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Surrounded by dense forests and snowline ridges, Binsar offers more than just hilltop views. If you’re staying here, you don’t need to drive far to uncover some of the most rewarding places to visit near Binsar. These nearby spots range from 9th-century temples hidden in pine groves to hill villages that still echo with traditional rituals. You can explore limestone caves linked to mythology, scenic forest belts barely known outside Uttarakhand, or high-altitude picnic spots with clear Himalayan frames. Each destination adds history, silence, or sheer altitude.
Top 10 Places To Visit Near Binsar
These places to visit near Binsar include forest temples, hillside villages, cave shrines, and mountain viewpoints. Each has its landscape, local culture, or architectural style worth exploring.
1. Jageshwar Dham
Photo: Itsmalay~commonswiki / Wikimedia Commons
When you’re in Binsar, one of the most remarkable day journeys you can take is to Jageshwar Dham, a sacred valley that holds more than 100 stone temples carved between the 7th and 12th centuries. The temple complex stands beside the Jata Ganga stream, with old deodar trees surrounding it in every direction. These trees stay thick and green throughout the year. Each temple in the cluster is linked to a form of Lord Shiva, though most people focus on the central shrine of Jageshwar Mahadev. This temple draws attention for its design and religious importance.
Distance From Binsar: 73.6 km
Major Attractions: Cluster of over 100 ancient temples, Jageshwar Mahadev shrine, cedar-lined walking paths
2. Kasar Devi Temple
Photo: Sukhpreet Lotey / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
If you’re interested in history, mysticism, or just wide, unobstructed views of Himalayan peaks, Kasar Devi Temple should be on your list of places to see near Binsar. The temple dates back to the 2nd century CE and sits on a quiet ridge facing Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Panchachuli ranges. What makes this temple different is its location within a known geomagnetic field zone, often compared to Machu Picchu and Stonehenge. The peaceful surroundings have drawn spiritual thinkers for over a century. After reaching the top, you can keep going around the ridge path, where residents run small cafés that have been open for decades.
Distance From Binsar: 38.7 km
Major Attractions: Magnetic field zone, Nanda Devi viewpoint, spiritual retreat site of famous thinkers
3. Katarmal Sun Temple
Photo: Daniel Romanson / Wikimedia Commons
If you’re looking for quiet heritage spots among the places to visit near Binsar, the Katarmal Sun Temple offers a different kind of experience. It was built in the 9th century by the Katyuri rulers and stands as a tribute to Surya, the Sun God. The site includes a main temple and over 40 smaller shrines arranged around it. Katarmal rises from a sloped hillside, surrounded by thick trees and no shops or commercial buildings nearby. Reaching the temple takes a short walk uphill. Once you’re at the top, the ridge opens out to wide sky views and still air.
Distance From Binsar: 38.9 km
Major Attractions: 9th-century Surya temple, stone architecture, mountain setting
4. Bageshwar
Photo: Harshit SR / Wikimedia Commons
If you’re drawn to religious sites that remain active in daily town life, then Bageshwar is the place. The town is located right at the junction of the Sarayu and Gomti rivers. Its main religious centre is the Bagnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and known for its prominence in local mythology and rituals. This temple follows the shikhara style and was built in the 15th century during the reign of the Chand rulers. You’ll see the stone walls still carrying regional scripts and hundreds of brass bells tied by people over the years, many of them left as part of prayers or fulfilled vows.
Distance From Binsar: 59.1 km
Major Attractions: Bagnath Temple, the river confluence of Sarayu and Gomti, and pilgrimage street scenes
5. Chitai Golu Devta Temple
Photo: htoindia / Pixabay / Image For Representation Only
Out of all the culturally rooted tourist attractions near Binsar, Chitai Golu Devta Temple is known for a practice that feels deeply local. People don’t bring flowers or incense; they arrive with official letters, typed or handwritten, asking Golu Devta for justice. These petitions are often written on stamped paper and hung inside the temple, attached with bells offered after the wish is granted. You’ll see rows of documents pinned across beams and doorways, some weighed down with large brass bells. The structure itself is modest, but the sight of these letters and bells layered together gives the shrine a powerful presence.
Distance From Binsar: 46.4 km
Major Attractions: Bell-covered temple walls, faith-based letter offerings, Golu Devta, deity of justice
6. Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave Temple
Photo: Dharmendra Chavda / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
One of the most intriguing attractions near Binsar is Patal Bhuvaneshwar, a natural limestone cave temple hidden deep within the hills of the Kumaon region. As you move down nearly 90 feet underground, the temperature drops and the air changes. Inside, the rock formations form shapes that local priests point to as symbolic figures of Sheshnag, Kal Bhairav, Ganesha, and even the jaws of Yama. Every surface has a name and a story. You hear no bells, no chants, just quiet breath and footsteps echoing along the cave floor.
Distance From Binsar: 111.1 km
Major Attractions: 160-metre deep limestone cave, narrow entry passage, mythological rock formations
7. Dhaulchina
Photo: Aniket Mandish / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
If you’re looking for a peaceful forest stretch not far from the sanctuary zone, Dhaulchina is among the more relaxed yet scenic places to visit. This is a quiet settlement with dense pine and oak forests on all sides, mostly visited by those who want to step away from roads and noise. The road from Binsar to Dhaulchina is a pleasant drive, with hairpin curves that open onto valleys filled with terraced fields and hill ridges. The altitude here is slightly lower than Binsar’s core area, so you’ll notice a shift in tree density and temperature.
Distance From Binsar: 59.3 km
Major Attractions: Thick pine forest belt, road bends with valley views, quiet nature zones
8. Berinag
Photo: Photos Worldwide / Wikimedia Commons
Among the quieter high-altitude towns in the Kumaon region, Berinag offers a mix of panoramic views and traditional hillside culture. The town is named after a group of ancient Nag temples in the area, where serpent deities were once worshipped as guardians of the land. Although not many of the original shrines remain intact, the reverence continues in smaller village altars nearby. Berinag is also known for its old tea estates set along gentle slopes, some of which were planted during the British period and are still active today.
Distance From Binsar: 96.5 km
Major Attractions: Nag temples, scenic tea gardens, views of Panchachuli peaks
9. Ranikhet
Photo: lumix2004 / Pixabay / Image For Representation Only
If you’re interested in a larger town with colonial traces, military history, and fruit orchards, Ranikhet is a great choice. Established as a British cantonment in the 19th century, it still houses the Kumaon Regimental Centre, featuring a well-kept museum with war memorabilia, uniforms, and archives from the pre-independence period. Nearby, Chaubatia Gardens spread across rolling slopes, planted with apples, peaches, and apricots depending on the season. You can explore marked paths and public orchard zones. Jhula Devi Temple, famous for thousands of hanging bells, is another major attraction. The town also has wide, tree-lined roads and a functional 9-hole golf course from the colonial era.
Distance From Binsar: 66 km
Major Attractions: Jhula Devi Temple, Chaubatia apple orchards, Kumaon Regimental Centre museum
10. Shitlakhet
Photo: Abhidev Vaishnav / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
If your idea of a worthwhile detour includes silence, mountain ridges, and local shrines with no tourist queues, Shitlakhet is among the most peaceful places. It’s a forested village that stretches along a ridgeline with clear views of the Trishul and Nanda Devi ranges on bright days. The settlement itself is small with scattered homes, terraced fields, and temple paths hidden between oak and rhododendron trees. The main religious site here is the Syahi Devi Temple, set about 3 kilometres uphill from the main road. The trail leading to it is narrow but walkable and shaded by tall trees the entire way.
Distance From Binsar: 55.5 km
Major Attractions: Kali temple, peaceful ridgeline walks, panoramic views of Trishul and Nanda Devi
The landscapes around Binsar are more than just a backdrop to the wildlife sanctuary; they hold centuries of history, belief, and quiet hillside life. Each place offers a unique story, whether it’s a 9th-century temple aligned with the sun, a bell-filled shrine that hears written prayers, or a village trail revealing glacier views without tourist crowds. Plan your trip today with TripXL and experience the magic firsthand.
Cover Photo: Rahul Pandit / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
