The both of us had decided to skip the honeymoon and save up for a grand international absolutely perfect holiday, also we didnt want to goto any place that would be a run of the mill kind of a place where there would be 10 dozen more honeymooning couples (read mussorie, shimla, nainital and the likes). So after a loooot of searching for that perfect place to goto we stumbled upon ramgarh bungalows....
The experience at the bungalows was just as we wanted it...we stayed in the Lemon room at Vista Villa, facing the hills and we would sit for hours just taking in the scenic beauty... after the whole wedding frenzy there was no better way to unwind than this...do nothing and just get pampered!!!
the staff was most hospitable....infact we even requested them to arrange a candle lite dinner on the rooftop of one villa and they readily arranged for it...it was magical!! Though the food could use a little more zing....We personally thought it wasnt upto the mark......what we did enjoy a lot was the fresh peach juice...and more and more of it...and the peach melba and the peaches and cream...heavenly....
As far as sightseeing is concerned the trails provided by them are decent... nice orchards on the way and friendly villagers to talk to....
On the whole I would love to go back to ramgarh bungalows sometime again to experience the bliss i did!!!

By the time we went to Ramgargh, my husband and I were too caught up with life and work to make the kind of elaborate itineraries that we were used to making. And Neemrana properties and Bungalows at Ramgargh in particular lend themselves perfectly to the lazy traveler. They are not located in the “hotspots” of the country. The properties tend to be out of the way, middle of nowhere, with not much to do but take in the nature and enjoy the warm service.

It was very clear from everything that I had read online, there was nothing much to do in Ramgargh in the touristy way, but it is known for its various fruit orchards and lovely trails for trekking. Which is exactly what we wanted.

We took an overnight train to Kathgodam. You get into the train at around 10 pm at night and get in to Kathgodam at 7 in the morning. Then it is a 3 hour taxi ride into Ramgargh. This is a far better way to travel than driving the whole distance. The roads, until you reach Uttaranchal, exist only in name. All along the way, there is presumably road expansion going on, so the roads are bumpy and in several places non existent. Further for anyone who has traveled by road India, they know that the problem isn’t just the primitive roads, it is also the highway driving. Vehicles can come to a sudden halt from high speeds of over 100 KMH because a bullock cart or a pedestrian or a herd of cattle got in the way. Cars go head to head with overloaded and oversized trucks. Passing vehicles ahead of you is a gladiator sport, the carnage of which is often visible along the way in the form of overturned vehicles. Unless you are a thrill seeker of a peculiar kind, it much safer and comfortable taking the train. But the downside is that train journey can not be a spur of the moment decision.

We went on the weekend of the Indian Independence day, which was a long weekend for almost everyone in the country. Needless to say that the station was jam packed and particularly dirty because it had been raining incessantly for a few days. In fact at one point, just looking at the mass of people and walking through the slush, we had a thought to turn around and hitch a ride with our friends who were coming to the same place, but a little later, in a taxi. But good thing we didn’t.

We got into Kathgodam around 8 in the morning and we were at the Bungalows by 11:30 PM. The usual taxi charges vary between Rs. 600 - Rs. 800. The trick to get a good bargain is to resist as many touts as you can till you get the price you want. It is a hilly ride with several hair pin bends, fortunately, the roads are in good condition and the mountain drivers aren’t in a free for all to win whatever competition seems to be going with drivers everywhere else in the country.

The Old Bungalow, the Writer’s Bungalow and Ashoka Vatika, located in Lower Ramgargh (Talla Ramgargh) are three properties that are maintained and run by Neemrana. The much talked about view from the Bungalows was missing mostly because of the cloud covers and intermittent rain. But view or no view, the place was breathtaking. The Himalayas, lower or upper are stunning, however what makes a place worth your time is how much of a tourist destination it is. That is the tragedy of India. The moment a place is deemed worthy of tourism, it is systematically destroyed through the connivance of the local businesses and arriving tourists. This is particularly true of the north India, where tourists arrive in polluting vehicles, with their party paraphernalia and proceed to trash the place and move on to party someone where else. This is supposed to be the case in Malla Ramgargh, which is where our friends stayed at Roop Kumaon.

Other than the three Neemrana properties and some local villages, Talla Ramgargh seemed to be virtually untouched by tourists. Not surprising because there aren’t tourist spots (temples, forts, and in the mountains there are always popular “points” from where you get views). We were free to walk along the different paths, including the main roads, without cars passing you in high speed spewing smoke into your face. There are several other walking trails through the mountains, and down further into the valley.

We stayed at the Old Bungalows in a room without the “view”. But that was completely irrelevant, because the property is beautiful. The “view” is just one of the millions of views. The room we stayed in was Rs. 1500/night. But it ranges from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 4000 I think. But by the time we made our reservation, most other rooms were already booked. That said, there was nothing “cheaper” about the room. There were three in a row in one bungalow, connected through a long and open verandah. When not out, we would sit out in the verandah play cards and drink the wines that we bought.

On the first day, we didn’t end up doing much as we were tired and a little beaten by the car ride to Ramgargh. We made an error in judgment on what to eat and in how much quantity before setting off from Kathgodam. But an hour long nap was enough to get us back into a healthy frame of mind. Somewhere in the middle of the day my friends joined us and we went walking, picking fruits on the way. We got back, sat around in the verandah, hung out till dinner time.

There aren’t too many options for food in that area, nothing in walking distance anyway. So to go out and eat would require a car. However, we didn’t feel the need to because the food at the property was spectacular. The food bill itself for the two of us and our guests ended up higher than our room stay, however, it is a nice experience eating good, tasty and healthy food in the mountains, where you end up feeling hungrier than usual.

The highlight of the second day was our 4-5 hour trek down to the river in the valley and back up again. It was a lovely route and an exhilarating trek. It was the highlight of our year almost, which is big because Sonoma is hard to beat. As it happened, it was the only 5 hour stretch in the entire weekend which was clear and sunny. Evening was spent playing poker with matchstick money and finishing up the alcohol that we had brought with us.

The next day, we left couple of hours after lunch. It was again a relaxing day, a nice healthy breakfast, a short trek and lunch.

If you are looking for an adventure packed or a busy weekend, this is not a place to go. It is the complete opposite of that.

Some pointers for travelers
1. Mobile networks don’t cover the area fully, so for a large part of the weekend, we were unconnected with the rest of the world.
2. Same as above for data cards. You shouldn’t expect to work online.
3. Bring a lot of cash, I didn’t see too many banks or ATMs along the way. The hotel does accept all types of cards, so if you plan to be in the entire time, it shouldn’t be a problem.
4. The weather in August is humid and mild. We only needed a slight cover in the evenings.

We experienced great family vacation at Ramgarh Bungalows. We had booked entire Ramgarh Bungalow for 3 days duration. It has 5 bedrooms contained in 2 suits and 1 room.

Hotel provided for extremely good service, hospitality and excellent food and comfortable stay in the cold place.

Hotel's idea of providing hot water bags inside the quilts was amazing and so homely that we felt at home.

Food was always served piping hot and with ear to ear smile by the waiters.

We were 3 couples with 4 kids amongst us. All of us had a great time.