A Trip to Ranikhet

Ranikhet is one of the most offbeat hill station in Almora district of Uttarakhand. So instead of visiting much crowded Nainital, we have decided to go to Ranikhet. Ranikhet is a place related to the legends of Himalayas. Once upon a time, the Quen Padmini of Kumaon was in love with this tiny hill paradise. King Sudhardev has to oblige her, by building a palace here and named this place ‘Ranikhet’ the queen’s field. Lost in the oblivion for long, the picturesque hill station was rediscovered by the Britishers.

Ranikhet is at an altitude of 6132ft above mean sea level and within sight of the western of the Himalayas.We have started this trip from Delhi. We reached kathgodam station by an early morning train and booked a cab to reach Ranikhet. Best time to visit: Ranikhet is an all-time tourist destination, but in clear weather, from Nov to April (or after it has rained) you can see the majestic Nanda Devi range from most places in Ranikhet. If you love snow you can also try during winter. Ranikhet gets snowfall in the winter season, mainly in the months of December, January and February. But in the rest of the months, the weather of Ranikhet remains pleasant. Distance: The main road into Ranikhet is NH87 climbing up from Kathgodam, 85km in the South.The distance from Nainital is 61km. From Delhi, it is around 350km.How to Reach: If you are going by train from Delhi then you have to get down at Kathgodam station. You can choose either Kathgodam Shatabdi express or Ranikhet express. Ranikhet Express reaches Kathgodam at early morning. So this is the perfect option. You can also go by your car from Delhi. It will take around 8-9 hours to reach Ranikhet. What to See: There are some places in Ranikhet you must not miss. 1. Spend some quality time in the mall. You can also purchase something special from here. 2. The golf course is a must visit. Ranikhet Golf Course is a 9-hole course making it one of the prime attractions of Ranikhet. It’s really beautiful. This is the place where Bollywood movie Raja Hindustani has been shot. 3. Rent a cycle and roam around Ranikhet. 4. Go to Chaubatia garden which is Located about 10 kilometers from Ranikhet. This place has a plantation of apricots, peaches, chestnuts, and almonds and is famous for apple orchards. With a wide variety of Himalayan flora, it also offers the picturesque views of snowcapped Himalayas. Apart from fruits, one can buy fresh juices and artisan honey from the garden store on the way out. 5. Jhula Devi temple is another place you must visit. It is situated at a distance of 7 kilometers from the town of Ranikhet near Chaubatia. It is said that the dense jungle near the temple was once full of wild animals, leopards and tigers used to attack local villagers. The villagers prayed to Maa Durga for protection and one day Goddess Durga came in a shepherd's dream and advised him to excavate her idol. This temple was constructed at the spot where the shepherd found Goddess Durga's idol. Since then pilgrims come to make a wish to Goddess Jhula Devi. And when their wish is fulfilled they come again to thank Jhula Devi Maa by offering a bell to the temple. The popularity of the temple can be realized by a number of bells hanging over the temple walls. This place has a calm environment and a sense of spiritual peace to it. We have really enjoyed this place a lot. Here I am sharing some of my trip snaps with you. I hope you all enjoy this. So let’s do a trip plan to Ranikhet.