The Dwarahat Temples are a dense cluster of early-medieval stone shrines in Dwarahat, a small town in Almora district, Uttarakhand, in the Kumaon region of the central Himalaya. Built largely under the Katyuri dynasty and now looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), they sit quietly off the Ranikhet–Kausani road and reward anyone who likes old architecture without crowds.
The Dwarahat Temples are a group of Katyuri-era stone shrines in Dwarahat, Almora district, Uttarakhand, about 34–37 km from Ranikhet. The ASI lists eight protected monuments here. Entry to the open temple groups is free; the best months are roughly March–April and September–October.
Key takeaways
- Dwarahat, in Almora district, Uttarakhand, holds eight ASI Monuments of National Importance, listed N-UT-1 to N-UT-8, all clustered in and around this one Kumaoni town.
- The shrines were built mainly by the Katyuri kings; the Kacheri, Maniyan and Ratandeo groups are dated by the ASI to roughly the 11th–13th century AD.
- Local and travel accounts speak of “as many as 55” old temples, while Wikipedia’s history section cites about 30 — treat both figures as approximate rather than an exact count.
- The nearest railhead is Kathgodam (about 88–108 km by road, as of 2026) and the nearest airport is Pantnagar (about 112 km); most visitors arrive by road via Ranikhet.
- No inner-line permit is needed, and the open temple groups are not ticketed; plan a half-day to a full day on foot.
- Dwarahat sits at about 1,510 m (4,950 ft), so it stays mild in summer and cold on winter nights.
About the Dwarahat temples
The Dwarahat Temples are a concentration of stone shrines in Dwarahat, Almora district, Uttarakhand — not to be confused with the better-known Badrinath Dham in Garhwal, though one Dwarahat group shares the name. The town lies at about 1,510 m (4,950 ft), per the elevation given on Wikipedia, at a historic junction of roads toward Almora, Ranikhet and Someshwar.
Dwarahat was a seat of a branch of the Katyuri kings, whose Kumaon rule is usually dated between the 7th and 12th centuries. According to the ASI Dehradun Circle, the groups span roughly the 11th to 13th century AD, with the Badrinath shrine’s black-stone image carrying a Samvat 1105 inscription linked to about 1048 AD.
How many temples stand here is genuinely uncertain. Wikipedia’s history section says the town “originally had about 30” temples, while its culture section and several travel accounts cite “as many as 55.” The honest answer is that nobody gives a firm, sourced total — expect clusters, not a single counted number.
Best time to visit the Dwarahat temples
The most comfortable months to visit the Dwarahat Temples are roughly March to April and September to October, when the weather is dry and clear. At about 1,510 m, Dwarahat avoids the harsh cold of higher Kumaon, but winter nights still drop sharply and the monsoon brings landslide risk on hill roads.
The seasonal notes below are a general planning guide for this elevation rather than station-specific climate normals — reconfirm weather before you travel.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–April | Mild days, clear skies, good light on the stone carving; a comfortable window for walking the groups. |
| Summer | May–June | Warm but pleasant by plains standards; a usual holiday season, so book stays ahead. |
| Monsoon | July–September | Green and quiet, but expect rain, slippery steps and possible road blocks on hill routes. |
| Autumn | Late September–October | Clear post-monsoon air and Himalayan views on bright days; many travellers’ favourite window. |
| Winter | November–February | Cold nights, crisp days, thin crowds; occasional snow in the wider region. Carry warm layers. |
How to reach Dwarahat
Dwarahat is reached mainly by road, with Kathgodam as the usual railhead and Pantnagar as the nearest airport. Most visitors drive up via Ranikhet, which lies about 34–37 km away; sources differ slightly on the exact figure, so treat the distances below as approximate and reconfirm with your driver.
- By air: Pantnagar is the nearest airport, about 112 km away, with onward taxis taking several hours. For a wider flight choice, Dehradun (Jolly Grant) and Delhi are the larger options, with a long road leg.
- By rail: Kathgodam is the nearest railhead, reported at roughly 88–108 km by road depending on the route and source. Taxis and buses connect onward via Ranikhet.
- By road: Dwarahat sits near the Ranikhet–Kausani road. Buses and shared taxis run from Haldwani, Kathgodam, Nainital, Almora and Ranikhet; you may change vehicles at the Ranikhet stand.
| From | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranikhet | ~34–37 km | The usual hub; frequent buses and taxis. |
| Almora (district HQ) | ~77 km | Per Trawell’s Dwarahat listing. |
| Kathgodam railway station | ~88–108 km | Nearest railhead; figure varies by source. |
| Pantnagar airport | ~112 km | Nearest airport; several hours by taxi. |
| Dunagiri temple | ~14 km | Popular add-on, about 30 minutes by road. |
The main temple groups to see
The highlights of the Dwarahat Temples are eight ASI-protected sites, listed as Monuments of National Importance N-UT-1 to N-UT-8, all in Dwarahat, Almora district. They range from living shrines still in worship to clusters of weathered stone shikharas (temple spires). The counts and dates below follow the ASI Dehradun Circle and the ASI national-monuments list.
- Badrinath group (N-UT-1): the main temple is dedicated to Vishnu, with two miniature shrines; the mandapa (pillared hall) is missing and the image carries a Samvat 1105 / c. 1048 AD date.
- Bandeo Temple (N-UT-2): a pyramidal shikhara shrine the ASI describes as an early developed temple of the central Himalaya.
- Gujardeo Temple (N-UT-3): a dilapidated Sekhari-shikhara temple on a panchratha plan, dated to the 13th century AD.
- Kacheri group (N-UT-4): twelve shrines dedicated alternately to Shiva and Vishnu, with a stone circular well, dated 11th–13th century AD.
- Kutumbari Temple (N-UT-5): listed by the ASI as a “lost” monument, its ruins re-identified in later survey work.
- Maniyan group (N-UT-6): nine shrines, three with Jain tirthankara images on their lintels, dated 11th–13th century AD.
- Mrityunjaya group (N-UT-7): a main nagara-style Shiva temple with a Bhairava temple, dated 11th–12th century AD.
- Ratandeo shrines (N-UT-8): originally nine shrines, of which six survive intact, dated 11th–13th century AD.
| Group | Deity / feature | Date (ASI) | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badrinath group | Vishnu; living shrine | c. 1048 AD inscription | 20–30 min |
| Kacheri group | 12 shrines, Shiva & Vishnu | 11th–13th c. AD | 30–45 min |
| Maniyan group | 9 shrines, some Jain carvings | 11th–13th c. AD | 30–45 min |
| Mrityunjaya group | Shiva (nagara style) + Bhairava | 11th–12th c. AD | 20–30 min |
| Ratandeo shrines | 6 of 9 shrines intact | 11th–13th c. AD | 15–20 min |
| Gujardeo / Bandeo | Single shikhara shrines | Gujardeo 13th c. AD | 15–20 min each |
A suggested two-day itinerary
A day is enough to see the main Dwarahat temple groups on foot, but two days lets you pair the shrines with the Dunagiri hill temple at an easy pace.
- Day 1 — the town groups: Start early at the Badrinath and Mrityunjaya groups near the town, then walk the Kacheri and Maniyan clusters. Keep the afternoon for the Ratandeo shrines and the smaller Gujardeo and Bandeo temples. Carry water and a hat.
- Day 2 — Dunagiri and the hills: Drive about 14 km to the Dunagiri temple (a climb of around 365 steps), described locally as a Shakti shrine, then return for a relaxed afternoon or continue toward Ranikhet or Kausani.
If you only have a few hours, prioritise the Badrinath, Mrityunjaya and Kacheri groups, which sit closest to the town centre.
Where to stay
Dwarahat has modest hotels, homestays and a government rest house rather than resorts; many travellers base themselves in Ranikhet and visit on a day trip. The state-run option is the KMVN Mahaashay Tourist Rest House at Dudhauli, on Dunagiri Road, operated by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN).
The price bands below are planning estimates for 2026 and vary with season and demand — reconfirm current rates and book ahead for holidays.
- Budget (indicative ~₹800–₹1,500/night): simple town lodges and homestays; fine for a night or two near the temples.
- Mid-range (indicative ~₹1,500–₹3,500/night): the KMVN rest house and better guesthouses in Dwarahat or Ranikhet.
- Higher-end (indicative ~₹3,500+/night): mostly found in Ranikhet and Kausani rather than Dwarahat itself.
Book the KMVN rest house through the official KMVN website (kmvn.in) and carry your booking receipt and photo ID, which the property requires at check-in. For planning the wider circuit, see our Uttarakhand travel guide.
Food to try
Dwarahat’s food is simple Kumaoni home-style cooking rather than a restaurant scene, so eat where your hosts or a local dhaba (roadside eatery) recommend. Look out for these regional dishes:
- Aloo ke gutke (boiled potatoes tossed with cumin, red chilli and local spices) — the everyday Kumaoni staple.
- Bhatt ki churkani / churdkani (a thick, tangy black-soybean curry) — warming and protein-rich.
- Bal mithai (a brown fudge of roasted khoya coated in sugar balls) — the famous Almora-region sweet.
- Madua / mandua roti (finger-millet flatbread) — a hill grain staple, nutty and filling.
- Jhangora kheer (barnyard-millet pudding) — a light local dessert.
Budget breakdown
A frugal two-day trip to the Dwarahat Temples is inexpensive because the temple groups are free to enter and the town is small. The table below is a per-person planning estimate for two days, assuming budget-to-mid stays and shared transport — figures are indicative for 2026 and should be reconfirmed.
| Item | Indicative cost | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Stay (1 night) | ~₹800–₹1,800 | Budget to mid-range room, shared. |
| Local transport | ~₹500–₹1,500 | Shared taxis / short hires within Dwarahat and to Dunagiri. |
| Food | ~₹400–₹800 | Simple local meals, tea and snacks. |
| Temple entry | ₹0 | Open ASI temple groups are not ticketed. |
| Buffer | ~₹300–₹600 | Offerings, small purchases, tips. |
| Total (2 days) | ~₹2,000–₹4,700 | Excludes long-distance travel to the region. |
Permits, timings and rules
No special permit is needed to visit the Dwarahat Temples — Dwarahat is not in an inner-line or restricted zone, so Indian and foreign visitors can travel freely. The open ASI temple groups do not charge an entry ticket; a nearby travel listing gives general visiting hours of about 9 am–6 pm, which is a reasonable daylight window to plan around.
- Dress and conduct: these are protected heritage sites and, in the living shrines, places of worship — dress modestly, remove footwear where asked and do not touch or climb the carvings.
- Photography: casual photography is generally fine at open ASI sites; tripods, commercial shoots or drones may need prior ASI permission, so ask on site.
- Eco rules: carry out your litter and avoid single-use plastic in line with Uttarakhand’s hill-town norms.
Practical tips
Dwarahat is a small, high-literacy town (the 2011 Census recorded 2,749 residents and 92.82% literacy), calm and generally easy for independent travellers, including solo women who take the usual hill-town precautions.
- Cash and connectivity: carry cash, as ATMs and reliable UPI/network coverage can be patchy in smaller hill towns; top up and draw cash in Ranikhet or Almora.
- Health: Dwarahat has a long-standing dispensary tradition, but for anything serious head to the larger hospitals at Ranikhet or Almora; carry basic medicines.
- Altitude: at about 1,510 m there is no real altitude concern, but hill roads are winding — carry motion-sickness remedies if prone.
- Packing: light layers and sun protection for spring/summer, a warm jacket for winter nights and the monsoon months, and sturdy shoes for the temple steps and the Dunagiri climb.
- Timing: start early to see the groups in soft light and finish before evening, as the town winds down after dark.
Nearby places
Dwarahat pairs well with the wider Kumaon circuit, and several worthwhile stops lie within an easy drive. Use it as a quiet heritage base between Ranikhet and Kausani.
| Place | Distance from Dwarahat | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Dunagiri temple | ~14 km | Hilltop Shakti shrine reached by around 365 steps. |
| Ranikhet | ~34–37 km | Cantonment hill town, golf course and pine walks; main transport hub. |
| Almora | ~77 km | District headquarters, bazaars and Bal Mithai; gateway to Jageshwar. |
| Kausani | Short drive via the Kausani road | Himalayan viewpoints and tea gardens. |
For how Dwarahat fits into a longer Kumaon or Garhwal plan, see our Uttarakhand travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Dwarahat temples located?
The Dwarahat temples are in Dwarahat, a town in Almora district, Uttarakhand, in the Kumaon region of the central Himalaya. Dwarahat sits at about 1,510 m, roughly 34–37 km from Ranikhet and about 77 km from Almora, near the Ranikhet–Kausani road. It is distinct from Badrinath Dham in Garhwal.
How many temples are there in Dwarahat?
There is no firmly sourced total. The ASI protects eight Monuments of National Importance at Dwarahat, grouped into clusters such as the Kacheri (12 shrines) and Maniyan (9 shrines) groups. Wikipedia’s history section cites about 30 temples, while other accounts speak of “as many as 55,” so treat these as approximate.
Who built the Dwarahat temples and when?
The Dwarahat temples were built mainly under the Katyuri dynasty, which ruled parts of Kumaon between roughly the 7th and 12th centuries. The ASI Dehradun Circle dates the main groups to around the 11th to 13th century AD, with the Badrinath shrine’s image carrying a Samvat 1105 inscription linked to about 1048 AD.
Is there an entry fee or permit for the Dwarahat temples?
No permit is required and the open ASI temple groups at Dwarahat are not ticketed, so entry is free. Dwarahat is not in a restricted or inner-line zone. A travel listing gives general visiting hours of about 9 am–6 pm; reconfirm timings and any photography rules on site, as drones or commercial shoots may need ASI permission.
How do I reach Dwarahat?
Reach Dwarahat mainly by road via Ranikhet, about 34–37 km away. The nearest railhead is Kathgodam, roughly 88–108 km by road, and the nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 112 km away. Buses and shared taxis run from Kathgodam, Haldwani, Nainital, Almora and Ranikhet; you may change vehicles at the Ranikhet stand.
What is the best time to visit Dwarahat?
The best months to visit Dwarahat are roughly March to April and September to October, when the days are dry and clear and Himalayan views are good. Winter brings cold nights and thin crowds, while the July–September monsoon can cause slippery steps and occasional road blocks on hill routes. At about 1,510 m, summers stay mild.
Last updated and sources
Dwarahat suits travellers who enjoy old architecture, quiet hill towns and heritage over nightlife; go in spring or autumn for the clearest light and easiest roads.
Last updated: 30 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.
Sources: ASI Dehradun Circle — Almora monuments; List of Monuments of National Importance in Uttarakhand (ASI, N-UT entries); Dwarahat (Wikipedia, drawing on the Almora Gazetteer and 2011 Census); Katyuri dynasty (Wikipedia); Trawell — Dwarahat (distances, timings); KMVN Mahaashay TRH Dudhauli listing; Outlook Traveller — Maniyan temples of Dwarahat. Accessed September 2026.
