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INTRODUCTION

Binsar wildlife sanctuary, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas sprawls over an area of about 47.04 sq. kms. and got the status of wildlife sanctuary only in the year 1988. Binsar wildlife sanctuary is home to more than 200 species of native and migratory birds of exotic varieties and has been declared as an "Important Bird Area by Bird life International." Some of the rare varieties include Forktail, Blackbirds, Laughing Thrush, Kalij Pheasant, Nuthatches, Parakeets and Monal.Apart from the avian species it enhances a wide variety of floral and faunal species.Binsar is also known for the view of the snow capped Himalayan peaks. There is only one entry to this sanctuary at Ayarpani and it leads in the North-West direction which ends in the Forest Rest House. A trek through this sanctuary with the guides is very interesting and thrilling for the roads are criss-crossed by many tails leading into thick forests. There are also other nearby attractions like Kausani, Ranikhet, Bineshwar Mahadev Temple Jageshwar or Chowkori.

ORIENTATION

Binsar wildlife sanctuary is situated in the state of Uttaranchal at a distance of about 35 kms from Almora.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The ideal time to visit the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is from February to April and between Octobers to November.

PLACES OF INTERESTS

The Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is dominated by the Oak and Rhododendron forests at higher altitudes and by Chir Pine forests at lower altitude. Apart from this the sanctuary has 25 types of trees, 24 types of bushes and seven varieties of grasses.



The fauna of the Wildlife Sanctuary has endangered species like Indian Red Fox, Jackals, Pine Martens and Porcupines. Recent researches in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary has given a census report of 16 Leopards, 69 Ghorals, 57 Wild Boars, 43 Kakars, 150 Monkeys and two Himalayan Black Bears.

Avian

The Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in varieties of birds for it is the home to more than 200 species. It is of great interest to bird watchers and ornithologists.

Almora

Almora at a distance of about 23 kms away from Binsar is very famous for its rich cultural heritage, unique handicrafts, sumptuous cuisine and magnificent wildlife, coupled with an easy accessibility, promises a tourist destination of fun. Almora has a striking nature and it falls under the Kumaun region of East of Uttarakhand.It is the cultural capital of Kumaon and is a beautiful scenic place situated at an altitude of 5900 ft. Almora is seated on a hillock, which is in Horseshoe shape and is surrounded by dense forests of fur and pine trees.Himalyas which falls in the backdrop of Almora is an amazing sight with its snow-capped peaks.

Bineshwar Temple

Bineshwar Temple belongs to the 16th century and was built by Chand Rajas and the presiding diety of this temple is Lord Shiva.Binsar derives its name from the Bineshwar Temple. It is 6 kms away from Ayarpani and can be visited while driving up to the wildlife sanctuary.

Golu Devta Temple

The deity of this temple is Kumaon and is situated at a distance of about 4kms away from Binsar. Hundreds of devotees visit this temple everyday.

Kasar Devi Temple

Situated at a distance of 9 kms from Binsar, this spot was occupied by a Dutch monk in the 1970s and 80s, setting off a 'Hippie' boom in the area around. While those 'Hippies' are no more but it still remains a popular handout for foreigners.

Things to do

Jungle Walk

The jungle walk is quite thrilling to exlore the wildlife in active in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Drives

There are jeep safaris from the main gate to the Forest Rest House and you can also drive outside on the eastern fringes of the sanctuary, from the main entrance towards Gairad Bend and also to Paleo Bend and backtrack to the gate.

Mountain Viewing

The close-up views of the snow-capped Great Himalayan mountain range are truly amazing and it draws a large number of people to Binsar. You can get fine views of Himalayas from the Zero Point.

EAT OUTS

Some of the few nearby restaurants are

ACCOMMODATION

There are enough accommodations both inside and outside the sanctuary. If wildlife viewing is the focus of your trip, then it is ideal to stay inside the sanctuary. Some of the popular accommodation options inside the sanctuary are Nanda Devi Tourist Rest House, The Binsar Retreat, Mountain Resort-Khali, and Village Homestays. Outside the Sanctuary, you can stay in the resorts like Club Mahindra Valley Resort, Kasaar Jungle Resort, Kalmatia Sangam Himalaya Resort and Binsar Eco Camp.

HOW TO REACH

By Air

Binsar is not directly connected via airways, so you have to reach there either by the railways or roadways.

By Trains

Kathgodam (126 kms) is the nearest railhead from Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. If you want to visit Binsar from New Delhi then take the overnight Ranikhet Express from Old Delhi railway station to reach Kathgodam. From Kathgodam you have to take a taxi to reach Binsar.

By Road

If you want to travel by road, then take National Highway 24 from Delhi to Rampur via Hapur and Moradabad, then National Highway 87 to Kathgodam via Rudrapur. Uttaranchal Roadways runs a morning and evening bus from Delhi to Kathgodam.If you want to stay within the sanctuary take a taxi from Almora as there is no public transport service beyond the park gate.