Ranikhet

Ranikhet — literally "Queen's Field" in Hindi — is a picturesque cantonment hill station at 1,829 metres in Almora district of Uttarakhand, home to the headquarters of the legendary Kumaon Regiment. The station was established by the British in 1869 as a summer retreat and continues to carry a distinct colonial character — with well-maintained Victorian bungalows, wide tree-lined avenues, regimental gardens, and the unhurried pace of a town that refuses to be touched by modern chaos.

The landscape around Ranikhet is exceptional — on clear days (particularly October–November), the 180° panorama of Himalayan peaks from the ridge includes Nanda Devi (7,816m), Trishul, Nanda Kot, Panchachuli, and the entire Kumaon Himalayan wall. The Upat Plateau, 6km from Ranikhet, hosts the Himalayan Greens Golf Course — at 1,829 metres, one of Asia's highest golf courses, surrounded by Oak and Rhododendron forests.

The Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum chronicles the extraordinary history of one of India's finest army regiments — with artefacts, uniforms, and accounts of Kumaoni soldiers' bravery from World War I through Kargil. Apple, peach, and pear orchards around Ranikhet are a delight in spring (March–April) when the blossoms transform the hillsides into a sea of white and pink. Jhula Devi Temple — dedicated to Goddess Durga with thousands of bells donated by devotees — is the most visited spiritual site in the region.