Champawat district is a historical city of the eastern Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. Champawat is named after Princess Champawati, the daughter of King Arjun Deo who ruled the region in the earlier time. It is located at an elevation of 1,670 meters above sea level. Champawat is surrounded by major cities like Pithoragarh, Nepal, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, and Almora district. The city is famous for its ancient and eminent temples. The sacred Hindu shrines of Champawat include the Baleshwar temple, Nagnath temple, and the Kranteshwar temple many of which are built during Chand rulers.

Champawat is surrounded by lush tea gardens, which produce one of the finest teas in the region. The city can also be visited for its beautiful natural views of the varied flora and fauna that make the place aesthetic.

Places To Visit In Champawat City

Abbott Mount

Abbott Mount was discovered by John Harold Abbott and hence it was named after him. John Abbott built 13 cottages on this mount out of which few of the cottages are still surviving. The sunset view from this point is mesmerizing. The place has an old church called Abbott Mount Church built in 1942 and open once or twice in a year to offer prayers. There is also a cricket pitch which is the second-highest pitch after Chail in Himachal Pradesh.

Abbott has various colors of nature and one can spot Himalayan birds, colorful butterflies, and bright flowers, especially in summer. Nature walks, trekking and photography can be experienced and enjoyed in this beautiful hill station by its visitors.

Kranteshwar Mahadev Temple

Kranteshwar Mahadev Temple is a holy shrine of Lord Shiva situated on a top of a hill. It is located at a distance of 6 km to the east of Champawat town. It is locally known as Lord Kandev and Lord Kurmapad. One, who is fond of staying in the rustic exploration of the land where religion and spirituality culminate, will definitely visit this temple.

Pancheshwar

Pancheshwar is famous for the Chaumu temple. People worship Chaumu as a protector of animals. Devotees offer bells and milk for worshipping in the temple of Pancheshwar. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva. It is also believed that Lord Shiva appears here in the form of an animal protector.

The place shares its border with Nepal. Pancheshwar Dam is situated on the Sarda River (also known as Mahakali in Nepal). The dam forms the international boundary between India and Nepal. Pancheshwar Dam will be 315 meters and it will be one of the second largest dams in the world upon its completion.

Aditya Temple

Aditya Temple is a temple of the God Sun and Shiva. It is located at Ramak village of Champawat district in Uttarakhand. Aditya temple has great religious significance and is visited by devotees in large numbers to perform worship at the temple. A ‘Surya Sasti’ fair of three days is also organized to worship God Sun. The place is surrounded by natural beauty and gigantic hills all around. Visitors will love the surroundings of this temple and its huge divine Oak trees.

Gurdwara Reetha Sahib

Gurdwara Reetha Sahib is a beautiful white gurudwara located in a small hamlet called Dyuri in Champawat district. It was constructed in 1960. It is believed that once Guru Nanakji visited this place and miraculously turned the bitter fruit of a soap-nut tree into a sweet one. This Gurudwara gets its name from the popular reetha or soap-nut trees that grow in the plenty. A fair is held in the Gurudwara on the auspicious day of Baisakhi Poornima.

Gurdwara Reetha Sahib is only 60 km. by flying distance north of Nanak Mata, but the distance by motorable road is 209 km. It is 166 km. from Tanakpur, the last railway station on the Bareilly-Tanakpur section. Here, too, Guru Nanak Dev had an encounter with Nath yogis whom he tried to bring to the path of active humanitarian service along with remembrance of God’s Name. The story is not mentioned in the Janamsakhis, but locally a strong tradition has grown that Guru Nanak Dev miraculously made the normally bitter fruit of a soapnut tree sweet for Bhai Mardana to feed on. It is considered as a sacred place for the Sikhs and is located about 72 km from Champawat.

Baleshwar Temple

The beautiful Baleshwar temple was built by the rulers of the Chand Dynasty and is located in Champawat City. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva. This temple is a marvelous symbol and ancient glory of stone carving. The temple is believed to be built between 10 – 12 century A.D. The people in the region are friendly in nature and welcome visitors to enjoy a cup of locally brewed tea and local delicacies.

Gwal Devta

Gwal Devta is also known as Goril or Goll and is believed to be the presiding deity of justice. Devotees believed that Gwal Devta dispenses justice to the helpless victims. Large numbers of devotees visit the temple to seek the deity’s blessing in their life. A large number of pilgrims come from all over the area to pay respects and seek blessings from the Gwal Devta.

Lohaghat

Lohaghat is a peaceful small hill station blessed with natural beauty in abundance. It is located at an elevation of 1706 meters. The place is 14 km away from Champawat City and. Lohaghat is situated on the bank of river Lohawati. During summer season Lohaghat is full of Burans flowers. The place is blessed with a serene climate, lush greenery and pine and oak trees. Lohaghat is one of the best places to explore in the Himalayan retreats. Lohaghat is also called heaven on earth.

Transport

Airway

The nearest airport to Champawat is Pantnagar Airport. It is situated at a distance of approx. 165 Km from Champawat town. Taxis are available from the Airport to connect Champawat and its nearby tourist destinations.

Railway

The nearest railway station from Champawat is Tanakpur. It is situated at a distance of approx. 65 Km from Champawat town. Taxis and buses are easily available from Tanakpur Railway Station to major cities of the country like Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, and Kolkata.

Roads

Champawat has got good road connectivity with major destinations of Uttarakhand state and other nearby cities. Buses ply from ISBT Anand Vihar, New Delhi to Tanakpur, Champawat, and many other destinations. Travelers may also hire local cabs or buses to reach Champawat and its neighboring places through roads.

Climate & Best Time To Visit

Champawat has pleasant weather throughout the year and it can be visited at any time, except during monsoon time. Champawat has perfect weather conditions and is an ideal tourist destination for its visitors around the year. It has a pleasant summer, and a snowy winter, with temperatures dipping below 4 degrees Celsius.

During summers temperature varies from a minimum of 20 degrees to a maximum of 30 degrees Celcius. It has a pleasant summer, and a snowy winter, with temperatures dipping below 4 degrees Celsius. The place is covered with snow during the winter season. Monsoon time should be avoided for traveling the place as it may be riskier and cause last-minute changes and inconvenience for the visitors. But looking at the visitor choice, the best times to visit Champawat is from mid-April to mid-June and from mid-September to mid-October.