Ranikhet Uttarakhand
Ranikhet
- Ranikhet the beautiful hamlet in Kumaun region,Almora District, state of Uttarakhand, India ,got its name when,Rani Padmini, queen of Raja Sukherdev, the local ruler, saw this place and was so captivated that she decided to stay there, and the place came to be known as Ranikhet (literally, queen's field). The picturesque hill station was rediscovered by the British and established a cantonment in 1869. Ranikhet is still a cantonment town and is the Kumaun Regimental Centre.
- The breath-taking view of the Himalayan ranges and the natural scenic beauty draws in large number of tourists from all over the world every year. The floras, which are found commonly in this place, include pine, oak and deodar .
- Ranikhet also boasts of one of the best hill golf greens (9 holes) in the country. Ranikhet is spread across two ridges, first one is called the Ranikhet ridge, and the second one is called the Chaubatia ridge .
Learn More
- How to reach Ranikhet .
- Orientation .
- Where to stay in Ranikhet.
- Things to do in Ranikhet.
- Nearby places to visit in Ranikhet
- Ranikhet Map.
- Homestay in Ranikhet.
- Homestay near Ranikhet.
- Hotels in Ranikhet.
Ranikhet Uttarakhand | Tourist Information Centre
How to Reach Ranikhet
- By Air : Pantnagar is the nearest airport, Air India operates flights from Delhi 3 to 4 days a week.
- By Rail : The nearest railway station to Ranikhet is Kathgodam, Uttarakhand, from here it is situated at a distance around 90 Kms. Haldwani & Kathgodam are adjacent to each other, Haldwani is like the entrance door to Kumaun , Uttarakhand and is well connected by trains from Delhi (Shatabdi runs daily) , Lucknow, Dehradun , Jaipur, Kolkata.
- By Road : Haldwani is well connected by buses from Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Dehradun . Bus timings(tentative) are provided .
Taxi to Ranikhet are available from Haldwani, Almora, Nainital , Bhimtal , Ranikhet , Binsar , Kausani , Chaukori , Munsiyari , Delhi
Orientation
- Ranikhet is in Uttarakhand’s Kumaun region,45 km/100 min from Almora District. Ranikhet is at an altitude of 6,132 ft above sea level and within sight of the western peaks of the Himalayas.
- Ranikhet spread across two ridges, first one is called the Ranikhet ridge, and is at an elevation of 5,983 ft and the second one is called the Chaubatiaridge, and is at an elevation of 6,942 ft . Ranikhet is a hill station and cantonment town , it’s the home for the Military Hospital, Kumaon Regiment and Naga Regiment and is maintained by the Indian Army.
- Ranikhet is around
- 33 km/1 hr from Dwarahat ,
- 51 km/110 mins from Kasar Devi
- 54 Km/2 hr km from Ramgarh ,
- 55 km/100 mins from Nainital,
- 60 km/2 hr from Kausani ,
- 60 km/2 hr from Naukuchiatal,
- 68 km/ 155 mins from Binsar ,
- 130 km/4 hrs from Chaukori ,
- 160 km/ 5 hrs from Lohaghat ,
- 206 km/ 7 hrs from Munsiyari ,
- 340 km/8 hr from Delhi/NCR .
Where to stay in Ranikhet
- There are plenty of hotels,homestays in Ranikhet , suiting tourist of any budget,in peak season prices soar up, so it’s better to book early.
- KMVN, Tourist rest house, Kumaun Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd rest house is also present here .
- One can also opt for hotels/homestays which are a bit away (and economical) from Ranikhet .These places are very well connected to Ranikhet .
- Contact Team Essence of kumaun for best price & offers for booking homestays in Ranikhet , District Almora ,Uttarakhand .
Ranikhet Uttarakhand | Travel Guide
Things to do in Ranikhet
- Upat Golf Course : Located 6 km away from Ranikhet Bus Stand, Upat Golf Course is one of the highest golf courses of Asia, located at Upat village near Ranikhet. This Golf Course is a 9-hole course making it one of the prime attractions of Ranikhet and is maintained by Kumaon Regiment. The green meadow of the golf course at such high altitude is awe-inspiring. This place is famous for providing panoramic views of surrounding snow-capped Himalayan peak. The area is surrounded by lush green forests densely populated with pine and oak trees. Though primarily used by the army men, golf course is open to public as well for a nominal fee. The golf club provides membership plans for outsiders as well. Few domestic tournaments are held at this course. It's one of the must ,places to visit.
Timings: 7 AM to 7 PM
- Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum : Established by Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army in the 1970s, the museum houses war artifacts of historical importance, especially belonging to the Garhwal and Kumaon regiments.It also houses valuable materials like Rani Jhasi's silver scepters, documents and pictures related to Kargil War, a wireless field telephone used in World War II by Japanese and Chinese rifles captured in1962 war. The KRC golf course is another major attraction .
- Nanda Devi Fair : The ‘Nanda Devi Mela’ is held at the ‘Nanda Devi Temple’ in Almora, which is located at distance of less than 50 km from Ranikhet. Organized in the month of September to honour Goddesses Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi, this fair is believed to bring prosperity to the people of Kumaun region. The mela/fair lasts 3 days and sees hordes of pilgrims from across the country.
- Visit Katarmal Sun temple: It is a unique cluster of temples (around 44) which are the tallest temples in the Kumaun. It is 10 kms from Kasar Devi & is located at a height of 2116 meters above sea level. It was built somewhere between the 9th – 13th Century by King Katarmalla the then ruler of Kumaun.
- Jhula Devi Temple: One of the major tourist attractions in Ranikhet, this temple is dedicated to goddess Durga and is well-known for its cluster of elegantly designed bells. Legend has it that this shrine was built in the 8th century. Located on the Kumaun Hill,Uttarakhand amidst the tranquil and relaxing settings of nature. Temple has the deity sitting on a jhula (cradle) and hence the name. It is widely believed that whosoever ties a bell on the temple wall, is granted with his/ her wish in due course of time .
- Tarikhet : It's 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.
- 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.
- Visit Dunagiri Temple : The Temple is at an elevation of 7900 feet, and is in Dwarahat block of Almora district in Uttarakhand. Dunagiri temple is 34 km from Ranikhet. The temple is located at a hilltop and is surrounded by forest, it is famous in Kumaun region for its Shakti (power) and is dedicated to Dunagiri Devi.
It is believed that the Pandavas of Mahabharata took shelter at Dunagiri and Pandukholi is the place where they stayed for a period and Lord Hanuman of Ramayana dropped some part of sanjivni buti(Ayurvedic Medicine) when he was carrying a mountain to Lanka.
Nearby places to visit in Ranikhet
- Chaubatiya : One of Ranikhet’s most famous tourist attractions, Chaubatia Garden is a nature’s playground. It is located roughly 10 kilometres south of the cantonment town of Ranikhet. Chabatia is 5,900 ft above sea level, within sight of the western peaks of the Himalayas. Its name literally means a common meeting point of four paths ("chau" meaning four and "bat" meaning path). It’s named this way because of its location at the intersection of four places connects in front of Rawat Building: Bhargaon, Ranikhet, Dehrti and Pilkholi. Known for its beautiful orchards of apples, plums, peaches and apricots, this place is located at distance of 10 kms from the heart of Ranikhet. For the leisure seekers, they can go and have a picnic here. These gardens are spread across 600 acres with trees of oak, cedar, pine and rhododendrons dotting the walking trails. On a clear day, one can have exquisite view of the Garhwal Himalayan peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul and Nilkanth from these gardens.
- Majkhali : Majkhali is a secluded location devoid of humans and full of nature is your idea of a perfect weekend, it’s a tiny hamlet 11 kms ahead of Ranikhet. It offers a magnificent view of snow-capped Himalayas. It also hosts a forest nursery having varieties of flora and fauna .
- Sitlakhet : Sitlakhet is a small hamlet in Hawalbag Block in Almora District of Uttarakhand, India. It is located 7 KM towards North from Almora and 30 km/1 hr from Ranikhet. The place is full of scenic beauty and peace. If one wants to spend a peaceful holiday in the lap of Mother Nature and away from commercialization of touristy hill stations, then this is the perfect place . It’s the best place for writers or for people who need some lone time. It’s hidden in the jungles between Almora and Ranikhet and a little detour from the main road would get you here. The drive is mainly through a dense pine forest with small hamlets scattered alongside the road. The climate is pleasant but the nights are cool. Sitlakhet is also famous for its orchards, amazing landscapes, and its produce of herbs and medicinal plants.
Though local devotees visit this place for the famous Siyahi Devi Temple which is a small hike from the Sitlakhet village, visitors often enjoy tranquility and solitude this place offers.
The early morning and late evening views of the Himalayas are something one should never miss, the golden light on the white mountains is truly spellbinding.
Sitlakhet offers a 200-degree view of the majestic Himalayas.
- Dwarahat : 34 km/70 min from Ranikhet,Uttarakhand, India.It's a village know for it's temples ,specially Dunagiri Temple ,the temple is located at a hilltop and is surrounded by forest, it is famous in Kumaun region ,Uttarakhand for its Shakti (power) and is dedicated to Dunagiri Devi. Lord Hanuman of Ramayana dropped some part of sanjivni buti(Ayurvedic Medicine) when he was carrying a mountain to Lanka.
People visiting Dwarahat must also visit ‘Pandavkholi’, one of the secret places where Pandavas of Mahabharata spent some time during their exile.
- Kasar Devi : 51 km/110 mins from Ranikhet . It is known for Crank's Ridge,home to pine & Deodar trees and an enormous geomagnetic field.Kasar Devi derives its name from the local deity Kasar Devi ,it is said that temple of KasarDevi has structures dating to 2nd century.
- Nainital : 55 km/100 mins from Ranikhet . Nainital, the Lake District of India lies in the Kumaun, Uttarakhand, at an altitude of around 6,840 ft, and 300 km/7hrs from Delhi, India. It is one of the most popular and exquisite hill station of India, the Naini Lake which is the major attraction of the region is pear-shaped lake and is approximately two miles in circumference, surrounded by mountains.The other lakes are at Bhimtal, Naukhuchiatal, Khurpatal , Sattal & Shymaltal.
- Naukuchiatal : 60 km/2 hr from from Ranikhet. Naukuchiatal or the lake of "nine corners’ is a small picturesque lake village in Kumaun region, Uttarakhand , India and is a destination for those who seek quietude and tranquility beneath the shade of pure nature.
- Kausani : 60 km/2 hr from Ranikhet . Mahatma Gandhi called this place the 'Switzerland of India’,it’s a hill station situated in Bageshwar district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Kausani is famous for its scenic splendor and its spectacular wide panoramic view of Himalayan peaks like Trisul, Nanda Devi and Panchchuli. According to historians, Kausani once was a flourishing kingdom called Kartikyapur,remains and ruins of this kingdom can still be seen.