About Junoon in the Hills in Village Darmani, Ranikhet

About Darmani:

At a height of about 4500 feet, 70km from the railhead at Kathgodam, Darmani is a small and sleepy village of a few hundred souls. Untouched by the hustle of modern life, the village was served until recently by only a mountain path. 3 years ago, a small mountain road was constructed to connect the village to Garampani.

The weather here is far less extreme than other places in the Himalayas . In the winter, although the temperature drops to 0 degC at night, you can lounge in the sun during the day wearing just a t-shirt. In summer, the temperature goes up to the low 30s in the sun - but the shade is sweet and cool. When the sky is clear - typically in the winter months between October and March - there are beautiful views of the distant snow-clad Himalayas, especially Mount Trishul and Nanda Devi


Facilities:

We have built our home to ensure that each room has its own view of the valley and the mountains beyond.

The entire grounds of the property, and the various decks and gardens, are yours to enjoy. A TV and satellite TV connection in the family room means you don't have to miss that sports event or serial that you want to watch... When the electricity supply fails (mostly during the day, rarely at night), an ‘inverter’ power back-up means you can continue to watch TV for at least an hour or so. Even better, you can relax by the fish pond or on the deck with a nice book. In addition, at night, there are solar lanterns and candles to keep the dark at bay.

We have recently installed a broadband Wi-Fi connection in the family room – along with a PC for basic email and browsing. The network can be temperamental, though – depending on whether there is power availability at the relay centres in the hills. As a back-up, your Airtel and Vodafone mobile data connection will work here (GPRS), if all else fails…

In addition, there is a pool table, as well as a gym - both of which can only be used by those over the age of 15. A trained masseur can be made available (he will travel up from Delhi ahead of your visit) provided you book him at least 2 weeks in advance.

During your stay, please do keep in mind that while we're delighted to have you as guests, it is a home we have built with love and passion. Please respect and look after it while you enjoy it - as you would your own home!


Accommodation:

Each bedroom on the property has its own attached bathroom with a shower and electric water heater. During the winter, the heated floors in the bathrooms and drawing room in the Main House keep you warm. We also provide electric blankets to keep you cozy and snug, and heaters if required. There is a wood-burning stove and an open fireplace in the drawing room. Of course, double brick and insulated walls mean it's always warmer inside than out...! In the summer, on the other hand, there are many windows to let the breeze in, and fans to keep the circulation going. Outdoors, you can sit in the shade and enjoy a cool drink with the gentle summer breeze.


Wine and Dine:

Our food is simple and hearty, and cooked to your liking by a dedicated full-time cook in our large family kitchen.


Activities:

When visiting for a long weekend, most visitors prefer to just stay at home, relaxing and catching up with each other, getting pampered, playing pool, staying fit in the (small but adequate) gym, or catching some TV. Long walks along the country road are enjoyable, with some beautiful valley and snow-capped Himalayan views in the winter - you can spend hours just soaking these in...

For the more adventurous, there are mountain trails winding through small villages all the way down to the stream at Garampani. Our staff can help you decide what you'd like to do, and arrange for local guides if needed.

If staying longer, Darmani is well situated for trips to local destinations. Nainital is due south, a little over an hour away. Similarly, Ranikhet and Almora are about 40km away, further north. Various other local sites - such as Bhimtal, Naukuchiyatal, Mukteshwar, Sitla, and other Kumaon destinations - are all within easy motoring reach, allowing for comfortable day trips.
Our staff can arrange for local taxis to travel in the hills, at very reasonable rates - just ask!


Getting there:

Broadly, there are two ways of getting to Darmani:
By train (from Delhi)
By road

1. Kathgodam, the last railway station on the route, is well-connected to Delhi, with 3 trains at different times of the day. On average, this train journey takes 7 hours. From Kathgodam, the drive up into the hills takes you past Bhimtal up to Bhowali (about 5500 feet), before descending to Garampani. At Garampani, the old Khairna bridge leading left off the village centre takes you up again, towards Dhaniyakot (and then on, via Betaalghat, to Corbett National Park). About 10km from Garampani is the village, and our home is visible a couple of kilometers across the valley as you approach the village…

Train tickets can be booked at the IRCTC website (click here) - on the website, please select destination as KGM (Kathgodam).

We can arrange for a taxi service to pick you up from the station and take you to Darmani. Please mention this in the reservation email if you'd like us to arrange the pick-up.

2. You could also choose to drive all the way from Delhi - a distance of about 280km to Kathgodam. The road is a 4-lane national highway most of the way to Moradabad, and a 2-lane state highway from there to Kathgodam. If driving up from Delhi , any kind of car can get to Darmani - there's no need for a 4-wheel drive!