Saturday 26 March 2016

WEEKEND BACKPACK TOUR TO JIM CORBETT WHICH CONTINUED TILL NANITAL

Crazy Friends
My dearest friend Karma Zomkyi and Sabar Meer were leaving the city in few days and I wanted to spent more of time with them. So, we all decided to go for a small trip in the weekend as all of us have busy life and working.

As three of us has just started working we had very low budget around INR 3000 - 4000. So, we decided to go to Jim Corbett on the day before travelling. Friday after office we took our bag and met at one point that is near Surya Hotel, New Friends Colony, New Delhi. We took auto and told him to take us to ISBT. The auto driver took us to Kashmiri Gate ISBT as we had to  go to  Anand Vihar ISBT. Again we went back to Anand Vihar ISBT.

NOTE: Kashmiri Gate ISBT bus terminal you get buses for Himachal Pradesh and from Anand Vihar ISBT bus terminal you get buses for Uttrakhand.

We reached Anand Vihar ISBT around 23:15 till that Volvo bus left before we reached! We thought now what to do? And we didn’t want to go back to our place as we have already left with lot of excitement. There were other local buses also leaving for Ramnagar which was the nearest bus stop from Jim Corbett. Then, we decided that we will be travelling by local bus. We took the local bus which charged us around INR 240 per person and carried some snacks and water for our journey. Our bus arrived around 23:45 and we were exited too, on the way bus stopped in Daba as we were already carrying snacks so we didn’t got down. After 6 – 7 hours overnight journey we reached Ramnagar around 06:35. We were hungry so as we got down from the bus we had cup of tea and boiled eggs, as the weather over there was chilled. We find a local auto to reach our resort which took us around INR 150. At that moment we saw more three girls were travelling and they interacted to us. They were discussing about the accommodation, we said that we have already booked our room. But we told them that if they want to accompany us we can enjoy together, they agreed with us and came along on the same auto. On the way we interacted to the local auto wala who took us to the resort. He gave us an option that he would show the sightseeing in very low budget. Also, he told the forestry department is having strike due to that they are not allowing Jeep Safaris inside the Jungle. We were not sure so first we thought of confirming from the other locals.

We reached at the resort ‘Leisure Vacation Myrica Resort’ and went to reception for our check in, but the check in was from 12:00 but we asked for early check in and they allowed for it without charges. The Resort was around 21kms from Ramnagar which took us around 30 mins. Other three girls with us wanted to check in other properties over their, so they didn’t accommodated at this resort and left by giving the contact details with me. As we decided to do Jeep Safari together because per Jeep cost around INR 3000, we thought if we will do it together it will be good for all of us. As we were doing the resort formalities we asked for the strike going on the forestry department and they told its true! Then we thought of doing the small sightseeing with the auto driver. Without wasting our time in relaxing we changed and went with him to the local places. First he took us to the Garjiya Devi Temple.

Garjiya Temple
Garjiya Devi Temple: The temple is located in Garjiya Village. It is one of the famous temple of Nanital district. It is in the outskirts of the Jim Corbett National Park. The temple is located on the big rock over the Kosi River. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees during Kartik Poornima. The statue of this temple is made from black granite.

Locals say that this statue flowed in the river from somewhere and stopped over here. After that lot of storms came, overflow of river but the statue never moved. There is another temple called Bharav Dev Temple, it is said that if you are visiting Garjiya Temple you need to visit this temple or your wishes will not be fulfilled.

We went inside the temple area. Went down the shores of the Kosi River enjoyed their had some beautiful clicks with the mesmerizing beauty of the place. We played with the river water spent few hours. Then we went inside the temple in the top of the rock. After visiting the goddess we came down and visited Bharav Baba temple and left the place taking Prasad.

Posing on middle of the Suspension Bridge
Then we proceeded towards Suspension Bridge.This was the best place in this area, which I liked the most and felt peace. We crossed the bridge came to the downstream of the river. The water was crystal clear and again we clicked…..enjoyed ….have fun…sat quite for some time and felt the nature beauty , shores of the river, winds flowing slowly, birds chirping etc…We spent around more than hours.

Later, auto driver came and said now we should leave from here and proceed for lunch. We really didn’t want to leave this place but we had too. He became very friendly with us and told about his culture and his family. He said he is Kumauni a cast and he had two sons. He was inviting us to his place for lunch with his family but due to lack of time we can’t visit. Still I remembered his name ‘Trilok Joshi’ wonderful person I met with good and welcoming heart. For this small sightseeing he took INR 200. Again he told that he would let us do the safari which others are doing in Jeep. As he will take the same route where Jeep Safaris are taking the people in these days as Safaris were not allowed inside the jungle ( All the gates were closed Dhikala, Bijrani, Jhirna). We were okay with it and we changed in the resort took rest for 30 mins. I called the three girls and told all the situation and asked if they wanted to join with us. They were ready and they said in 30 mins they would be joining us. I asked them to meet near the RamNagar Bus stop as we were proceeding there to have our lunch in local market. We proceeded had our lunch in local market. Till that time the other three girls joined us. After our lunch we proceeded to the safari route by auto which in these days it was taken by all the Jeep Safaris. We spotted different birds, monkeys and dear not much of animal. This drive was okay. Later, we moved back to our resort but the girls had their resort 10 km from that place. It was dark so the auto driver didn’t want to go due to jungle area as he has to come back alone so, all three of us told we will also accompany him. We again went with all the girls and the driver to leave the girls to their resort. Then while coming back it was really adventurous we spotted Jackal, dears crossing the road and the short journey was looking very scary. On the way back to resort we were discussing what to do for the next day? As due to strike no use of staying then the auto driver suggested us to go to Nanital, Muketshwar etc.. We gave a thought and find he was correct we should go for it! We decided we will go to Nanital. So he gave all the information about Nanital bus and its timings. The bus was around 06:00 in the morning. As we reached resort we told the driver to come and pick up us around 05:00 a.m. He told he will come and receive us. After a whole day tour we came back to our room changed and went again out of resort for dinner. As the dinner inside the resort was very costly. So, we went nearby Daba outside the resort to have our dinner. We did our dinner then came back to our room and quickly went to our bed.

Note: If you are budgeted traveller never book from before, it’s better to go to that place and book your hotel as it can be negotiated also.

Next morning we woke up around 04:00 in the morning freshned up and got ready. The auto driver uncle was their till 05:00 a.m. He called up as he reached our resort. We made all the formalities and checked out from the resort. By 30 mins we reached RamNagar Bus stop. Here, we had Cup of tea and boiled eggs and waited for our bus to arrive. Till that time auto uncle was also their with us. We bought some chocolates and sweets for his family as a small greet from our side. By 06:00 am we left RamNagar and proceed to Nanital in local bus which cost us around INR 80 per person. Journey from RamNagar to Nanital was very scenic and beautiful. It took us 03 hours to reach Nanital.

Nanital (Photography by Karma)
 We reached Nanital we were looking for taxi, finally we got a taxi we bargained and we got it for INR 1000 for the local sightseeing. Before proceeding for the sightseeing I requested the driver to take the place where we can book direct bus to Delhi, he took us there and we booked our bus which was around 2100 hrs and then we asked him to take us to a place where we can change,  get  freshened up and have our breakfast as we didn’t wanted to take room. So he took us to the amusement park in Nanital. There was lot of thing to do like:- free fall, go carting, zip lining, dashing cars as their were more options for kids. I did free fall with Sabar meer , as i asked my friend Karma also to join me but she told she didn't want to do and wanted to  capture me doing. It was one of my best experience as I have tried this before also, but when here I did it was totally different because when in the free fall I went upwards the view was mesmerizing which cannot be expressed in words, at that moment i really felt like 'wish could been a bird and fly away above in the sky' then we came back and we freshened up and had our breakfast. Then, we proceeded for our tour to some of the view points like lakes which changes its colour as per season, lover's point, suicide point, waterfall etc we have loads of fun clicked pictures, among all these the most fun was in the cave hill, one should definitely go.


Boating in Nani Lake
Afternoon we were dropped in the mall road. Then we had our lunch in a vegetarian restaurant with a Nani lake view. In whole day we saw the weather changing which was lovely. After our lunch we went towards Nani lake for boating for 1 hour which took around INR 300 for one boat, and half hour it takes around INR 150. After whole day tour we had relaxing boat ride with the amazing stories with the boatman. The story behind the beautiful lake is that till now nobody knows the exact depth of the lake, many researchers have tried but unable to find and never came back. Really strange infact I was shocked! One more thing one part of this lake never get sun rays its always dark. Local people of Nanital never eat fish of this Nani Lake because for them its God because they believe that from it their earning comes. Beside the lake their is Naina Devi Temple beautiful Mosque and Gurudwara. By 1700 hrs our boating was done still we had four hours thought now what to do? As we were tired also so we thought of resting in park for while, we sat in the park whole tired seeing all tourists coming enjoying, local busy with their shops and selling things, street vendors selling street foods, we had some of it. Later, the mall road was open so we went for a walk in the mall road, then we went to Tibetan market we had momos and lemonade which was very yummy and delicious!!! One should surely taste momos over here....Our time was over then we came to our boarding point of our bus at 2045 hrs. We took our seats it departed from Nanital at 2100 hrs. We three of us were so tired so we slept in the bus and by 0600 hrs morning we were back to Delhi with great experience and beautiful memories.....


Special Thanks to Trilok Joshi(Auto Driver Right)
Note: Do not drink and smoke in the Mall road of Nanital it will be punishable and can be charged fine for it!!!

I would really like to thank Meer and Karma my sweetheart without them trip  wouldn't have been so awesome..........


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