Ranikhet Hill Station, Uttarakhand

In the erstwhile colonial India Ranikhet was established as a military cantonment and owing to pristine natural beauty and climatic relief it was also proposed to be made the summer capital of the British Raj. It also has a disputed history as a Himalayan kingdom and became a part of the Indian republic after Kumauni hill tribes under the able leadership of General Kashinath Adhikari, aggregated and defeated Nepalese forces ruling over the place and leading to their subsequent ouster.

One of the most famous and exotic tourist destinations of Uttarakhand is the cantonment town of Ranikhet. Ranikhet is a military base of the Indian army. The two main regiments that are based here is the Kumaon regiment and the Naga regiment. The military hospital of Ranikhet is one of the reasons for its popularity. Ranikhet is situated at an elevation of almost six thousand feet above sea surface (1800+ meters) and in close vicinity of the Himalayan range. The town of Ranikhet is a true gem of nature. Encompassed by the high hills of the Kumaon Himalayas and crowned by its snow capped tips, Ranikhet present one of the most magical portraits of the nature.

The name of Ranikhet literally translates to Queen's Meadows because there is a certain tale that it was at this specific town, King Sudhardev professed his love to Queen Padmini. It was one of the British hill establishments in India and has many such instances of gothic structure. The vista of the range and the valley form this serene town gives the guests immense pleasure. For sightseeing there are many notable spots like the Upat Golf course, Chaubatiia Gardens, Ram Mandir, Majkhali and the town of Ranikhet itself. The town is situated in Almora district and it is accessible by road form all neighbouring towns and cities. The temperature of Ranikhet remains pleasant throughout the year with snowfall in the winter months.