Nainital, Ranikhet - A Winter Trip

I had been to the quaint little hill stations of Kausani,Ranikhet,Almora when I was in my 10th
standard with my parents.The serenity of those places left a strong impression to visit Nainital(which
we missed during that time), and Ranikhet yet again - this time with my wife. The purpose was simple -
relax. And relaxation it was - this was one damn good tour which we made.

The Roadside Dhaba where we lunched

Tour Plan
Day 1  : Kolkata - Delhi. Flight. Travel to Nainital that night.
Day 2&3: Soak in Nainital
Day 4  : Travel to Ranikhet.
Day 5  : Ranikhet "walks"
Day 6  : Early morning. Depart from Ranikhet and board train from Ramnagar to Delhi.Train No. 25036.Go pub hopping.
Day 7  : After noon flight, back to the daily grind.

Chevron Fairhavens, Nainital

Scene1:
It was a cool December morning, 5-ish, and we were speeding down the empty stretch to NSCBI Airport
from Lake Gardens in a hired cab.The vacant roads ensured that it took only 25 mins to cover the 30
kms.
Scene2:
NSCBI Airport. Waiting for the spicejet to Delhi.Boarded the 7.20 AM flight.Watched the himalayas from
the window seat.And before it was long we were exiting the Delhi airport where our transport(a Tata
Indica) was waiting for us.
Scene3:
We made a brief halt at a MacD - ordered a burger and cola - packed it and we were right on the
road.Delhi roads, needless to say were great.

Cacti on the hills

Maggi Break

Himalaya between the conifers

The driver saab, Om Prakash was an efficient chap.We stopped at a Dhaba, had lunch and were on the
road again.Thereafter the road condition deteroriated badly and traffic was way too slow. We were
stranded at near Bilaspur due to CRPF recruitments.As the evening waned into the night, the cold was
getting hard at us. Later the Uttarkhand permit was done and we reached Hotel Chevron Fairhavens at
Nainital at 8.30 in the night, where we had booked for our Nainital stay.
The early wake up and good 12 hrs travelling ensured that we were off to sleep immediately after
dinner.

First Day in Nainital!
We were awakened by the door knocking at 9 AM by the hotel waiters.It is customary for hill people to rise and sleep early. We ordered the breakfast, refreshed ourselves.The room was quite airy and spacious and the sunrays were filtering through the large windows.This hotel was a colonial era building which was renovated to a hotel later.It has a huge lawn in front where one can have breakfast too.
 

The Breakfast Spread



We visited a few local places - artificially created caves, a ride on a horse back and a visit to the mall.It was around 5 in the evening when we returned back to the hotel. Had tea. And walked to the Boat House Club at Nainital.

The Boat House Club is truly worth a visit if you love colonial style. The club is situated right on the edge of the Naini lake and is heavily designed in wood. Initially we were seated on the verandah, sipping vodka and muching on french fries. However the cold got us and we shifted to the main room. A fire was lit later on and it was all warm inside. Downing a few shots of vodka and snacks made us feel great and we walked back to the hotel at 9.30 where a delicious dinner was awaiting us.Dinner completed, time to watch some TV and go to sleep.

 

Around Nainital



A note here: In order to visit the Boat House Club one has to buy a "temporary" membership.However, I donot remember the exact amount that we paid there.

Day 3 arrived and we got up at the door knock for breakfast. Spent some time in the hotel lawn - the lawn is indeed a boon where you can soak in the environment. We left around noon and walked our way around the mall,visited the Tibetan market where wife got some shawls, sweaters. Please be aware of the  

Naini Lake

amount these guys charge, you need to go a lot of haggling on the prices. We also tasted momos and had lunch in a local shop.

Soon Evening time and that implies only one thing - Boat House Time.

The club folks were pleasantly surprised to see us again.And then it was you know, the good things started flowing and the alcohol really makes you feel heady and comfortable.Waved good bye to the club folks, got back to the hotel, had a light dinner and it was time to sleep.

The Himalayan Range

We had made it a habit to wake up late in the mornings. But today was Ranikhet day.So, got up early consciously.Ate very little.



 



From all my travellings in the hills I have learnt one thing - eat light before travelling - to avoid the "stomach churning" thing!And off we went.Nainital to Ranikhet around 60 Kms. And it took us 2.5 hrs to reach our destination - Chevron Rosemount. 

Chevron Rosemount, Ranikhet

 Ranikhet is the quintessential hill station. Far from the din and clattering of usual hill stations, it is nestled among Pines, firs and coniferous trees.
Ranikhet is also a cantonment area with a heavy military presence. It is the home of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army, which is one of the most decorated regiments in the army. It was famously involved in the Battle of Rezangla, where led by Maj. Shaitan Singh they fought till the last man and last round.

 

Road to Ranikhet

The hotel is located a bit off from the mall and guarded amongst the trees. The himalayas were visible from our hotel room and it made quite a sight. We ordered hot noodles and salad for lunch. In the hindsight, I feel I should have taken a few photographs of the elegant dining area.There was a reading room adjacent to the dining. We spent the evening strolling around the lawn and took photos of the sun setting over the himalayas. Somehow, Ranikhet felt much better than Nainital. It was beautiful, damn beautiful and the tranquility was unfound.  2 nights are positively recommended here. We spent the next day walking amongst trees,visiting the mall and clicking the himalayas. 

Sun Setting Over The Hills in Ranikhet

 I have a habit of clicking a lot of photos since after the trip gets over the only thing you can carry is memories. We left Ranikhet at 5 in the morning, to reach Ramnagar, from where we will be boarding a train to Delhi. Watched the sunrise, and saw the beautiful road snaking its way through the Corbett National Park and off we boarded the train to Delhi.

So, that pretty much completes the Nainital-Ranikhet diaries!