Kumaon Region

It is believed that the word "Kumaon" is derived from "Kurmanchal", which means the land of Kurmavatar (the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Preserver of the Hindu Trinity). Popularly known as the Trekker's Paradise, Kumaon is located in Uttarakhand, snuggled in the foothills of the majestic Himalayan ranges. Easily accessible via road or train, its fresh mountain breeze, view of the Nanda Devi, tall swaying Pine and Deodhar trees make it an ideal location for a summer home away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi.

It has the serene and peaceful Tibet towards its northern side, on the east is the beautiful Nepal, Uttar Pradesh lies towards the south and on the west, is the Garhwal region. The Kumaonis, as the people of the region are called, are well known for their bravery and martial skills. The Kumaon Regiment, one of the best regiments of the Indian Army, calls Kumaon its home. Haldwani, Nainital, Rudrapur, Almora, Pithoragarh, Mukteshwar and Ranikhet are among the most important towns of the region.

The IVRI campus at Mukteshwar offers a campus filled with Pine and Rhododendron trees; sightings of spotted tigers, (leopards, foxes and hyena are common if you take a walk through the woods in the mornings or at dusk.

Other areas of interest near Kumaon are Nainital, Bhimtal, Mukteshwar, Almora, and Ranikhet.

Climate

The climate is mild except in the regions of the sub-mountain strips of Tarai and Bhabhar and the deep valleys. The amount of rainfall received by the outer Himalayan range is almost twice that of the central hills as the outer Himalayas are the first ones to be hit by the monsoons. The precipitation is normally in the average proportion of 2000 mm to 1000 mm. Winter season without snowfall is almost unheard of in the higher ridges and in some years, the snowfall is spread throughout the whole of the mountain tract. Severe frosts are witnessed often, especially in the valleys.

The Chir Pine, the Himalayan Cypress, the Pindrow Fir, Alder, Sal (or iron-wood), and Saindan are the main varieties of trees growing in the region. As far as the geological formations are concerned, Limestone, Sandstone, Slate, Gneiss and Granite are the principal ones. The area has a number of mines of Iron, Copper, Gypsum, Lead and Asbestos, but almost all of them are under-utilized.