Incredible India
7 Things to Do in Netarhat, the Hill Station Jharkhand Calls the Queen of Chotanagpur
Roughly 156 kilometres west of Ranchi, Netarhat sits at about 1,100 metres in Jharkhand's Latehar district, a former British-era summer retreat known for pine-covered ridges, sunrise and sunset viewpoints, and a scatter of waterfalls nearby.
Sep 26, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Netarhat sits in Jharkhand's Latehar district at roughly 1,100 metres above sea level, about 156 kilometres west of Ranchi, and was once the summer retreat of British colonial officials posted to the Chotanagpur plateau, a history that earned it the local nickname 'Queen of Chotanagpur'. Its pine-covered ridgelines and noticeably cooler air, set against a state better known for its mineral belt and industrial towns, have kept it a low-key hill station rather than a heavily built-up one.
1. Watch the sunrise from Netarhat Sunrise Point
Netarhat's best-known viewpoint sits inside the grounds of the Hotel Prabhat Vihar campus and is free to enter, opening onto a wide panorama of forested hills and valleys that catch the early light well before the rest of the town wakes up.
2. Catch the sunset at Magnolia Point
A scenic drive of around twenty minutes, roughly 10 kilometres from the town centre, brings you to Magnolia Point, Netarhat's dedicated sunset viewpoint, looking out over a wider stretch of valley and forest than the sunrise side offers.
3. Visit Netarhat Dam and the Koel View Point nearby
Netarhat Dam, built on the Koel River, sits a short drive from town and pairs well with the nearby Koel View Point, roughly 3 kilometres out, which looks down over the river valley from a raised vantage rather than the water's edge itself.
4. Walk down to Upper Ghaghri Falls
Roughly 4 kilometres from town and reached via a path below the dam, Upper Ghaghri Falls is a modest waterfall best visited during or shortly after the monsoon, when the Koel's tributary streams are running fuller.
5. See Lower Ghaghri Falls
About 10 kilometres from Netarhat, Lower Ghaghri Falls drops a total of roughly 98 metres in stages down a forested rock face, a longer and more dramatic sight than its upper counterpart, though it involves a steeper approach on foot.
6. Visit Netarhat Residential School
Founded on 15 November 1954 under Bihar's first chief minister Shri Krishna Singh, before Jharkhand's creation as a separate state, Netarhat Residential School is often called 'the Doon School of Jharkhand' and has produced several hundred civil servants over its history. Its campus, set among the same pine forest as the rest of the hill station, is worth a look even for visitors with no particular interest in its academic reputation.
7. Slow down in the pine forest itself
Much of Netarhat's appeal has little to do with any single sight: its pine forest tracks, cooler air and general quiet make it a place best used for slow walks between viewpoints rather than a packed sightseeing list, a contrast to more built-up hill stations elsewhere in India.
Traveller tips
- Ranchi, roughly 156 kilometres away, has the nearest airport and major rail connections; the drive takes around four to five hours.
- Winter mornings can be genuinely cold; carry warm layers even though Jharkhand's plains stay mild.
- The waterfalls run fullest during and just after the monsoon (roughly July to September) and can reduce to a trickle by summer.
- Netarhat has limited accommodation options; book ahead during the winter tourist season (October to February).
Where this is
Netarhat, Jharkhand