Our earlier posts on Devprayag & Haridwar made us look back at another of our travels along the river Ganges. For this one, we did not have to venture far from our home.

This holy town is rightfully called the closest point from Delhi NCR where you can witness the Ganges. Yes, we are speaking of Garhmukteshwar. It’s easy to reach by road via NE3 & NH 9.

We recommend visiting in winter as the summer months can be incredibly hot. But mornings, evenings & nights do get cold during winters. We have made three trips to this holy town by now – twice in winter & once in monsoon.

TBH, we have not gone sightseeing in Garhmukteshwar. All our visits have been staycations. But even those have been quite eventful. You can ride a bullock cart. You can throw yourself a picnic in the expansive lawns. You can go swimming on warm days. You can play a ton of outdoor games like archery, cricket, dartboards, volleyball, & commando bridge.

So, the next time monotony gets to you, just pack your bags, drag your co-travellers/ pets, & head out to Garhmukteshwar. Once you leave the city limits behind, it’s lovely seeing the mustard fields in bloom during the winter season.

We give below our experience of two resorts in Garhmukteshwar, viz, Baghaan Orchard Retreat & Mango Tree Resort. Both are set amidst mango orchards & have a cottage – style accommodation.

Most importantly, both Baghaan Orchard & Mango Tree are pet – friendly! (Yeesss!!)

Baghaan Orchard Retreat

Baghaan Orchard is ~26 kilometres from NH 9 on the road leading to Siyana. We find its location desirable as it’s situated away from the city hustle bustle.

Baghaan has lawns, a restaurant, a conference hall, a swimming pool, & an activity area. It’s ample parking space. The abundant grounds make for a lovely setup for winter sunbathing.

All age groups can find some or the other activities to keep themselves involved – badminton, croquet, pottery, Burma bridge & table tennis etc.

The restaurant offers multicuisine food. The room service was good too. We celebrated Christmas on our second visit and had a bonfire going in our private lawn. The Retreat dedicated one server to us to cater to all our needs.

The cottages have all facilities like LCD TV, coffee/ tea maker, and attached bathroom & toilet. They also have private sit outs.

Baghaan also seems to be a resort of choice for corporate offsites & for celebrations. During our first visit, we saw a company offsite taking place there. We ourselves were part of a bachelor’s party celebration.

First Visit (2015)

We stayed in an Orchard Cottage for one night. It’s a one – bedroom unit, ideal for a couple/ a family with a young child. We’d reached late at night, but the restaurant still served us dinner.

The next morning, we strolled around the activity area & the orchards.

Second Visit (2020)

We stayed for two nights over the Christmas holiday, along with friends. We stayed in a Dasheri Kothi which was an independent two – bedroom unit in a corner with a private lawn.

The Kothi had a living room and a sit-out, in addition to the lawn. This configuration is ideal for four individuals/ two couples/ two families with young kids.

Our puppies had a marvelous time playing in the private lawn.

On our first night, we had a bonfire going. The next day was spent playing badminton & volleyball and soaking up the sun. for the night, all of us crashed into the living room of the Dasheri Kothi for an evening of discussions & drinks.

Rating

Mango Tree Resort (2022)

Mango Tree is one of those places where the only sound you’ll hear is the rustling of leaves. It’s ~20 kilometres from NH 9 on the road leading to Siyana.

The Resort has lawns, a restaurant, recreation rooms, a conference hall, a play zone, a swimming pool, & ample parking space. If you’re done with soaking in the Sun, you can involve yourself with activities like badminton, cycling, tambola, carrom board, & table tennis.

The restaurant, Daana Pani, offers dishes made with homegrown ingredients. We loved our gastronomical experience here. You can satiate your palate with a mix of Indian, Continental, & other cuisines.

The 31 cottages at this resort are an amalgamation of contemporary design & rustic elements. We’d booked the Premium Cottages which were in a block of six. So, if you’re in a large group, you can book all the six & the block (kind of) becomes exclusively yours.

The Premium Cottage is a one – bedroom unit with a small living area, a private sit – out & an ensuite bathroom.

First Day

On our first day, we were the only guests & thus had the entire resort at our disposal. It was a rainy day, but the staff was kind enough to provide quite a few umbrellas.

Amongst us, there were five pet dogs who had a wonderful time running around in the lawns, sniffing at new scents & muddying themselves in the puddles.

We spent the evening at the Gazebo near the well, partying the night away. The staff members arranged everything for us including lights, fans, mosquito repellents & the like. The service was impeccable.

Second Day

On this day, other guests arrived & Mango Tree Resort got completely occupied. We spent the daytime either lounging by the pool or participating in the many activities available. A bunch of us also went for a bullock cart ride.

At night, it was back to dances, discussions & drinks. Mango Tree dedicated a server to us who ensured we never had to ask twice for anything.

Rating

Summary

We would place Mango Tree Resort a notch above Baghaan Orchard Retreat because of its more polished look & feel. From the front desk itself to the rooms, every inch spoke of swankiness.

However, both the retreats are perfect for rejuvenation amidst nature!

Pawrents, please note – Pets are prohibited inside the restaurant at both the resorts. However, both also have sit – outs accompanying the restaurants where you can sit with your pet while you pig out on meals.

We would recommend booking an APAI plan in both the resorts as there are no restaurants for quite a few kilometres.

Have you been to either? What’s your experience been like?