Hey guys, summers are around the corner and most of you must have already made plans for your summer vacation. Going on vacation as a single person or a couple is an entirely different thing to going on vacation as a family with young children. Parents worry about a lot of things. And when they are away from home in unfamiliar surroundings – no matter how lovely, and exciting those surroundings might be – it can make things feel even more stressful.

A family summer vacation is meant to be fun and enjoyable. So it’s important to think about your safety and that of your family ahead of time. Put into practice what needs to be done, and then enjoy the vacation itself. Here are some tips on what you can do.

You may also read- How to plan a kid-friendly holiday?

1- Research Your Destination

You might have an idea of where you want to take your family on summer vacation this year, but before you go ahead and book it, make sure you do your research first. Not only should you take a look at flights, car rental, hotels, and activities. But look deeper to see whether the place is a safe one to visit with children (or at all).

PIN IT! Image Source- Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

The best way to do this is to read unbiased reviews from people who have actually been to the destination you are considering. What did they think? Did they feel safe? Did everyone enjoy themselves? If you’re not sure or the reviews aren’t good, it might be best to think of somewhere else to go. The world is a big place and there are sure to be plenty of destinations that will suit what you are looking for.

2- Invest In Anti-Theft Items

It’s a good idea to put everything you need for a day out on vacation into one bag. It saves everyone having to carry lots of things around with them. The problem, though, is that this one bag can then become a target for muggers and thieves. The answer is to buy an anti-theft backpack from Zoomlite. This way, no one will be able to slash open your bag and steal the contents. And, everything will remain safe and secure.

3- Have A Plan

Your kids will know not to wander off, but sometimes excitement or a large crowd can mean it happens anyway. It’s important to know what to do if you lose someone when you are out and about.

You may also read- Itinerary of Krabi, Thailand Trip!

PIN IT! Image Source- Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie on Unsplash

The first thing to do is to ensure your contact details are with the child. This might be a piece of paper in a bag or pocket. Or it could be a wristband with all the relevant details on it. Secondly, take a photo of your kids in the morning. That way, if you need to let people know what they are wearing and what they look like, you have the most up to date photo possible. Next, once you arrive at your destination, look for an easy to find landmark. It might be a road sign, a café, a billboard, or anything else. Tell your kids that if they lose you, to head for that landmark. And you will do the same so you can meet one another there.

You may also read-  Itinerary of Meghalaya Trip!

It’s not something most parents will want to think about. But having a plan in place just in case and not needing one is better than needing a plan and not having one.

I hope you like this post and find it helpful in planning a safe vacation with your family. Do share this post with your friends and family!

The post Planning a Summer Vacation? 3 Essential Safety Tips for your Family appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

We, Delhites, are famous for taking impromptu weekend trips to nearby hills whenever we feel strangled by the city stress or the ever-increasing workload. Even on the weekends, I find myself finishing off my previous week’s pending tasks. I try to complete my work on the weekend so that I can have relaxing weekdays. However, that’s a vicious cycle and there’s no rest in our lives, we all know that. The only time I feel rejuvenated is when I am somewhere far away from the city life with my family. Those few days, make me feel alive. And that’s the rule of our family, we work hard and rather than partying, we travel to new places to rewind ourselves. Long trips or short trips, don’t matter but we try to take at least 2-3 trips in a year.

We had a great weekend trip last month to Kausani and here’s the Part -2 of our Trip. So, by now, you know how we planned a weekend getaway road trip to Kausani. If you still haven’t read the previous post, do check it out, here!

Things to do in Kausani

In today’s post, I am going to share about some exciting things you can do in Kausani. But before anything else, I want to mention that please don’t confuse Kausani with Kasauli. Kasauli is another beautiful hill station but is located in Himachal Pradesh whereas Kausani is located in Uttarakhand.

When you have come so far to a beautiful destination which is surrounded by Himalayan peaks, sightseeing is a must. There’s one best thing about Kausani and that is you can have a picturesque view of the beautiful snow-clad mountain ranges from anywhere in Kausani. Although, we were on a leisure trip for a day and wanted to relax in our hotel. But when the weather changed in the evening and it started raining we wanted to go out and enjoy it.

1) Anasakti Ashram

In 1929, Mahatma Gandhi visited Kausani and stayed at this place for 2 weeks. During his stay, he practiced Anasakti yoga, due to which this place is named as Anasakti Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram.

Anasakti Ashram

Gandhi Ji was so mesmerized by the beauty of this hill station that he named it the ‘Switzerland of India’ due to the resemblance in landscape and beauty.

Anasakti Ashram viewpoint

The ashram has a small museum and a prayer hall and also offers an accommodation facility to its guests. The place is very peaceful and attracts many tourists due to its historical attachment to Gandhiji.

Entry to the Ashram is free.

2) Trek to Pinnath

If you are an adventure junkie and trekking is your game, then you must check out this trek to Pinnath. It’s a small, beautiful village about 5 Km from Kausani and is reachable only by trekking. The trek is not too difficult hence even first-timers or amateur trekkers can do it too. This trek may take up to 5 hrs to and fro, hence keep a full day in hand to enjoy its beauty to the fullest. We skipped the trek as we were traveling with a toddler, but this is still on our list for the next time.

Trek to Pinnath
Image Source – daaju.com

You may also want to read Top 5 travel essentials when traveling with kids!

3) Baijnath Temple

Just like any other hill station, Kausani is also famous for its old temples. One of them is, Baijnath temple located in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, some 16 Km from Kausani. This temple is dedicated towards Lord Shiva and is a delight for religious people as well as for admirers of great architecture.

Baijnath Temple
Image Source – doonmozaic.com

4) Rudradhari Falls and Caves

In case you do not want to opt for the 5 hrs trek to Pinnath, but still want to experience the fun of trekking, consider visiting Rudradhari falls. This is situated at a distance of 12 Km from Kausani. First, you have to reach Kantali village and from there start the 2 Km trek inside the village to reach Rudradhari falls.

Rudradhari Falls
Image Source – trawell.in

The best time to enjoy the falls is during monsoon when the water flows with full might over a vertical drop. There is also a small temple of Lord Shiva situated near the falls. The overall experience of trekking and the sight of falls along with the natural caves will leave you mesmerized.

5) Visit the Shawl Factory

Kausani is also famous for its handmade woolen shawls. You can see many small shawl factories in Kausani. The shawl factory is an initiative taken by local people to help create employment and growth opportunities for the people of Kausani. Since we started exploring the marketplace in the evening, the shawl factory was already closed when we reached there.

Shawl Factory Kausani

However, the factory owner was so humble and opened the door for us so that we could have a look at the machines and how they make shawls and other small woolen garments. The person who accompanied us to the factory also showed us how the shawl is made. We couldn’t resist ourselves from buying shawls from there.

These shawls have beautiful embroidery work done on them and their price depends upon the type of wool used and the fineness of the embroidery.

6) Space Museum at Stargate Observatory

If you like science as much as you adore nature, and if have always been curious to know about space and celestial objects, then you should definitely visit Stargate Observatory. It is just a walking distance from Anasakti Ashram. Yes, an observatory with a space museum on a hill station.

Stargate Observatory

They charge a fee of INR 100/- if you want to observe celestial objects using professional equipment.

Unbelievable, isn’t it? Check out the below pics from the museum which left me awe-struck.

Stargate Observatory – Museum

7) Kausani Planetarium

Just opposite the Stargate observatory, across the road, there is a small cafe with a small board which says Kausani Planetarium since 2001.

Kausani Planetarium

So, basically, this one is the old planetarium and is operated by one man who is an amateur astronomer and his name is Mr. Kiran Khulbe. And he’s also from Delhi, coincidence.

I consider myself lucky that I got to speak to such an amazing person who knows so much about the objects in our universe. And he’s doing his part by sharing his knowledge with the people who visit his planetarium. And he charges only INR 50/- for an evening and morning live planet show. Unbelievable!

Night Planet Show

Check out the pictures and you will know how much we enjoyed watching planets so close to us. We saw the moon, Venus, Jupiter with its moons, and Saturn with its ring. It was an extraordinary experience and I highly recommend visiting this place to everyone if you are in Kausani.

Morning at Kausani Planetarium

That’s all, for now, guys, hope you liked reading this post. Do share it with your friends and family. In my upcoming post on Kausani, I will share about our next day of the trip and how we found the amazing caves in Nainital. So, stay tuned and keep watching this space.

The post 7 Exciting Things to do in Kausani – Weekend Trip appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, many of you know that we took a weekend trip recently, to Kausani, which is a beautiful hill station in Uttarakhand. And, if you have followed my stories on Instagram and Facebook, you have a fair idea of how much we enjoyed and what all we did during our weekend getaway. And if not, you can still check out those stories on my Instagram in Highlights – Travel.

This post is part of the blog train where 24 awe-inspiring bloggers are going to share their story of ‘Summer’. Hop on the train to read some amazing blogs. Today is Day 1 of the blog train and my topic is ‘Summer Weekend Trip to Kausani’. And in this post, I am going to share my first-hand experience of an unplanned weekend getaway. I hope to provide as much information as I can to help you plan your trip.

Hosted By: Neha Sharma

This trip was a sudden plan, and we finalized everything in just one day. We wanted to go on a road trip in our own car to some nearby hill stations like Lansdowne, Shimla, or Mussoorie and spend a couple of days there. However, due to our last minute planning, we couldn’t find a satisfactory place to stay. Of course, we were going on a leisure trip, and we wanted a place close to nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A place where we could feel like resting in the lap of nature with no distracting noises around us.

Morning Family Selfie on the way

You may also want to read Road Trip & Car Safety – Things you must know when traveling with kids!

We got the shock of our life when we couldn’t find a single decent hotel for our stay. Every hotel/resort we were checking was full. I feel that’s the saddest part of living in Delhi/NCR since every other person is planning a weekend trip to the nearby hills in summer. Now, we had to decide on a new place and it was then when my hubby, mentioned this hill station, Kausani, which is also known as the ‘Switzerland of India‘.

Image Source – Wikipedia

I searched on google frantically about this place and was mesmerized by its beauty. The next thing I remember was, Sumit booking a cab and a hotel for us. Ya, we had to travel by cab, since Kausani is quite far from Noida, 393 Km, and 10 hrs, to be precise.

Kausani is famous for its scenic splendour and its spectacular 300 Km-wide panoramic view of Himalayan peaks

-Wikipedia

Due to the lack of information, not many people know about this place. Also, it’s quite far from Delhi, hence, it’s not at all populated with tourists. And this is exactly what we wanted.

You may also read  – How to travel with pets!

Best Time to Visit Kausani –  Summer (March to June)

Summer months in Kausani starts from March and go on till June. And the temperature during these can range from 11 degrees to 28 degrees Celsius, which is quite pleasant. If you are visiting in June, you can also get to experience pre-monsoon showers. It’s always better to pack some light woollens if traveling to any hill station even in Summer months. You never know when the weather changes on the hillside.

On the way fun

How to Reach Kausani from Delhi NCR?

Car – Hire a cab or drive yourself, it can take up to 12 hours to reach there.

Train – The nearest train station is Kathgodam near Nainital and from there you can take a cab or bus for a further journey of 4 hours to Kausani.

Air – The nearest airport to Kausani is Pantnagar. Book a flight from anywhere to Pantnagar and take a cab for your further journey.

Our Weekend in Kausani

We visited Kausani in the last week of May and it took us around 12 hrs to reach our destination. We started in the morning around 5 am and made 2 stops of an hour each, one for breakfast and the other one for lunch. Our 1st stop was near Jim Corbett National Park and the other one was at Ranikhet. After reaching the hotel, we spent the rest of our evening at leisure, basking in the beauty of the surroundings.

Pitstop at Doaba’s Punjabi Dhaba near Jim Corbett National Park

I would suggest if possible start early and reach Kausani by 3-4 pm. This will give you ample time to rest and freshen up and get ready to enjoy the evening. Also, you will not feel as if you have wasted your day just traveling.

Route we followed

Source – Google Maps

Noida -> Ghaziabad -> Hapur -> Moradabad -> Kashipur -> Ramnagar -> Ranikhet -> Kausani

Kausani -> Almora -> Bhimtal -> Nainital -> Bazpur -> Moradabad -> Hapur -> Noida

This way we covered all the other nearby famous places like Ranikhet, Almora, Bhimtal and Nanital.

Where to Stay?

There are many beautiful hotels and resorts in and around Kausani. You can search on Google and book them directly by calling on the numbers provided. However, we like to check and compare the prices on various sites before booking. And then opt for the one which is as per our requirements and also comes under our budget.

Hotel Chevron Mountain Villa (Source – Google)

We booked a deluxe room for 2 nights at Hotel Chevron Mountain Villa, which is a beautiful property at a great location and one can have a direct view of the majestic peaks of the Himalayas from there. It not just offers a serene view of the surroundings but is also close by nature, a little far away from the marketplace. One more reason to choose this hotel was the beautiful lawn and a play area within the premises so that Nemit could enjoy freely.

Our Ratings

Location – * * * *
Food –  * * * * *
Service – * * * * *
Value for money – * * * *
Rooms – * * *

How we spent our first day in Kausani?

We wanted to keep our stay at leisure since we had just one day to relax and enjoy. So, we decided to stay at the hotel and just laze around. When we reached the hotel at around 5 pm, we didn’t go to our room, instead, we checked out the property and took Nemit to the play area. He was so happy to finally have something of his interest, I know he was clearly bored in the cab.

Nemit enjoying the swing in the play area

And, he met some people there who definitely had a good time looking at his mischievous stunts.

Nemit having a good time with a new friend we met at the hotel

The next day morning, we went for a nature walk, strolling a few km uphill from the hotel. The weather was pleasant and the morning view of the Himalayan peaks was breathtaking. We had a fun morning and spent an hour exploring the nearby beautiful flora and fauna. There was a small tea garden nearby and we tried to get some Bollywood style pictures standing in the center of the garden. However, it was a little difficult to try some stunts with Nemit. We managed to get a few good shots though.

Sunrise from our room – Taking a shortcut – Nature Walk – Beautiful flora on the way

While on our way back, we saw a mother Langur (black face monkey) with her little baby, playing on a roadside tree. We had to wait for some time as we were terrified to cross that path, it was completely deserted and we had no idea how that monkey would have reacted to us. Luckily, we met a local there, who helped us reach back to the hotel safe and sound. That experience was thrilling, you don’t get to see such encounters in the city, right?

After returning back to the hotel, we had a scrumptious breakfast, sitting on the lawn overlooking the serene view of the peaks. We spent the rest of the day at leisure, played badminton and carom, relived our childhood with Nemit. It was so much fun just running around with Nemit and doing nothing. Check out this small video.

The weather took a sudden twirl post-lunch and it started drizzling. As the day progressed, the wind became chilly. We had packed our winter jackets and it was the right time to take them out. And then we decided to go out to the market area, enjoy the weather and have some more fun.

I will continue further in my next post where I will share the things we did at the main Kausani market. Stay tuned as I will also be sharing my experience of watching the planets live at the Kausani Planetarium. And our adventure in Nainital. I hope you enjoyed reading until here and have already started planning your weekend trip to Kausani.

And now, it’s time to move on to the next station where Priyanka Patwari will share her take on the theme ‘Summer’ on her blog Flavors of World. Visit her blog and show some love.

Lastly, do comment below and let me know how you liked this post. Don’t forget to share the post and spread the love, with your friends and family. Sharing is Caring! Till next time, take care.

The post Plan a Summer Weekend Getaway to Kausani appeared first on Growing With Nemit.