From dak bungalows to orchard homes, get a slice of the mountain life in the Kumaon in Uttarakhand. Step away from your mundane life and wake up to the majestic mountains, chirping birds and warm homely local food. If you are a lover for nature and heritage homes, book a weekend in one of these 11 homes and spend time with your loved ones, friends or by yourself picking apples, practising yoga, setting out on hikes, curling up with a book or simply relaxing!
Waking up to the mountains in these beautiful homes in Kumaon
1. Sage Cottage
Sage Cottage is a hill house adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to a garden full of fresh blooms. Try local Kumaoni dishes in this 2,515 sq.feet cottage that can accommodate upto five people in three bedrooms.
Location: Jungaliya Gaon Rd, Harnagar Jangalia Gaon, Uttarakhand 263136, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 5,000 including breakfast; a minimum two-night stay is required.
2. One Partridge Hill
One Partridge Hill is a property built with love and attention to detail. Named after 'partridge birds' it's the first thing the owners spotted when they decided on this site filled with birdsong. The views open up to the Nanda Devi and Trishul range. Go on jungle treks, gaze at stars in the night and get cosy.
Location: Village - Satoli, near, Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand 263138, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 12,000, inclusive of breakfast
3. Jilling Terraces
Jilling Terraces is a hidden gem that could take anywhere between 40 minutes to two hours of walking, and many short gasps to reach the home. If you are yearning for a getaway away from all the stress, this place is the one. The house was built by a Sanskrit scholar for his Polish wife, surrounded by 80 acres of land, thick oak, rhododendron and conifer trees stretch as far as your eyes can see.
Location: 9JC5+32X, Jilling Estate, Matial Village, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263136, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 11,000, inclusive of all meals and evening tea
5. Himalaica
A labour of love of a young Swiss couple, Himalaica was built over eight years. Stay in this house set up by local artisans, in a traditional country-style architecture with modern comforts. Get your furry friends along and enjoy views over the snow capped Himalayas, sipping chai from Sanju's teashop.
Location: Kumaon Hills, 2.6 km on Bhowali-Ramgarh-Mukteshwar Road Ramgarh, Block, Shyamkhet, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263132, India
Price: Entire cottage from Rs. 14,500, inclusive of breakfast
6. The Retreat
Located in the forest estate of Bhimtal, The Retreat was started by Fredrick Smetacek Sr in 1953 as a guesthouse for diplomats from Delhi. For decades the homestay was run by his wife, Shaheda before her daughter-in-law Padmini (Paddy) and six children took over. Stay in this meaningful homestay in the mountains and relish some quiches, tarts, fish in lemon-butter and herbs or go on treks and birdwatching tours, and sit by bonfires in the evenings.
Location: Jones Estate, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand 263136, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 5,500
7. Sitla Estate
Sitla house belongs to adventure buff and environmentalist Vikram Maira who quit his career in television and returned home to the hills and orchards of his childhood. Get cosy in this 150 year old home with a library, kitchen, dining hall and colonial-style rooms in the old building and contemporary-style, independent cottages. Cosy up with a book under an apricot tree in the orchards or just spend the day gazing at the mountains, Sitla is the kind of place that will just let you be.
Location: Mukteshwar, Seetla, Uttarakhand 263138, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 10,500, including breakfast
8. Manzar- a song a silence
An ex-banker left her Delhi corporate job and moved to the mountains as she started the airbnb, Manzar - a song a silence is a lovely two-bedroom bungalow in the little village of Satoli. Go bird-watching or on long walks, curl up with a book in the lawns or just sit back and master the art of doing nothing. Whatever your city-weary soul needs.
Location: Satkhol, Uttarakhand, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 2,800 per night with a two-night stay minimum
9. Fredy's Bungalow
Only a six hour drive from Delhi, Fredy's Bungalow is a perfect house to spend quality time with family and friends. It is surrounded by flora and fauna, only 10 minutes away from the Bhimtal lake. For the nature lover inside you, this place is perfect for hiking and bird watching.
Location: June State Rd, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263136, India
Price: Doubles from Rs8,900 inclusive of breakfast and morning tea/coffee
10. Holm Farm Heritage
Holm Farm Heritage is a pre-Independence heritage home, bought by Kumaoni freedom fighter Madan Mohan Upadhyaya from Lady Abbot in 1947. Such homes never get boring as they have so much character and stories to offer. Take a walk around the home and discover quirky memorabilia, a grand piano, Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi's wedding invitation, Jawaharlal Nehru's photos with the family.
Location: Dist, Ranikhet, Uttarakhand 263645, India
Price: Doubles from Rs. 4,800
11. Itmenaan Estate
Itmenaan Estate is located in a peaceful rural setting near Binsar in the Kumaon Himalayas. The 100-year-old traditional Kumaoni style stone house in the 10 acre land of virgin pine, oak, and rhododendron trees has been painstakingly restored. Dip your feet in a small private perennial natural spring and take in the panoramic views of the Himalayas.
Location: Itmenaan Estate, Village Naugaon, Tehsil Bhanoli, District Almora, Uttarakhand
Price: Doubles from Rs. 6,840
So which one of these beautiful homes caught your eye? Book a stay during a long weekend or simply work from the mountains from one of these heritage homes. There's nothing better than waking up in the mountains with hot chai, birds chirping and stories to share!
Check out my below article if you are looking for more ideas for your next trip to Himachal Pradesh.
1. Affordable Homestays and B&BS in India That Are Surrounded by Nature Hidden in Himachal Pradesh
2. Plan A Trip To These Beautiful Places in The Mountains of Himachal Pradesh
3. This Homestay Near Kullu-Manali Comes With a River, Mountains Views and Peace Away From the City!
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