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Hi People,

Need some help here with the planning of a road trip to the Kumaon region.Intend on reaching Delhi on April 3rd and need to get back to Mumbai on April 13th,which means we would need to leave Delhi latest by 12th April.This leaves us with 10days to do the drive Delhi to Delhi.

This is the route I roughly have in mind based on some research and inputs that I have had:

Day 1: Delhi-Ghaziabad-Raniket(Night Halt)

Day 2: Ranikhet

Day 3: Raniket-Kausani(Night Halt).Do Baijnath as a day trip from Kausani

Day 4: Kausani-Jageshwar(Via Binsar bypassing Almora)-Patal Bhuv- Naukuchiyataal (Night Halt)

Day 5: Naukuchiyataal-Bhimtal-Nainital

Day 6: Nainital-Kashipur-Ghaziabad-Delhi

Would really appreciate if you people could vet this itinerary for me.Am also looking forward to the following details:

• Places that shouldnt be missed with minor deviations.
• Modifications that need to be done on this to include places that I have missed out listing,am not looking forward to driving for more than 6-7 hours on a day once we get onto the hills as we want to take it real slow and easy.No targets to meet here.
• Which are the places we need to be planning for an extra day as we do have a luxury of approx 4 days which can be added.we usually do the extensions depending on our experience at various places,but would be grateful if anybody has any reccomendations

Looking forward to hearing on this,many thanks in advance.Its a Figo.Wife and daughter are the co-passengers!

Cheers

Which route? Through Bhimtal or Corbett?
It is going to be a very long day's drive by either.


No Munsiyari? No Patal Bhaireswar?

We dont intend to go to Corbett this summer.The ladies are in no mood to take the heat and plus the little one cannot do it as well,so have decided to drop Corbett.So what should be the route to take to keep the drive short?Where should the stopover be ideally?

I thought Munsiyari would be way off the circuit?If I have to include it,what is the best way to do it?

Is it Patal Bhaireshwar or Patal Bhuvneshwar?If its Patal Bhuvaneshwar we would do it on our way from Kausani to Naukuchiyataal.Or is it too much of a diversion?

You can go to Ranikhet via Bhimtal or Corbett. However, I have no idea about the condition of the road through Corbett.

It is a day's full circuit, which you make like to fit in.
Yes, you are tight, it is Patal Bhuvaneswar (not Baireswar, my mistake!)

>>>

Re. Day 1, you can do it either by taking the route past Corbett after Moradabad or by taking the Dadhiyal-Bazpur route. The first one is not to be motored at night. The second should be alright as the effects of last years' monsoon should have been repaired by now. I think iraghava will be able to provide the latest updates. Another (third) option is to take the Corbett Falls route and drive past Haldwani - Bhimtal.

If you do not like to drive at night then please ensure that you reach Ranikhet by say 7.30 pm; that implies that you start your Himalayan (:-)) climb about three hours from 7.30 pm, i.e., at 4.30 pm. The climb is typically about 105-115 kms.

Regards
issigonis

Thanks for your tip Issigonis.We would target to leave Delhi/Ghaziabad by 7 in the morning.In such case,what time should we be reaching Ranikhet?Also in case we need to do a stopover enroute for the night,what place is best suited?Thanks in advance.I shall check with Iraghava as well.

Hi, Finally I am back to India from Canada, and have already started planning my first trip back home clap:. I have just booked my tickets to / fro Kolkata to Delhi for my trip to Kumaon. Here is my rough itinerary. Please advice if this looks good:

14 Aug - Evening Rajdhani Express from Kolkata to Delhi
15 Aug: Delhi - Haldwani (reaching around 10:30 PM). Overnight at Haldwani (or go to Bhimtal for night stay??).
16 Aug: Haldwani to Chaukori via Almora
17 Aug: Chaukori to Munsyari; see Patal Bhuvaneshwar enroute.
18 Aug: Munsyari to Binsar
19 Aug: Binsar - Ranikhet - Nainital (or would it be better to stay at Naukuchia Taal??)
20 Aug: Move to Kathgodam station at 8:50 AM for train to Delhi. Evening train (Duronto) to Kolkata

I am planning to get a car from Haldwani for the rest of the days in Kumaon.

Haldwani-Bhimtal is under an hour's drive, nicer idea to stay there, even if it is for a night.
Even Nainital is unlikely to be crowded in August.
But do you expect to see any HImalayan views in Munsyari August when weather is rainy and cloudy?

Maybe possible at 0530-0600. After that you are right, it will be tough :D

Munsiyari has been on my list for many years now, and this time I want to touch it.

Need inputs on this itinerary e.g. whether some of the long stretches are doable, and for night stays while driving to and from Kumaon. Don't like spending nights in normal towns, but in this route (Bangalore - Kumaon and back), don't think there are more interesting options that can work.

Kumarji, what are your thoughts? Note that I am not favouring Mumbai - Delhi route because that will take extra time - not sure I can reach Kaladhungi in 2.5 days starting 9 am from Bangalore airport.

Starting from Bangalore after dropping family to the airport at 9 am, 19th Oct. Driving the Fortuner. Might have to drive solo till Kaladhungi, and back from there. Friend(s) might join for the Kala-Corbett- Pangot circuit.

• 19 Fri Nagpur (long drive, will reach late). Estimate 14 hours of drive. Have reached Nagpur in 13 hours earlier but started much early.
• 20 Sat Bareilly (or equivalent). Too ambitious? Unsafe to drive in the evening on those roads in UP?
• 21 Kaladunghi (relax, go for a walk along Boar river, visit Corbett's home)
• 22 Kaladunghi (2X long walks, local drives)
• 23 Kaladunghi/Corbett FRH (tbd). Shortlisted Bijrani, Sarapduli, Khinnanauli, and perhaps Dhikala if not too crowded. PLan to spend 3-4 nights in different forest rest houses.
• 24 Corbett FRH
• 25 Corbett FRH
• 26 Corbett FRH
• 27 Pangot (relax, walk, birding, animals if I get lucky)
• 28 Pangot
• 29 Munsiyari/Birhi (plan to stay with KMVN if possible, but vacancies are limited). Assume 2 days wold be enough to enjoy this remote part of Kumaon. Not too interested in Patal Bhuvaneshwar (don't enjoy confined spaces). Plan to relax, walk/drive around.
• 30 Munsiyari/Birhi
• 31 Chukha (camp on the river bed). Try to visit Thak village if time permits (Maneaters of Kumaon territories)
• 1 Panna?? (open - will decide - too long a drive?). Prefer not to stay in a normal crowded town, unless I have to.
• 2 Nizamabad? (tbd, not very important where I stay)
• 3 Bangalore

The other option I am toying with is spending one day less in Kala/Corbett/Pangot circuit and spending one day more in Eastern Kumaon. But where? I have gone till Chaukri (touching Kausani, Bageshwar, Jageshwar etc.) many years back, and am not too interested in Pithoragarh, Champawat (typical towns) - prefer extreme natural beauty and little crowd.

Edit: have done Nainital, Ranikhet, Sitlakhet, Kausani, Almora, Binsar, Chaukri earlier. Don't want to repeat. Only place getting missed out is Mukteshwar.

Unless NH7 breaks up during the rains, I guess the route via Jabalpur & Allahabad is fine.

Getting to Bareilly on Day 2 may not be possible, I would peg my target lower at Allahabad or a little beyond. Safety not a serious issue.

Apart from Jirani, I doubt if any other sector - especially Bijrani & Dikhala - will be open in October?

Very long, I would keep a buffer. Play it as it comes. Maybe you will reach Panna the same day.

I am also planning to visit Kumaon later this year..
I am planning for 8-9 days Delhi-Delhi.

First, I want to start with the places to visit...I prefer relatively quiet places where I can enjoy the nature in its full glory. But, at the same time, I would like to have the basic comfort and convenience (with a small kid).
Also, I don't want to touch as many places as possible. To me, a holiday is all about relaxing..I would prefer to cover less places and not make the trip hectic.

So far, it seems to me that the places of interest are -
Chaukori
Binsar
Munisiyari
Kausani
Nainital (may be a day?)
.. I m thinking I will avoid Corbett ..else it will be too tight a schedule.

Please help me plan the trip. Also, do suggest some nice hotels/resorts.

I have been visiting lots of beaches in the South but now it's the Himalayas calling :) I have been to Kashmir and Manali but never visited Uttarakhand. Some of the wonderful travelogues in this forum and elsewhere on the internet have really got me enamored to this region.

Now, let me admit that I have very little knowledge of this area. I do understand that there are 2 distinct regions within Uttarakhan - Garhwal and Kumaon. Based on whatever I have read and my personal taste, I feel Kumaon will be the better bet for me.

I have not yet decided on anything about this trip yet. So, any information or suggestion you want to provide is more than welcome.

So, let me start with - When to visit?
The options are - October (during Dusshera) OR April.
Which one will be better for having a good view of the Himalayas and nicer weather?

Next, duration of visit?
I am thinking 8-9 days from Delhi and back. Is that enough?

Which places?
I prefer relatively quiet places where I can enjoy the nature in its full glory. But, at the same time, I would like to have the basic comfort and convenience (with a small kid).Also, I don't want to touch as many places as possible. To me, a holiday is all about relaxing..I would prefer to cover less places and not make the trip hectic.
So far,I am thinking of -
Nainital
Kausani
Binsar

Should I add Munisiyari or Chaukori to the plan?
Also, there seem to be some nice places on the way like Jageshwar, Patal Bhuvaneshwar etc. I would like to cover them if I don't have to take a big deviation from the route.

Where to stay?
Please suggest some nice hotels/resorts within a budget of 5K/night. I am not looking for star facilities but I expect basic comfort and convenience. But, at the same time, something which will allow me to relax in the lap of nature.

We are driving to Nainital, Kausani next week end from Bangalore. As per plan, 2 days stay in Nainital and 2 days in Kausani. Like you, we preferred relaxing rather than visiting all possible places, especially with 2 kids.

Regarding stay, many suggested KMVN especially due to the location of these hotels. We have booked KMVN(http://kmvn.gov.in/), Nainital and Chevron Mount Villa(http://chevronhotels.com/), Kausani. I can give you more information after the trip.

October is a pretty good month. The skies will be clear and the view from Binsar would be amazing.
I would second the kmvn option. At most places kmvn has the best location. Do book (they have a website) early for October as the durga puja rush ensures fully filled hotels.
A logical route could be Delhi - Nainital - Binsar - Chaukori - Kausani - Ranikhet - Delhi.
Munsiyari would be worth it depending on how much time you like to spend at each place. I am more of a hurried-dash kind of a guy so 8/9 days would be more than enough for me.

PS: Nainital and peaceful don't really go hand in hand in October. But still, its definitely worth ticking off in case you have never been there. The late evening walk around the lake is serene.