Family trips has that magic of doing everything while doing nothing and Pangot gave us the opportunity to do just that. It has all the beauty that one can admire while just sitting and gazing at the clouds, the green valley, and the countless species of birds.
I never knew that I was a mountain person until I visited Pangot. I have always been a nature-lover but never knew that mountains provide a premium view of it. The peace you can find in the mountains is unmatchable. A person who loves solitude is definitely a mountain person and I’m one of those.
Pangot is around 320 kms from Delhi, 15 kms from Nainital. You reach Pangot through the forest area of Cheena peak range via snow view and Himalayan view. You start climbing the hills after you reach Corbett. The nearest train station is Kathgodam which is 41 kms away from pangot. The nearest airport you will find is the Pantnagar which is 75 kms away from Pangot village. There is always a jam in Nainital due to which you will be stopped at the Binsar and Nainital crossing. Pangot is a village situated in the forest near Nainital and the temperature here is always moderate. The best time to visit Pangot is anytime in the year, but in my personal view, the best time is in the summers as you find a place to escape the hot, killing summer of the northern plains and can treat yourself to the cool mountain breeze.
We travelled to Pangot by road. The distance can normally be covered in 7-8 hrs but with traffic it took us around 11 hrs. This was because of the lunch break we took and also because of the exceptional summer vacation traffic. While going to Pangot, we found a major block at Nainital. The traffic police of Uttarakhand are ordered to stop tourist travellers and buses at Binsar and Nainital crossing and allow 5 vehicles at a time in the gap if 1.5 hrs as it helps them to avoid heavy blockage at Nainital. It is better to cooperate with the police as they are there to help you.
Road trip to Pangot was a good decision. The scenic views as you start climbing the mountains, the temperature that will start decreasing slowly and you will feel the pleasant cold winds on your face and at that moment you will definitely never want to go back to the city. The deep dense forest as you look down and outside and the cool, fragrant wind will make you feel that you have arrived at a green heaven. The forest is full of pine trees which gives you a feel that you have arrived in Switzerland sans snow. The narrow turns on the way to pangot were blind race tracks, you don’t
know where a turn can come and whether some other vehicle is coming towards you from the opposite side. Our India has everything that all other countries together have. You experience every season, you just need to know well and decide very carefully that in which season you should go
where. You can have a mini world tour in India in accordance to your preference. True, India is no match for high infrastructure so do not compare India in that section.
The resort we chose to stay at was called “The Nest Cottages”. It was a beautiful one though parts of it were under construction. We had booked duplex cottages very close to the parking and we were blessed with a beautiful terrace overlooking the valley. However, one must be careful not to leave any eatables outside the rooms as the place is a favourite of monkeys and langoors. They tend to steal your food and things kept outside are very unsafe.
Around us there were several other resorts called Pangot Retreat, Ashoka’s Naini Chalet, Hillview resort, Hidden valley resort etc. Each resort is at a different hight of the hill and so offer different experience and views. There are many camping sites too. Most of these are fully equipped tents and though there is a bit of adventure, it does not offer the authentic experience of camping. Many of these camps are really close together, so it can also make you feel cramped.
On our trip, we enjoyed the place and relaxed. We played a lot of dumb charades and Uno. Uno was our best time pass. We went on trekking twice a day and found out different types of ferns and mosses. We were also fortunate enough to see several species of a plant that looked like the carnivorous pitcher plant, but we were not sure what species it was. Mint plants can also be found here and there over the hill. The sweet smell of mint provides real freshness. We brought cuttings of all types of plants we could carry till Delhi for our garden. Hotel people were also kind enough to
give us samples of their plants for us to take with us. On our last night the staff also planned abonfire for our family after dinner.
Birds are a big attraction at Pangot. You get to see various types of birds in so many colours that you will soon lose the count, if you don’t keep a journal. The chirps and songs of the birds make you want to go into a trance and never really leave the place. However, one must come back home. During our stay at Pangot, it had rained every day. Therefore, on our way back to the cement world, we found ourselves enveloped in clouds. We drove through the clouds, literally through clouds! The scene of heavy clouds flying past, keeping you company as you battle mountain sickness, was heart filling.
Pangot the perfect place for a person who loves to be close to nature and away from cement world as you get zero signals over the place. Pangot is a place to enjoy solitude and do everything while doing nothing.
If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -
- Manage your waste well and don’t litter
- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.
- Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.
- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.
- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite
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