How to reach Pithoragarh

From the airport

Naini Saini Airport (NNS) is about 5 km north-east of the town centre, roughly 15 minutes by taxi. Alliance Air flies 42-seat aircraft here from Delhi and Dehradun; from September 2026 the schedule was six Delhi and five Dehradun flights a week, with none on Sundays. Services here have been suspended more than once in past years and small-aircraft flights can be cancelled in poor weather, so book a flexible fare and keep a road plan in reserve. Heritage Aviation has also run small helicopter shuttles to Haldwani, Almora and Munsiyari; check whether they are operating.

The larger alternative is Pantnagar Airport (PGH), with IndiGo flights from Delhi. From there it is about 240 km and 7 to 8 hours by taxi via Khatima, Tanakpur and Champawat, so land by late morning or plan an overnight stop on the way.

From the railway station

The nearest railhead is Tanakpur (TPU), at the end of the line from Pilibhit. The daily Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi leaves Delhi early in the morning and reaches Tanakpur around 4 pm, and a few other trains terminate here; check current timings. Buses and taxis are available at the station, but the drive up takes 4 to 5 hours, so after an afternoon arrival spend the night in Tanakpur and start early rather than drive the hills in the dark.

Kathgodam (KGM) has far more trains, including the New Delhi to Kathgodam Shatabdi, which arrives around midday, and the overnight Ranikhet Express from Delhi, which arrives early in the morning. It suits travellers coming via Nainital or Almora. Taxis and buses leave from Kathgodam and neighbouring Haldwani; count on 6 to 8 hours to Pithoragarh.

By road

The two approaches from the plains, from Tanakpur and from Almora, meet at Ghat, about 30 km short of Pithoragarh, so the last stretch is the same whichever way you come.

The usual route from Delhi and the plains is the widened Tanakpur to Pithoragarh highway (NH 9): about 70 to 75 km of climbing to Champawat, 14 km on to Lohaghat, then a descent of roughly 1,100 m to Ghat in the valley and a climb of about 1,000 m, past Gurna, up to Pithoragarh. Tanakpur to Pithoragarh is 140 to 150 km, 4 to 5 hours by car and longer by bus; Delhi to Pithoragarh this way is about 460 km.

From Kathgodam or Haldwani the road climbs through Bhimtal and Bhowali to Almora (80 to 90 km), then runs east through Danya to join the highway at Ghat, about 200 km in all. A shorter state-highway route from Bhimtal via Dhanachuli joins the Almora road before Danya and saves roughly 20 km. Allow 6 to 8 hours either way; the roads are narrow and winding throughout.

In the monsoon, from late June to September, the bends between Ghat and Pithoragarh are prone to falling rocks.

By bus

Uttarakhand Roadways runs direct buses to Pithoragarh from Delhi's Anand Vihar ISBT (mostly late-afternoon and evening departures for an overnight journey) and from Dehradun ISBT (several departures from morning to evening), plus early-morning services from Haridwar, Bareilly and Haldwani; Lucknow and Gurugram also have direct buses. Some can be booked online on the Roadways' own website, and KMOU and private operators also serve Pithoragarh. Onward, Roadways buses leave Pithoragarh for Munsiyari early in the morning and for Dharchula, Didihat and Jhulaghat in the afternoon. Timetables change, so confirm the current departure before you travel.

Local transfers

Uttarakhand Roadways buses use the bus station in town, and KMOU (the Kumaon Motor Owners' Union) has its own station. Shared and private taxis run on to Dharchula and the other valley towns; set off in the morning so that you arrive in daylight. Dharchula is about 92 km, 3 to 3.5 hours along NH 9 via Ogla, Askot and Jauljibi. Kathgodam to Dharchula, through Pithoragarh, can be driven in one day.

Distances from major points

• Tanakpur to Champawat: about 70 to 75 km
• Champawat to Lohaghat: about 14 km
• Lohaghat to Pithoragarh (via Ghat): about 60 km
• Tanakpur to Pithoragarh: about 140 to 150 km
• Delhi to Pithoragarh (via Tanakpur): about 460 km
• Kathgodam to Almora: about 80 to 90 km
• Almora to Pithoragarh (via Danya and Ghat): about 115 km
• Kathgodam to Pithoragarh: about 200 to 210 km via Almora, or about 180 km by the hill road via Dhanachuli
• Pantnagar Airport to Pithoragarh (via Khatima and Tanakpur): about 240 km
• Naini Saini Airport to Pithoragarh town: about 5 km
• Pithoragarh to Dharchula: about 92 km

Good to know

Pithoragarh (about 1,630 m) is the district headquarters and main service town of eastern Kumaon, and the last large town on the road to Dharchula and the Vyas valley (Adi Kailash and Om Parvat). Several banks have branches here and there are fuel pumps, so draw cash and fill up before heading further; fuel and cooking gas come up by road from Haldwani and Tanakpur, and a long road closure can leave the pumps short.

For a night's halt, KMVN runs a Tourist Rest House in town and there are private hotels. Pithoragarh itself needs no permit, but beyond Dharchula, from Chiyalekh onward, an Inner Line Permit is mandatory for Adi Kailash and Om Parvat. Apply on the Pithoragarh district's online ILP portal with photo ID, a medical fitness certificate and an affidavit; approval usually takes a day or two, and you should carry printed copies for the army and police checkposts. Issue is sometimes paused, so check before you travel. The town needs no acclimatisation, but the Vyas valley climbs above 4,400 m at Jolingkong.

Safety

From late June to September keep a spare day either side of the journey: landslides and rockfall on the Tanakpur highway can stop traffic for hours, sometimes for a day or more. In September 2026 the administration banned night traffic between Ghat and Pithoragarh (6 pm to 6 am) because of falling rocks, so plan to pass Ghat in daylight. At about 1,630 m the town poses no altitude problem; check road status locally before setting off.

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.