Delhi is lucky in a way because
out of all the metros, it is closest to all the gorgeous hill stations that
India boasts of. The two most important states that it borders in that respect
are Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and two most well known hill stations that
are just 7 hrs drive away in these respective states are Shimla and Nainital. Owing
to their proximity to the capital city, it goes without saying that these
places are always packed with tourists looking for a break. So you can imagine
my sheer pleasure on discovering Naukuchiatal which not only is at a stone
throw distance from Delhi but also still has some of its sanctity in place!
Last weekend, I had a three day off
from my work, so grabbing the opportunity I headed to the hills. The vacation
was a lovely time off especially because of the place I stayed in. This was a quaint home-like resort called The
Camphor Tree Resort. The name of the place is derived from the big Camphor Tree
that’s there in its premises, its branches all spread out as if offering its
blessings. The place is ideal for nature
loving people looking for a quiet getaway. The Naukuchiatal lake right in front of it
adds to the serenity, the mysterious ruins around it adds to the grandeur and
the foreboding forest behind it adds to the aura!
The guys who run this place
are awesome fun guys. The food was absolutely lip smacking and innovative. Two
dishes that I really loved were Chicken in cashewnut gravy and poached peaches and
orange in cinnamon syrup, perfect summer drink (picture below).
Things to do
- Due to the beautiful forests around it, perfect place for bird spotting and trekking
- Boating, zorbing and kayaking in the lake
- Para-gliding
- Best of all, take a book, listen to your favourite music and just relax amidst the nature ;)
my walk in the hills
How to reach there
- Uttarakhand Volvos ply everyday between Delhi (Anand Vihar ISBT/ Kashmere Gate ISBT) and Haldwani.
- Very good train connectivity between Delhi and Kathgodam.
- You will have to take a taxi from Haldwani/Kathgodam to Naukuchiatal. Its a 45 mins drive and taxi usually taken somewhere around Rs 700-Rs 800.
- Else just drive down from Delhi, will take 7 hours like I said.
You can check out more detailed pics of
the resort and its rooms at its Facebook page: The Camphor Tree Resort and at my Instagram
page @ganj15.
