| Legend has it that a visiting queen (rani)
was so enchanted by Ranikhet's beauty that she established a township here. In 1869 the
land around Ranikhet was bought by the British to create a summer resort and cantonment
town. As in other colonial hill resorts, town life centres on The Mall. At a height of 1,829 metres, the ridge tops of Ranikhet are good
vantage points for panoramic vistas of Himalayan peaks including the Nanda Devi group.
From the luxuriant fruit orchards of Chaubatia, 10 km beyond the Mall,
you can get a sweeping view of the Himalayas, especially the peaks of Nanda Devi,
Trisul, Nanda Ghunti and Neelkanth. Ranikhet is the starting
point for a number of exciting treks into the Himalayas. The fabled Jhula Devi
temple dedicated to Goddess Shakti and an ancient shrine dedicated to Rama lie on
the outskirts of town. Bhaludam has an artificial lake that is a
picturesque picnic spot. Other places you should see are the lush orchards and herbarium
of Kherna, the complex of 55 ancient hill temples of Dwarahat,
and the shrine of Durga at Dunagiri.
And lastly, some good news for golf lovers - Ranikhet has a splendidly maintained 9-hole
golf course with a magnificent view of the mountain slopes. So put on your golfing shoes
or your walking boots and make tracks to Ranikhet for a happy, fun-filled holiday.
Getting to Ranikhet
Ranikhet is 360 km from Delhi, a drive of around 9 hours. The nearest railhead is at
Kathgodam, 36 km, from where it will take you 2 hours to drive up to Ranikhet. The best
way to get to Ranikhet is by road, because of the beautiful landscape. You can rent a car
or take a bus. Regular bus services connect Ranikhet to Ramnagar, Almora and Nainital.
Best time to visit Ranikhet
The best time to come here is from September to November and again from April to June,
when the weather is bracing. Ranikhet has moderate summers, cold winters and heavy
monsoons. Light woollens for the evenings are adequate for summer, but heavy woollens are
needed in winter.
Accommodation in Ranikhet
Ranikhet has a few standard hotels and most offer good services. Besides KMVN hotels,
there are some decent private hotels. |
