Kumaon Days

Photo of Kumaon Days 3/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — First light of the day on the peaks - Binsar

Photo of Kumaon Days 4/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Trek through the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Photo of Kumaon Days 5/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Golu Devta temple - On the way to Mukteshwar

Photo of Kumaon Days 6/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — On the way to Mukteshwar

Photo of Kumaon Days 7/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Uttarakhand Tea Board Garden

Photo of Kumaon Days 8/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — View of the Himalayan ranges from Mukteshwar

Photo of Kumaon Days 9/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — The setting sun

Photo of Kumaon Days 10/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Last rays on the peaks

Photo of Kumaon Days 11/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — The Dakbunglow - Uttarakhand

Photo of Kumaon Days 12/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — The last sunrays

Photo of Kumaon Days 13/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Kasauni town

Photo of Kumaon Days 14/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — View from Binsar

Photo of Kumaon Days 15/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — First rays of sun from Binsar

Photo of Kumaon Days 16/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Vaishnavi Devi temple - On the way to Nainital

Photo of Kumaon Days 17/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Naini Lake - Nainital

Photo of Kumaon Days 18/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Street of Nainital

Photo of Kumaon Days 19/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Nainital

Photo of Kumaon Days 20/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Nainital from the top

Photo of Kumaon Days 21/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Shivling at the Naina Devi temple

Photo of Kumaon Days 22/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Jim Corbett waterfalls

Photo of Kumaon Days 23/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — Safari - At Jim Corbett National Park

Photo of Kumaon Days 24/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — At Jim Corbett National Park

Photo of Kumaon Days 25/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — At Jim Corbett National Park

Photo of Kumaon Days 26/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — At Jim Corbett National Park

Photo of Kumaon Days 27/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — At Jim Corbett National Park

Photo of Kumaon Days 28/28 by Sumeet Chakraborty — At Jim Corbett National Park

It was a family trip and it indeed is the most memorable one till date. Starting from the holy city of Haridwar we traveled all the way to Auli and also touched upon Rishikesh. But then it was time to explore Kumaon. Completely different from the Garhwals, Kumaon is more of the modern tourism destinations. Apart from the stunning views of the Himalayan peaks, one can enjoy the lush green tea gardens, the mezmerising countryside, amazing forest areas, high altitude lakes and many more.

We started our journey from Kathgodam. It was early in the morning when our train arrived at Kathgodam. After breakfast we headed straight towards Mukteshwar. En-route we visited the Golu devta temple, which can also be nicknamed as 'Temple of bells'. Thats because, one can see lakhs of bells hanging all around the temple. These bells are nothing but are tied by people whose wishes are fulfilled by Golu Devta. Mark my words... this place is worth a visit. Then enroute we also stopped at the Shyamakhet tea gardens. Lush green and peaceful, this place had it all to recharge our senses.

After experiencing the peace, calmness and holyness of Mukteshwar, we headed towards Binsar. Not to my surprise, the route looked like a forest ride all the way. And way not? Binsar itself is located around a mid scale wildlife santuary. Lush green forest land surrounded by the himayan mountain ranges were nothing less than a dreamland. A couple of nights stay prooved to be worth and was enough to refresh ourselves.

It was Nainital next, one of my favourite himalayan town. Always very vibrant, this beautiful city is full of beauty and charm. A major tourist destination, this city is a must visit for every traveler in this region.

Then it was the final destination, the adobe of Tigers, The Jim Corbett National Park. This prooved to be the ideal sign off destination, as it provided the exact amount of thrill required on the last day. Though we didnt get to see the Tiger, but we were mesmerised to get the feel of the wild, the wild animals and the beautiful landscapes of the park. The search for the big cat went in vein, but it was a nothing short of a perfect sign off for our trip. Hoping to spot the Tiger next time, we said goodbye to the land to unlimited beauty and adventure... The Kumaon part of Uttarakhand.

Mukteshwar

This is a place where nature is at its best. Splendid countryside, beautiful valleys, amazing people, great views of the snow capped peaks, and not to forget the landmark for which the place is famous for, the Mukteshwar Dham. Located at the highest point of the town, it is a place which provides one of the best spiritual experience. The entire area is known as tapovan and its one of the most peaceful place I have been to. A small trek around the town provides a great experience. Then do not forget to capture the sunset from the Dakbunglow gardens. Overall an heavenly experience. A great getaway from the crowded tourist destinations. Very calm, peaceful, spiritual and pure.

Binsar

A very calm place with lots of flora and fauna to experience. Its surrounded with the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary which provides the much needed thrill in the itinerary. Though spotting any wild animals will be a matter of luck, but a small trek to the outhouse is very relaxing. Not to forget the KMVN guest house located at the near top and inside the sanctuary borders, it provides a lovely eco-friendly stay option for all tourists. And it will be a crime to miss the most amazing sunrise which can be experienced from the guest house garden lobby. It is one of my favorite places to experience the sunrise, as the first rays of rising sun illuminates the snow capped Himalayan peaks. Its a golden experience, which can be described with only 1 word. Magic. Pure Magic.

Nainital

A very beautiful and famous Himalayan town, based around the renowned Naini Lake provides a beautiful setting to experience a high altitude town. Though it gets fairly crowded it can provide some much needed city experience with lots of shopping and sightseeing options. An evening stroll around the Naini Lake proved to be very relaxing for me in the evening. Adding to the experience were the delicious food options available around the Mall road area. Not to forget, the locally produced special designer candles. It is a must buy for all.

Jim Corbett National Park

The name says it all. Its one of the most famous national parks of India having significant number of Tiger population. Named after the famous Jim Corbett, its a perfect place to experience wildlife. Though tiger sighting could be a matter of chance and patience, but one can easily spot some amazing birds, deer, elephants, and other wild animals. A special mention to the amazingly beautiful landscape of the forest. Overall, it will never fail to mesmerize you. Every moment spent in the national park was like a piece of gold moment.