Netarhat

Netarhat sits at about 1,070 metres on the Chota Nagpur plateau, forested with sal and pine, and it was developed as a hill retreat in the colonial period; it is commonly called the queen of Chotanagpur. Its fixed points are two viewpoints, Magnolia Point for sunset, named after a story about an English girl and a local shepherd, and a sunrise point on the other side of the plateau, both looking over forested valleys that fill with mist in the early morning. The Netarhat Residential School, founded in 1954 in the forest, is well known in the state. Lodh falls, the highest in Jharkhand, lies within reach.

What you actually see

• Magnolia Point - the sunset viewpoint over forested valleys.
• The sunrise point - the morning overlook with mist below.
• The sal and pine forest - plateau woodland around the settlement.
• Lodh falls - the state's highest waterfall, a drive away.

When to go

October to March; the monsoon brings heavy rain and greens the plateau but closes views. Winter mornings are cold with the best mist. Summer is milder here than the plains below.

Honest expectations

Facilities are limited with a handful of guesthouses. Roads from Ranchi are slow. Parts of Jharkhand have security advisories worth checking locally before travelling.

Nearby

Betla National Park lies northwest; Ranchi is east.