India is the land of all seasons ranging from snowy winters in the mountains in the north to tropical ocean climate in the south, from subtropical and monsoon climates in the east and northeast to tropical wet and semi-arid climates in the west and northwest. India is indeed blessed with scintillating natural beauty that captivates the attention of one and all. From the majestic Great Himalayas in the north to the formidable Indian ocean and spectacular beaches in the south. From the ageless and dense forests and landscapes in the east to the Great Indian Thar desert and pristine coastlines in the west. India is truly a dream destination for all travelers.
I am from New Delhi, the capital of India, located in the northern part of India. The summers in India can be harsh with temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celcius. So the best time to visit India is from November to March. However, if you plan to visit the mountains in the extreme north of India, the best time would be spring or fall.
We visited India in December this year and planned a 3-day trip to Jim Corbett National Park and Nainital with my family.
The Jim Corbett National Park- The land of the national animal of India. The Royal Bengal tiger. The nearest city is Ramnagar city. Easily accessible by road, train, or by air. About 250 km by road from New Delhi. The nearest domestic airport is Pantnagar airport which is about 80 km from Ramnagar city by road. Corbett is known for being the oldest and the most prestigious National park in India. The majestic landscapes of Corbett are heaven for tiger and wildlife lovers. The tourists have the opportunity to witness the exciting and tempting behavior of the animals in their natural environment through designated core or buffer areas located within the park. Corbett is divided into six major safari zones. Bijrani zone and Dhikala zone are the most popular among tourists due to dense forests, a vast diversity of fauna, and spectacular natural beauty.
Bijrani zone is located approximately 1 km from Ramnagar city whereas Dhikala zone is located about 18 km from the city and is known for night stays inside the forest area for hardcore wildlife enthusiasts.
This was my 2nd visit to Corbett but my first with family. Tiger sightings are rare and depend on your luck that day. I visited both Bijrani and Dhikala almost 10 years ago and was lucky to see 2 tigers within a span of 15 minutes. However, my family and I weren't so lucky this time. We visited only the Bijrani zone this time due to time constraints. However, next time we are planning for a night stay in the Dhikala zone. Having said that, we truly enjoyed the forest experience including the breathtaking landscapes, dense forests, quietness, calmness, fresh air, birds chirping, and animal calls.
We booked a resort in Ramnagar city through booking.com located about 5 km from the entry gate of the Bijrani zone. We booked the jeep safari from the official Corbett website here. Although this is the official website for booking a safari, the website has many technical glitches and we had to make numerous attempts and calls to officials to successfully book a safari. If you'd rather prefer a hassle-free booking, there are many websites that offer packages that include resorts and safaris. Some websites offer to stay inside the forest zones as well. Some of the available websites are mentioned below-:
P.S.- Personally, I have not used any of these websites. Please do your due diligence before booking or making any payment because there are many fraudulent websites and agents operating who might sell false packages or rip you off by charging exorbitantly high fees. Please do your research before buying any packages and ask for references. I saw many people who bought on-the-spot safari permits from agents right outside the safari offices. I am assuming those people were locals who didn't need a place to stay and just drove straight to the safari office.
Spiritual and Religious sites- We visited two popular local temples-:
Shri Hanuman Dham
Garjiya Devi Temple
Both the temples were located close to our resort in Ramnagar and offered stunning views of the surrounding natural beauty. While Shri Hanuman Dham is located in a big complex with beautiful sunset views, Garjiya temple is located on the top of a rock on the side of the KOSI river with stunning visuals of flowing water and natural landscape. Pictures below.
Corbett falls- It is a scenic waterfall located about 25 km from Ramnagar. This is a nice scenic picnic spot surrounded by dense teak wood forest filled with the playful chirping of the birds.
Nainital- The city of Lakes- The charming Himalayan lake town located in the state of Uttarakhand and surrounded by majestic mountains and sparkling lakes. It is about 300 km by road from New Delhi. The nearest airport is Pantnagar airport which is about 70-80 km by road. Nainital is one of the most popular hill stations in India and a perfect holiday spot for families, couples, and people of all ages.
Things to do in Nainital
Boating- Naini lake is the major tourist attraction of Nainital. It is a natural freshwater formation with an emerald green color and sparkling water full of colorful boats.
Shopping- The Mall road and Tibetan market, located parallel to the Naini lake, are known for their budget shopping. There is a wide variety of things to buy such as sweaters, scarves, handmade bags, souvenirs, and decorative stuff for home with decent quality and reasonable prices. The market also offers a variety of street food such as dumplings, Maggi, tikki, and chai. There are also cafes and restaurants serving local and international cuisine at reasonable prices.
Adventure- Nainital is home to an aerial ropeway which is a major attraction of the city.
The ropeway gives panoramic views of the city and the emerald-green Naini lake. The ropeway starts from Mallital and takes about 3 minutes to reach the highest point called Snow View Point which gives spectacular views of the majestic Himalayas. Bhimtal is a neighboring town of Nainital, about an hour's drive away, which offers adventure activities such as hot-air ballooning, paragliding, and mountaineering.
We did paragliding in Bhimtal and we were thrilled by the time we finished. Paragliding is extremely safe in Bhimtal guided by well-trained and experienced guides/pilots. We witnessed a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the lush-green landscape below from the sky with exceptionally skilled guides handling the parachute to ensure utmost safety and a fun-filled experience.
For a few extra bucks, you have the option to record your take-off and landing with a professional go-pro camera. Alternatively, the cheaper option is to pay for someone to take your pictures and record your landing with a DSLR camera. We took the DSLR option.
Restaurants in Ramnagar and Nainital
During our stay in Choi, Ramnagar, we visited a local restaurant called FOOD BUNGALOW serving typical North Indian food and local cuisine called Pahadi cuisine. The food was delectable and the service was commendable. We tried the local pahadi mutton curry which was mouth-watering.
In Nainital, we ate street food including pahadi maggi and tikki chaat. For dinner, we decided to relax and ordered North Indian food such as naan, chicken kadhai, and bhindi masala in our room.
Here is your guide for the Jim Corbett National Park and the charming lake town of Nainital. For more information about Nainital, visit the official website of the state of Uttarakhand here. India is a traveler's paradise. I hope this article inspires you to explore my beautiful country and admire its vast wealth of natural beauty and stunning landscapes.
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