Never been to… Ranikhet

SITUATED IN THE KUMAON HILLS of Uttarakhand in North India, Ranikhet is an idyllic hill station with views of the Himalayan peaks. It is believed that when legendary queen, Rani Padmini from the 14th century was captivated by the town’s beauty and decided to live here, the denizens named it Ranikhet. It literally translates to “queen’s meadow”.

e nearest airport and railway station are in Dehradun (315km) and Ramnagar (97km) respectively. It is well-connected by road though to the rest of the country.

An ideal time to visit Ranikhet is during the monsoons – June to September. is is when the hillside is covered with a plush carpet of greenery. Apart from simply enjoying the tranquillity of nature here, visitors sign up for a safari at the Ranikhet Reserve Forest or go for a boat ride on the Rani Jheel lake.