Route library · Weekend · Mountains
Delhi to Purnagiri & the Sharda River
Purnagiri (Punyagiri) is a Shakti Peeth on a cliff at about 1,600 m above the Sharda (Kali) river, just past Tanakpur where the plains give way to Kumaon. The river here is the India–Nepal border; the temple road switchbacks up from the Sharda barrage and Boom, and the last stretch is a walk. It is an easy ride to the exact line where the hills start.
Send to WhatsApp Download GPX Plan this trip Notes verified September 2026 · something changed?
At a glance
- Round trip
- About 760–840 km
- Riding time
- 8–9 hours each way on highway and state roads, plus a short temple road and walk
- Nights
- One night is enough; two lets you ride on toward Champawat
- Start point
- Delhi (via Moradabad, Bareilly and Tanakpur)
- Highest point
- About 1,600 m at the temple
- Difficulty
- Easy. Flat, fast approach then a short switchback climb; a walk on the final stretch. A relaxed ride.
- Surface
- Good four-lane to Bareilly, then decent state road via Pilibhit to Tanakpur; the Purnagiri temple road is a steep, narrow but sealed switchback that ends in a footpath
- Best season
- October to June. The temple's big fair season is spring (Chaitra, roughly March–April). The monsoon can flood the Sharda and slick the temple road; winter mornings are foggy on the plains.
The ride
Delhi → Moradabad → Bareilly → Pilibhit → Tanakpur. Flat, quick plains riding to the edge of the terai.
From Tanakpur, ride to the Sharda barrage and Boom, then the switchback temple road as far as vehicles go; the last section to Purnagiri is a footpath along the cliff. The Chuka ecotourism zone of the Pilibhit reserve is right on the way, and the road on to Champawat and Pancheshwar climbs straight into Kumaon if you add a night.
Day by day
Delhi to Tanakpur
Delhi → Bareilly → Pilibhit → Tanakpur (8–9 hours). Settle at Tanakpur; evening by the barrage.
Purnagiri
Ride the switchback to the vehicle point, then walk the cliff path to the temple. Afternoon at the barrage or the Chuka zone. Start home, or overnight again.
Tanakpur to Delhi
Back across the plains. Leave after the fog lifts.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy the whole way — the Bareilly highway, Pilibhit and Tanakpur are all well served.
- Fill up at Tanakpur before the temple road; the switchback and the barrage area have none.
- Tanakpur has simple hotels and a KMVN; there are dharamshalas near the temple road for pilgrims. Carry cash. Spring fair weeks are very crowded — plan around them.
Road & conditions
Flat and easy to Tanakpur — four-lane to Bareilly, then a decent state road through Pilibhit with the usual sugarcane traffic and village slow zones. The Purnagiri temple road is a steep, narrow but sealed switchback with tight hairpins and pilgrim buses; the final stretch is a cliff-edge footpath. The main hazards are winter-morning fog on the plains and heavy pilgrim traffic on the temple road in season.
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
- The nearest well-equipped hospital is the valley/district town, one to two hours off; signal is patchy above the bazaar; carry the group lead's number and an emergency card.
Best time to ride
October to June. Winter and spring are pleasant, with the big Chaitra fair around March–April (crowded but atmospheric). The monsoon can put the Sharda in spate and slick the temple road. Avoid the pre-monsoon heat of May–June on the plains leg if you can.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: sun cover and water for the plains, comfortable shoes for the temple footpath, a light layer for the cliff-top breeze, and cash. Nothing technical.
Ride this with a group
We run Purnagiri as an easy overnight to the exact edge of the hills — the plains leg ridden in daylight, the switchback taken slow, and a temple-path and riverbank clean-up as the service action.