In Uttarakhand, almost every place is a thing of wonder and beauty in itself. We have heard of places like Ranikhet, Almora Nainital and so on. But, a place like Chaukori is literally a gem box situated approx. 180 km from Almora.By all means, Chaukori, with its Himalayan peaks and dense forests, lives up to the expectations of a nature and mountain lover. It is situated in Pithoragarh district of Kumaon at an elevation of 2,010 m, and 173 km away from Nainital, the gateway to Uttarakhand. Chaukori is a stellar hill station, meant for those, who wouldn’t mind spending hours gazing at the magnificent Nanda Devi and Panchachuli peaks.This stunning hill station located in the heart of the Himalayas is one of the few destinations that have tea estates in the region. Besides, fruits orchards, pine forests, the rhododendrons and oak forest give a lot more reasons to the tourists to walk in and around this lovely tourist-friendly place.The sunrise and sunset, star-studded sky at night, warm hospitality of the Kumaon dwellers, the list goes on. It has a few ancient temples in and around Chaukori that date back to the Mahabharata-era, built by the Pandavas during their stay in the Kumaon hills.Be sure about a great stay by booking in advance a room in the KMVN Tourist Rest House Chaukori. They have cosy cottages that offer full-fledged views of the majestic Himalayas. Plus, the KMVN rest houses also have lip-smacking vegetarian food and spacious parking lots, and not to forget their own elevated square to enjoy unhindered view of the mountain peaks!Another great option is Kaaphal Hill Homestay, which has a typical Himalayan village setting and a beautiful one at that! The incredibly warm hosts have made arrangement for comfortable rooms as well as delish, organic, and fresh Kumaoni food and fresh milk procured from their domesticated cattle. This is one place, where you would feel like home in the hills.Summer and autumn is the most ideal time to visit Chaukori when the weather is moderate and conducive for exploring the town. The best months for sightseeing are April to June and September to November. July and August are the harbinger of rains, which might not suit many travellers. As for the winters, Chaukori experiences harsh winters with mercury hitting the 2 degree Celsius mark or even lower. So, if you enjoy visiting the mountains in winters, make sure you pack in the heaviest woollens you could carry.To reach Chaukori by air, board a flight to the Pantnagar airport in Uttarakhand. From the airport, it is a 205 km long ride by a private taxi that can be hired till Chaukori, Bageshwar and Almora.Train travellers would need to alight at the Kathgodam railway station. The distance is 180 km long from Kathgodam to Chaukori; trains to Kathgodam are easily available from Jaipur, Delhi , Lucknow, Kolkata and other Indian cities. From the exit gate of the rail head, buses ply to Chaukori and other dropping points.By road, Chaukori is comfortably linked by motorable roads with several Indian cities. Tourists from Delhi can board a bus to Kathgodam and Almora from the ISBT station.