Almora, Kumaon’s official and cultural capital is spread over a hilltop that overlooks picturesque terraced fields. 67 km north of Nainital, Almora was founded in 1560 by the Chand dynasty. The famous hill station in Uttarakhand is located on a five km mountain range at an altitude of 1,650 m. The town that looks like a horse shoe from a distance is surrounded by old forts and royal courts that speak of the ancient times. The town is encircled by two rivers, namely Kaushiki (Koshi) and Shalmali (Suyal) adding more charm to the place. The Nanda Devi temple here is almost a thousand years old and the sun temple Katarmal is more than 800 years old and is of great architectural and archaeological importance. From Swami Vivekananda to Rabindranath Tagore to dancer Uday Shankar who eventually set up his dance academy here to film star Guru Dutt, Almora’s beauty has graced many visitors throughout the ages. May is a good time to visit this hill station as summers are pleasant offering a peaceful abode to travellers.