Trip to Nainital, Mussoorie and Jim Corbett National Park with Kesari Tours :- Day 8

26th May 2009 :- We started in the morning at around 9 am and visited Hanumangarhi temple. It is a temple located on a hill offering excellent views of the valleys below. It is situated at a height of 6401 ft and was built by Neem Karoli Baba who has built several temples in this area. The one we had visited the previous day in the green valley was another temple built by the same Baba. Located across the hill is a temple of Shitala Devi.

We next visited the Nainital Zoo which is located on the hillside beside Nainital Lake. Vehicles belonging to the Zoo carry one from the main road close to the entrance. It was a short steep walk to the entrance that then continues within the zoo.

The zoo houses a Siberian tiger, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, wolves, sambar, leopard, pheasants and few other forms of wildlife.

Nihar enjoyed clicking photographs of the leopard (tendua) and ran around from cage to cage with excitement. Nihar and I spent extra time clicking photographs of the leopard and shopping. We thus were the last to get out of the zoo, few minutes beyond the time that we were to gather at the exit. The zoo was good but nowhere near the San Diego Zoo in terms of foliage, variety of animals etc. Nihar however thoroughly enjoyed the short stay here. We then headed back to the hotel for lunch and a nap.

In the afternoon the plan was to get to snow view point via a cable car. After lunch we spent some time playing ping pong, carrom etc. Nihar had made a few friends and together they engaged in these games to entertain themselves. It was quite a wait for the cable car that took about 10 passengers to the top. It was rush time and about 2 additional passengers were placed into the cable car. This particular one was a standing car and went in two or three hops to the top of the mountain. As the cable car came to the top the kids shook the car so as to make it dash against the guards placed to guide the car to smooth halt.

We had a drink and headed to the area where there were games for kids. Nihar took part in kids trampoline jumping, dashing car, rope sliding and the like. Snowview point is located at the top of a ridge known as Sher-ka-danda. Nihar had become a pro at sliding along the rope and attempted it with ease here and that too by himself. The ride that operates like a bouncing ball was another one that he enjoyed twice. An attempt at bouncing on a trampoline however seemed to be a painful one for him as is evident from the photograph below.

Trip to Nainital, Mussoorie and Jim Corbett National Park with Kesari Tours :- Day 7

25th May 2009 :- The plan for the day included a day visit to Ranikhet which is located at a distance of 59 km from Nainital. As usual we left after breakfast by jeeps that took us away from the hill-top and close to the spot where buses are usually parked. Once again getting all families to the bus took an unbearably long time.

Ranikhet is a hill resort in Almora district and the home of the Kumaon and Naga regiment and is maintained by the Indian Army. Ranikhet means "Queen's Meadow" and it is said that Rani Padmini had made this her home. Pine, Oak and Deodhar forests abound in the area.

On the way from Nainital is the village Bhowali the birthplace of Govind Vallabh Pant. The guide coerced even the most of reluctant singers to participate in group "antakshari". The first halt was in a green valley that has a river that uncharacteristically flows from the South to the North.

The valley had spectacular scenery in all directions with ever changing looks along every curve of the road. At one particular point there was a toad shaped rock in the relatively dry river bed.

As we went forward we reached the rain shadow region, kept dry by the hill-station of Nainital. The difference in vegetation and greenery was pretty evident despite the high altitude. Terraced farming is popular in the area and primarily is used to cultivate potatoes.

We reached Ranikhet and noticed the strict guidelines of the Indian Army. Photography of the army training institute is strictly prohibited. The golf course was pretty green given it was peak summer. As it was located in the hills it made for pretty appearances all around.

Lunch was at a pretty small restaurant that offered distant but faded views of snow capped Himalayan mountains in one direction. The food was ordinary but relatively tasty. The itinerary was such that no sooner had we had lunch it was time to get back into the bus and head back to Nainital. The good sumptuous lunch and curved roads soon put most travellers to sleep.

Back within the vicinity of Nainital and it was time to get into the same routine of waiting for jeeps to take visitors back to the hotel. This time though we stopped at Mall road. As we had ample time we utilized it for shopping for candles and a sweater and Pashmina shawl. Nainital is famous for its candles that come in all shapes, sizes, colors, aromas and price range.

It was a day of viewing a variety of natural beauty. The lush green valley, the rain-shadow region and then the forested hill resort of Ranikhet. Now, that's what one expects in beautiful North India ...

Trip to Nainital, Mussoorie and Jim Corbett National Park with Kesari Tours :- Day 6

May 24th 2009 :- We checked out from the Hotel Wood Castle Resort and were set to head to Nainital which is at a distance of about 63 kms from Jim Corbett National Park. On the way there was a halt at Kaladhungi, where the museum of Jim Corbett NP is located in a bungalow that was once occupied by Jim Corbett himself.

There were quite a few maps and descriptions of tigers slain by Jim Corbett in the Kumaon hills. We purchased Lichee fruits from a vendor who sold them by plucking them fresh from a tree within the bungalow boundary. As usual we shopped for mementos in the form of a magnet, T-shirts, caps etc.

Just past Kaladhungi is the ghat that takes one to Nainital and stretches for a good 35 kms. This time all those susceptible to vomiting on a ghat road were well prepared. As we went higher, we could witness the expanse of the forest cover, most of which was a part of Jim Corbett National Park. As we went further it grew darker due to cloud cover. Soon it started drizzling and by the time we reached Nainital it was raining, although not that hard. It took a while to get to the hotel as buses are not allowed in close vicinity of the town. Jeeps run by the hotel staff picked up groups of visitors to get to the hotel, Arif Castle.

We checked into the hotel just before lunch time. After lunch we spent time playing ping pong. One Mr Ghag joined me for play and seemed to have good skill at ping pong. He had played at the state level in his youth and had also represented Mumbai in a couple of Ranji trophy games. It was interesting to talk to him about his interests and achievements.

After tea time, we headed to Naini Lake which is the main attraction within the town limits. the lake is surrounded by hills, cosy cottages peeping from the greenery of the hills. At one end is the only open field within city limits. It was a lake before but has now been converted into a playground, parking lot. At the other end is a bridge connecting two ends Mallital and Tallital. The lake was named as such since it is shaped like an eye (it currently did not resemble one but was so in the past). We spent time in a quick boat ride in the cool waters of the lake.

Nainadevi temple is located just beside the lake. It wasn't late in the evening but it appeared to be close to sunset due to the presence of hills around the lake. We spent some time shopping for some items but then left back for the hotel.

Once back a few energetic families amongst us enjoyed dancing to the tune of music at a hall next to the hotel.

It was the birthday of the son of Mr Bangale, who probably turned 15 or 16 on the day. Dinner was preceded by a small celebration of the youngsters birthday. The cook at the hotel was an employee of Kesari and made sure to cook to the taste of families from Maharashtra.