Heritage

McCluskieganj from Ranchi - 65 km, 2 hr by cab

India's last Anglo-Indian village

Distance

65 km

Drive time

2 hr

Best time to visit

Oct - Mar

From

₹3,499 round trip

McCluskieganj is 65 km from Ranchi, about 2 hr by cab. India's last Anglo-Indian village. Raahi Saarthi cab fares start at ₹3,499 round trip. The best time to visit is Oct - Mar.

Founded in 1933 by Ernest Timothy McCluskie as a homeland for Anglo-Indians, McCluskieganj is a sleepy hamlet of bungalows, churches and stories - most of its original families have left, but a few hold on. The setting of Vikas Swarup's novel 'The Accidental Apprentice', it's a living slice of British India 90 years later.

Highlights

Anglo-Indian heritage bungalows
Don Bosco Academy and Mary's church
Quiet walks through pine and shisham forests
B&B stays in original Anglo-Indian homes

Insider tips

Stay overnight at Kitty's or Aaron's Place - true B&B experience
Roads can be rough; SUV recommended in monsoon
Ask locals about the original 'Coloniser McCluskie'

McCluskieganj, Ranchi - India's last Anglo-Indian village

Quick facts

Distance from Ranchi: 65 km
Drive time: 2 hr
Best time to visit: Oct - Mar
Type: Heritage
State: Jharkhand
District: Ranchi
Cab fare: ₹3,499 round trip

Nearby attractions

Magnolia Forest (10 km)
Tori Junction (railhead)

FAQs about McCluskieganj

How far is McCluskieganj from Ranchi?

McCluskieganj is about 65 km from central Ranchi (66 km from Albert Ekka Chowk), 71 km from Ranchi Junction and 74 km from Birsa Munda Airport by road, roughly 2 hours by cab via Ratu and the Khalari road.

How cold does McCluskieganj get in winter?

McCluskieganj posts some of the coldest nights in Jharkhand, but it has no IMD weather station, so its readings are unofficial. On 8 January 2026 local thermometers there read between -0.5°C and -1.5°C, frost whitened the fields and water left outside froze; the lowest official reading in the state that winter was Gumla's 0.8°C on 15 January 2026. At about 450-490 m McCluskieganj is lower than Ranchi, so the cold comes from clear, still nights over open country rather than altitude.