Champawat, Uttarakhand – An immensely beautiful tourist location in Kumaon at 1,670 mts above sea level
This picturesque town rests at an elevation of 1,670mts above sea level and is located in the easternmost part of the Kumaon region. The ancient capital of Chand rulers, Champawat is rich in cultural heritage. The site derives its name from Champawati, King Arjun Deo’s daughter. Here the Pandavas of Mahabharata also spend their some part of 12 years of exile. Lord Vishnu appeared in the incarnation of turtle i.e Kurmavtar here. Champawat blessed with innate natural beauty and historic temples.
Places to see in Champawat: This beautiful and scenic town is admired with a number of sight seeing attractions. These include:
Baleshwar Temple
Baleshwar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by the Chand rulers. The Temple is a marvellous symbol of stone carving work. There isn’t any historical manuscript that dates the Baleshwar temple, however it is believed to be built between 10 – 12 century A.D.
Nagnath Temple
This is an exceptionally beautiful example of ancient architecture of Kumaon.
Ek Hathiya Ka Naula
Just 5 kms from Champawat, it is believed to have been constructed in just one night by the one handed artisan.
Kranteshwar Mahadev
The sacred shrine atop a hill to the east of Champawat is also called as Kurmapad or Kandev.
Vanasur-Ka-Kila (7 kms)
This fort was built during the medieval times. It is said that the legendary Vanasur, was assassinated here. The Lohawati river originates nearby.
Nearby attractions around Champawat: There are ample attractions around Champawat too. These include:
Lohaghat
This historical town is 14 kms from Champawat is set on the banks of river Lohawati and is noted for its natural beauty and mythological legends.
Mayawati Ashram (9 kms)
Jus 9 from Champawat, this pristine location with a beautiful ashram, amidst scenic surroundings attracts large number spiritualists from all over the world. Swami Vivekananda decided to shift the publication office of ‘Prabuddh Bharat’ from Madras to Mayawati during his visit to Almora in 1898.
Abbot Mount (8 kms)
The beautiful site is idyllic for a holiday resort thus offering the breathtaking view of the Himalayan peaks.
Devidhura (45 kms)
The charming site is known for the Varahi temple, where a unique tradition of Bagwal (organised stone throwing between two groups) is practiced on Raksha Bandhan. Jim Corbett’s tale ‘TempleTiger’ is associated with the Devidhura temples. It is also an excellent site for trekking. More about Devidhura.
Pancheshwar (40 kms)
Located at the confluence of river Kali and Saryu on the Nepal border, Pancheshwar is famous for the Shiva temple of Pancheshwar, where Jaat of Chaumu is worshipped as protector of animals.
Meetha Reetha Saheb
An important Sikh pilgrim centre, it is just 72 kms from Champawat. According to the story saint Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs came here and had spiritual discussions with Gorakhpanthi Jogis. The Gurudwara here stands at the confluence of Lodhiya and Ratiya rivers, near village Deyuri.
Purnagiri Temple
Enshrined atop the Poornagiri hill, this temple is only 20 kms from Tanakpur and 92 kms from Champawat. Large number of devotees visit the shrine from all over the country, especially during the Chaitra Navratri in the month of March – April. The temple affords awe-inspiring views of the expanse of river Kali, its islands, the township of Tanakpur and a few Nepali villages.
Shyamlatal
The holy and famous Vivekananda Ashram located on the banks of the beautiful Shyamlatal lake attracts countless number of devotees here. The blue waters of the lake sprawl over an area of 1.5 sq. kms. The place derives its name from this spectacular lake. Shyamlataal is only 56 kms from Champawat.
Tanakpur
Tanakpur is located at an elevation of 837 ft above sea level. The location stands at a span of 73km from Champawat. It is amongst the few places of Uttarakhand which has Rail Connectivity with Bareilly. Tanakpur lies on the riverside of Sharda River. The main attraction of Tanakpur is the Purnagiri Temple, which is believed to be one of the 108 Siddha Peeths attracting thousands of devotees every month.
Things to do in Champawat: The location offers excellent views of Himalayas. Savour the mesmerizing natural beauty of the location. Sight seeing is all you can enjoy in Champawat.
Best Time To Visit: October-March is the best time to visit Champawat.
How to go ?
By Air
Pantnagar is the nearest airport at a distance of 155 km. Regular flights operate between Delhi and Pantnagar. Delhi, well connected to most cities within the country and abroad is the nearest international airport. It is 412 km from Champawat. Taxis can be hired from Pantnagar airport to reach Champawat. Some hotels also arrange pick-up services from Pantnagar and Delhi.
By Train
Trains can be taken to the nearest railway station, Tanakpur. This is however a minor railway station having trains only to very few destinations like Lucknow, Shahjahanpur and Philibhit. Trains can also be taken to Kathgodam, from where you can reach Champawat easily. Kathgodam is connected to all major rail heads in India.
By Road
The town of Champawat is well connected to many destinations around the state through regular buses. You can also opt for trains or cabs from any particular destination in order to reach Champawat.
Where to stay ?
Champawat has not many but very few accommodation facilities. Some options are:
Hotel Shiva Residency: +91-05665 230 004
Hotel Mount View: +91-099271 67905
KMVN Tourist Rest House: +91-8650002550
Note : Phone numbers given above are according to the information available with us. If you find any contact number/s given above is/are incorrect or not in use, please let us know.
