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The best family holiday in the Himalayas & Northern India

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When I take my family on an annual vacation, we try to mix luxury and style but we also love to engage with the destination. Kumaon is brilliant for families as one can walk from village to village, observing the peaceful, rural culture without another tourist in sight.

My family loves enjoying the breath-taking landscapes with expert guides, staying in tastefully decorated, comfortable, spectacularly located atmospheric homes set in valleys, or a luxury lodge set high on a ridge commanding uninterrupted views of the mountains. If that means the odd bumpy road or eccentric hotel in order to see something truly special, that's fine by us.

On my previous visits I noticed that the Himalayas harbour a great diversity of habitats squeezed into narrow altitudinal belts, from lush sub-tropical mosaic forests of grasslands and semi-evergreen woodlands to alpine meadows. 

I really wanted to explore this area whilst accompanied by a specialist naturalist guide. Our guide specialised in taking you deep into tiger country spending nights in remote forest bungalows, so you spend the days searching for tigers, leopard, elephants, sloth bears and a rainbow array of birds – almost 500 species in just one park.

Fortunately the entire family enjoys nature and wildlife and hence we decided to have a superb wilderness experience followed by walking and enjoying the stunning landscapes of the western Himalayas. After a brief stay at Delhi we boarded a comfortable train to Kathgodam which is the nearest railhead to get to the famous Corbett National Park

The Shatabdi Express was very comfortable and on time. We spent couple of nights at the main lodge and a further three nights at Raj era forest rest houses. This was one of the most fascinating experiences for us and especially for the children. Corbett has several zones and each one of them has something different to offer.

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Dhikala is good for tiger viewing, whereas Sarpduli offers great birdwatching opportunities.  Soft linen, comfortable mattresses, essential toiletries and more are all arranged at the rest house to ensure their guests have a very comfortable stay.

Corbett is the only tiger reserve in India offering you the chance to stay inside the park offering fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities. I definitely recommend spending three nights for a superb wilderness experience. 

From Corbett we travelled south-east to arrive at Bhimtal, a short three hour drive, to spend couple of nights at an imposing colonial-style homestead nestled among cypress and deodar trees. Located on a peaceful wooded hillside and overlooking the Bhimtal valley and the mountain slopes beyond, this homestead is wonderfully located in the midst of acres of dense oak forest.

This is a peaceful haven where only the sounds of nature break the silence: the wake-up song of the resident Whistling Thrush, the sharp call of a Barking Deer in the distance; the hoot of a Spotted Owl signaling dusk. This part of the Kumaon Lake Region, home to a large variety of flora, fauna and aquatic life, has always attracted bird-watchers, butterfly-collectors and nature lovers as well as writers in search of solitude and city-dwellers seeking to renew their spirits. 

The bungalow was home to Fredy Smetacek Sr., who was a passionate Entomologist and Lepidopterist, a researcher of butterflies, which are an important indicator of changing climates and resultant environment change. Smetacek Sr. started a butterfly collection in the 1950’s, which grew to over 10,000 specimens. His son Fredrick Smetacek Jr, known as Fredy and from whom the bungalow gets its name, cared for and added to this collection along with his siblings.

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This Butterfly Collection is among the largest in Asia and includes many rare specimens. Much of the collection is on display at Fredy’s Bungalow and the rest can be viewed in a Butterfly Museum close by. Bhimtal is indeed a nature enthusiast’s paradise!

After enjoying the large and airy living room that boasts large windows and the fireplace with a Franklin stove, we drove to Almora, a mere 3.5 hour drive. We spent the last four nights at the gorgeous Itmeenan Estate.

The 100-year-old traditional Kumaoni style stone house on the estate has been painstakingly restored and offers 3 tastefully designed en suite bedrooms. Near to this house is a large two-story independent cottage built in traditional style.

In and around the accommodations are abundant places for you to unwind and relax - the courtyard overlooking the mountains and verdant valleys, the semi open-air dining area, numerous nooks and corners perfect for reading or for fulfilling your spiritual quest.

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The beautiful Kumaon region is land of rich cultural heritage, age-old temples, majestic Himalayan peaks, picture postcard terraced fields and tempting fruit orchards. To experience this stunningly beautiful region on foot is truly inspiring and more rewarding than words can describe. 

The unspoilt villages of Kumaon are extremely enjoyable, as was the interaction with the cheerful people who offered us to come over for a cup of ‘chai’. I was eager to spend couple of nights at really cozy village houses at Thikalna and Ghanget from where you can enjoy the stunning mountain views and unwind. Both these houses are managed by Itmeenan and its wonderful team.

These were undoubtedly the most rejuvenating surroundings that provide privileged access to places far removed from the noise and clutter of the modern world, where space, peace and epic landscapes provoke the imagination and nourish the soul. A truly wonderful family sojourn!

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