A 2-day Netarhat tour plan from Ranchi: leave at 07:00 to reach Netarhat (156 km, 4-5 hours via Lohardaga and Bishunpur) around noon, see Koel View Point and the Magnolia Point sunset on day one, then walk to Sunrise Point about 30 minutes before sunrise (05:50-06:37 from October to March) and stop at Lodh Falls on the drive home. For two people the trip costs about ₹11,400-15,500 all in: Raahi Saarthi's ₹6,499 sedan package, a government-run room at ₹2,500-5,000 a night, and meals. Netarhat has no railway station, and its one direct bus from Ranchi (₹250) arrives after sunset and, for most of the year, leaves before sunrise.
Netarhat is the one hill station within a day's drive of Ranchi, and the whole point of going is a sunset at Magnolia Point and a sunrise the next morning - which is why it is a two-day trip, not a day trip. This plan is built around the actual sun times at Netarhat, the government hotel rates, the one bus that runs there and the road the cab really takes. We have corrected several figures that circulate widely, including in an earlier version of this page: rooms start at ₹2,500, not ₹1,800; the winter sunrise is after 06:00, not at 05:00; the road runs through Bero, Lohardaga and Bishunpur, not Mahuadanr; and the nearest railway station is 78 km away by road, not 33 km.
Netarhat 2-day trip at a glance
Netarhat sits at about 1,100 m (roughly 3,700 ft) on the Chota Nagpur plateau in Latehar district, 156 km west of Ranchi. Most of the drive is flat plateau country: NH-43 to Bero, NH-143AG to Lohardaga (about 75 km out), NH-143A to Ghaghra (about 98 km), then SH-9 through Bishunpur (about 122 km). The forest starts at Bishunpur, 32-33 km short of Netarhat, and the real climb is the Banari ghat, roughly the last 15-20 km. That last stretch from Bishunpur takes about an hour (our estimate). The road does not go through Mahuadanr, which is 42 km beyond Netarhat.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Distance from Ranchi | 156 km (154 km from Ranchi Junction and Hatia) |
| Drive time | 4-5 hours by cab; the direct bus is timetabled at 5 hr 05 min |
| Road | NH-43, NH-143AG, NH-143A, SH-9 via Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur and the Banari ghat |
| Altitude | About 1,100 m (roughly 3,700 ft) |
| Minimum stay | 1 night, to see both the sunset and the sunrise |
| Raahi Saarthi 2-day package | ₹6,499 sedan · ₹8,499 Ertiga · ₹9,999 Innova Crysta (cab only) |
| Government rooms | ₹2,500-5,000 a night |
| 2-day budget, 2 people by sedan | About ₹11,400-15,500 in total |
| Nearest railway station | Latehar (LTHR), 78 km by road; Lohardaga (LAD), 84 km; Ranchi, 154 km |
| Direct bus | One a day, Ranchi 13:40, about ₹250 |
| Best time | October to March |
Distances are road distances to the Netarhat bus stand next to JTDC Hotel Prabhat Vihar. The 156 km figure is the one Jharkhand Tourism uses; road-network routing gives 154 km from Ranchi Junction.
Day 1: Ranchi to Netarhat, Koel View Point and the Magnolia sunset
Leave early enough to be up the ghat by lunchtime and never on it after dark - Raahi Saarthi drivers do not run the forested ghat road at night. The afternoon goes on the spots close to town, and the one fixed appointment is Magnolia Point, 10 km from the bus stand, where the Latehar district administration advises arriving 30 minutes before sunset. Sunset there is about 17:08 in November and December, so leave town by about 16:15 in those months.
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | Pickup from your Ranchi address | Out through Nagri to Bero on NH-43 |
| 08:45-09:15 | Breakfast stop at Lohardaga | About 75 km out; the last big town before the hills |
| 10:30 | Bishunpur | Forest begins; 32-33 km and about an hour to go, including the Banari ghat |
| 11:30-12:00 | Arrive Netarhat and check in | The forest cottage checks in from 13:00; JTDC hotels by arrangement |
| 12:30 | Lunch | At your hotel; JTDC Prabhat Vihar lists a restaurant |
| 14:00-16:00 | Koel View Point, Chalet House, pear orchard, pine forest | All within about 5 km of the bus stand |
| 16:15-17:00 | Leave for Magnolia Point | 10 km, 20-30 minutes; leave about 16:15 in Nov-Dec, 16:30 in Oct and Jan, 16:50 in Feb, 17:00 in Mar |
| About 17:08-18:02 | Sunset at Magnolia Point | About 17:08 in Nov-Dec, 17:28 in Oct and Jan, 17:48 in Feb, 18:02 in Mar |
| 19:30 | Dinner and an early night | Set an alarm for about 45 minutes before sunrise |
Drive times are estimates for a Raahi Saarthi cab. Sunset times are computed for Netarhat and accurate to about 5 minutes; a high viewpoint sees the sun a little longer.
Day 2: Sunrise Point, Lodh Falls and back to Ranchi
Sunrise Point is right beside JTDC Hotel Prabhat Vihar and the bus stand - a walk if you stay there, a five-minute drive from the other government stays. From October to March the sun rises at about 05:50-06:37, so the widely repeated '05:00 at Sunrise Point' is far too early in winter: leave about 30 minutes before the local sunrise. After breakfast the package drives to Lodh Falls, 60 km away via Mahuadanr, and then straight back to Ranchi by the lower road through Mahuadanr and Bishunpur (197 km) rather than climbing back up to Netarhat. With Lodh Falls the two days come to about 430 km; without it, about 340 km.
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 30 min before sunrise | Walk or drive to Sunrise Point | Leave about 05:20 in Oct, 05:35 in Nov and Mar, 05:55 in Dec and Feb, 06:05 in Jan |
| About 05:50-06:37 | Sunrise | About 05:50 in Oct, 06:07 Nov, 06:27 Dec, 06:37 Jan, 06:26 Feb, 06:03 Mar |
| 07:30 | Breakfast | At your hotel |
| 08:30-09:00 | Check out; optional Upper Ghaghri Falls | Upper Ghaghri is about 4 km from the bus stand |
| 09:00 | Drive to Lodh Falls | 60 km via Mahuadanr, about 1.5-2 hours, the last stretch on forest road |
| 10:45-11:00 | Lodh Falls | About 143 m (468 ft), the highest waterfall in Jharkhand; allow up to 2 hours |
| 13:00 | Leave Lodh Falls; lunch in Mahuadanr, the nearest town | Then the lower road via Bishunpur, Ghaghra and Lohardaga |
| About 19:00-19:30 | Drop at your Ranchi address | Lodh Falls to Ranchi is about 197 km, 5-5.5 hours |
Without Lodh Falls, spend the morning at Koel View, the pine forest and Upper Ghaghri, leave Netarhat around 12:00-13:00 and reach Ranchi by about 17:00-18:00. Sunrise times are computed for Netarhat and accurate to about 5 minutes.
Netarhat trip budget for 2 days
The budget has three parts: the cab, the room and the food. Raahi Saarthi's 2-day, 1-night package is priced per vehicle, not per person, and includes fuel, tolls, parking, state taxes and the driver's night allowance; the hotel, meals and any entry charges are extra. Government-run rooms in Netarhat cost ₹2,500-5,000 a night. For food we have assumed ₹600-1,000 per person per day, which is our estimate, not a published rate. The table assumes two people to a room; we have not been able to verify extra-bed charges, and the forest cottage takes at most two adults and a child. The bus is cheaper in fares, but its timetable means that on a one-night trip you miss both the sunset and the sunrise, so the honest comparison is a two-night bus trip.
| Group and transport | Transport | Rooms | Meals | Total | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people, sedan package | ₹6,499 | 1 room: ₹2,500-5,000 | ₹2,400-4,000 | ₹11,399-15,499 | About ₹5,700-7,750 |
| 4 people, sedan package | ₹6,499 | 2 rooms: ₹5,000-10,000 | ₹4,800-8,000 | ₹16,299-24,499 | About ₹4,075-6,125 |
| 4 people, Ertiga package | ₹8,499 | 2 rooms: ₹5,000-10,000 | ₹4,800-8,000 | ₹18,299-26,499 | About ₹4,575-6,625 |
| 6 people, Ertiga package | ₹8,499 | 3 rooms: ₹7,500-15,000 | ₹7,200-12,000 | ₹23,199-35,499 | About ₹3,865-5,915 |
| 4 people, Innova Crysta package | ₹9,999 | 2 rooms: ₹5,000-10,000 | ₹4,800-8,000 | ₹19,799-27,999 | About ₹4,950-7,000 |
| 2 people by bus, 1 night (misses sunset and sunrise) | ₹1,000 (₹250 each way each) | 1 room: ₹2,500-5,000 | ₹2,400-4,000 | ₹5,900-10,000 plus local taxi | About ₹2,950-5,000 plus local taxi |
| 2 people by bus, 2 nights (sees both) | ₹1,000 (₹250 each way each) | 2 nights: ₹5,000-10,000 | ₹3,600-6,000 (3 days) | ₹9,600-17,000 plus local taxi | About ₹4,800-8,500 plus local taxi |
Cab prices are Raahi Saarthi's fixed 2-day package fares (a Tempo Traveller for up to 12 is ₹15,999); seating is up to 4 in a sedan, 6 in an Ertiga and 7 in an Innova Crysta. Room rates are the official JTDC and forest-department rates. Meals are our estimate. By bus you still need a local taxi or jeep for Magnolia Point (10 km) and Lodh Falls (60 km); we could not verify local rates, so ask at your hotel. We found no official entry fee for Netarhat's viewpoints, but local parking or committee charges may apply at the falls.
Netarhat hotels and room prices
The rooms with published official rates are two JTDC (Jharkhand Tourism) hotels and a forest-department cottage, and all three start at ₹2,500 a night - the '₹1,800' figure that circulates has no official source behind it. There is also a forest guest house on Lake Road and private homestays, but we could not verify their prices. JTDC's online booking is switched off for these hotels, so book by phone; the forest cottage is booked and prepaid online. Book at least two weeks ahead for any weekend from October to February. JTDC lists major credit cards at Prabhat Vihar, but carry cash for dhabas and small vendors.
| Stay | Run by | Rooms | Rate per night | Where | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Prabhat Vihar Deluxe | JTDC | 24 | ₹2,500-5,000 | Beside Sunrise Point and the bus stand | Phone 9102403883 (JTDC listing); restaurant on site |
| Hotel Paryatan Vihar | JTDC | 32 | ₹2,500-3,000 | Lake Road, about 1.8 km from the bus stand | Phone 9905673007 (JTDC listing); AC, geyser, Wi-Fi, parking |
| Netarhat New Cottage | Forest department (Palamau Tiger Reserve) | 5 shown online | ₹2,500 including taxes | About 1.4 km from the bus stand | palamautigerreserve.in; non-refundable; check-in 13:00, check-out 11:00; up to 2 adults and 1 child |
Rates are from the official JTDC hotel listing and the Palamau Tiger Reserve booking site, checked September 2026. JTDC does not say whether GST is included.
How to reach Netarhat: cab, bus, train and from Kolkata
There is no railway station and no airport at Netarhat, so every route ends on the road. The 'Netarhat is 33-34 km from Latehar station' figure seen on several sites is the straight-line distance; by road it is about 78 km. For a two-day trip a cab is the only option that fits both the sunset and the sunrise into one night: the only direct bus reaches Netarhat at about 18:45, after sunset in every month, and its 05:40 return leaves before sunrise from about September to April.
| Option | Route and timing | Cost | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cab from Ranchi | 156 km via Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra and Bishunpur; 4-5 hours | 2-day package from ₹6,499 (sedan); one way from ₹3,499 (hatchback) | None for timing; reach the ghat before dark |
| Direct bus from Ranchi | Pathak Travels, daily 13:40, arrives about 18:45; returns from Netarhat 05:40, reaches Ranchi about 09:35 | About ₹250 each way, non-AC seater | Arrives after sunset; return leaves before sunrise Sep-Apr, so you need 2 nights |
| Train to Lohardaga (LAD) | MEMU from Ranchi at 05:00, 08:55, 15:00 and 18:55, about 1.5 hours; then 84 km by road, 2-2.5 hours | Train fare plus a local taxi | Onward taxi must be arranged locally |
| Train to Latehar (LTHR) | 18631 Ranchi-Chopan (Sun, Wed, Fri) 09:50, arrives 12:27; 18635 Ranchi-Sasaram Intercity 17:00, arrives 19:35; then 78 km by road via Sarju | Train fare plus a local taxi | The evening train arrives after dark; stay in Latehar |
| From Kolkata by train via Ranchi | Shatabdi 12019, Howrah 06:05, Ranchi 13:15 (Mon-Sat); night in Ranchi, then 156 km by cab | Train fare plus the cab | Too late to reach Netarhat before dark the same day |
| From Kolkata by train via Latehar | Shaktipunj Express 11448, Howrah 13:10, Latehar 23:00 (daily); night in Latehar, then 78 km next morning | Train fare plus a local taxi | Midnight arrival |
| From Kolkata by road | About 549 km from Howrah via NH-16, NH-49, NH-18, Chandil, Tamar, Khunti, Bero and Lohardaga; 11-13 hours | - | Break the drive in Ranchi |
| By air | Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, then 155 km by cab | Flight plus the cab | No airport nearer |
Train times are from RailYatri, September 2026 - confirm on NTES or IRCTC before you travel. Bus times are from the operator's timetable; the Ranchi boarding point is not published. Drive times from Kolkata and from the stations are estimates.
Distance to Netarhat from Ranchi, Hatia and other places
Where in Ranchi you start makes only a couple of kilometres' difference: Ranchi Junction, Hatia and Albert Ekka Chowk are all about 154 km from Netarhat, Lalpur and the airport 155 km. From Kanke it is 152-160 km depending on which end you start from. Hundru and Dassam Falls lie on the opposite side of Ranchi, about 200 km from Netarhat, so they cannot share a day with it.
| From | Distance | Drive time | Via |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranchi (city) | 156 km | 4-5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Ranchi Junction station | 154 km | 4-5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Hatia | 154 km | About 4-4.5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Lalpur | 155 km | About 4-4.5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Birsa Munda Airport | 155 km | About 4-4.5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Kanke | 152-160 km | About 4-4.5 hr | Bero, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Lohardaga town | 80 km (station 84 km) | About 2-2.5 hr | Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Latehar station | 78 km (town 81 km) | About 2.25-2.75 hr | Sarju |
| Gumla | 82 km | About 2-2.25 hr | Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Ghaghra | 56 km | - | Bishunpur |
| Bishunpur | 33 km | About 50-60 min | Banari ghat |
| Mahuadanr | 42 km | About 1-1.25 hr | Beyond Netarhat, not on the Ranchi road |
| Lodh Falls | 60 km | About 1.5-2 hr | Mahuadanr |
| Betla National Park (Bison Gate) | 93 km | About 2.5-3 hr | Garu, Chhipadohar |
| Daltonganj | 116 km | About 3-3.5 hr | Betla, Garu |
| McCluskieganj | 136 km | About 3.5-4 hr | Kuru, Lohardaga, Ghaghra, Bishunpur |
| Dassam Falls | About 195 km | About 4.5-5.5 hr | Via Ranchi's outskirts |
| Hundru Falls | 201 km | About 5-5.5 hr | Via Ranchi |
| Jamshedpur | 282 km | About 6.5-7.5 hr | Chandil, Tamar, Khunti, Bero, Lohardaga |
| Kolkata (Howrah) | 549 km | About 11-13 hr | NH-16, NH-49, NH-18, Tamar, Khunti, Bero |
Road-network distances to the Netarhat bus stand, except Ranchi city (the Jharkhand Tourism figure). Drive times other than Ranchi's are our estimates.
Things to do in Netarhat, with distances
Almost everything in Netarhat is within 10 km of the bus stand, so one afternoon and one morning cover the main sights. Sunrise Point is the busiest spot, with about 1,01,050 visitors a year by the Latehar district administration's count. The waterfalls are fullest from July to September, when the viewpoints are often in cloud; the views are clearest from October to March.
| Sight | Distance | Best time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Point | Next to the bus stand | 30 min before sunrise | Beside JTDC Hotel Prabhat Vihar |
| Chalet House | About 2 km | Daytime | Early 20th-century wooden summer house, now the Latehar DC's camp office; see it from outside |
| Koel View Point | About 3 km | Morning or late afternoon | Looks over the Koel river valley |
| Netarhat Residential School | About 3 km | Daytime | Boys' school founded in 1954 by F.G. Pearce; a working school, so ask before entering |
| Upper Ghaghri Falls | About 4 km | July to February | Below Netarhat Dam; a short forest path leads to a pool |
| Pear orchard (nashpati bagan) | About 4 km | Harvest June-September | Began as a 65-acre district plantation |
| Pine Forest | About 5 km | Any time | Good for a walk before the sunset drive |
| Magnolia (Sunset) Point | About 10 km, 20-30 min | 30 min before sunset | The district calls November-March the best time |
| Lower Ghaghri Falls | About 10 km, last ~2 km on foot | July to February | 98 m (322 ft); the path is slippery in rain |
| Sadni Falls | 34 km, 1-1.25 hr | July to February | A half-day add-on on a 3-day trip |
| Lodh Falls | 60 km via Mahuadanr, 1.5-2 hr | July to February | About 143 m (468 ft), the highest waterfall in Jharkhand |
Distances are by road from the Netarhat bus stand. Some falls may have local parking or committee charges.
Netarhat tour plan for 3 days
A third day lets you slow Netarhat down or add Betla National Park. Plan A keeps both nights in Netarhat and adds Sadni Falls and a second sunrise. Plan B is Raahi Saarthi's Betla + Netarhat 3-day package, from ₹12,999 for a sedan: Betla is about 170 km from Ranchi and 93 km from Netarhat via Garu. Betla is closed every year from 1 July to 30 September and lists Tuesday as its weekly holiday; safaris run only in registered open jeeps, booked at palamautigerreserve.in for ₹2,450 a jeep (6 adults and 2 children, 2025-26 rate).
| Day | Plan A: Netarhat, Sadni and Lodh Falls | Plan B: Betla and Netarhat |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Ranchi to Netarhat (156 km); Koel View Point; Magnolia sunset | Ranchi to Betla (about 170 km via Kuru, Chandwa and Latehar); afternoon safari from about 14:00 |
| Day 2 | Sunrise Point; pine forest, pear orchard, Upper Ghaghri; Sadni Falls (34 km each way); Lower Ghaghri walk | Morning safari from about 06:00; Palamu Fort; Betla to Netarhat (93 km via Garu, or about 154 km via Mahuadanr and Lodh Falls); Magnolia sunset |
| Day 3 | Sunrise again or a lie-in; Lodh Falls (60 km); straight back to Ranchi via Mahuadanr (about 257 km for the day) | Sunrise Point; Netarhat to Ranchi (156 km), or via Lodh Falls (about 257 km) if you skipped it on day 2 |
Betla stays cost about ₹1,700-3,000 a night. Tigers are very unlikely at Betla; elephants, gaur, chital, sambar and peafowl are the realistic sightings.
Netarhat weather month by month and the best time to visit
October to March is the season for Netarhat: clear skies for the sunset and sunrise, mild days and cold nights. December and January are the coldest, with typical nights of 6-10°C and 3-5°C in a cold wave, and days of about 19-23°C. Summer is not cool: April and May afternoons reach about 33-35°C, not the 22-28°C often quoted, although the nights are pleasant. July to September brings the waterfalls to full flow but also cloud over the viewpoints and a slippery ghat road. Netarhat is the coldest place in Jharkhand on average, but not on the coldest single night - our coldest places in Jharkhand guide (Coldest Place in Jharkhand & Hill Stations Near Ranchi) sets out the official readings.
| Month | Day high | Night low | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20-21°C | 7-9°C | 06:37 | 17:28 |
| February | 23-25°C | 10-12°C | 06:26 | 17:48 |
| March | 28-29°C | 14-16°C | 06:03 | 18:02 |
| April | 33-34°C | 18-21°C | 05:33 | 18:14 |
| May | 33-35°C | 21-23°C | 05:11 | 18:27 |
| June | 30-31°C | 21-23°C | 05:06 | 18:40 |
| July | 26-28°C | 20-22°C | 05:15 | 18:42 |
| August | 25-27°C | 20-22°C | 05:29 | 18:27 |
| September | 25-27°C | 19-21°C | 05:39 | 17:58 |
| October | 25-26°C | 16-18°C | 05:50 | 17:28 |
| November | 22-24°C | 11-13°C | 06:07 | 17:08 |
| December | 20-22°C | 8-10°C | 06:27 | 17:09 |
Temperatures are modelled averages, not measurements: Netarhat has no published climate normals, so these combine ERA5-Land reanalysis, reanalysis-based averages and IMD's Ranchi normals adjusted for height. A cold wave can push nights to 3-5°C. Sun times are computed for the 15th of each month at Netarhat and are accurate to about 5 minutes.
People also ask
What is the best Netarhat tour plan for 2 days?
Leave Ranchi at 07:00, reach Netarhat (156 km) around noon, see Koel View Point and the pear orchard in the afternoon and the sunset at Magnolia Point, 10 km from town. On day two, walk to Sunrise Point about 30 minutes before sunrise (05:50-06:37 from October to March), then drive to Lodh Falls (60 km) and straight back to Ranchi via Mahuadanr, reaching by about 19:00-19:30. The two days cover about 430 km with Lodh Falls, 340 km without.
What is the Netarhat trip budget for 2 days?
About ₹11,400-15,500 for two people by sedan, or ₹5,700-7,750 each: Raahi Saarthi's ₹6,499 sedan package, one government room at ₹2,500-5,000 and about ₹600-1,000 per person per day for food. A family of four in a sedan spends about ₹16,300-24,500 (about ₹4,075-6,125 each) with two rooms. The Ertiga package is ₹8,499 and the Innova Crysta ₹9,999.
Which is the nearest railway station to Netarhat?
Netarhat has no railway station. The nearest by road is Latehar (LTHR), about 78 km away, followed by Lohardaga (LAD) at about 84 km; the '33 km' figure online is the straight-line distance. In practice most travellers use Ranchi Junction, 154 km away (Hatia is also 154 km), and drive from there.
Is there a bus from Ranchi to Netarhat?
Yes, one direct bus: Pathak Travels leaves Ranchi daily at 13:40 and reaches Netarhat at about 18:45, for about ₹250 in a non-AC seater. It returns from Netarhat at 05:40, reaching Ranchi about 09:35. Because it arrives after sunset and leaves before sunrise from about September to April, a bus traveller needs two nights to see both.
What is the hotel room price in Netarhat?
Government-run rooms cost ₹2,500-5,000 a night: JTDC Hotel Prabhat Vihar Deluxe ₹2,500-5,000 (beside Sunrise Point), JTDC Hotel Paryatan Vihar ₹2,500-3,000 (Lake Road), and the forest department's Netarhat New Cottage ₹2,500 including taxes, bookable at palamautigerreserve.in. We could not verify private homestay rates.
Is one day enough for Netarhat?
No. The round trip from Ranchi is over 300 km and 8-10 hours of driving, and you cannot see both the Magnolia Point sunset and the sunrise without staying the night; drivers also avoid the forested ghat road after dark. Stay one night, or pick a closer day trip such as Patratu Valley or Hundru Falls.
What is the best time to visit Netarhat?
October to March, for clear views at Magnolia Point and Sunrise Point, mild days and cold nights. July to September is best for the waterfalls, including Lodh Falls, but the viewpoints are often in cloud and the ghat road is slippery. April and May afternoons reach about 33-35°C.
What is the temperature in Netarhat in December?
December days are typically 20-22°C and nights 8-10°C, and a cold wave can bring nights down to 3-5°C. These are modelled averages, since Netarhat has no published station climate data; pack a heavy jacket for the sunrise.
Is Netarhat the coldest place in Jharkhand?
On average, yes: at about 1,100 m it runs roughly 3°C cooler than Ranchi. But it is rarely the coldest on any single night - the lowest official reading of winter 2025-26 was 0.8°C at Gumla on 15 January 2026 (IMD Ranchi), and local thermometers at McCluskieganj showed -0.5°C to -1.5°C on 8 January 2026.