Pangot

Pangot is not a city but a small Himalayan village in Kosiyakutoli tehsil, Nainital district, Uttarakhand, about 13–15 km from Nainital. Perched at around 6,500 ft, it lies on the old forest route toward Kilbury and Naina Peak, historically used by local Kumaoni villagers, shepherds and pilgrims moving between hill settlements.

For centuries Pangot remained a quiet hamlet of farmers and cattle-herders living amid oak, rhododendron and pine forests. Its modern story begins with road links from Nainital in the British period, which opened the area to limited visitors but kept it far less developed than the main hill station. After Independence, nature lovers and ornithologists gradually discovered that the forests around Pangot and Kilbury supported exceptional bird diversity—over 250–580 recorded species, including cheer pheasant, khalij pheasant and numerous Himalayan passerines.

From the late 20th century, small eco-lodges and homestays appeared, especially around the famous Jungle Lore Birding Lodge, turning Pangot into an international bird-watching hotspot while it remained a traditional Kumaoni village at heart. Today Pangot’s “history” is still unfolding: it is known less for old monuments and more for community-based tourism, forest trails and its role in conserving Himalayan birds and biodiversity.