Ranikhet Uttarakhand

About Ranikhet

Ranikhet is a place related with the legends of Himalayas. Historical accounts tell us the Queen Padmini of Kumaon was enchanted by this tiny hill paradise. King Sudhardev obliged her, by building a palace here for the queen and named the place Ranikhet (the queen’s fields).
No trace of the palace can be found today, but the place remained the same: captivating, abounding with flowers, trees and green meadows in the midst of heavenly Himalayan surroundings. Lost into oblivion for long, the picturesque hill station was rediscovered by the British. They bought the land from the native villagers and build it into a summer resort apart from establishing an army recruitment centre. Ranikhet still remains the head quarters of the gallant Kumaon Regiment. Situated at a height of 1,829 meters, with an area of 21.76 sq. km Ranikhet has too much to present to the visitors – a healthy climate, tall coniferous trees, vast green meadows, tranquil surroundings, perfect peace and warm, open-hearted people. Every season has its own irresistible charm. This is what makes Ranikhet an all-season destination. Ranikhet also boasts of one of the best hill golf greens (9 holes) in the country.

Best time to Visit Ranikhet

Ranikhet is an all-season destination, where the temperature ranges between -3 °C and 22 °C. Still, if you want to experience the best of the destination, you can look for a package during April to September, when the climate is pleasant and is open for most of the activities.
Summer : March to June are the months for the summer season when the temperature ranges between 8 °C to 22 °C. March being the start of the season, remains moderately cool. Whereas, June is the hottest of all. The pleasant climate during this season makes this place very scenic and picturesque. And, the outdoor activities are also free to access.
Monsoon : The monsoon season that occurs here between July and Sept, receives moderate rainfall. Whereas, the temperature ranges between 5 °C to 20 °C. During this time, the place looks attractive and fresh with beautiful showers.
Winter : If you wish to witness the town covered under snow, then this season must be your season for travelling. The temperature lies between 13 °C and 7 °C during October to February. It is advisable to bring warm clothes along, is you are planning a trip in winters.

Places To Visit

Chaubatia Gardens

10 km south of Ranikhet are the famous fruit-laden orchards of Chaubatia. These orchards are known for delicious apples of several exclusive varieties, apricots, peaches and various other alpine fruits. These can be directly procured from the growers themselves. There is also a state-run Fruit Research Centre. Situated nearby is Bhalu Dam in the background of a beautiful lake created by this dam, which attracts tourists round the year.

Upat Kalika

One of the highest golf courses famous in India is situated close to the Upat Kalika temple, about 6 km from the Ranikhet town. It is an army golf course, but civilians can also access it paying a nominal fee. It remains open round the year.

KRC Museum Ranikhet

KRC (Kumaon Regimental Centre) is a well-maintained museum that showcases the glory, top notch achievements and triumphs of the Kumaon Regiment. The museum was built in 1970's so as to preserve and exhibit the legacy and customs of the Kumaon Region. The interiors of the museum displays lead to endless photographs depicting many wars related to the Kumaon Regiment. This centre for military enthusiasts displays weapons used by the armed forces and enemies, medals and uniforms of the brave soldiers, the flags of rebels captured during battles, stone tablets depicting information about various wars and stories of the First and the Second Param Vir Chakra, which belongs to Kumaon Regiment. Silver scepters of Rani Jhasi, documents and pictures associated with Kargil War, wireless field telephones operated by Japanese and Chinese rifles captured during the 1962 war are some of the impressive collection of the museum.

Cantonment Aashiyana Park

Aashiyana Park is a perfect place to be for people of all age group. People of varied interest can suit themselves here as the park features multiple attractions like the herbal park, Children Park, colourful fountains, and viewpoint, which offers a fantastic view of the neighbouring mountains.

Bhalu Dam

Located at a distance of approximately 3 km. from Chaubatia Gardens, ‘Bhalu Dam’ is a small artificial lake in Ranikhet, which was built as a source of drinking water for British soldiers around 200 years ago. Tranquil settings of the lake with overlooking Himalayan peaks, chirping birds and fresh mountain air; make it a perfect spot for picnickers, nature lovers and bird watchers.

Mankameshwar

An ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, Lord Shiva and Radha-Krishna. This beautiful temple adjacent to Nar Singh Ground has been rebuilt by the soldiers of Kumaon Regiment.

Tarikhet

8 km from Ranikhet. Gandhiji stayed here in the 1920s. His cottage is a major tourist attraction. The famous temple of the local deity, Golu can also be visited at Tarikhet.

Jhoola Devi And Ram Mandir

7 kms from Ranikhet. A famous pair of temples dedicated to Goddess Durga and Lord Rama.

How To Reach

By Air

Ranikhet being a small hill station does not have an airport. The nearest domestic airport is Pantnagar located in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. Pantnagar Airport is connected to Delhi Airport via flights operated by Air India Regional and Alliance Air on certain days of the week only. The closest international airport to Ranikhet is Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi which is well connected to many international locations including Melbourne, New York, Dubai and Colombo. It is also connected to other major cities of India such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, and Srinagar.

By Rail

The nearest major rail head to Ranikhet is Kathgodam which is located at a distance of 88 km. Kathgodam can be reached from various Indian cities such as Delhi, Kolkata and Lucknow. Kathgodam is a busy railway station since it serves as the gateway to the entire Kumaon region.

By Road

There are no direct buses between New Delhi and Ranikhet. You can board the Kathgodam Shatabdi Express and get down at Haldwani from where you can avail one of the buses run by Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation and reach Ranikhet. Alternatively, you can take a bus from ISBT Anand Vihar, Delhi and reach Kathgodam and Almora from where you can board a second bus run by Uttarakhand Roadways and KMOU (Kumaon Motor Owners Union). You can book AC Buses or non-AC ones depending on your requirements. Most operators provide the option of online booking which makes travelling easy and hassle free.