By Nandini Upreti, Contributor, Almora. About the author ↓
Almora is 87 km and about 3 hours from Haldwani on NH109, by way of Bhowali, Garampani and Khairna. Here is the route stretch by stretch, what cabs cost in 2026, the bus and shared-sumo options, and where to stay if you want to see Almora properly.
The short answer: Almora is 87 km from Haldwani on NH109, through Bhowali, Garampani and Khairna, and on a quiet weekday morning it is a 3-hour drive. A sedan cab costs Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,800 one way and an Innova Rs 4,200 to Rs 4,800. A same-day round trip with 4 hours in Almora comes to Rs 5,200 to Rs 6,800 in a sedan. Most people spend 2 to 3 nights in Almora, which deserves an unhurried stay, and use Haldwani only for the train arrival. The one thing that changes your journey time most is the traffic in Bhowali bazaar, which is lightest before 9 AM and after 7 PM. For the wider picture of this road and the towns along it, see our Haldwani travel guide.
By Nandini Upreti, Contributor, Almora. About the author ↓
There is really only one sensible way to drive from Haldwani to Almora. You head north on NH109 through Kathgodam, past the Bhimtal turn-off and into Bhowali, then drop down through Garampani beside the Kosi River to Khairna, and finally climb the hairpins up to the Almora ridge. It is 87 km in all and takes 2 hr 50 min on a quiet weekday morning. As far as Bhowali this is the same NH109 you would take for the drive to Mukteshwar or the drive to Nainital; the three roads go their separate ways at Bhowali.
Haldwani to Kathgodam, km 0 to 5. This is ordinary city road through Kaladhungi Chauraha and Rampur Road, with traffic signals and the Kathgodam railway crossing. It takes about 15 minutes if you leave between 7 and 8 AM and about 25 minutes after 9 AM. If the Shatabdi is pulling into Kathgodam, the crossing can hold you up for another 5 to 8 minutes.
Kathgodam to the Bhimtal turn-off, km 5 to 22. NH109 climbs gently through Ranibagh and Choti Mukhani on a well-surfaced two-lane road, and the drive takes about 25 minutes. The Bhimtal junction is where you choose between the two routes: the right fork stays on NH109 to Bhowali, and the left fork goes 9 km to Bhimtal lake.
Bhimtal turn-off to Bhowali, km 22 to 33. The road narrows as it climbs into the foothills, and this stretch takes 20 to 25 minutes. At the 28 km mark the Garhwal Mess and the Bhowali Highway Cafe are good for chai and aloo paratha.
Bhowali bazaar, km 33 to 35. This is where you lose the most time. The bazaar is a 2 km strip of fruit stalls and shops where the road shrinks to a single lane and parked trucks slow everyone down. Before 9 AM you can be through in 6 minutes; between 10 AM and 6 PM the same stretch takes 18 to 25 minutes. Keep left at the Bhowali fork for Almora, since the right fork goes to Mukteshwar. Neem Karoli Baba's Kainchi Dham ashram is 17 km past Bhowali on this same road and well worth a short stop; our Kainchi Dham guide has the details.
Bhowali to Khairna via Garampani, km 35 to 60. This is the quickest part of the whole drive. The road runs down from the Bhowali ridge to the Kosi riverbed at Garampani (44 km), then follows the river north through a valley of poplar and pine to Khairna (60 km), where the Suyal stream joins the Kosi. You average about 40 km per hour, and the stretch takes 40 to 45 minutes. Garampani has 5 or 6 dhabas with seating by the river, and locals favour Mahesh Dhaba for aloo ke gutke and madua roti.
Khairna to Almora, km 60 to 87. Here the real climb begins. The road leaves the Kosi at the Khairna bridge and winds up through forest, gaining 1,000 vertical metres to reach the Almora ridge at 1,651 m. It takes about 55 minutes at an average of 28 km per hour. The last 4 km run onto the Almora bypass. Ask your driver to drop you near the LR Sah Road junction, which is close to the bazaar and the Mall Road end, and not at the bypass roundabout, which leaves you 2 km from everything.
Of the 87 km between Haldwani and Almora, it is the 2 km through Bhowali bazaar that decides how long the trip takes, more than the weather or the weekend traffic or anything else. The bazaar lines NH109 itself, and there is still no bypass open as of mid-2026. From 9 AM the fruit market spills onto the road, parked tempos and trucks being unloaded squeeze traffic into a single lane, and vehicles turning to and from the Mukteshwar road add to the tangle.
When the road is clear. Before 9 AM and after 7 PM you can pass through Bhowali in about 6 minutes. If you leave Haldwani at 7:30 AM you reach Bhowali around 8:20 AM, while the bazaar is still empty.
When to avoid it. Saturdays and Sundays between 11 AM and 5 PM are the worst, followed by Friday evenings from 5 PM to 8 PM, when weekend visitors from Delhi come through. Tuesday mornings are slow too, because the weekly fruit auction at the wholesale yard brings farmers' trucks onto the road.
Where to take your break. If you are through Bhowali by 9 AM and can wait a little longer, drive on 11 km to Garampani and stop at one of the dhabas beside the Kosi. Parking in Bhowali is a struggle, while in Garampani it is easy, so the 5-minute halt there costs you less time.
There are three ways to hire a cab for this trip, and each will quote you a different price for the same journey.
The local taxi-union rate at the Haldwani stands. A sedan costs Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,500 one way and an Innova Rs 4,200 to Rs 4,500. This is the rate at the Mangal Padav stand and at the cab desk in the Roadways bus stand at Tikonia. The driver may ask Rs 400 to Rs 600 extra if he has to drive back after 7 PM, and another Rs 200 if you want to stop at Kainchi Dham.
The prepaid counter at Kathgodam Junction. A sedan costs Rs 3,500 to Rs 3,800 one way and an Innova Rs 4,500 to Rs 4,800. For the extra Rs 400 to Rs 600 over the city rate you get a receipt from the counter and a driver waiting at your platform within 15 minutes of the train arriving. It is worth paying when you step off the Ranikhet Express or the Shatabdi and do not want to walk to the cab stand.
Online cab booking sites. A sedan costs Rs 3,800 to Rs 4,600 one way and an Innova Rs 4,800 to Rs 5,800. Booking apps charge 15 to 25 percent more than the local rate because the platform takes a commission. They make sense only if you need a digital invoice to claim the trip from your company.
Round trips in a day, with 4 hours of waiting at Almora. A sedan costs Rs 5,200 to Rs 6,800 and an Innova Rs 6,800 to Rs 7,800. A fair price is roughly 1.6x the one-way fare, not 2x, because drivers count the waiting time at half rate, so if someone quotes you double, bargain. A 2-day round trip with one night in Almora and the return at 9 AM next day costs Rs 7,500 to Rs 9,000 in a sedan, including the driver's night allowance of Rs 400 to Rs 600.
For more on hiring cabs in Haldwani, and the five operators whose numbers are worth saving, see our guide to cab services in Haldwani.
None of these adds more than 30 minutes to the journey, and together they turn a long transfer into a drive you will enjoy.
The Bhimtal lake viewpoint at km 22, a 10-minute stop. At the Bhimtal turn-off, take the left fork 1.5 km down to the viewpoint on the highway above the lake. You see the whole of Bhimtal lake from above without having to drive through the bazaar. If you want to spend a full day there, read our Bhimtal day trip guide.
Kainchi Dham at km 50, 20 to 40 minutes. Neem Karoli Baba's ashram stands beside the Kosi River, 17 km past Bhowali on the Almora road. It is open from 7 AM to 6 PM and closes at midday on some days. Leave the car in the lower parking area and walk in. A quiet weekday morning is the best time to visit, as weekends get crowded.
A dhaba by the Kosi at Garampani, km 44, 15 minutes. Pull in at one of the riverside dhabas for chai, aloo paratha or the local madua roti with bhang ki chutney. Mahesh Dhaba is the old favourite, while Annapurna Dhaba keeps a cleaner kitchen, and both have simple seating by the water.
The Khairna confluence at km 60, 10 minutes. This is where the Kosi and the Suyal meet, just before the bridge where the road turns uphill. The small Khairna market has a Devi temple and a paani-puri cart that stays open into the evening. It is a good place to stretch your legs one last time before the 27 km climb to Almora.
At the Bhimtal turn-off, 22 km out, you can leave NH109 on the left fork, drive 9 km to Bhimtal, loop east around Sattal and its seven lakes, and rejoin the Almora road near Kainchi Dham, beyond Bhowali. This adds 14 km, making 101 km in all, and 40 minutes, making 3 hr 30 min, but it avoids Bhowali bazaar completely.
When to take the Bhimtal-Sattal road. Choose it on Saturdays and Sundays between 11 AM and 5 PM, when Bhowali bazaar adds 20 to 25 minutes to the usual route. You will arrive at about the same time, but the drive is far calmer. It also suits you if you want to see Bhimtal, Sattal and Kainchi on the same day.
When to stay on NH109. On any weekday morning before 9 AM, Bhowali clears in 6 minutes and the main road really is faster. Stay on it too if you are travelling by Roadways bus or in a prepaid cab from Kathgodam, since both use only NH109.
Uttarakhand Roadways buses from Tikonia. Five to seven buses a day leave the Haldwani Roadways bus stand at Tikonia Chauraha. In season the first one, at 05:30 AM, is the best to catch: it reaches Almora by 9:45 AM, while the morning light is still good for a walk at Bright End Corner. Other dependable departures are at about 07:00, 09:30, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:30, and a last bus at 18:00 is added on summer weekends. The fare is Rs 220 to Rs 280 one way. The buses are ordinary or semi-deluxe without AC, the seats are hard, and the halt at Bhowali lasts 10 minutes. Anything after 16:30 gets to Almora well after dark, so if you have not done this road before, it is better avoided.
Shared sumos from Kathgodam. The shared-sumo stand at Kathgodam, 50 metres from the railway station gate, sends Tata Sumos to Almora all day. A seat costs Rs 220, and each sumo leaves once its 8 or 10 seats are filled, which on a busy morning means one every 25 minutes. It is quicker than the bus because it does not halt at Bhowali, and cheaper than a private cab. In return you get almost no legroom and a vehicle full of strangers, which suits solo travellers and backpackers well enough.
Booking a bus seat. On weekdays you can simply buy a ticket at the Tikonia counter. On Fridays and Saturdays in peak season, book the evening before, because the 05:30 and 07:00 buses are full by 9 PM the previous day. The Uttarakhand Roadways app takes UPI for advance bookings, but choosing your seat on it often does not work.
If Almora is the heart of a 2 to 3 day trip to Kumaon, the honest advice is to stay in Almora. The town stretches along a 4 km ridge, with the Nanda Devi temple, the Mall Road bazaar, the sunset point at Bright End Corner and the morning viewpoint on the GIC ridge, while the bell-hung Chitai Golu temple is 7 km out and the Kasar Devi ridge 8 km out. You cannot fit any of that into a day trip from Haldwani. Our guide to what to see in Almora takes each of these places in turn, with Jageshwar, Katarmal and Binsar, and how to group them over two or three days.
Staying in Almora. Hotels fall into three dependable price bands. On a budget of Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,400 you can stay at the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) tourist rest house at Holiday Home or at small Mall Road inns such as Hotel Shikhar. The mid-range, at Rs 3,200 to Rs 5,500, includes Imperial Heights, Bansal Hotel and Ananda Tree House on the Kasar Devi side. At the top end, Rs 6,500 to Rs 12,000 gets you the Kasar Rainforest Retreat or one of the ridge-view suites at Imperial Heights. For the busiest weeks, April to June and October, book 3 weeks ahead.
A night in Haldwani at either end. If your train reaches Kathgodam late at night, or your flight home leaves Pantnagar early the next morning, it makes sense to spend a night in Haldwani on arrival or before departure. For one such night, our budget hotels in Haldwani list will give you the going rates. If your family is adding Corbett or Bhimtal to the Almora trip, our hotels for tourists in Haldwani page covers the whole city area by area.
Here is one plan that works well in practice. Arrive at Kathgodam on the Ranikhet Express at 5 AM, have breakfast at a Haldwani hotel by 7:30 AM and set off for Almora by 9 AM. Spend two nights in Almora, then drive back to Haldwani on the morning you leave, stopping at Kainchi Dham, and board the evening Shatabdi at Kathgodam by 3:35 PM. The Haldwani hotel takes care of the early arrival and departure, and Almora is where the holiday happens.
April to June. This is Almora's main season. Days are 20 to 28 degrees C and nights 12 to 17 degrees C. Mornings are clear, with some cloud in the afternoons, and this is the best weather for seeing the Trishul, Nanda Devi and Panchachuli peaks from Bright End Corner. Hotels charge 25 to 30 percent more in peak season, so book early.
July to mid-September. This is the monsoon. It rains every day, the hairpins between Khairna and Almora turn slippery, and by 3 PM mist rolls in and hides the peaks. The drive can take 3 hr 45 min. Give this season a miss unless you want green, misty hills and do not mind missing the Himalayan views. The Kosi at Garampani runs full and loud, which is a pleasure in itself.
Mid-September to early November. After the monsoon the air is the cleanest of the year, the mountains are at their clearest, and days are 18 to 25 degrees C. It is the second-best season and the right choice if you would rather avoid crowds. Hotels charge about 15 percent more than their base rates.
December to February. Winter days are 10 to 16 degrees C and nights 1 to 6 degrees C, sometimes dropping below zero on the Kasar Devi ridge. The road stays open, but light snow on the climb from Khairna to Almora in late December and January can close it for 1 to 2 days after each snowfall. Hotels charge their base rates with nothing extra. It is a good time to go if you want a cold mountain holiday and have proper warm clothes.
For more on how the seasons play out along this road, see our guide to the best time to visit Haldwani.
Ranikhet, Kausani, Binsar and Jageshwar all had snow on 23 January 2026. Our Uttarakhand in winter guide records the snowfall dates for the last three winters and what they meant for the drive. How often each of these places actually gets snow, and why the ridges do better than the towns, is explained in where to see snow in Uttarakhand.
Motion sickness. The 27 km climb from Khairna to Almora has 60 to 70 hairpin bends. If you are prone to car sickness, take a tablet 45 minutes before you leave Khairna and sit in the front passenger seat. Keep breakfast light: chai and a banana sit better on the bends than aloo paratha.
Fuel. Fill up in Haldwani. After that the next dependable petrol pumps are at Bhowali (the 33 km mark), Khairna (60 km) and Almora. Because of the climb, a sedan manages only 9 to 11 km per litre between Bhowali and Almora.
Mobile signal. Jio works on most of the route. Airtel drops out between Garampani and Khairna in two short patches of 1 to 2 km each, and both networks are good on the climb from Khairna to Almora. Even so, download offline maps before you leave Haldwani, because the signal can fade in the thicker forest.
Cash machines. Take cash from Haldwani. Bhowali has two ATMs, SBI and PNB, which work most days. Khairna has a single SBI ATM that runs out of cash at weekends. Almora bazaar has 7 to 8 working ATMs; those at the Mall Road end are the most dependable, and the ones at the KMVN end run dry on Sundays. You will need cash for dhaba meals, parking and small shrines.
The driver's overnight stay. If you are keeping the same driver for 2 nights in Almora, settle his stay before you set off. Most budget hotels in Almora have a simple room for drivers, and the KMVN offers a dormitory bed for Rs 250. Budget Rs 400 to Rs 600 for each night the driver stays.
Our other Haldwani travel guides cover the stops along this road, hiring a cab, and places to stay at either end of the trip.
Almora is 87 km from Haldwani by road, on NH109 through Bhowali, Garampani and Khairna. As the crow flies it is 53 km. On a quiet weekday morning the drive takes 2 hr 50 min, while on weekend afternoons the traffic in Bhowali bazaar stretches it to 3 hr 15 min. The road climbs from 424 m at Haldwani to 1,651 m at Almora, a rise of 1,227 m.
In 2026 a one-way cab costs Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,800 in a sedan and Rs 4,200 to Rs 4,800 in an Innova. A same-day round trip with 4 hours at Almora costs Rs 5,200 to Rs 6,800 in a sedan and Rs 6,800 to Rs 7,800 in an Innova. Prepaid cabs from Kathgodam charge Rs 400 to Rs 600 more than the local taxi-union rate, and booking apps charge 15 to 25 percent more than the local rate.
The drive takes 2 hr 50 min on a quiet weekday morning and up to 3 hr 15 min on weekend afternoons. Haldwani to Bhowali is 33 km and takes 50 minutes. Bhowali to Khairna, through Garampani along the Kosi River, is 27 km and takes 45 minutes. Khairna to Almora is 27 km of winding mountain road and, at 55 minutes, the slowest part of the trip.
Stay in Almora. The town deserves an unhurried visit of 2 to 3 nights, and you need at least two full days for the Nanda Devi temple, the sunset at Bright End Corner, the walk along the Kasar Devi ridge, the Chitai Golu temple and the morning view of the Himalaya. Use Haldwani only for a night when your train arrives or leaves. For that night, see our list of budget hotels in Haldwani.
The best route is the usual one on NH109, through Kathgodam, past the Bhimtal turn-off, and on through Bhowali, Garampani and Khairna. It is 87 km and takes 2 hr 50 min on a quiet weekday morning, and it is the road every cab driver, every Roadways bus and every local uses. The other route, via Bhimtal and Sattal from the junction at 22 km, adds 14 km and 40 minutes but avoids Bhowali bazaar, which helps on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Yes. Uttarakhand Roadways runs five to seven buses a day to Almora from the Haldwani Roadways bus stand at Tikonia, the first at 05:30 AM. The fare is Rs 220 to Rs 280 and the journey takes 4 hr to 5 hr, with halts at Bhowali and Khairna. In season the first three buses fill up on Fridays and Saturdays, so book at the Tikonia counter the evening before. Shared sumos from the Kathgodam stand charge Rs 220 a seat and leave as soon as they are full.