Kathgodam

Kathgodam, whose name means 'wooden depot', marks the literal end of the railway line and the beginning of the mountains — the principal railhead and gateway to the entire Kumaon region. For generations of travellers, stepping off the train here has been the first moment of a Himalayan holiday.

Set on the banks of the Gaula river where the plains rise into the foothills, the town is a busy transport hub, seamlessly merging with neighbouring Haldwani. From its station, taxis and buses fan out to Nainital, Bhimtal, Ranikhet, Almora, Kausani and beyond.

While Kathgodam is more a point of passage than a destination, its setting at the foot of the hills, the riverside, and the nearby temples give arriving travellers a first taste of Kumaon before the climb into the mountains begins.

Pleasant October to April; mainly a transit point in any season.