The Kumaon: A luxurious experience in Binsar, Uttarakhand
- Featured Travel & Hospitality
Arushi Sakhuja- 30 minutes read
Arushi Sakhuja
Tucked away amidst the Himalayas, The Kumaon is a luxury and wellness boutique retreat nestled between Binsar Road and the Kasar Devi Ridge where slow living, adventure, wholesome food, and pristine beauty come together in harmony. A nine-hour drive from Delhi, a six-hour drive from the Pantnagar airport, or a four-hour drive from the Kathgodam train station, the long journey is worth the wait once you enter the two-acre property set amidst a pine forest.
The sustainably-designed resort is a secluded luxury retreat with 10 chalets hidden in the Kasar Devi region of Uttarakhand (above Almora) and overlooks the snow-covered peaks of India, including Nanda Devi — the highest peak of India. It is surrounded by spectacular undulating mountains and the most breath-taking views of the Himalayas.
My introduction to The Kumaon was under a pitch-black starry sky after a long day of travel. But I was greeted by General Manager, Abhinav, and immensely hospitable and warm staff that made me forget about my long journey.
Entering the foyer there was a live fireplace, while the artistic design of the perpendicular doors, large bay windows, and wood-inspired minimalistic interiors left me awe-inspired. The property is designed by a Sri Lankan interior designer and the interiors are rustic, earthy, and hill-like with an emphasis on the use of wood and bamboo. Sustainable architecture highlights locally-sourced materials like bamboo, copper, and stones that have been utilized extensively across different structures and spaces through varied local techniques and skills from the region. Materials have been allowed to retain their natural quality at the retreat and have become an integral part of the design language.
Soon after I was escorted to my balcony chalet, which was a two-minute walk from the foyer along an illuminated stone trail with wild lavender flowers and tall grass on either side. While walking down the trail, I could feel the cold fresh air on my face and the sound of insects disconnected me from the city horns. The spaces have a constant reference to the outdoors, while a minimalist palette is retained to emphasize the picturesque backdrop. Low-intensity development at The Kumaon encourages privacy and quietude and lets one discover their own definitions of the stunning landscape. With efforts to restore the balance over the years, The Kumaon team has also integrated a few indigenous species of trees into the landscape including cedar, oak, rhododendron, and also encourages the cultivation of local pulses, fruits and more in the area.
Accommodation at The Kumaon
Championing the idea of slow living and wellness at its core, the Kumaon is a boutique hotel with a total of 10 chalets. With five different structures, well spaced out in the property, each structure has two chalets a balcony view, and a garden view room. The garden chalets are built of locally-quarried stone mirroring local village homes, and terrace chalets use fly-ash bricks clad with bamboo sticks and copper wire.
Upon reaching my chalet, I noticed that, unlike most other hotel rooms which were numbered, the rooms were named after villages in the Kumaoni vicinity. The name of my room was Kasar. Each chalet and every space of the hotel offers incredible views of the mighty Nanda Devi, Trishul and more snow-covered ranges.
The rooms are warm and cozy, carrying forward the theme of untouched beauty. However, staying at the balcony chalet was a sensorial delight. Stepping foot into the room, the large bay windows, offer a clear view of the hills, and a small bay window with a seat makes for a cozy corner. Further, the mini Latin interiors are rustic yet contemporary, wooden cupboards and doors seamlessly camouflage the storage spaces and the door to the washroom. Being extremely thoughtfully and designed, a key highlight is the Bukhari (fireplace) in every room to keep you warm, cozy, and enjoy the beauty of a fireplace indoors. But that’s not all, the bed is made of cement and the heated mattress makes you want to tuck in all day, the massive bathroom also has a plant bed near the shower area (and has a heater), making it seem like you’re showering in nature. Copper utensils are used in every room owing to their soothing and medicinal properties, and eucalyptus infusers add to the calmness of the room. An earthy colour palette of white, brown, and beige are the themes of the room and the spacious balcony is the perfect spot to enjoy an experience with your loved one.
I would soak in the remarkable views of the snow-capped Nanda Devi range or star-studded sky from my chalet and terrace and when I wanted some relaxation I’d make my way to the cosy library in the main lounge, sit by the fireplace, rejuvenate at the spa or unwind with yoga on the terrace.
On waking up, I would walk through the property to see views of the birds and the sound of birds chirping or lazing in the sun, take a walk around the property to see gorgeous flora, and discover locally grown plants. I’d then make my way to the terrace and soak in the pristine view of the sunrise, with the light falling on the snow-covered peaks. The mountain top would reflect the warm tones making the sight breath-taking. On a clear day, you can get a view of the entire snow-covered range and the mountain tops. What’s more? 7 am yoga with a picturesque view like this surely should be on the list.
What to do at The Kumaon (experiences and excursions)
The town around boasts of a rich cultural heritage. Many pilgrims visit the nearby temples, along with nature lovers who come for the flora and fauna. The site and surrounding regions, including the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary which is home to primary alpine forests with indigenous species that include Himalayan cedar (deodar), rhododendron, oak trees, and more. Over 200 unique species of Indian and migratory birds can be seen throughout the year in and around Binsar including yellow-billed blue magpies, rufous sibias, khalij pheasants and more. Also visible are The Kumaon and elusive leopard, red foxes, giant flying squirrels, wild boars, barking deer and more varieties of wildlife are found here. A few days at the Kumaon are truly a dive into the wild leaving behind the fast-paced city life hustle-bustle. The region’s biodiversity comprises diverse species of native flora and fauna that can be explored through scenic nature trails and walks curated by the team at The Kumaon.
For nature and adventure lovers this is a must-visit, given the vast list of excursions offered from full-day treks to half-day treks. You can choose your preference based on the challenge (and intensity) you want to take up. During my stay at The Kumaon, Suraj led the way for all three of the treks. We highly recommend the 1-hour Kasar to Chitai hike in the morning through pine and cedar forests that leads you to the Chitai temple, which is a fairly easy trail. The picturesque descent walk through the mountains leads you to the Chitai Bell Temple, which is a unique local temple built to venerate the local deity Golu Dev. Worshippers leave a request to the deity and should it be granted, they return with a bell.
However, a scenic walk that was filled with exploring the local culture and villages was the village walk through the Kumaon homes. Elsa, the pet dog at the property also accompanied us on the walk and led the way with Suraj. A trail through the forest eventually leads to a gorgeous sunset point. One can spot various local paintings, the traditional joint-family homes, and the lemon trees that are grown by the residents. One of the more unusual fruits there were the Kumaoni hill lemons, locally called galgal, lemons that almost resembled the size of an apple or larger. This fruit is used to make several local delicacies, or even eaten as a chaat, mixed with yoghurt and spices.
Finally, we reached our destination which was a bare mountain top overlooking the valley with a mesmerizing view of the sunset. The warm team at Kumaon organized high tea at the spot making the experience simply divine.
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The last trek I did was the best for me — a hike up to the Kasar Devi Temple early morning. While this is more of a hike and more challenging, reaching the scenic, calm, and serene Kasar Devi Temple makes it worth it. An uphill hike of about an hour (basis your speed and fitness),add this to your list if you really love a challenging hike.
Pristine and calm, the trail offered views of pine trees, naturally occurring caves, and Tyndall sunlight effects on our way; making this walk truly therapeutic. Finally, we reached the top — the Nanda Devi temple which sits at the top of Kasar Devi and offers magnificent views across the valley. An ancient and important temple dedicated to the Goddess Durga, the Kasar Devi temple finds mention in India’s ancient texts, and its magnetism and peaceful surroundings have attracted personalities as diverse as Swami Vivekananda, Bob Dylan, and more. An ideal spot for meditation, the serene views make you forget all about city life.
Clear blue skies, tall pine trees, and the sound of birds and the sound of bells at the temples pulled me in. The calm and positive vibes made me almost want to never leave the spot.
And those of you who have hiked before and want a challenge, you can also try the challenging waterfall hike which descends into an adjacent valley to see a beautiful waterfall. To see the area of Almora, the curated walk to the ancient market town is a great option. Other excursions include a day at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, a haven for birds and mammals including leopards and brown bears, you can then proceed up the old sanctuary trails to Zero Point, which affords 360-degree views of the high Himalayan peaks, from Himachal in the north- west to Nepal in the east; or you can explore the Katarmal Sun temple.
Picknicking around
For a full day of activities, book the Kosi Picnic and swimming excursion which is a hike down to the Kosi river, and is ideal for a picnic and swimming as well — and if you get lucky you may also be lucky to sight a leopard! The Naini Kali walk from Kasar Devi is yet another way to experience the Kumaoni culture. It descends
from Kasar Devi to the Balta village through fruit orchards and old thatched houses giving an immersive experience of the agricultural practices and lifestyles of the region. Or you can take a majestic walk from Binsar to Jageshwar which encompasses four different arboreal zones in response to changes in altitude. The walk begins in the Oak and Rhododendron forests of Binsar, descends through Pine forests, rises back into Oak and Rhododendron, and finally descends through a magical Cedar grove into the sacred temple complex of Jageshwar.
Dining
But that’s not all, a special mention is due to the food that makes every meal so delicious, that you can’t stop diving in. For each meal, there is a set menu that is printed and presented to you. For breakfast (7am- 10am), lunch (12;30pm-3pm) and high tea (5pm-6pm) you can opt to sit out on the terrace or at cantilevered restaurant suspended over the valley below. The glass wall allows you to look over the hills as you savor your meal.
From a flavor of local spices, grains, and vegetables, and a traditional thali-style Indian dining experience for dinner to light low-carb continental lunches and a whole breakfast with fruits, muesli, fresh bread and chilla, the food at The Kumaon is superb. Not only was the presentation a delight but the flavors left you wanting more. Giving into a guilty pleasure, I couldn’t stop at one bite, and pretty much ate for two during my stay. While breakfast was a spread of juice, cereal and milk/yogurt, bread, eggs or Indian breakfast, lunch was a four-course continental meal with soup, salad, a main and dessert. Dinner was the heaviest meal with authentic Indian flavours and seasonal produce presented in the form of a thali with roti, rice, raita, ghee, and pickle. But not being a commercial hotel, the beauty was that the menu was carefully thought out, and healthy; almost seemed like eating at home.
My favourites included the thali-style dinners, broccoli soup, burnt garlic and potato soup, chicken stroganoff, paneer makhani, mutton curry, chila stuffed with panner, the special honey and ghee, sprout salad, the butter cookies served with tea and coffee, chia seed pudding, onion and potato pakoras and the list goes on and on.
Each of the days during my stay, the team curated special experiences for dinner, and I truly began to appreciate the thali-style approach to local food. On day 1 the team organized a candle-light dinner for me in the library the place illuminated by candles on the floor and a live fireplace. Making the experience more personalized was prompt service. On day 2, the team went all out and curated an other-worldly bonfire experience on the balcony of my chalet. They set up a dinner table with fresh flowers in vases and a mini bonfire to keep me warm. However, if you want to stay warm and snug in your room you can even opt to have the team light up the Bukhari and enjoy room service.
Being a boutique property, the beauty is that each experience is tailor-made to suit the guest. The warm and hospitable team (of staff, drivers, and naturalists) makes the stay even more memorable. Keeping personalized experiences and warm hospitality as the central theme, and ensuring luxury in every experience, the team at the Kumaon led by general manager Abhinav goes all out to make your stay comfortable, with a personal touch.
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