Guest Writer - Shalika B on Naukuchiatal

Celebrate Nature @ The Lake Resort

By Shalika B.

Think as soon as one gets off the train and gets on to the Delhi roads at 5am, the first comment is - so much of pollution, noise and air...

That was the exact reaction that our group had once we got back from Naukuchiatal. A beautiful place with a lovely resort, overlooking the lake... starting from the scenic beauty enroute from the station at Kathgodam to the resort till the excitement of paragliding, it kept us all enthralled and thankful that despite all the difficulties and delays we made it here.

Initially confused as to the best place to stay, we realized we had made the best choice by staying at The Lake Resort. The view from there, may it be the rooms or outside, is unparalleled, the pristine blue sky being reflected in the depths of the lake i would say, trees and mountains surrounding the place. The best aspect was that it was very simple and it was nature that added to the beauty of the place rather than artificial or superficial add ons such as in other certain places. May it be ginger teas or the inane number of hot water flasks (which made up for the absence of electric kettles) we ordered or the very hospitable and on their feet service and the really yummy food which has surely increased our weights by a couple of kilograms if not more, the will to keep the guest pleased came across very strongly.

The resort is the best place to relax and enjoy the sun along with the breeze from the lake and the crickets actually going on the whole day. May it be us sitting chatting there the whole day or a friend enjoying reading a novel, or a couple sitting in one corner sharing their thoughts or one just enjoying their kind of music, and one busy clicking photographs, we all enjoyed it in our way. A walk around the lake, some horse riding and boating back from one end of the lake to resort was the only thing that ensured we would be able to eat after a massive lunch.

Being a boisterous group of 11, we enjoyed a great bonfire evening followed by dinner. The fact that we were carrying our own music system made it more fun. and then just sitting in front of the lake again.. seeing the clear sky with the stars actually made us sing twinkle twinkle.. for the stars looked no less than diamonds.. a couple of constellations and shooting stars wrapped up the beauty of the night.

Just a couple of pointers being the evenings are very chilly, it being end of October, we were literally wishing for the sun to come thaw us out. Also. make sure you have your taxi services sorted before you reach the resort, because arranging for a taxi at a nominal rate from up there is very difficult.

The area per se has no activity except for boating and walks, but we enjoyed some table tennis competitions. The next day saw us heading off for some adventure in the form of paragliding. Was it fun or what, if not for the excitement, palpitation or adventure of it then try it for the height, freedom and the amazing view of the whole place. We further headed to Bhimtal to catch the canoeing n kayaking competition happening there, but missed it by some hours. Considering thats all the time we had, we didnt get a chance to explore other areas around, but would love to go back and do that some day.

Simply put, as the helpful and co-operative guys from Hill and Sea Hotels and Resorts had already told us.. its a place for serenity, where one can enjoy their solitude, just be peaceful and stuff and a group can enjoy the company of friends and family too. There was a strong yearning to stay back for a few more days away from the traffic, the maddening crowd, the pollution, the craziness of daily life... just a few days of me...

In my words:
A PLACE TO BOND.. WITH YOURSELF AND WITH THOSE YOU LOVE.

Shalika is a lawyer by profession.

The Naukuchiatal Lakeside Jam

Dates: Oct 31st and Nov 1st

From music that defined history to music that stirs the soul, the Lakeside Jam has it all.

The Lakeside Jam, a two day event organized every year on the shores of Naukuchiatal at The Lake Resort, is a humble attempt of all music lovers to showcase the... free spirit of music and love transcending all genres and forms.

The music is to pay homage to Lenon, Clapton, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Led Zeplin, New Riders of the Purple Saget and mainly the blue chips from the 60’s and 70’s. Both professional and amateur musicians jam together and the audience dance and jam along amid the tranquil nature around. The mist-covered mountains work their magic and the star spangled sky completes the bonfire on the cold night.

A star to the event, Dr. Madan Gopal Singh, an eminent Sufi singer and film maker, leads the select audience into some inspiring Sufi music. His redemptions of Bulla Shah’s famous verses, sung to accompaniment of different musical instruments are a fusion to its best.

This year’s Lakeside Jam would see a fusion of different forms and styles, from Sufi to Reggae, from Rock-n-Roll and Urban Folk to the Blues and Country music.

The Artists:

Day 1: 31st October, Saturday, 2009:

(1) Dr. Madan Gopal & Deepak Castelino(Ambient Sufi fusion)

(2) Vedanta (Indian Fusion)

(3) Sidharth (A musical journey through folk poetry from the world over)

Day 2: 01st November, Sunday, 2009:

(1) Babylon Ext. (Reggae & Funk Rock)

(2) Sunny Side Up. (Contemporary Jazz/Funk)

(3) Boomarang. (Mizoram, Rock/Funk, Jazz)

This year’s Lakeside Jam would see a fusion of different forms and styles, from Sufi to Reggae, from Rock-n-Roll and Urban Folk to the Blues and Country music.

Package Price: Rs. 14,000/- per Couple for 02 Nights/03 Days

Includes All Meals, Taxes and Unlimited Music :)

Naukuchiatal Lake Resort New Website

It took The Lake Resort a lot of time and finally they have come up with a brand new Flash Website.

The New Website is full of information on Naukuchiatal as well as neighbouring tourist destinations like Nainital, Corbett and Bhimtal. The Website is fully functional and also features itineraries in Kumaon region.

Naukuchiatal Lake Resort has also added 05 new rooms in the main wing. The total number of rooms are now 30.

Nainital Blog

Season time is coming up in Naukuchiatal and also in the neighboring areas of Nainital and Kausani. The entire region will be full of tourists and after all the cold, everything will come back to life.

Nainital, the epicentre of Kumaon tourism will be flocked by thousands of tourists from all over India. A time when all everyone is going to be so damn busy entertaining their Gods :) While only a few people will come to Naukuchiatal, most of these tourists will be going and staying in Nainital.

We came across a very nice blog on Nainital which is still very new. We have been told that by the time its season time in Nainital, this blog will be the best source of information for entire lake district of Nainital. Titled All About Nainital, we are already finding this blog very useful. Though there aren't enough posts as of now but we can imagine what the blog will be in a couple of weeks from now.

Do check out if you are visiting Nainital. We are sure you will be not disappointed.

New Year in Naukuchiatal

Actually it rained quite a bit this season and I am glad Winters are coming to Naukuchiatal :) Its going to be cold and I am looking forward to some bonfire sessions by the lake.

The weather is going to be simply awesome and it will be pleasant throughout the day. The nights will be long and COLD...But dont worry, its not going to be sub-zero like in neighbouring areas of Nainital and Ranikhet. Paragliding enthusiasts...Get ready, this is the best time to visit Naukuchiatal. From Nov - Mar, Naukuchiatal will be simply full of life during this festive time of the year.

Since the New Year is not falling on a weekend, Lake Resort is offering lowest rates in the entire region during Dec 20 - Jan 02. The Package Rate of Rs. 8,999/- per couple for 2 Nights (Dec 30 and 31) is not only an incredible deal considering the fact that most of the resorts will be priced around 15 - 20k but also includes all meals, snacks, music, etc. Regular rates will apply from Dec 20 - Dec 29.

So guys, get ready for some great fun in Naukuchiatal starting November. If you want to book the New Year package, it is highly advised that you book well in advance.

Nainital to Naukuchiatal - Distance and Directions

The beautiful attraction of The Lake District - Nainital, is only 25 kms from this heavenly lake. To answer your questions on the condition of roads, I would say that it cant get any better on the hills. The road via Bhowali is absolutely perfect upto Bhimtal and then narrows down from there.

Please take the following route from Nainital while coming to Naukuchiatal:

From Nainital, after crossing the toll barrier, take left for Bhowali. On reaching Bhowali, take right from the main circle (roundabout) and keep going straight for about 1-1.5 kms till you see a board pointing right for Bhimtal (Its like a Right U Turn going upwards). Take that and keep following the road. You will come across a Y turn and you will have to take the road which is going down (The road going up will take you to Pandegaon, which famous for Paragliding). This will take you to Bhimtal. Upon reaching Bhimtal, ask anyone for directions to Naukuchiatal which is only 04 kms from Bhimtal.

The road from Nainital to Bhimtal is very picturesque and you could click some interesting pitures of Bhimtal Lake from the top. Enjoy!!!

48 hours of Nonstop Rain in Naukuchiatal

I am not sure if you have already gone through my previous post on Naukuchiatal Weather where I have described Naukuchiatal as an all season destination and my love for the lake during monsoons. However, I must confess (like an honest travel blogger) that the rains can actually play spoilsport in Naukuchiatal.

We left Delhi on Sept 19 thinking that we would reach Naukuchiatal in 06 hours and spend a night there before moving onto Corbett to visit Tarangi Resort and Spa. Everything behaved the same uptil Moradabad and the moment we crossed Moradabad Bypass, we were greeted by a drizzle. I was very excited to realise that the remaining 3 hours drive was going to be without an A/C and full of fresh air and lots of greenery.

The car speed came down as I was enjoying my drive and moreso because the drizzle had now taken shape of a heavy rain. I was happy to imagine the lake and the greenery that surrounds Naukuchiatal but also feared the flush floods at some points near Kaladunghi. As we approached Kaladunghi, the rain became more heavier and the fear of taking the car over water also grew. I have done that before but its still not advisable. And guess what...I was in for some serious trouble this time :-)

I dont think I have to write anything after that picture. The situation was horrifying and the truck added to the fear factor. By the way, there was no rain for sometime. Thankfully, it was a money making day for the local tractor owners who were towing and taking the vehicles to the other side for Rs. 100/- (I am sure they must have partied like crazy that evening). I must tell you that these guys were good and Rs. 100/- was peanuts to pay for a job done so effectively. But then we also know desi sharab costs less :)

<---- Our Car getting towed

After crossing Kathgodam, while we were climbing the hills, the rain started again and this time I feared land slides. Trust me this is the first time I have actually witnessed this kind of rain on this terrain. Thankfully my fear did not come true this time . We safely reached Naukuchiatal and it took us record breaking 9 hours.

We were told by the service guy that it was raining for the last 5-6 hours and it would continue to rain for the next 36 hours. However, we went off to sleep giving little importance to the local weather forecast. We got up in the morning to see the rain in full swing and in fact it was more heavier than the previous day. No doubt it was beautiful but I had to go to Corbett to attend an important meeting at Tarangi Resort. I called up the reception and was informed that due to land slide the highway was closed.

I waited till 6 p.m. and then gave up...The rain was still on. And everytime I noticed it, it seemed more heavier :) There was water everywhere but then it was beautiful. The water level of the lake was also rising as small streams coming from the hills were maing their way to the lake. No doubt I missed an important meeting but the beauty of Naukuchiatal kept me alive. I called for some pakoras, sandwiches and tea and settled for a nice, rainy evening...

I got up the next day (and no points for guessing this one) and it was still raining. However, it was not that heavy any longer. It completely stopped around 12 p.m. and the highway was also open now. I took off again for Delhi but will never forget the continous non stop baarish of Naukuchiatal.

Please note that this is the first time I have experienced such heavy rainfall in this region (Not even during July & August). Naukuchiatal is not the ONLY place which was affected by this but I was told the neighboring areas of Corbett and Nainital (which suffered more) were equally affected. However, the skies are going to be absolutely clear effective October and remain cloud free uptil June next year :)

Global Weather is changing...Change your attitude towards Global Warming.