Kausani

Perched gracefully along a narrow mountain ridge at an elevation of 1,890 metres (6,200 ft) in the Bageshwar district of Kumaon, Kausani is celebrated across India for offering one of the most expansive, unobstructed, and awe-inspiring Himalayan panoramas on earth. It was here in 1929 that Mahatma Gandhi spent fourteen tranquil days, so captivated by the sublime beauty and peaceful climate that he affectionately dubbed Kausani the "Switzerland of India".

The defining glory of Kausani is its unbelievable 300-kilometer sweep of the Greater Himalayas. From hotel balconies and ridge viewpoints, the horizon unfolds in an unbroken chain of snow-clad deities: the distinctive trident peaks of Mount Trishul (7,120m), the twin pyramids of Nanda Devi (7,816m) and Nanda Kot, Maiktoli, Mrigthuni, and the five dramatic spires of Panchachuli.

At the spiritual and intellectual heart of town stands Anashakti Ashram (also known as Gandhi Ashram). It was inside this peaceful sanctuary that Gandhiji penned his celebrated treatise Anashakti Yoga (Gospel of Selfless Action). The ashram houses a commemorative museum displaying rare photographs, letters, spinning wheels, and an open prayer hall where interfaith prayers are held every evening as the sun sets over the peaks.

Kausani is also the proud birthplace of India’s celebrated Hindi poet and Padma Bhushan laureate Sumitranandan Pant. His ancestral home has been preserved as a fascinating museum showcasing his handwritten manuscripts, awards, and literary works inspired by the natural beauty of Kumaon.

Aromatic agro-tourism flourishes at the sprawling Kausani Tea Estate. Spanning 208 hectares across rolling mountain terraces, this high-altitude plantation produces acclaimed organic orthodox teas exported to Germany, the United States, and Australia. Visitors can tour the tea processing factory and sample exquisite first-flush teas.

Just 12 km from town, nestled inside fragrant deodar forests, lies Rudradhari Waterfall and Cave Temple, where natural springs plunge over moss-draped cliffs beside ancient shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.