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Travel with me!!!

Hey, Travel lovers! Looking for a quick getaway during Holi? Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Nainital and spend it in a peaceful space? Then Binsar is the place to go. Situated in Uttarakhand, it was the summer capital of Chand Kings, who ruled Kumaon from 11th- 18th centuries AD. 2412m above sea level, Binsar is a protected shrinking broad leaf oak (Quercus) forest in the central Himalayan region. The namesake Binsar came from the ancient Bineswar Temple, now situated inside what we now know as Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.


HISTORY: -

·     Grand Oak Manor: -

It was the summer home and work station of Sir Henry Ramsay, the commissioner of Kumaon from 1856- 1884.

·     Khali Estate: -

This estate was owned by Sir Henry Ramsay, it is now converted into a heritage hotel.

It was known later to be owned by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.

·     Mary Budden Estate: -

Located 8000ft above sea level, it is now a colonial home and a temple

 

FLORA AND FAUNA: -

In Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary you will find 25 types of trees, 24 types of bushes and 7 varieties of grasses.

It is a protected shrinking broad leaf oak (Quercus) forest, filled with oak, pine and rhododendron trees. When you enter Binsar you will see the local people always carrying beautiful red rhododendrons which diverts you from your monotonous city life to a land filled with colours.

 

Binsar has an abundance of Fauna, it has more than 200 species of birds. Leopards are a common occurrence in Binsar. Other than that Himalayan Goral, Chital, Musk Deer, Jungle Cat, Red Fox and Black bear etc. are also found in Binsar.

Forktails, Parakeets, Laughingthrush, Magpies and Eurasian Jays etc. are also a part of the endless fauna found in Binsar. When you visit the nature trail you will be greeted by the harmonious sounds of different birds which will constantly bless your ears with natural music.

 


HOW TO GET TO BINSAR: -

To go to Binsar there are 3 ways, you travel by car, bus or train.

If you prefer to travel by train then it will take at most 7hrs from New Delhi to Kathgodam Station from where you can take a cab to Binsar which is 3hrs 53mins away.

If you prefer to travel by bus then it will take average 9hrs to reach Nainital from Delhi, then you can rent a cab to go to Binsar.

I wouldn’t prefer a car to travel to Binsar but if you decide it then it will take at most 13hrs to reach Binsar from Delhi.

The road inside the wildlife sanctuary is not that good, you would have to be slow and cautious as it is also frequently used by animals.

 

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: -

Why should you go to Binsar? Binsar is a secluded wildlife reserve, it is away from any kind of modern advancement, if you stay inside the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary at KMVN Tourist Rest House then you will see that they use solar energy for generating electricity hence there is no T.V, Geyser or even landline phone in the rooms hence you cannot call room service. The lights inside the rooms are also just enough to illuminate the rooms and there is water scarcity in Binsar so they would ask you to not waste water. It is a perfect getaway for nature lovers as the first spot you will visit is going to be the Zero-point, Zero Point is a 2-2.5 km nature trail that ends in the view point, from the view point you see the Kedarnath Range, Trisul, Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot, Panchachuli and Shivling etc. Binsar is also very famous for its sunrise and sunsets, you will see that during sunrise the peaks turn completely golden, it is a scene that stays in your heart forever.

 

At the entry point of Binsar there is a mini-Flora and Fauna Museum and almost 7km beyond the entry point you will find the ancient Bineswar Shiv Temple, adjacent to the Temple is a beautiful and quaint little café called the Simba Café which will provide you an alternate option for breakfast and lunch inside the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

The cost of dining at KMVN Tourist Rest House is a bit expensive as it is situated deep inside the Sanctuary, when I visited Binsar the costs were

 

·     Breakfast: - Rs 250/ person

·     Lunch: - Rs 350/ person

·     Dinner: - Rs 375/ person

·     Tea: - Rs 25 / cup

·     Pakora: - Rs 70- Rs 150

 

Even though KMVN Binsar is in an extremely secluded spot it provides you with every kind of comfort the employees can afford. As it is very near to the Himalayan Peaks it becomes extremely cold at night so the staff of KMVN provide you with hot water bags to keep you warm as there is no heater provided in the rooms. The staff are very friendly and will always help you and cater to your needs with smiles on their faces. But you are not allowed to leave the hotel premises after 5:30 pm as it is dangerous, it is the time when leopards and animals usually come out to hunt. You are also strictly prohibited to bring any non-vegetarian food under the wildlife act inside the sanctuary as it attracts different kinds of Predators.

 

I enjoyed my stay in Binsar it taught me sustainable living, it forced me even if for 2 days to live without internet and taught me how humans and nature especially the feared predators can co-exist together in harmony. I hope you all decide to visit this beautiful sanctuary and enjoy the gifts our mother nature has bestowed upon us. 

By: Tunnisha Das Gupta (FullFry)