
Kasar Devi is located about 8 km from Almora and is accessible by road. Here’s a breakdown of the travel options:
● By Air: The nearest airport is Pantnagar Airport (PGH), located approximately 124 km away. From the airport, you can hire a taxi to reach Kasar Devi, which takes about 4-5 hours.
● By Train: The closest railway station is Kathgodam (KGM), located at Off NH 109, Railway Colony Road, Kathgodam, Nainital, 263126. It is about 88 km from Kasar Devi. Several trains connect Kathgodam to major cities like Delhi. From the station, taxis and buses are available to Almora, and then a local taxi can take you to Kasar Devi.
● By Road: Kasar Devi is well-connected by road. You can drive from Delhi (around 370 km) or take a bus. Regular buses run from Delhi's ISBT Anand Vihar to Almora. From Almora, it's a short 8 km taxi ride to the village.
Best Time to Visit Kasar Devi
The ideal time for a Kasar Devi trip is during the spring and summer months (March to June) and post-monsoon (September to November). During these periods, the weather is pleasant, and the skies are clear, offering stunning views of the Himalayan peaks.
Winters (December to February) are cold, with a chance of snowfall, while the monsoon season (July and August) can bring heavy rain and potential landslides.
Suggested Read: Discover the Top 16 HomeStays in Kasar Devi
What Most People Get Wrong About Kasar Devi
The “Hippie Hill” nickname sometimes gives Kasar Devi the wrong reputation, as if it’s mainly about late nights and loud scenes. That reading misses what makes the village memorable. Kasar Devi’s pull is quieter: long pauses, pine forests, and the kind of stillness that makes you notice small things again.
Even the old “hippie” chapter grew out of people looking for peace and perspective, not noise. If you want to enjoy places to visit in Kasar Devi properly, arrive with time, keep the volume down, and let the mountains set the pace.
Your Kasar Devi Adventure Awaits!
Kasar Devi isn’t the sort of place you “do” and move on. It’s a destination that works on you slowly, a few quiet hours at the temple, an unhurried walk on Crank’s Ridge, the sudden sweep of peaks from Binsar, and the steady rhythm of small days in the hills. If you’re mapping out places to visit in Kasar Devi, start with the essentials above and then leave space for the in-between moments: a cafe window, a roadside view, a temple bell in the wind.
