Lohaghat is a small town on the banks of the Lohawati river in Champawat district, at roughly 1,750 metres. It has under 8,000 residents and became a municipality only in 2021, so expect a working hill market, not a resort. The sights are scattered around it in forest: a ruined hill fort, a handful of colonial cottages, a reservoir lake and, higher up, one of the Ramakrishna Order's oldest Himalayan ashrams.
The area has an older history than its size suggests. It was known as Sui and ruled by the Katyuri and then the Chand dynasties before passing to the East India Company after the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. Champawat, the former Chand capital with its carved Baleshwar temples, is about 13 to 14 km away, and the Nepal border lies to the east.
For travellers, Lohaghat suits a slow, low-ambition trip. Spend one day on Mayawati's Advaita Ashrama, one on Abbott Mount and Banasur Fort, and one on Champawat. Roads are winding and the journey from the plains is long, so build in rest. Older visitors should note that the town is at altitude, nights are cold for much of the year, and some sights need steep walks.
Food and lodging are simple. Plan to carry snacks to the outlying sights, ask your hotel for the current taxi arrangement, and check weather and road news during the monsoon, when landslides can close routes.
Before you plan
Lohaghat at a glance
- Best months
- April to June and September to NovemberApril to June and September to November; the monsoon (July–August) brings landslide risk and winters are cold
- Ideal trip length
- 2 to 3 days2 to 3 days, longer if you add Champawat and Devidhura
- Airport
- PantnagarPantnagar (PGH) is the main plains airport, a long drive away; Naini Saini airport near Pithoragarh is about 65 km, so check current flights
- Railway station
- TanakpurTanakpur (TPU) is the nearest railhead, about 85–90 km by road
- Getting around
- Hired or shared taxis are the…Hired or shared taxis are the practical option; buses reach Lohaghat but outlying sights need a car
- Daily budget
- Modest by Indian standardsModest by Indian standards; the main costs are a car and lodging, so confirm local rates before you go
- Senior comfort
- Fair with planning: gentle ashram…Fair with planning: gentle ashram grounds, but winding roads, altitude and steep walks at Banasur Fort
- Language
- Hindi and KumaoniHindi and Kumaoni; Punjabi is also spoken in parts of the district; English limited outside hotels
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Lohaghat: April, May, October, November. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Lohaghat itinerary
One good day
1 day in Lohaghat
Leave Lohaghat after breakfast for Advaita Ashrama at Mayawati, about 9 km away, and spend a quiet morning in the library and grounds. Return for lunch and rest, then take a short afternoon drive up to Abbott Mount to see the old cottages and the church while the light is clear. Be back before dusk, as the forest road has sharp bends.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Lohaghat
Spend the morning at Advaita Ashrama in Mayawati, then lunch in Lohaghat and a slow afternoon at Abbott Mount.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Lohaghat
Take a full morning at Advaita Ashrama, then rest in town and use the late afternoon for a walk around Lohaghat's market.
Day-by-day plan →
