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Host 11960 |
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uttaranchal
All Year: yes
Area (ha): 6
Persons: 8
Category: Organic Farmstay
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Host ID: 11960
Region: India
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Last Updated: May 14, 2013
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I would like to give to you some more information while on my farm.
Accommodation: I have a cottage with two rooms. The cottage rooms have an attached toilet with hot and cold water. The rooms are big enough to accommodate up to 8 guests. I do not charge guests any money for accommodation at the cottage, however, each guest is required to contribute 250.00 rupees per day for expenses for food during their stay at the farm.
Food: we provide basic Indian vegetarian food, morning Tea/Coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kitchen keeper does the cooking but guests are welcome to join the kitchen and learn from him the Indian way of cooking meals. Guests can always shop at kotabagh for fruits, biscuits or whatever they need and can store them in the refrigerator in the cottage. There are a few shacks in Kotabagh that serve chicken, lamb and fish. They serve at their shacks and also Take-away.
Tent: Helpers, who carry with them a sleeping tent, can pitch the tents on the farm.
Work: Helping on the farm is most appreciated and not compulsory. if you wish you can help on the farm like weeding, watering trees,sowing etc. no heavy duty work. and the time spent on the farm working depends for how long you want to work. we respect the rights of helpers on the farm.
Water: the taps in the cottage flow with drinking water. But some stomachs may not be so strong .So, if you feel anupset stomach could ruin your holiday,and you wish to have bottled drinking water, it is available at the store behind the cottage. Other stuff available at the store would be things like toilet paper, detergent, coca cola, sprite, fanta, maza mango, soda water,beer,rum,vodka, whiskey ,coffee etc. what is not available there, you can always go to kotabagh to
Laundry: rekha the helper does the washing and drying of the clothes with her detergent. She charges 5.00 rupees per garment. However, you can wash and dry your clothes yourself.
Internet: At the cottage there is internet wi-fi.
ATM: state bank of India has ATM in Kotabagh.
Trekking: Guests, who want to go trekking on the many hills around Kotabagh and stay overnight at the peak, would need to carry with them a sleeping bag for overnight stay.
CYCLING: At the farm bicycles are available for hire.
BONFIRE : In the evenings a Bonfire is lit. Everyone can join to collect the wood from the jungle.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: Since I do not have a photocopy at my farm, pls carry with you two photocopies of your passport and Indian visa as I need to submit one these documents to the local intelligence unit in kotabagh upon your arrival and the other i need to keep for my records.
If you require any other clarifications pls do revert either now or when you are at the farm. You can always phone me on my mobile.
The nearest airport from Kotabagh is new Delhi. Trains are the most convenient form of transport in India, but getting booking on trains might not be so easy. there are direct buses to haldwani from agra, chandigarh,jaipur delhi.
Arriving from other stations into Haldwani refer to the website of haldwani.co.in
It is strongly suggested that while on stations and the trains in India, you should never lose sight of your belongings. Further, in no circumstance you should eat or drink anything offered by a co-passenger. The best and economical class to travel for foreign tourists is A.C. 2nd class sleeper on trains.
Apart from the Indian railways there are almost 50-60 buses that leave for Haldwani from Delhi Daily. Journey time is 6-7 hours. The bus terminal for buses going to Haldwani is ANAND VIHAR and KASHMIRI GATE in Delhi. Buses leave for Haldwani throughout the day. There are state run and private buses running between delhi-Haldwani. State run buses have cheaper fare, and private buses are more expensive but comfortable. Journey time for state and private buses is almost the same. Refer to websites of companies that run buses from delhi to Haldwani. Some are: hinatours.com travelyaari.com haldwani.co.in and you will find many more operators on the internet. PLAN YOUR TRIP THAT YOU ARRIVE AT KOTABAGH IN THE DAYTIME SAY TILL 5.00PM
After arriving at HALDWANI BUS STATION, take a cyclerikshaw or autorickshaw to KOTABAGH BUS STOP-MUKHANI PETROL PUMP in Haldwani. The cycle riksha will charge rs. 20.00 and autorikshaw will charge 50.00 rupees to reach MUKHANI PETROL PUMP which is approx. 3 kms from Haldwani bus station to take the bus for KOTABAGH. The first bus leaves Haldwani at 8.00 am the fare is 30-40 rupees and journey time is a little over an hour. Buses leave from here for Kotabagh hourly till 5.00 pm.
After reaching KOTABAGH BUS STOP, take a taxi to BALUTI which will cost around 200.00 to 250.00 rupees
If you need more clarifications on how to get to my farm, pls do revert
For further information you can call me on my mobile.
Places to visit around my farm.
1. LAZY MORNINGS/AFTER NOONS AND EVENING.
A.enjoy the Himalayan sun, cool breeze,check out what else is there on the farm, walk downhill to the base of the farm. Just be lazy.
B. play badminton on the farm. There are rackets, a net etc. you need to pay 25.00 rupees to puran to buy a shuttle cock.
C flying kites can be a lot of fun. The kite,the thread is available at the store behind the cottage.
D playing marbels on the farm is good fun and reminds you that you are still 8 years young.
A) IN ONE DAY
1. Fly downhill on cycles to the Dabka River. Leave the bicycles at the river tea stall, where you can refresh yourself with tea ad biscuit etc. relax on the banks on the river to view the cinerary, walk down the rocky banks of the river, either upstream or downstream, read a book in the calm atmosphere, cycle along the road above the bank of the river Distance from cottage approx 3 kms. Cycle hire for the day. 50 rupees. Alternatively walk down to the river from the cottage. My comments: cycling or walking are both fun. In walking you see the richness of the nature of the hills and fauna. Walking doesn't cost anything.
2. Walk down to kotabagh and check out some of the Himalayan sweet shops, fruits and vegetable vendors, train or air bookings, internet, Himalayan non vegetarian dhabas(small restaurants),shop selling all organic medicines for different treatments,cheese,fruit juice, and general knick-knacks. You can fly down to kotabagh on bicycles and leave the bicycles at kotabagh and walk back without the hassle of cycling uphill to my cottage. Cycle hire 50.00 rupees per day. My comment: cycling or walking are both fun. In walking you see the richness of the nature of the hills and fauna. Walking doesn't cost anything.
3. Full day horse ride to the Sitabani forest and Corbett park, where if you are blessed, could see a tiger, elephant. Please remember it's a jungle and not a zoo. You could be blessed to see many, many wild animals, or you just might see a few. Horse riding for a day (7 hours) will cost you 700.00 rupees. My comment: It's fun to be in the jungle on horses. You never know what lies ahead on the next bend.
4. Trek upwards from the cottage to the beautiful village of talia, a semi scattered village, with fields, growing wheat, tomatoes etc. on the east and north side large mountains. A very picturesque spot. Trekking from the cottage to Talia takes about 45 minutes. Trekking is not very difficult. The guide sonu will meet you half way to the trek to Talia and show you the beautiful region. On your return give him 50.00 rupees. My comment: It's a very nice place to take pictures and sonu can be of help.
5. Cycle mostly downhill to Corbett museum (kaladungi) and Corbett falls. Distance from cottage to Corbett falls is 23kms. On your return come back to Corbett museum and put the cycles on a bus or shared taxi for kotabagh. At kotabagh, leave the cycles at the place I will pre-inform and walk down to my cottage. Bicycle hire: rupees 50.00. My comments: a nice cycling experience to kaladungi
6. Cycle mostly downhill to belparao, a small village, passing through the Corbett national park and the entrance gate to Corbett at pawalgarh (where Jim Corbett shot a man-eating tiger). At belparao, enjoy the very tasty lunch at Shiva restaurant (made in typical Kumaon style (our region of the Himalayas). From belparao, take a bus or shared taxi, put your bicycles on it and ride to Kotabagh. At kotabagh leave the bicycles at a place I will inform you, and walk back to the cottage.
7. You can visit the many different villages on the hills, either walking or on horseback. Horse ride for a day (seven hours) will cost you 700.00 rupees.
8. Cycle down on a very lovely road from kotabagh to bajpur. The road is lined with beautiful trees and you can enjoy the cycling and also the view. Take a bus or a shared taxi till either belparao or kaladungi. At kaladungi or belparao change buses for kotabagh. After reaching kotabagh, leave the bicycles at crown palace and walk back to the cottage. Bicycle hire: 50.00 rupees.
9. Jeep safari to Sitabani forest and Corbett national park: jeep will pick you up from the cottage 20 to 30 minute before sunrise, will show you the park (which is actually a jungle), you could be blessed to see much wild life. The jeep will drop you back in the afternoon at the cottage. Jeep safari 5 hours. Cost of jeep, including all the entrance fees etc. 2000.00 rupees. Seating capacity 8 persons.
10. Nainital: take a direct bus from kotabagh to Nainital. There is only one bus plying kotabagh-Nainital. It leaves kotabagh bus station at 7.00am travel time from kotabagh to Nainital is approx. 1.20 minutes. On reaching Nainital you can do some of the things mentioned in one night stay trek. In the evening leave Nainital at 3.30 and be back in kotabagh by 5.00pm and walk back to the cottage.
ONE NIGHT STAY TREK:
Trek to the teeth Devi temple via Talia village. Trekking time to the temple roughly 4 hours. Sonu will guide you to the temple. It's a tricky path to the temple so suggest sonu accompany you till the temple. At the temple there are 2 rooms where you can sleep for the night. The caretaker of the temple will offer you morning tea, lunch and dinner. Very simple vegetarian food. In the rooms there are no beds, so if you are not carrying your sleeping bag, you could use the blankets available there. Suggestion: though the room has mud flooring, the blanket could smell a little. To make it a 2 night trek, you could trek the next morning to the different peaks from teeth Devi temple and return back to the temple by the evening. Sleep the second night at the temple, and trek back to the cottage in the morning. Coming down takes approx 3 hours from the temple. Since the temple is run purely on donation, pls give 100.00 per night for your stay as donation. I once again remind you that the caretaker will not demand it-because donation is your will. On your return pay sonu 200.00 rupees per day of his services.
Two night visit
Nainital: a very beautiful place with the lake as the centre. You take the morning bus to Haldwani from kotabagh (cost approx 40.00 rupees). At Haldwani kotabagh bus station take a rickshaw to Haldwani roadways bus stop (cost approx 10-20 rupees). At the Haldwani roadways bus stop there are millions of buses and shared taxis leaving for Nainital (cost 40 rupees).Travel time from Haldwani to Nainital approx one and half hour. At Nainital park yourself in a hotel near the bus stop (near the bus stop you have many budget hotels). In Nainital you could do some of these things: boating on the lake, paddling on the lake, walking around the lake, cable car, horse riding to the various beautiful peaks around Nainital, Nainital zoo, shopping at the Tibetan market for stuff sold be the Tibetan refugees at Nainital, Tibetan food is also served in the Tibetan market, Yatching, and many more. Suggestion: one night in Nainital may not be enough to absorb Nainital.
From the bus stop where you got down there are buses leaving for very beautiful places in the Himalayas. These are just my suggestion, you can modify as it suits you. Almora (1 night)binsar (two nights), kasauni(2 nights),bageshwar(1 night),chaukori (1 night),thal(1 night),munsiyari (1 night):please note that munsiyari is the base town for trekking to the pindari glacier,milam glacier etc. you need prior booking to do these treks. From munsiyari to udaiyari bend(1 night),udaiyari bend to berinag(1 night),berinag to sherghat (1 night),sherghat to barachinna(1 night), barachina to jageshwaar(leave early in the morning and be back at night to barachina, barachina to almora(1 night),almora to Haldwani and same day arriving at kotabagh. Please note that you can break your journey in-between and return to Haldwani and kotabagh.
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