Kalmatia Sangam – Almora

In 1867 Capt. ES Jackson discovered this place of beauty and built a house in the British colonial style. At the end of the century the Kalimat Estate was bought by Edward Thomas Chowdhary, the District Commissioner of Kumaon and was eventually passed down to his granddaughter and German husband whom together built the resort.

Today the property is owned by Dr Arvind Lal and Dr Vandana Lal, a keen photographer and trekker themselves and who take keen interest in maintaining the property’s original charm.

The resort offers one of the most exclusive and unusual accommodations in Uttarakhand; from the architecture and cuisine, to the decor, service and unhampered views of the snow-clad Himalaya.

For decades this area has attracted many famous artists, musicians, writers and spiritualists – Vivekananda, Ma Anandamayi, Lama Anagarika Govinda, the first westerner to be given the title of Lama) and his talented Parsee wife Li Gotami, Timothy Leary, Brewster, D.H.Lawrence and the legendary Jim Corbett who also has a National Park named after him, to name but a few.

This area has long been considered “magical” perhaps because it lacks a certain filter in the atmosphere, in common with the area of Machu Picchu in Peru.

Ten tastefully decorated, stone cottages offer you privacy and comfort from which to enjoy spectacular mountain views. Built in British colonial style with Kumaoni influences, the cottages are constructed with a minute eye to comfort,elegance and taste and are all heated in winter with bukhari wood burning stoves. Named after birds to be found on the resort, each cottage is different from the next. The rooms have individual interiors, sizes and décor which is clean and elegant throughout.

At the very heart of the resort, Sangam Restaurant provides an elegant and comfortable dining experience – just a short distance from your cottage. Here you can enjoy breath-taking views from our sunny breakfast terrace, accompanied by the gentle sound of bird song. What better way to start your day ? They offer freshly baked breads, cakes and muffins, locally harvested fruit preserves, honey and homemade pickles, cream cheese, mustard and mayonnaise. Fresh herbs from our garden produce a number of exotic and indigenous flavours and they use organic vegetables from nearby villages, wherever possible. Try their inspired buffet lunches where one can sample European cuisine, Middle Eastern or Mediterranean inspired dishes; hummus, baba ganoush, pita bread and tatziki or fresh pea and mint soup, tomato a la Provencal, homemade pizza and pasta. The perfect setting for cosy candle-lit dinners, enjoy the carefully planned authentic menus which include Continental, Indian, Italian, Kumaoni, Lebanese and Tandoori. They do not offer a la carte  meals and meals offered are from a fixed menu with fresh and exciting menus planned for each day.