How to reach Kausani

From the airport

Pantnagar Airport (PGH), between Rudrapur and Haldwani, is the usual airport for Kausani: about 178 km away, a drive of 6 to 7 hours via Haldwani, Bhowali and Almora. Only IndiGo flies here, a few times a day from Delhi and the new Noida International Airport, so check the current schedule. Hire a taxi at the airport for the whole journey, or go to Haldwani (about 26 km) for buses and shared taxis towards Almora. If you land after midday, a night in Haldwani, Bhimtal or Nainital is wiser than driving the hills after dark.

Naini Saini Airport at Pithoragarh is a little nearer by road (about 155 to 165 km, 5 to 6 hours) but has only small-aircraft Alliance Air flights from Delhi and Dehradun. The reliable alternative to both is to fly into Delhi and take the train to Kathgodam.

From the railway station

Kathgodam (KGM), the end of the line below Nainital, is the railhead for Kausani: about 140 km and 5 to 6 hours by road. From Delhi, the overnight Ranikhet Express reaches Kathgodam at about 5 am, which gets you to Kausani by around midday. The New Delhi–Kathgodam Shatabdi leaves New Delhi early in the morning and arrives around noon, putting you in Kausani by early evening. The Uttarakhand Sampark Kranti, which runs five days a week, arrives late at night, so plan to sleep near Kathgodam. Kathgodam also has trains from Lucknow, Dehradun and Howrah; timings change, so check before booking.

Taxis wait at Kathgodam station, and shared taxis for Almora leave from the station and from the taxi stand in neighbouring Haldwani. Some shared jeeps heading for Bageshwar or Gwaldam run through Kausani itself.

By road

Kausani lies on the Almora–Kausani–Karnaprayag road, about 140 km from the railhead at Kathgodam. From Kathgodam the highway climbs via Bhimtal or Jeolikot to Bhowali, passes Kainchi Dham, drops to Khairna and follows the Kosi river before climbing to Almora: about 85 to 90 km, around 3 hours. From Almora the road runs down to Kosi, up the Someshwar valley and through pine forest to the Kausani ridge: about 52 km, 1.5 to 2 hours. Allow 5 to 6 hours in all. Driving from Delhi (about 410 to 430 km via Moradabad, Rampur and Haldwani) takes 10 to 12 hours, so the train or a night on the way is easier.

Beyond Kausani the road drops to Garur and Baijnath in the Katyur valley and forks: east to Bageshwar (about 40 km from Kausani) and north to Gwaldam (about 40 km) for Debal and Lohajung.

The roads are narrow and winding. Traffic backs up at Kainchi Dham on busy pilgrimage days, especially at the 15 June fair. The Kwarab stretch below Almora has been sliding since 2024: since a district order of 19 July 2026 cars and buses go round it on the Chausli-Kwarab link road, and further closures send traffic round via Ranikhet, which adds time. Monsoon landslides (late June to September) can hold traffic on any of these roads, and winter snow can ice the ridge road.

By bus

Uttarakhand Roadways (UTC) runs buses that pass through Kausani, including Delhi (Anand Vihar ISBT) to Bageshwar via Kausani, Ranikhet to Bageshwar via Kausani, and a Kausani to Dehradun service via Ramnagar. Delhi buses for Bageshwar generally leave Anand Vihar in the late afternoon or evening and run overnight. Check the route when booking on the UTC website or at the counter, as buses routed via Takula bypass Kausani.

From Haldwani, Uttarakhand Roadways and KMOU (Kumaon Motor Owners Union) buses run to Almora through the day and to Bageshwar mostly in the morning; pick one going via Kausani, or ride to Almora and change to a shared jeep. Buses are slow on the hills, so a shared or private taxi is usually better if you start a trek the next morning.

Local transfers

Kausani is small and walkable. The market is in the lower part of town, and many of the better hotels are higher up near the Anasakti Ashram. Taxis run from Kausani down to Garur and Baijnath (about 16 km), on to Bageshwar, and back towards Almora. The road to Lohajung for Roopkund and Ronti Saddle passes through Kausani.

Distances from major points

• Kathgodam to Almora: about 85 to 90 km
• Almora to Kausani (via Kosi and Someshwar): about 52 km
• Kathgodam to Kausani via Almora: about 140 km
• Pantnagar Airport to Kausani: about 178 km
• Pithoragarh to Kausani: about 155 to 165 km
• Nainital to Kausani: about 117 to 123 km
• Kausani to Garur and Baijnath: about 14 to 17 km
• Kausani to Bageshwar: about 40 km
• Kausani to Gwaldam: about 40 km
• Kausani to Munsiyari (via Bageshwar): about 164 km
• Delhi to Kausani: about 410 to 430 km

Good to know

Kausani (about 1,890 m) is a quiet ridge-top town in Bageshwar district, known for its wide view of Trisul, Nanda Devi and the Panchachuli peaks. No permits are needed. It has many hotels and homestays, including a Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) tourist bungalow and rooms at the Anasakti Ashram, and it makes a comfortable overnight stop before treks on the Bageshwar and Lohajung sides.

Kausani has a UCO Bank branch, and Garur, about 16 km away, has several more, including State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda; carry enough cash for taxis and small shops. Kausani has a primary health centre; the nearest community health centre is at Baijnath (Garur), and the district hospital is at Bageshwar, about 40 km away. Temperatures run from about 10 to 26°C in summer and 2 to 15°C in winter, so bring warm layers. September to May is the best time to visit.

Safety

At about 1,890 m Kausani is too low for altitude sickness to be a concern; the roads set the pace. Keep a spare day either side of a trek, especially between late June and September, drive only in daylight, and do not book a same-day train or flight after the drive down. Before setting out, ask your hotel or the taxi stand whether the highway below Almora and the valley roads are open, and carry water and snacks in case of a hold-up.

Travel tips

• Plan buffer time for road delays, especially in monsoon and winter.
• Start early for long drives to avoid night stretches on mountain roads.
• Keep offline maps and cash as backup in low-network zones.
• If you are continuing to high altitude areas, acclimatize and hydrate well.