About Champawat

Champawat is one of Uttarakhand’s smallest and least-visited districts — which is exactly its appeal. The district holds the Chand dynasty’s first capital (Champawat town), the great Purnagiri shakti shrine on the Nepal border, and the colonial cottage hamlet of Abbott Mount above Lohaghat.

It is a place for temple archaeology, border-country drives, and the rare experience of a Kumaon district with almost no tourist infrastructure.

History & Origin

Champawat was the seat of the Chand kings before their move to Almora in the 1560s — the town’s Baleshwar temple complex preserves that era. The Gorkhas took the district in 1790-91 and the British in 1816. Champawat became a district in 1997, carved from Pithoragarh.

The Purnagiri temple, on the Kali river border, has been a pilgrimage crossing point for centuries, drawing Nepali and Indian devotees alike.

Culture & People

Kumaoni traditions dominate, with strong border-country influences: Nepali-language markets, trans-border fairs, and the Purnagiri yatra culture. The Bagwal fair at Devidhura — where ritual stone-throwing was replaced by fruit-throwing — is one of the state’s most distinctive festivals.

Food is simple Kumaoni fare, with the border towns adding Nepali dal-bhat and thukpa to the menu.

Climate & Best Time to Visit

Temperate and dry: warm summers, a moderate monsoon, and cold, clear winters. The border ridges catch early sun and early frost.

How to Reach & Connectivity

By rail: Tanakpur (~20 km from the border side). By air: Pantnagar. By road: about 400 km from Delhi via Haldwani and Lohaghat — 9-10 hours from the plains.

Quick Facts About Champawat