Patratu Valley Day Tour - tour package from Ranchi
The Patratu Valley day tour from Ranchi covers about 90 km on the Kanke-Pithoria road (SH-2), takes in the Patratu Ghati hairpins, the valley viewpoint about 31 km out and the reservoir 7 km below it, and starts at ₹2,299 for a hatchback carrying four passengers.
The shortest genuinely spectacular drive out of Ranchi, and the one we send people on when they have exactly one free afternoon. Forty kilometres out along the Kanke-Pithoria road, about a dozen hairpin switchbacks, and a reservoir sitting in a bowl of forested ridgeline. Timed properly it is an afternoon trip, not a morning one - the light on the valley is worth waiting for.
What this package covers
- Patratu Ghati - about a dozen hairpin switchbacks, nine of them stacked below the viewpoint
- The Patratu Dam reservoir and Patratu Lake Resort, 7 km below the viewpoint
- Sunset from the valley viewpoint at the top of the hairpins
- Birsa Zoological Park at Ormanjhi as an optional detour - it adds about 26 km, as it is not on the Patratu road
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1
Afternoon departure → sunset return
Pickup at 13:00. Out along Kanke Road to Pithoria Chowk (about 18 km), then 11 km more to the valley viewpoint at the top of the main hairpins. Down the hairpins with photo stops to the reservoir, 7 km below, by about 14:30. Time at the lake and Patratu Lake Resort - boating only if the boatmen are running that day - then back up to the viewpoint for sunset, which is about 17:05 in November and December, 17:20 in October and January, and 17:45-18:00 in February and March. Ranchi about an hour after sunset. Birsa Zoological Park is not on this road: adding it is a 26 km detour via Ormanjhi and needs a noon start.
Price by car
| Car type | Max passengers | Full package |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchback | 4 | ₹2,299 |
| Sedan | 4 | ₹2,799 |
| Ertiga SUV | 6 | ₹3,499 |
| Innova Crysta | 7 | ₹4,299 |
| Tempo Traveller | 12 | ₹6,499 |
The price is for the whole package, not per person - it does not change with how many of you travel inside the car's capacity.
What's included
- Air-conditioned cab with driver
- Fuel, tolls, parking and driver allowance
- Waiting time at the dam and viewpoint
Not included
- Meals
- Patratu Lake Resort entry (₹20 per person at the last published rate, December 2024)
- Boat fares, set at the ghat; boating was restricted in 2026 - check on the day
- Birsa Zoological Park entry (₹30 per adult), if you take the detour
- Pickup city
- Ranchi
- Duration
- 1 day
- Distance
- 90 km
- Best time to visit
- August to February
- Ideal for
- Couples · Half-day trippers · Office outings · Anyone visiting Ranchi for a weekend
- Starts at
- ₹2,299 (Hatchback)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Patratu Valley?
Late afternoon into sunset, between August and February. Monsoon fills the reservoir and turns the ridges green; winter clears the haze. Leave Ranchi around 13:00 so you reach the lake by 14:30 and are back up at the viewpoint for the last hour of light - sunset there is about 17:05 in November and December and 17:20 in October and January.
How many hairpin bends does Patratu Ghati have?
About a dozen true hairpins. Our count of the OpenStreetMap road finds 11 switchbacks between Pithoria and the lake - 9 stacked below the valley viewpoint and 2 on the first drop after Pithoria - and more than two dozen sharp bends in all. The often-quoted "27 hairpins" has no published source. It is one road, the Ranchi-Kanke-Pithoria-Patratu road (State Highway 2), so Pithoria Ghati and Patratu Ghati are the same climb.
Is boating open at Patratu Dam in 2026?
Only in a limited way, so check on the day. The Ramgarh district administration halted all boating at Patratu on 4 May 2026 until operators filed safety affidavits, and on 19 July 2026 Prabhat Khabar reported the tourism department's boat club still locked, with only the local boatmen's association running rowing and motor-boat trips. Fares are per boat and set at the ghat. Entry to Patratu Lake Resort was ₹20 per person at the last published rate (December 2024). The valley viewpoint and the drive are unaffected.
Nearby places to visit
Other tour packages
Other routes from Ranchi
Fares and details last reviewed:
Book the Patratu Valley Day Tour package from Ranchi
Tell us your dates and we'll lock the car and driver. We can book the hotels too if you'd rather not.