A 2-day Ranchi tour plan: day one on the city circuit - Pahari Mandir, Tagore Hill, Rock Garden and Kanke Dam, the Jagannath Temple and Birsa Zoological Park, about 78 km in 8 hours, from ₹2,099 by Raahi Saarthi hatchback - and day two on the Hundru, Jonha and Dassam waterfalls loop, about 157 km from 06:30 to 18:00, from ₹2,999; with a third day, add the Patratu Valley sunset, from ₹2,299.
Two days is the right length for Ranchi itself: one day for the sights inside the city and one for the waterfalls where the rivers drop off the plateau, 40 to 45 km out. Each day below is one of our fixed-fare tours, in the order our drivers run them, with the opening hours and tickets that are published and nothing that is not.
The 2-day plan at a glance
Day one stays in and around the city, day two goes east for the waterfalls, and an optional third afternoon goes north-west to Patratu for the sunset. Each day is a separate booking, so you can swap the order around a Monday, when the zoo is shut.
| Day | Plan | Driving | Cab from (hatchback, 4 people) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pahari Mandir, Tagore Hill, Rock Garden and Kanke Dam, Jagannath Temple, Birsa Zoological Park | About 78 km, 8 hours | ₹2,099 |
| Day 2 | Hundru, Jonha and Dassam Falls | About 157 km, 06:30 to 18:00 | ₹2,999 |
| Day 3 (optional) | Patratu Valley: the hairpins, the dam and the sunset | About 90 km, an afternoon | ₹2,299 |
Raahi Saarthi's fixed tour fares; a sedan is ₹2,399, ₹3,399 and ₹2,799. Entry tickets and meals are extra.
Day 1: the Ranchi city sights
Start early at the hilltop temple while it is cool, work north through Tagore Hill to Kanke, and save the zoo, the one stop with a ticket counter that closes, for the afternoon.
| Time | Stop | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Pickup from your Ranchi address | The city tour is 8 hours and 80 km |
| 08:15 - 09:00 | Pahari Mandir | 468 steps to the Shiva temple, 350 ft above the ground, with a view over all of Ranchi |
| 09:15 - 10:00 | Tagore Hill, Morabadi | About 200-250 steps; the Ramakrishna Mission is at its foot |
| 10:20 - 11:30 | Rock Garden and Kanke Dam | On Kanke Road overlooking the dam; Jharkhand Tourism gives 09:00-18:00 as the garden's best visiting time |
| 11:45 - 12:30 | Lunch | Your choice of place |
| 12:45 - 13:15 | Jagannath Temple, Dhurwa | Built in 1691 on a hillock, on the Puri pattern |
| 14:00 - 15:30 | Birsa Zoological Park, Ormanjhi | Closed on Mondays; last tickets 16:00 from mid-October to mid-February, 16:30 the rest of the year |
| 16:00 | Back at your address |
Timings are our plan for a cab, not opening hours. The zoo's hours are from its own website and Rock Garden's visiting time from Jharkhand Tourism, both read in October 2026; no opening hours are published for Pahari Mandir, Kanke Dam or the Jagannath Temple. Swap the zoo for the Sun Temple at Bundu or Sidhu Kanhu Park if you prefer, though Bundu, 44 km out, takes you past 80 km.
Day 2: Hundru, Jonha and Dassam Falls
The waterfalls day runs in one order for a reason: Hundru first at its 08:00 opening, while its roughly 745 steps are cool, Jonha 24 km on, and Dassam last - 53 to 64 km from Jonha, but the closest of the three to Ranchi on the way home. Our waterfalls day-trip guide (Ranchi Waterfalls in One Day) explains each leg, and the waterfalls guide (Waterfalls Near Ranchi: Distance, Height & Steps) covers the other falls if you want a different day.
| Time | Stop | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 06:30 | Pickup from your Ranchi hotel | The loop is about 157 km |
| 08:00 | Hundru Falls | Opens 08:00 (Jharkhand Tourism); about 745 steps down, 30-40 minutes back up |
| 11:00 | Jonha Falls | 24 km from Hundru; about 722 steps; the Buddhist shrine at the top |
| 12:45 | Lunch at Jonha, or a packed lunch | |
| 13:45 | Drive to Dassam Falls | 53-64 km, 1 hr 20 min - 1 hr 40 min |
| 15:15 | Dassam Falls | About 185 steps; listed hours end at 17:00 |
| 18:00 | Back in Ranchi | About 40 km from Dassam |
Stay out of the water at all three falls, and check the status on the destination pages on the morning you go: in high flow the district can close the lower steps. Visitors in 2026 paid about ₹10 a person to enter Hundru and ₹30 to park.
Day 3, if you have it: the Patratu Valley sunset
Patratu is an afternoon, not a day: leave at 13:00 up Kanke Road to Pithoria, drop down the hairpins to the dam 7 km below the viewpoint by about 14:30, then climb back to the viewpoint for the sunset - about 17:05 in November and December, 17:20 in October and January, and 17:45-18:00 in February and March - and be in Ranchi about an hour later. Our Patratu guide (Patratu Valley Guide: Sunset Times, Hairpins & Boating) has the sunset table and the road, and whether boats are running is on our Patratu page (Patratu Valley & Dam).
What two days cost
The cab is a fixed fare per day, not per person: two days come to ₹5,098 by hatchback or ₹5,798 by sedan for up to four, or ₹7,198 by Ertiga for six, all-inclusive of fuel, parking and the driver's allowance, with tolls covered on the waterfalls day. Past the city tour's 8 hours and 80 km, extra time is ₹150 an hour and extra kilometres are at the car's own per-km rate (Ranchi cab fares). Tickets are small: Birsa Zoological Park is ₹60 for an adult and ₹20 for a child of 3-12, and Hundru about ₹10 a person with ₹30 for parking.
People also ask
What is the best Ranchi tour plan for 2 days?
Spend day one on the Ranchi city circuit - Pahari Mandir, Tagore Hill, Rock Garden and Kanke Dam, the Jagannath Temple and Birsa Zoological Park, about 78 km in 8 hours - and day two on the Hundru, Jonha and Dassam waterfalls loop, about 157 km from 06:30 to 18:00; Raahi Saarthi runs them as fixed tours from ₹2,099 and ₹2,999 by hatchback, and a third day fits the Patratu Valley sunset.
How much does a 2-day Ranchi trip cost by cab?
A 2-day Ranchi trip costs ₹5,098 for the cab by hatchback, ₹5,798 by sedan or ₹7,198 by Ertiga with Raahi Saarthi - the city tour plus the waterfalls day tour at fixed fares - plus small entry tickets such as ₹60 an adult at Birsa Zoological Park and about ₹10 at Hundru Falls, and your meals.
How many places in Ranchi can I see in one day?
Five to six: Pahari Mandir, Tagore Hill, Rock Garden with Kanke Dam, the Jagannath Temple and Birsa Zoological Park fit into one 8-hour, 80 km day, about 78 km of driving from central Ranchi and back; the zoo needs a full 90 minutes and is closed on Mondays.
Is Birsa Zoological Park open on Monday?
No - Birsa Zoological Park at Ormanjhi is closed every Monday. On other days tickets are sold from 09:00 until 16:00 from 16 October to 15 February and until 16:30 the rest of the year, at ₹60 for an adult and ₹20 for a child of 3-12.
What can I add with a third day in Ranchi?
Add the Patratu Valley sunset: leave at 13:00 for the hairpin road and the dam, about 31 km to the viewpoint and 7 km more to the dam, and be back at the viewpoint for sunset before returning to Ranchi; Raahi Saarthi's Patratu day tour starts at ₹2,299 by hatchback.