Escape to Kumaon

smnray

I also second Shyamal. You should stay at Chaukori. I have gone all the places which is mentioned in the plan. View of Himalayan peaks from Chaukori are just awesome! I assume you are staying in KMVN in Caukori, which has the best view!
- smnray

earth.anon

I am partial to Choukori myself :-)

__________________
'I wish I was a headlight on a Northbound train'

manish_bit

Thanks Shyamal, smnray, earth.anon. Good news is that I have confirmed my travel with Anil and My Detailed Plan looks like this

Day 1 (9, Sun) - Reach Kathgodam by 9:30 am by Bagh Exp; Nainital by Noon, Boating and Shopping
Day 2 (10,Mon) - Around Nainital, Rope way, zoo, bhimtal, nakuchiyatal, sattal and around, stay at nainital
Day 3 (11,Tue) - Nanital to Binsar, stay at Binsar
Day 4 (12,Wed) - Binsar to Chaukori via Jageshwar, stay at Chaukori < 2 Sunrise & 2 Sunsets at Chaukori >
Day 5 (13,Thu) - Visit Patal Bhubaneshwar, stay at Chaukori
Day 6 (14,Fri) - Chaukori to Kasauni, stay at Kasauni
Day 7 (15,Sat) - Visit Gwaldam from Kasauni, Return to Kathgodam via Ranikhet, leave at night for Delhi by Bus
Day 8 (16,Sun) - Reach Delhi by Noon and catch Rajdhani

A couple of ques.

1. How far are the following places from each other i.e. Nainital to Binsar; Binsar to Jageshwar; Jageshwar to Chaoukori; Chaukori to Patal Bubhaneshwar; Chaukori to Kasauni; Kasauni to Patal Bhuvaneshwar; Kasauni to Ranikhet and Ranikhet to Kathgodam; from Nainital,and how much time will it take for me to go?

2. What would be the best time for me to travel to these places(i.e. Morn/Afternoon/Evening) for max utilization of my time?

3. I guess KMVN would be perfect for Binsar, Chaukori & Kasauni; any better suggestions for stay in avg budget (upto 1500/- per day)

4. Anything else i need to finalize with Anil before embarking on my holiday e.g kms run daily 'coz he sounded pretty cool about everything and said that everything will be covered. He has quoted me a rate of 1300/- excluding toll tax etc

manish_bit

Can I get the map please

Tks
Manish

Shyamal Mukherjee

1. Nainital to Binsar- around 90 Km, Binsar to Jageshwar around 55 Km(Via paleo bend), Jageshwar to Chaukori- around 104 km, Chaukori to Pb around 40 km, Chaukori to Kausani around 80 Km, Kausani to Ranikhet (Via Majkhali) 55 Km, Ranikhet to Kathgodam around 85 Km. If you go by car the average output will be 30 km per hour. So you can calculate the time
2.Day journey is must. Preferably start after breakfast. Journey from Bimsar KMVN to Chaukori via Jageshwar will be slightly long one hence request to start early at least by 0700-0730.
Day 7 will be very hectic, request you to skip Gwaldam.
3.KMVNs are good value for money. I personally prefer to stay near to Gandhi Ashram at Kausani. KMVN Kausani is slightly far away. There are some budget hotels near Gandhi Ashram.
4. Binsar Forest Checkpost requires toll tax. I recommend Anil as one of the best drivers in those region but request to finalise the rate with him
Shyamal

Shyamal Mukherjee

Yes why not? But I can't do a PM(Private message) to you for your mail ID. I think you require some 15 posts to have a PM facility and also has some time limits from the start of your first post .
Shyamal

manish_bit

Great, but as this thread says...."Kumaon....need help"....my mail id is manishs_bit at yahoo dot co dot in

It will be great if you can drop me a mail or let me know your id so that I can mail you

Tks & rgds
Manish

mssajwan

I have dropped a mail to you with Map attached.

Cheers
Manmohan

Piyush

Leaving for Almora tomorrow morning...Day after tomorrow will proceed to Narayan Ashram...We will start our journey from Almora at about 4:30-5:00am in the morning..

manish_bit

Thanks Shyamal. Guess I am too greedy, as I think Manmohan mentioned in one of his threads. Or since this is the first time I will be travelling that side with so many days as leave, I want to cover everything. Can I somehow include Munsyari and what do I exclude then?

rgds
Manish

Shyamal Mukherjee

That's great Piyush. Wish you a happy ride, clear weather and lots of photographs for us

Manish, If you want to cover everything you will require some more days. Everything should include at least Pithoragarh area, Mukteshwar area etc. But within your time frame Munsyari can be covered sacrificing others. In my opinion it would be a good decision to skip Nainital. But I know you will not be able to do that most probably
Hence for accomodating Munsyari with a consideration of Nainital as a part of tour, so far I could think:
4th day- Binsar to Munsyari, skip Jageshwar
5th day- Munsyari
6th day- Chaukori
7th day- Kathgodam, may visit Jageshwar if time permits so as to reach Kathgodam before sunset.
Shyamal

Rajesh Karia

hello friends...

must admit this travel portal/forum is jst so informative...a big thx for the ppl managing & answering all the queries..

i have a confusion here friends...

i am visiting the kumaon region in late december , i am confused abt the No. of days for binsar...it could not be more than 2, the lady at KMVN, mumbai is advising me only 1 day, since we have 2 small kids & there is no electricity at KMVN & due to peak winter, the night fall could well start from early as 4.00 pm onwards & the prospect of holding up in virtual darkness could be a detterent for the kids, as there is very little that the kids could do in candle light...(though we adults are really excited abt staying for 2 days)..the KMNV lady is insisting on 2 days in Kausani instead....

The beauty of binsar, as i have managed to research on net is something i want to savour for the maximum....

Also, some guy on the net told me that in late december its dangerous to visit binsar as it might be snowing....so guys whats your take on this & the Kumaon region as a whole for late december.....??? does it really snow very heavily..??



friends i have 8 days which have been alloted as follows :

2 days Corbett
2 days Nanital
2 days Binsar orKausani
1 day Binsar or Kausani
1 day Naukuchiyatal

the abv iteneary is made keeping in mind my 2 kids 8 & 11 years. Is the schedule ok in terms of traveling time..??

Dilliwala

NO!


manish, sorry for late response.

You did write earlier that you were engaging a car Delhi-Delhi, maybe Anil. He lives in Kathgodam, and I think you are better off engaging him for KGM-KGM only.

I frankly feel that you have one destination too many. Therefore I think you shud drop Kausani, as the views are similar to Nainital's, altho a lot closer.

Forget Munsyari this trip, it's just too far. And alternatively, drop Chaukori and do it along with Munsyari next time, then you can do Kausani now.

If Chaukori stays in, then see Jageshwar and PB on the return leg - Binsar-Jageshwar-Chaukori is highly inefficient, whereas Binsar-Chaukori via Bageshwar is very efficient.

Binsar definitely needs two nights.

And as far as you're concerned, Gwaldam is a place that does not exist.
Otherwise a) your posts will have to be moved back to the 'uttaranchal' thread , but more seriously, b) it's too much driving around. Gwaldam is a great place to visit, but not with this little time, specially when you're going to Binsar and/or Kausani as well.

manish_bit

Thanks for your inputs DW, I am getting very prompt responses from others so nothing to worry, add to that my PM with Shyamalda and Manmohan, its great.

I have had discussions with Anil, and it will by KGM-Nainital only.

I dropped Kasauni, Gwaldam and Munsyari, though with a very heavy heart. Not sure when I will be able to come for my return leg. Today I booked Binsar for 2 nights and Chaukori for 2nights.

Need to finalize one more thing - while returning from Chaukori should I spend one night at Kausani and one at Nainital or 2 nights at Nainital and then catch my volvo bus from Nainital itself for Delhi?

And what all things can I buy from Binsar, Chaukori and Nainital?

Tks & rgds
Manish

Dilliwala

Er, cud you list your revised itinerary?

Quote:

And what all things can I buy from Binsar, Chaukori and Nainital?

Binsar - nothing.

Chaukori - tea. Or you may have to buy it at Berinag.
earth.anon? - what say?

Nainital - hmmm. What are you looking for? You'll probably find some coop store with woollens, etc made in Kumaoni villages.