A small and picturesque hilly cantonment town, Ranikhet is nestled in the Kumaon Himalayas between two ridges. Ranikhet sits surrounded by grassy knolls merging into rolling mountains that stretch till the horizon. And in the evenings, when fog envelops the town and its surroundings, Ranikhet takes on a magical hue.

It is believed that Queen Padmini of Kumaon was so taken in by the serene scenery of Ranikhet that she asked king Sudhardev to build her a palace here. Thus, the place came to be called Ranikhet or the queen's field or the queen's meadow. While the palace no longer stands, the folklore echoes in the picturesque locales of the town.

A major tourist stopover since the Independence of India, Ranikhet attracts thousands of tourists and travellers every year.

Ranikhet is also esteemed as the regimental centre of one of the most decorated infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The cantonment city carries the pride and glory of the supreme sacrifice made by the soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment that can be seen in the Kumaon Regimental Centre (KRC) Museum. Other major attractions include Ranikhet Golf Course, one of the highest golf courses of Asia, Ashiyana Park, Mankameshwar Temple and Rani Jheel.