Ranikhet

Ranikhet is a well-known hill station and cantonment town in Almora district of Uttarakhand state, India. It is perched at an average height of 1,869 meters (6,132 feet) above sea level. Ranikhet means “The Queen’s Land”.

The place gets the attention of every visitor with its captivating natural beauty, lush green meadows, various species of flowers, trees, rich wildlife and a beautiful golf course in the midst of Himalayan mountains. It has one of the highest golf courses in Asia with 9 holes.

The town offers a panoramic view of the great Himalayan peak of Nanda Devi (7816 m). One of the best examples of step farming, ‘Chaubatia Garden’ is among the noticeable attractions in this town. It is situated 10 km away from the main town of Ranikhet.

The garden is known for the exquisite orchards of plums, apples, peaches, and apricots. These gardens have become an ideal place for outings and picnics.

Ranikhet Overview:

History:

Once, the region of Ranikhet was under the occupancy of Nepalese rulers. General Kashi Nath Adhikari of Kumaon won the area from Nepalese and it became the part of Kumaon region. Because of the achievements of Kashi Nath Adhikari a town was named as Kashipur.

The Britishers established the Kumaon Regiment headquarters here in 1869 to escape the wrath of Indian summer. During British Raj, Ranikhet was also proposed as the summer headquarters of Government of India, in lieu of Shimla.

Things to Do:

Trekking and Nature Walks:

Ranikhet has several popular trekking trails surrounded by lush green environment and mesmerizing Himalayan peaks. The trail from Chaubatia garden to Holm Farm is well known. Other trails are Meghdoot to Jhula Devi Temple, Chaubatia to Bhalu Dam, Ranikhet Club to Chevron Rosemount and Chaubatia to Bhalu Dam.

Golfing:

Ranikhet is home to one of the highest golf courses in Asia with 9 holes. Upat golf course offers a spectacular view of snowy peaks. However, one has to take playing and admission to the club.

Visit Temples:

Ranikhet has many important Hindu temples. Kalika Temple, Jhula Devi Temple, Mankameshwar Temple, which is managed by Kumaon Regimental Centre are major worship center for devotees.

Explore Rich Flora:

Chaubatia garden has many species of flowers. The garden is known for the exquisite orchards of plums, apples, peaches, and apricots. Kumaon region’s first Horticulture Research Institute is also there.

Fishing:

After taking permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden Dehradun, you can enjoy fishing at Bhalu Dam Built on Kosi River. Bhalu dam is a few kilometers away from Chaubatia garden.

Legend Related to Ranikhet:

The town gets its name from a local legend. The word Ranikhet means “Queen’s Field”. According to the legend, When Katyuri King Raja Sudhardev of Kumaon was the ruler of this region, he was impressed by his queen Rani Padmini, who was thrived by the beauty of this place. The king built a palace for the queen. There is no trace of the palace whatsoever but the place hasn’t lost its beauty and remained as beautiful as it was.

Snowfall:

If you want to see snow covered Himalayan peaks in Ranikhet then winters are the best time to visit. Snowfall is a regular phenomenon in this town, which usually starts in December and January months. From October to February the weather remains cold and temperature ranges between 3°C to 8°C.

Places to visit:

Jhula Devi Temple:

Jhula devi temple is located in Chaubatia Gardens, at a distance of 7 kilometers from Ranikhet in Almora District of Kmauon region of the state Uttarakhand of India. It was built in 8th century. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is known for its vast cluster of elegantly designed bells. The Ram mandir (temple) located close by, also attracts many visitors. << Read More >>

Kalika:

Kalika is a special tourist town located near Ranikhet, which is located 6 km from Ranikhet Hill Station. The bud is surrounded by its dense, lush green hills and mountains covered with snow. This city is famous for its Kalika temple and golf course.

Chaubatia Gardens:

Chobatia Bagh, situated in the lap of Himalayan ranges famous for its apples, plums, peaches and apricots, is a famous tourist spot. From here the attractive scenes of the peaks of Nanda Devi, Nilkanth, Nandghunati and Trishul can be seen. Apart from Chobatia Bagh, you can also see the nearby governmental Apple Garden and Fruit Research Center.

Manila:

Located near Ranikhet, Manila is a major tourist attraction because of the Temple of Mother Manila. This small town is a beautiful place with many spacious and picturesque views of the Himalayas. It is a place filled with folklore and traditions where people of the world believe in their traditions and heritage very much. This beautiful Manila town is a major tourist destination near Ranikhet.

Mankameshwar Temple:

The Mankameshwar Temple was built by the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army, which is located near Narsingh Maidan in Pithoragarh. There are often members of the regiment’s family in this temple.

Best Time to Visit Ranikhet:

The best thing about Ranikhet is it does not “time-block” visitors. One can visit this town at any given time of the year based on his/her preferences. The summers are not so hot and remain pleasant, winters bring snowfall while monsoons offer fresh and clean Himalayan views.

Summers: 

Summers start from late March and lasts till June or early days of July. The weather remains calm and pleasant. This is the ideal time for trekking, sightseeing and hanging out with family in sunlight.

Monsoons: 

Monsoon months are July and August. During this time, Ranikhet receives a significant amount of rainfall. It is not advisable to travel during these months as your plans to visit this town might get hindered due to the rain and road conditions.

Winters: 

Winters start from September and last till February. Winters in Ranikhet are known to be cold and chilly and temperature ranges from 0 to 15 degrees. The weather during the months of September, October, and November remains calm and pleasant which is an ideal time for sightseeing. The months of December and January bring snowfall with them.

Flora and Fauna:

The typical climatic factor of Uttarakhand is a reason for rich flora and fauna of Ranikhet. The floras in this town and neighboring areas include pine, oak, and deodar trees. The faunas include leopard, wild bear, Indian hare, barking deer, red fox, leopard cat, sambhar, red-faced monkey, pine marten, mountain goat, jackal, porcupine, and langoor.

Kumaon Regimental Centre, Ranikhet:

Kumaon Regimental Centre was 1974 by Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army to preserve the legacy of Kumaon region. It is a museum which showcases the achievements, sacrifices, triumphs, and glory of the Kumaon Regiment. Some of the preserved historical valuables here are Jhansi Ki Rani’s argent scepters, Chinese rifles used in the Indo-Chinese war of 1962, abstracts of the Kargil War and a wireless acreage blast used in World War II by Japanese.

Staying:

Ranikhet is an all season active hill station which attracts a large number of visitors every time of the year. Staying is not a problem here and there are many options available according to one’s budget. It has many budget hotels and lodges and few high end hotels to stay. Government guest houses (KNVN) and tent accommodations are also available.

How to Reach Ranikhet:

Ranikhet comes under Almora district of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state. It is 46 km away from Almora.

By Road

The town is well connected to all the major cities of Uttarakhand via decent motorable roads. Taxis and buses from Haldwani and Almora are available. Almora is 46 km and Haldwani is 83 km from Ranikhet.

By Train

Kathgodam railway station is the nearest railway station. It is at a distance of 75 km. It has regular trains to and from Delhi and Dehradun such as Ranikhet Express and Sampark Kranti. From Kathgodam railway station one can hire a taxi to Ranikhet or take a bus from Kathgodam railway station.

By Air

The nearest airport is Pantnagar airport, which is at a distance of 109 km. Pantnagar airport is an active airport which has regular connectivity with Delhi. From the airport, there are many taxis and buses to Haldwani and Almora are available. From Haldwani and Almora, there are many taxis and buses available to this town.

Road Distance of Ranikhet from Major Cities: