From Chennai to the Himalayas: Anantha Raman's Trip With Thrillophilia
Thrillophilia Verified Booking
PNR: BKDUBMWGIML
Rating: ★★★★★
Travellers: Anantha Raman KN
Trip Duration: 5 Days | 4 Nights
Date of Travel: 15 Sep 2023 to 19 Sep 2023
Package Booked: Highlights of Uttarakhand | From Temple Tales to Tiger Trails
Anantha Raman KN is a software engineer from Chennai who decided to do something very different from his usual routine. For someone booking a trip to Uttarakhand for the first time from a city as far away as Chennai, the logistics alone could have been overwhelming, but Thrillophilia helped him plan his trip just the way he liked.
"Right from initial assistance till return of my journey, the team guided me in all aspects," he said in his review.
That kind of end-to-end support is exactly what a first-time traveler to a new region needs, and by the time the five days were done, he was already thinking about who to recommend Thrillophilia to next.
Landing in Pantnagar and Into Nainital
The trip started at Pantnagar Airport, and the drive to Nainital from Pantnagar is one of those journeys that gets better the further you go, the valleys opening up and the Naini Lake appearing below as you descend into the town. They checked into Dynasty Resort, which Anantha Raman had specifically and warmly recommended, and the first evening was a gentle introduction to Nainital. Naina Devi Temple, one of the Shakti peeths and a genuinely significant religious site, was the first stop. Then Mall Road in the evening, and a boat ride on Naini Lake at sunset, the mountains reflected in the water and the town lit up around the edges of it.
Nainital's Lakes, Caves, and Mountain Views
Day two covered Nainital starting with breakfast at the hotel with the valley spread out below, and then a short excursion to Bhimtal Lake.
The afternoon covered Cave Garden, a cluster of six interconnected caves shaped like animals, and then Lover's Point, Land's End, and Snow Point for the unobstructed Kumaon mountain views. A horse ride up to the higher points rounded out a day that covered the best of what Nainital has to offer.
Kausani: Tea Estates and Gandhi's Ashram
Day three was the drive to Kausani, which sits at a higher altitude than Nainital and, with a little extra climb, gives views of the Himalayan peaks that are genuinely extraordinary on a clear September morning. The Kausani Tea Estates were the first stop, and starting with a walk through tea gardens and a fresh cup of local tea made the morning so much better.
Anasakti Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi spent time and wrote Anasakti Yog, was a quieter and more calming stop. Rudradhari Falls in the thick pine forest was the kind of place that makes you slow down without any particular reason.
Corbett and the Waterfall in the Teak Forest
Day four was about the drive to Corbett, and the shift from the Kumaon hill towns to the foothills of the Terai keeps the pace of the trip going on. The landscape opens up, the forests thicken, and the air changes. Girija Devi Temple, built on a rock in the middle of the Kosi River, was the afternoon stop, followed by Corbett Waterfall surrounded by dense teak forest. The kind of place where you sit for a while and just listen. They stayed at Himalayan Highlights Hotel in Corbett that night, resting before the early start the next morning.
The Safari That the Whole Trip Built Toward
The Jim Corbett morning safari started on day 5, and this was the moment the whole trip had been building toward. Out early from the hotel, to the Ramnagar Corbett Office, and then into the park by jeep or canter with cameras ready.
Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India and home to Bengal Tigers, elephants, leopards, deer, and a lot more, and a morning in the forest even without a tiger sighting is a genuinely memorable experience. The drive back to Pantnagar Airport after the safari, through the foothills and then the flat Terai, was the most relaxing end to an amazing 5-day trip.
How Thrillophilia Makes the Whole Journey Better
Anantha Raman took the time to mention specifics in his review, which is always the sign of an experience that was genuinely loved. "Especially Jothi ma'am from Uttarakhand operations has solved my queries related to the trip despite her busy schedule," he said. Calling out a specific team member by name means the support was personal and consistent, not just good at the booking stage.
"Hotel and food were so awesome in all hotels with buffet breakfast and dinner," Anantha Raman said, and for a MAP meal plan across four nights, that kind of consistency across three different properties is not something that happens by accident.
And then there was the driver. "Car driver has covered all places on time as mentioned in the itinerary. Even he stopped in between the journey for viewing scenery and taking photos." That last part is the one that stands out. A driver who stops unprompted for a view or a photograph is someone who understands that the journey is part of the trip, not just the means of getting between stops.
"I am sure that I will recommend Thrillophilia to my friends and relatives for their upcoming trips," Anantha Raman said.
