This itinerary is an option for those who want to experience a bit of Uttarakhand, and love nature. Explore the wild at Jim Corbett National Park where tigers still roam free and many bird calls are heard. Feel the drift of the emerald lakes in Nainital, or breathe into the pine-scented air that wafts around Ranikhet's Himalayan slopes. This adventure combines rugged wilderness, relaxation and once-in-a- lifetime wildlife experiences.
So pack your bags, take the camera and let a short Uttarakhand trip do the magic with Chetram Holidays taking care of every possible thing for you right from safaris to scenic drives.
Pick up at Ramnagar railway station or the designated point. Proceed your journey to the resort through dense sal and teak wooden forests. Go for a forest-edge walk along the Kosi River while you might have some kingfishers and heron sightings with deer grazing nearby. Smell the jungle around you as the sun drops behind the trees. Dinner beckons back at the property, drifting into sleep listening to far off wilderness calls which is an ideal start for your wildlife trail adventure.
This morning, enjoy an early wake-up prior to sunrise for your Jeep Safari into Jim Corbett National Park. Experience wooded forests, grasslands, and riverbanks while scanning for elephants, langurs, gharials and the elusive tiger. Bird lovers, look for crested serpent eagles and hornbills, as well as parakeets. Come back for breakfast, relax in the silence of a forest. Early evening, go for another guided nature walk or birding trail in and around your resort.
Post breakfast, drive uphill to Nainital, where the mountains cradle lakes that shimmer green. Enjoy a moment of peace for a peaceful boat ride on the Naini Lake as you absorb the cool breeze and the green slopes surrounding the lake. Next, visit Snow View Point by ropeway for long Himalayan panoramas with snow on top rising literally above misty valleys. In the evening, take a relaxed walk to the riverside and watch the setting sun shine on the water, distorting its image. The mountains in sunset are and always will be paradise. Overnight stay in Nainital.
After breakfast you can either trek or take a pony ride to Tiffin Top located at an altitude of aprox 2290 metres above sea level and situated on Ayarpatta hill, offering an excellent 220 degrees view from east to west with layers of rolling hills with town below. Carry on to Eco Cave Gardens where you can have a natural rock/cave formation with a mountain of fun. Post breakfast, cover Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal located in the midst of pine forest and has been termed as the migratory lake. Every lake has its character, from the stillness of sattal to the vastness of Bhimtal.
Post breakfast head to Ranikhet which is a beautiful hill station which seems untouched by time. Explore Chaubatia Gardens, the fruit orchards offer panoramic views of the Himalayas. Walk along the wooded paths among towering cedar and pine trees, while leaving trails of crunchy leaves in your wake. Make a pit stop in Majkhali to gawk at the sunlit peaks of Trishul and Nanda Devi, or head straight into the state via Ranikhet, where it's all about clean mountain air. Drive to Sarahan for dinner and a night stay in Ranikhet.
Wake up to bird sounds and divine mountain view Savour one last leisurely breakfast before checking out. In case there is time, go for a short light-morning walk to breathe in the last Himalayan air. Drive back to Kathgodam or your onward destination, with memories of the wildlife trails in Jim Corbett and the old school charm of mountain escapes in Nainital and Ranikhe.
