Jhula Devi Temple — the bell-hung Durga shrine above Ranikhet
The Jhula Devi Temple near Chaubatia, Ranikhet: a Durga shrine hung with bells offered when wishes are granted, with the road time and a nearby Rama temple.
Uttarakhand⛰ 1,869 m2 itineraries
Ranikhet
Ranikhet, the cantonment hill station at about 1,869 m in Almora district: Jhula Devi and Haidakhan temples, Tarikhet, Majkhali and the temples of Dwarahat.
Itineraries you can copy
All 2 →
One day in Ranikhet — the view point, two temples and Tarikhet
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day Ranikhet plan: the town view point, the Haidakhan Babaji and Jhula Devi temples, and Tarikhet village, with road times from town. Free to copy.
Best Mar–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →
A day to Dwarahat — the Katyuri temples and Majkhali on the way back
Day plan · culture · Temples & heritage
A day trip from Ranikhet to the Katyuri-era temples of Dwarahat, 74 minutes north, with the Ratan Deo group and a stop at Majkhali on the way back.
Best Mar–May · Sep–Nov
See the plan →Going together
No one has started a group going to Ranikhet yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Ranikhet is a cantonment hill town in Almora district, at about 1,869 m, within sight of the western Himalayan peaks. The Indian Army looks after it, and it is home to the Kumaon Regiment's centre. Its name means "queen's meadow", from a local legend of the Katyuri king Sudhardev and his queen Padmini. It is a place of pine, oak and rhododendron forest, quiet roads and long views rather than sights, and the best months are March to October, by Wikipedia's account.
Close to town are two temples. The Jhula Devi Temple, about 5 km and 10 minutes away on our routing, is hung with bells that worshippers offer when a wish is granted, and the Haidakhan Babaji Temple at Chilianaula is about 4.7 km and 11 minutes away. Tarikhet, with its Gandhi Kuti, is 18 minutes away and Majkhali, a picnic village on the Almora road, 22 minutes. Further off, the temples of Dwarahat, left by the Katyuri kings, are about 74 minutes away. Wikipedia and Wikivoyage also list the Kumaon Regiment's museum, the army's golf course at Upat, the orchards at Chaubatia, Rani Jheel and the Mankameshwar Temple, but we could find no verified location or hours for them, so they are not on our maps.
Delhi is about 354 km, and routing says about 355 minutes, though the hill road above Kathgodam adds time. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, about 77 km and 157 minutes on our routing, and Pantnagar is the nearest airport. Read when to visit, how to reach Ranikhet and things to do in Ranikhet, and copy the one-day plan or the Dwarahat day.
Photos: Harshit SR (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mrneutrino (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Harshit SR (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Places worth the drive
Haidakhan Babaji Temple — the Shiva temple at Chilianaula
The Haidakhan Babaji Temple at Chilianaula near Ranikhet: a Shiva shrine built by the teacher Haidakhan Babaji, 11 minutes from town, with its ashram.
The Dwarahat temples — the Badrinath group and other Katyuri-era shrines north of Ranikhet
The ancient temples of Dwarahat built by the Katyuri kings: the Badrinath, Ratan Deo and Mritunjaya groups, 74 minutes from Ranikhet by road, and what survives.
On the map
Open the Ranikhet map →The places a Ranikhet day reaches, with the road time from town. Each opens on the map with its plans and pages beside it.
Before you go
All articles →Things to do in Ranikhet — temples, orchards, a regiment museum and Dwarahat
Things to do in Ranikhet: the Jhula Devi and Haidakhan temples, the Kumaon Regiment museum, Chaubatia's orchards, Tarikhet, Majkhali and Dwarahat's old temples.
How to reach Ranikhet — roads from Delhi, Kathgodam and Nainital
How to reach Ranikhet from Delhi, Kathgodam, Nainital and Almora by road, with measured times, the nearest railway station and the nearest airport.
Best time to visit Ranikhet — the pine ridges through the year
When to visit Ranikhet: March to October suits most, winters are very cold with snow from December to February, and the snow peaks show best in clear weather.
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.
Questions people ask
How far is Ranikhet from Delhi?
About 354 km by road, and free-flow routing says about 355 minutes; the hill road above Kathgodam is slow, so most people break the journey. Wikipedia gives 350 km. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, about 77 km and 157 minutes away on our routing, and the nearest airport is Pantnagar.
What is there to do in Ranikhet?
Walk the pine ridges, visit the Jhula Devi and Haidakhan Babaji temples, and take a day out to Tarikhet, Majkhali or the ancient temples of Dwarahat. Wikipedia also lists the Kumaon Regiment's museum, the army golf course at Upat, Chaubatia's orchards and Rani Jheel, though we have no verified hours for them.
When is the best time to visit Ranikhet?
March to October, by Wikipedia's account, with moderate summers. Winters are very cold, with snow mainly in December, January and February. Wikivoyage says the Nanda Devi range is visible in clear weather from November to April or after rain, so the cold months can give the best views.
Photographs by Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA), resized; each picture is credited on its own page.