Route library · Weekend · Mountains
Delhi to Pithoragarh & Chaukori
Pithoragarh sits in the wide Soar valley at about 1,500 m, the last big town before the Nepal border and the Byas and Darma high valleys. On the way in, the tea ridge of Chaukori at 2,010 m gives a clean line-of-sight to Nanda Kot and the five Panchachuli peaks, and the limestone cave temple of Patal Bhuvaneshwar is a short detour. It is deep Kumaon, and quiet.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 960–1,040 km
- Riding time
- 10–11 hours each way — a long day, best split at Almora
- Nights
- Two nights
- Start point
- Delhi (via Rampur, Kathgodam and Almora)
- Highest point
- About 2,010 m at Chaukori
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Good hill roads throughout, long hours in the saddle, nothing rough or technical.
- Surface
- Sealed and reasonable to good the whole way — Kathgodam–Almora–Chaukori–Pithoragarh is a well-kept Kumaon road
- Best season
- March to June and September to November. Winter is cold and can bring light snow to Chaukori; the monsoon brings cloud that hides the peaks and the odd slip.
The ride
Delhi → Rampur → Kathgodam → Almora, then east through Panuanaula and Chaukori — a tea-estate ridge with the Panchachuli view built in — and down through Berinag to Pithoragarh in the Soar valley.
From the Chaukori side, the Patal Bhuvaneshwar cave near Gangolihat is a 90-minute detour into a lit limestone chamber of stalactite shrines. At Pithoragarh, ride up to the Chandak ridge and the small hilltop fort for the valley view, and if you have a third day, the road on towards Dharchula and the Kali river border is spectacular.
Day by day
Delhi to Almora
Delhi → Rampur → Kathgodam → Almora (9–10 hours). Sleep at Almora, around 1,600 m.
Almora to Pithoragarh via Chaukori
Almora → Chaukori (peak view, tea estate) → optional Patal Bhuvaneshwar cave → Berinag → Pithoragarh (5–6 hours with the stops). Settle in the Soar valley.
Pithoragarh to Delhi
Ride the Chandak ridge early, then retrace through Almora and the long highway home. Start at first light.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy to Almora — Rampur, Rudrapur, Haldwani, Kathgodam and Almora all have pumps.
- There are pumps at Berinag and Pithoragarh, and a smaller one near Chaukori.
- If you push on towards Dharchula, fill up fully at Pithoragarh — the border road has long gaps and unreliable supply.
- Chaukori has KMVN and a few tea-estate resorts; Pithoragarh has plenty of town hotels. Book Chaukori's view rooms ahead in season. Carry cash.
Road & conditions
Sealed and in fair-to-good condition the whole way. The plains leg to Kathgodam is busy and slow; the hill road through Almora, Chaukori and Berinag is winding but well maintained. Watch for Kumaon tourist traffic on weekends, buses cutting the hairpins, and the usual monsoon slips if you ride in the wet. Nothing here is technical.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- Longest dry stretch is short — a normal tank covers it with margin.
- Spare fuel
- None needed for this route.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospital at Pithoragarh; CHCs at Berinag and Gangolihat; good signal in the towns, patchy on the Chaukori ridge.
Best time to ride
Mid-September to November is the clearest, with sharp post-monsoon views of Panchachuli and Nanda Kot. March to June is green and mild with rhododendron colour. Winter is cold and can dust Chaukori with snow. The monsoon usually loses the peaks behind cloud.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a warm layer for the Chaukori ridge evenings, a torch for the Patal Bhuvaneshwar cave steps, and enough patience for the long plains leg. Nothing technical needed.
Ride this with a group
We run Pithoragarh and Chaukori as an easy two-night Kumaon weekend — the long day split at Almora, the Panchachuli viewpoint timed for first light, and a clean-up at Chaukori and the cave.