CAPITAL
RANCHI
BEST TIME TO VISIT
NOVEMBER TO MARCH
WHERE TO STAY…
You can find all star hotels in most of the cities, besides budget hotels, resorts, homestays and guest houses, with good, feasible options ranging from Rs.2,000-7,000. The Jharkhand Tourism resorts will be even cheaper, but the options here are not too many.
COST: Rs.31,500 for 7 nights
HOW TO REACH FROM DELHI…
The fastest way to reach Ranchi is by air, which will take just under an hour and cost upwards of Rs.3,000. The cheaper option is train, which will cost you upwards of Rs.2,000 for class 2A, while sleeper class starts at Rs.575. It will take anywhere from 17 to 27 hours to reach, so take the travel time into consideration.
Cost by air
Rs.3,194 (Delhi-Ranchi, 1 hour 45 minutes)
Cost by train
Upwards of Rs.2,225 (Class 2A)
(Delhi-Ranchi, 16-27 hours)
Note:*One way, per person. Flight cost on Skyscanner on 25 Feb. Train cost on Ixigo.
WHAT TO EAT…
The state’s traditional food is similar to that of Bihar, with staples including rice, vegetables and lentils. Some of the popular dishes include litti chokha, which is baked dough balls and an accompaniment of brinjal, potatoes and tomatoes, aloo chokha (mashed potato dish), chilka roti (made from rice flour and chana dal), rugra (mushroom dish), bamboo shoots, dhuska (deep fried savoury snack), desserts like til barfi (sweet garnished with sesame), pittha (type of stuffed rice cake), mitha khaja (deep fried batter in sugar syrup) thekua (prasad served during Chhat puja), and the local beer, handia.
COST: Rs.700-1,000 per person, per day
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
We have planned a week’s trip, but if you want to visit Jamshedpur, or the Betla National Park and any of the 11 wildlife sanctuaries, stretch your itinerary by a couple of days.
DAY 1-2
RANCHI
You can visit the Jagannath temple, Pahari mandir, Deori mandir, and the Sun temple here. Also check out the Hundru falls, Jonha falls and Dassam falls. Take out time for Rock Garden, Ranchi lake, Ranchi hill, and Dhurwa dam. Patratu valley, 40 km away, is also worth a visit.
DAY 3
NETARHAT
About four hours away is the Queen of Chhota Nagpur, the highest point of the plateau. You can visit the Pine forest, Magnolia point for sunsets and sunrises, and the Ghaghri waterfalls.
DAY 4
HAZARIBAGH
Arrive in 5.5 hours at this scenic city and visit the Hazaribagh lake, Rajrappa temple, Canary Hills and Narsimhasthan.
DAY 5
BOKARO
About 2.5 hours away is the ‘steel city’, where you can check out the Bokaro Steel Plant, Garga Dam, Jagannath Mandir and the City Park.
DAY 6
GIRIDIH
Arrive in 2.5 hours and visit the Parasnath temple, Shikharji temple, Jain museum, Usri falls and Khandoli dam.
DAY 7
DEOGARH
It will take about 1.5 hours to reach. Visit the Baidyanath temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples, Naulakha mandir, Basukinath, Nandan Pahar and the Tapovan caves and hills, 10 km away.
DAY 8
BACK TO DELHI
WHAT TO DO…
TEMPLES
Baidyanath temple (Deogarh), Parasnath (Giridih), Rajrappa (Hazaribagh), Jagannath (Ranchi), Deori (Ranchi), Shikharji (Giridih).
PARKS & SANCTUARIES
.. Betla National Park (Palamu), and the sanctuaries include Dalma sactuary (Singhbhum East & Saraikela Kharsawan), Palamu (Palamu), Hazaribagh (Hazaribagh), Mahuadanr (Palamu), Koderma (Koderma), Lawalong (Chatra), Parasnath (Giridih), Topchanchi (Dhanbad), Palkot (Gumla), Gautam Buddha (Hazaribagh), and Udhwa lake bird sanctuary (Sahebganj).
WATERFALLS & LAKES
.. Dassam (Ranchi), Hundru (Ranchi), Usri (Giridih), Hirni (West Singhbhum), Jonha (Ranchi), Dharagiri (Basadera), Panchgagh (Khunti), Lodh (Latehar), Perwaghagh (Khunti), among others.