⛰️ Hill Station🏞️ Lake📍 Boating

Nainital

Nainital, Uttarakhand, India

4.4 (0)

Overview

A jade eye of a lake cupped by seven wooded hills — the classic Kumaon hill station of yacht-club sails, Mall Road bustle, the Naina Devi Shakti Peetha and ropeway views that stretch, on clear days, to the snows of Nanda Devi.

Why visit: The quintessential Indian lake-and-mall hill holiday.

History: 'Discovered' for the British by sugar trader P. Barron in 1841 and beloved ever since; the lake is held to be one of the emerald eyes of the goddess Sati.

Things to do

›Row or pedal across Naini Lake
›Ropeway to Snow View for Himalayan panoramas
›Darshan at Naina Devi temple
›Sunset from Tiffin Top and Land's End
›Boutique-and-candle shopping on Mall Road

BoatingCable CarHill Walks

Location & MapDirections

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Travel Information

Best time

Mar–Jun

Entry fee

Boating ₹210–500; ropeway ₹350

Hours

Year-round; snow Dec–Feb

Est. budget

₹1500–4000/day

Duration

2–3 days

Nearby attractions

Within

4.2 km

💎 Hidden Gem🏞️ Lake

4.2

Khurpatal

Nainital, Uttarakhand

An emerald crater-like lake 1,000 ft below Nainital whose waters shift colour with the algae and sky — ringed by terraced fields.

Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov2–3 hrsExplore

5 km

💎 Hidden Gem📍 Village

4.4

Pangot

Nainital, Uttarakhand

A birding hamlet beyond Nainital's Kilbury forest where 350 species — koklass, cheer pheasant, lammergeier — cross a single valley.

Oct–Jun1–2 daysExplore

6.6 km

📍 Ashram

4.7

Kainchi Dham

Nainital, Uttarakhand

Neem Karoli Baba's riverside ashram in a hairpin valley — the shrine that drew Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Julia Roberts to Kumaon.

Oct–Jun; Jun 15 bhandara1–2 hrsExplore

8.4 km

💎 Hidden Gem🏞️ Lake

4.5

Sattal

Nainital, Uttarakhand

Seven interlinked oak-forest lakes that form one of India's richest birding hotspots — 500+ species in a subtropical dell.

Oct–Jun1–2 daysExplore

11.8 km

🏞️ Lake

4.3

Bhimtal

Bhimtal, Uttarakhand

Kumaon's largest lake, named for Bhima's mace-strike — an island aquarium at its centre and a 17th-century temple on the dam.

Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov1 dayExplore

12.1 km

💎 Hidden Gem📍 Village

4.3

Ramgarh Kumaon

Nainital, Uttarakhand

The 'fruit bowl of Kumaon' where Tagore drafted Gitanjali verses — peach, plum and apple terraces under a quiet snow horizon.

Mar–Jun (blossom), Sep–Nov1–2 daysExplore

12.2 km

💧 Waterfall

4.1

Corbett Falls

Ramnagar, Uttarakhand

A 66-ft teak-forest waterfall near Kaladhungi on the Corbett circuit, a short shaded walk from the road.

Oct–Jun1–2 hrsExplore

14.7 km

🏞️ Lake

4.4

Naukuchiatal

Nainital, Uttarakhand

The nine-cornered lake, deepest in Kumaon — legend grants a wish to anyone who sees all nine corners at once.

Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov1 dayExplore

15.8 km

📍 Museum

4.4

Kaladhungi Corbett Museum

Ramnagar, Uttarakhand

Jim Corbett's winter home turned museum — rifles, letters and the world of the hunter who became the tiger's greatest protector.

Oct–Jun1–2 hrsExplore

20.8 km

⛰️ Hill Station

4.5

Mukteshwar

Nainital, Uttarakhand

An orchard ridge at 7,500 ft around a 350-year Shiva temple and Chauli ki Jali's cliff windows, facing a 180° Nanda Devi skyline.

Oct–Jun1–2 daysExplore