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Uttarakhand

Dwarahat (Dunagiri)

Fifty odd Katyuri stone temples in a quiet Kumaon bazaar

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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

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.

Nearby, and where to go next

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