Category Archives: India

5 Offbeat Monsoon Weekend Getaways from Delhi

As the sky pours some showers in Delhi, it becomes a nightmare. Humidity soars and roads get packed with traffic jams. But not to worry when the weekend getaways from Delhi are around only. The idyllic monsoons of Himachal invite you to get hypnotized by nature.

So, here are the top 5 monsoon weekend getaways from Delhi, that will make you fall in love with rain showers.

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  1. Garli Pragpur (Heritage Village), Himachal Pradesh

Distance form Delhi – 411 Kms

RouteDelhi- Panipat – Karnal – Kurkushetra – Ambala – Kharar –Rupnagar – Anandpur Sahib – Nangal – Amb – Pragpur

Garli Pragpur - weekend getaways from Delhi
Garli Pragpur, Himachal Pradesh (Source -www.oddroad.com)

In & Around – Pragpur Taal surrounded by heritage properties, Haripur Guler- The Kangra School of Painting, The Kangra Fort, Dada Siba Temple, The Judges Court,  pilgrimage places – Chintpurni, Jawalji, Chanunda Devi, Orchards of Lemon, Mango

 Not to miss – Narrow gauged train track; Village walk watching cobbled street, Rahat water tank and slate roofed houses; local craft, Kangra style paintings, treks, bird watching.

  1. Chindi, Himachal Pradesh

 Distance form Delhi – 419 Kms

RouteDelhi – Panipat – Karnal – Kurkushetra – Ambala – Zirakpur – Pinjore– Dharampur – Arki – Tatapani – Alsindi – Chindi

Chindi - Weekend getaways from Delhi
Chindi, Karsog Valley (Source –devilonwheels.com)

In & Around – Bhima rock, Churag temple, Mamleshwara Mahadev, Kamakshya Mata, Sulphur springs at Tattapani

Not to miss– Eat, sleep, and relax, orchards of apples, dense woods of deodar and pine

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  1. Matiana, Himachal Pradesh

 Distance form Delhi – 387 Kms

RouteDelhi – Panipat – Karnal – Kurkushetra – Ambala – Zirakpur –Kasauli – Solan – Shimla– Kufri – Matiana

Matiana- Weekend getaways from Delhi
Matiana, Himachal Pradesh (Source: www.youtube.com)

In & Around – Shiva Temple, Apple Orchards, Flower fields, Day trip to Narkanda, Hatu Peak

Not to miss– Nature walks, trekking, bird watching, from the hill top winding Hindustan Tibet Road

  1. Thanedar, (Birthplace of Himachali Apple) Himachal Pradesh

Distance form Delhi – 418 Kms

RouteDelhi – Panipat – Karnal – Kurkushetra – Ambala – Zirakpur – Dharampur – Solan – Shimla – Matiana – Narkand – Thanedar

Thanedar - Weekend Getaway from Delhi
Thanedar, Himachal Pradesh (Source -www.tripzuki.com)

In & Around – Nag Devta Temple, Tani – Jubbar Lake, Hattu Peak, St. Mary’s Church, Parmjyotir Temple

 Not to miss – Sweet smell of apple orchards, Saroga forest walk, Himalayan walk, treks and adventures

  1. Kangojodi, Himachal Pradesh

 Distance form Delhi – 387 Kms

RouteDelhi – Panipat – Karnal – Kurkushetra – Shahbaad –Mullana –Nahan –Camp-Roxx Adventure Camp (Kangojodi)

Kangojodi - Weekend getaways from Delhi
Kangojodi, Himachal Pradesh (Source: www.vicinito.com)

In & AroundThick canopy of pine & Deodar trees, Natural Water Spring, River,  day activities like rope balancing, rappelling, flying fox, river crossing organised by Roxx Adventure Camp, Nahan, Renuka Lake, Suketi Fossil Park

Not to miss – Camping, trekking, relaxing, rejuvenating, bird watching and water splashing

So, which one are you choosing for the coming weekend getaways. Comment and let us know!

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5 places not to miss for Monsoon Road trip

If you are a rain lover and a tough soul, who enjoys water puddles, umbrellas, damp roads and aroma of wet soil, then monsoons is the best time for you to invade the offbeat areas of India by road trip. These places will gives you the real feel of Incredible India with cool winds, floating clouds and raindrops.

Here is the list of five places shortlisted by us for a monsoon road trip. For detailed information of the route before or during your road trip, you can check with one of the leading travel and highway enthusiast forum – HV Kumar.

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  1. Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

Distance from Mumbai – 933 Kms

Route Mumbai – Surat – Vadodra   – Ahmedabad –Bhuj – Kutch

Kutch during monsoon road trip
Kutch during Monsoon (Source: goindia.about.com)

In & Around- Enormous stretch of white salt marshes, appearing as white desert whereas in monsoons becomes a shallow fishing ground for fishermen. Not to missMoon light camel safari, the highest point Kala Dunger , Dattatreya Temple and hours glazing at stars in the clear sky both at night if you are lucky.

  1. Kausani , Uttrakhand

Distance from Delhi – 427 kms Route – Delhi – Noida –Rampur- Nainital-Almora- Kausani

Himalayas view from Kausani on road trip
Himalayas view from Kausani, Uttrakhand (Source- www.trodly.com)

In & Around- Baijnath group of temples, Bageshwar, Anashakti Ashram, Lakshmi Ashram and Pant Museum Not to missBreathtaking beauty, Panaromic View of Himalayan peaks like Trishul, Nanda Devi, Tea gardens and factory, Rudradhari Caves and Waterfalls %CODE1%

  1. Pachmarhi, Madhya Pardesh

Distance from Bhopal – 191kms Route – Bhopal-Hoshangabad-Sohagpur-Pipriya-Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi road during monsoon road trip
Pachmarhi road during monsoon (Source –betterphotography.in)

In & Around- Caves, Rock paintings, Waterfalls, Lake, Valleys, Narrow gorges, Mountain peaks and ancient temples  Not to miss Apsara Vihar, Bee Falls, Pandav caves, Duchess Falls, Jata Shankar, Handhi Khoh, Bison lodge, Reech garh, Dhoopgarh, Irene Pool and Rajat Pratap.

  1. Munnar, Kerala

Distance from Bangalore– 476 kms Route –Bangalore- Hosur- Dharmapuri-Salem-Erode-Trippur-Munnar

Munnar views during monsoon road trip
Munnar during Monsoon (Source: www.munnar.com)

In & Around- Lush green foliage, Matupetty Dam, Sita Devi Lake, Kolukkumalai tea estate, The Dolmens of Marayoor Not to missTea estates, Attukad falls, Athirapally falls, trek to Anamudi highest peak in South India and Bird watching

  1. Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Distance from Delhi– 767 kms Route – Delhi – Neemrana- Jaipur-Ajmer- Beawar- Pali- Sirohi- MountAbu

Road to Mount Abu during monsoon roadtrip
Road to Mount Abu, Rajasthan (Source – www.gluebomb.com)

In & Around- Dilwara Jain Temple, Nakki Lake, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Trek to Guru Shikhar, Trevors Tank, Achalgarh, Sunset point Not to missScenic strolls, Mouth watering Rabri and local market at Abu road Caution: Though road trips are thrilling which rush your adrenaline, but you need to be cautious too at the same time. You never know when rain drops turns into cloud burst. So be careful and take some precautions while driving.

  • Before leaving, ensure your vehicle is in a healthy condition. Check your lights, tyres, brake and windshield
  • Preferably use wet weather tyres during monsoon road trip to avoid slippage
  • Roads especially fly-over’s can be slippery during rain, so be careful
  • Be considerate to two wheeler’s and pedestrians. During rainy season pedestrians are hard to spot whereas two wheeler’s don’t have enough control over their brakes
  • Avoid driving when there is heavy rain and zero visibility
  • Don’t leave your vehicles on the road. Park them in a clean safe parking lot away from rodents
  • Make sure you have spare Tyre, tool kit, jack etc in good condition
  • Carry first aid kit, umbrella and keep a torch handy

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The Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Homestay or hotel for tripper is completely one’s own choice. Homestay is exactly like B&B i.e. Bed and Breakfast. In Home stays you are accommodated as a guest in a private room with an en-suite bathroom and all sorts of luxuries. They are usually run by the homeowners who enjoy welcoming and interacting with people. Homestay does offer some advantages over hotels along with comfort. One gets to know more about the local tradition and culture as compared to staying in the hotels.

Valley View Homestay Ranikhet
Ranikhet

At Ranikhet all types of accommodations are available and for the first time, I choose Valley View Homestay Ranikhet over hotels to have a different feel. The gesture offered was up to the saying Athithi Devo Bhava which means the Guest is God. The staff and homeowner both considered an honor to have us as a guest at their place and they made all efforts to make our stay cozy and comfortable.

Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

About

The Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet is located on the National highway between Almora and Ranikhet, approximately at a distance of 6 km from Ranikhet Golf course. It is a quiet place curated with love, labor, and patience.  Each point gives you views of lush green wide valley decorated in pear, apricot, peach and apple trees. In the evening sky in painted beautifully in hues of red and orange. At night the village lights, give the feel of twinkling/flickering Diwali Diyas from the balconies. If it’s cloudy than for seconds you feel you are floating among those. It is a bird watching paradise for bird lovers.

 Entrance to The rooms of Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Rooms & Tariff

There are 7 rooms from deluxe to honeymoon suites and tariff for each range from Rs. 2500 – Rs. 4500/-. Each room has its own aroma and gives a different view of mountain peaks and valley.

Rooms at Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Amenities

Amenities at Valley View Ranikhet included everything (TV, the Internet, Power backup, Laundry service, room service etc) to give you a real home feel. Rooms are clean; linen is beautiful and crisp with matching decor.  Bathrooms are well lit and spacious. There are so many cozy corners to curl up with a coffee mug and enjoy the nature to fullest.

Garden & Amenities at Valley View Homestay RanikhetFood

For food, they use local produce, natural ingredients of their own farm. The menu is multidimensional from Indian to Chinese to Italian and continental. Each meal is a wholesome preparation from fish and chips to macaroni. Snacks are served in the rooms whereas meals are served only in the small polished dining area.

The Cafe

Adjoining rooms, there is The Cafe an ideal place to munch over homemade cakes, pies, muffins and Cafe special platters. One can also buy local made chutneys, pickles and jams too.

The Cafe at Valley View Homestay Ranikhet

Some places nearby:

  • Ranikhet Golf Course
  • Local Ranikhet market for Kumaoni specialties
  • Orchards and Gardens
  • KRC Museum and War Memorial
  • Jhoola Devi Temple

The Beautiful Binsar Valley in Monsoons

The elevated pitch of modernization and civilization had turned most of the Hill –Stations to Hill Cities. These hill cities with the luxury of Wi-fi, pizzerias, television, etc may be attractive for most but not some. At the same time, some hill stations managed to not be the part of the league and took a bold step to protect themselves from the destruction of commercialization and civilization. The beautiful Binsar Valley, 23 Km from Almora in Uttarakhand is one of them. In 1988, the Forest Department of Binsar took steps to preserve and conserve the forests of broad oak leaf.

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
Road to Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Binsar is not a village or town but a wildlife sanctuary spread over 46 sq. Km. It is a big natural swath of forestland, painted with pine and oak trees.

Inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
During Monsoons Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Once you enter the Binsar Valley registration fee (Rs 150 per person and Rs 250 for the vehicle), you are in a different world and era. The place had its own natural aura. It seems time clock had frozen years back for this place and sunlight never had an opportunity to kiss this place. While climbing the narrow and snaky roads, chances of spotting wildlife and birds increased as compared to humans.

Evenings at Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
Evenings at Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Days in the Binsar wildlife sanctuary are quite long and different from other places. There is nothing much to do except listening to your own heartbeat with a cool breeze in your ears and trailing the long and dark trails of thick forests till sunset and Zero Point. While wandering on the ridge you can spot Deer, Gray Langur, Wild Boar, Jungle Cat, Jungle Goat, etc and different varieties of birds. If you are lucky enough then sometimes you get a glimpse of leopard too. At 7 Km from the registration point, on the green meadows stands Bineshwar Mahadev temple, known for its architectural excellence.

Bineshwar Mahadev Temple- Binsar
Bineshwar Mahadev Temple- Binsar

During clear skies, from zero point one can get the magnificent views of resolute standing peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul, Shivling, Kedarnath, etc at a range of 300 km.

Some visit Binsar valley for a day while others prefer to stay here for several days in the lap of nature. There are five hotels and resorts and 2-3 homestays in total. The Binsar Forest retreat is an Eco-friendly homestay located at an altitude of 7600 feet. It offers the sounds and sights of wilderness along with spectacular views of Himalayas and Valley. The Grand Oak Manor offers you comfortable cozy rooms with an old history. The Marry Budden Estate also with the history of the 18th century provides you a luxury living. The Khali estate located at a height of 6600 feet offers you panoramic views of snow-clad mountains and valley. The KMVN (Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited) guest house, located at 7600 ft was created to increase employment opportunities and community development of the Garwhal region. It does justice with the marvelous location providing all the spectacular views of valley and forest.

KMVN Guest House - Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
KMVN Guest House – Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Some Important Points to Take Care of:

  • Do not move around in the jungle after dusk.
  • Do not leave your children alone.
  • Do not throw lit cigarettes as it can lead to a fire.
  • Use electricity only when required.
  • Carry a sturdy pair of shoes and Umbrella for exploring this place on foot.