Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Nahargarh fort- Jaipur

This is an old fort near jaipur( approx 350 km from Delhi).This got featured in the hit hindi movie "Rang de basanti". it is known for its spiralling stairs with a pond in the middle of the fort.I had gone there on a day visit.There is not much to see in this place other than the fort, jal mahal( a palace in the middle of the lake) and a boutique hotel situated in the Neemrana fort.
How to Reach there- by bus ( state transport from Anand Vihar), best way to reach there is by private transport

Travel time- 3-4 hours

Best time to visit - winter months as Jaipur is hot otherwise

Other places- Jaipur is 15 km from this place. Hence, we can go ahead and see the city as well.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Nainital- the town of seven lakes

Nainital is one of the most pristine and beautiful hill stations doting the Himalayan ranges. Present in Uttarakhand, this place is easily accessible by buses and train from Delhi.In case of a bus, there is a switch over at Haldwani and the second leg of the journey is around 1 hour. The main lake which is split into two parts- the upper and the lower halves is the hub for all kinds of activities.Most of the hotels,market place,restaurants are situated on the banks of the lake. The best part of this town is that the lake road is shut for vehicular traffic between 6 pm and 8 pm. This provides the tourists a nice chance to stretch their muscles and have a pleasant walk.
There are boat rides available during the stipulated hours till 6 in the evening.One can hire a cab for a day and visit the other lakes situated at around 15-20 km radius.I personally felt that the Bhim tal and the main lake are the best ones and the others are either too small for any tourist attraction or fall under the category of yet another water body.
There are many stay options.We stayed in a hotel situated near the army cantonment.This proved light on our pockets and also gave us a chance of experiencing"home like"stay. The caretaker offered to cook the meals provided the rations were bought by us which was very economical.There are many eateries around the lake which provide a variety of cuisines across all price points.Overall, it was a cheap affair as the budget came to around 3k per person for a 3 day trip.
Must try- 
The boiled egg sprinkled with pepper on the road side during the winters
Sitting on the benches in the periphery of the lake in the night. The chill breeze seriously sets a chill       in your bones.
How to reach there- Train is the most cheapest mode of transport.It leaves from Old delhi station and goes upto Kathgodham.It is 45 minutes hill drive from Kathgodham to Nainital.Budget - 4-5k per person for a 3 day trip