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In the midst of dense pine forests in the Kumaon Hills of Uttaranchal is the sylvan cantonment town of Ranikhet. Set at a height of 1,829 meters, this hill station has an old world charm with graceful churches and sprawling colonial bungalows fronted by flower-bedecked gardens. The town is spread over a series of ridges and pretty, tree lined paths wind into the surrounding alpine forests from where leopards make occasional appearances. In spite of being one of the most beautiful hill resorts in the Kumaon region, Ranikhet still retains its laidback, unblemished charm and is not spilling over with visitors. As in other colonial hill resorts, town life centres on The Mall.

Bal Mithai – a Kumaon Specialty, is a local sweet made up of condensed milk covered with little sugar beads. Another sweet worth tasting is 'Singaudi', which is rich in sugar and ghee. Do not forget to taste this local specialty.

Historically Speaking

According to popular belief, Ranikhet got its name from Rani Padmini, queen of Raja Sukherdev, the local ruler. The queen when visited the place, was enthralled by its beauty and decided to stay here. The place, hence, came to be known as Ranikhet or the Queen’s Field. The region around Ranikhet was ruled by local Kumaoni rulers and later came under British rule. The British developed Ranikhet as a hill station for their troops and established a cantonment in 1869. Ranikhet is still a cantonment town and is the Kumaon Regimental Center.