India · Popular · Kumaon Hills, Uttarakhand
Nainital
Kumaon Hills, Uttarakhand · ~2,084 m
A crescent lake ringed by Victorian steeples and cedar forests, Nainital trades raw Himalayan grandeur with small-town calm — boat-lit evenings, a 2,600-metre peak you can summit before breakfast, and air cool enough for a sweater even in May.
Nainital is Kumaon's original hill station — a 64-shakti-peetha temple, a colonial yacht club, and forested ridges dense with Himalayan birds packed around one photogenic natural lake. It rewards slow walkers and early risers far more than the day-trippers bussed in from Delhi every weekend.
Plan it with us
Want Nainital shaped around you?
Tell us your dates — we'll build the trip.
Go in
In season, days sit around 20° and nights near 9°.
What you'll see & do
The sights worth the trip, and how to spend the days around them.
To see
- Naini Lake — crescent-shaped natural lake, rowboats, paddle-boats, Mall Road promenade
- Naina Devi Temple — lakeshore shakti peetha, rebuilt post-1880 landslide, perpetually thronged
- Snow View Point (2,270 m) — cable car ride, 180-degree Himalayan arc including Nanda Devi on clear days
- Tiffin Top / Dorothy's Seat (2,292 m) — horse ride or 45-min trek, sunrise lake panorama
To do
- Boating on Naini Lake (rowboats, paddle-boats, kayaks; INR 150-400 per 30 min)
- Cable car to Snow View Point (INR 300 return; skip on foggy days)
- Horse ride to Tiffin Top (INR 400-600 return, haggle at Mallital stand)
- Trek Naini Peak via Cheena-China Peak trail (self-guided, 6 km return, 3-4 hr)
Before you go
- Mall Road's vehicle ban applies in May–June and October only — not April. The ban is time-limited, not all-day: heavy vehicles are barred 8 AM–10:30 AM and 2:30 PM–10:30 PM; light vehicles 6 PM–10 PM. All private cars must park at Tallital or Mallital stands, so clients carry luggage the last stretch on foot or by horse uphill.
- Nainital enforces a pre-booked parking rule at all three town-entry checkpoints: private vehicles without a confirmed parking slot are turned away, even if occupants hold hotel reservations — a rule that caused significant controversy in 2024. Advise clients to pre-book parking online before departure, or travel by train or bus to Kathgodam or Haldwani and transfer by shared taxi.
- The Bhowali route from Kathgodam is the one genuinely landslide-prone approach (July–September; a major section was wiped out in July 2024). The Haldwani and Kaladhungi routes remain open when Bhowali closes, so the town is not cut off — the risk is a partial diversion, not a total blockage. Build one buffer day and reroute via Haldwani if needed.
Days, already shaped
3-day plan
- Arrive Kathgodam, taxi to Nainital; Naina Devi Temple puja; pedal-boat on Naini Lake; Mall Road dinner
- Cable car to Snow View Point; horse ride to Tiffin Top; Eco Cave Gardens; sunset from Lands End
- Early Naini Peak trek (depart 6 am, back by 10); Sukhatal lake stroll; depart Kathgodam by noon
5-day plan
- Arrive; Naina Devi Temple; pedal-boat; Mall Road evening walk
- Snow View cable car; Tiffin Top horse ride; Eco Cave Gardens; Gurney House (Corbett's home)
- Full-day Naini Peak trek via Cheena Peak trail; afternoon birding at Kilbury edge
- Day trip: Bhimtal lake + Sat Tal cluster (25 km); canoeing; Butterfly Research Centre
- Khurpatal sunrise; Pangot village walk; local market; depart Kathgodam
7-day plan
- Arrive; Naina Devi Temple; Naini Lake boat; Mall Road
- Snow View cable car; Tiffin Top; Eco Cave Gardens
- Naini Peak full trek; afternoon Pangot birding with naturalist guide
- Day trip: Bhimtal + Sat Tal + Naukuchiatal lakes; canoeing; Nature Study Centre
- Mukteshwar (51 km): Chauli Ki Jali cliff edge, Mukteshwar Mahadev temple, apple orchard walk
- Ranikhet (60 km): Chaubatia orchards, Jhula Devi temple, Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum
- Khurpatal sunrise; Kilbury bird walk; local market souvenir run; depart
Getting there, permits & day trips
By air — Pantnagar Airport (65 km, ~2 hr taxi, INR 1,200-1,500); Delhi IGI (280 km, 6-7 hr drive or overnight bus); Dehradun Jolly Grant (190 km, ~5 hr) — fly to Delhi for best onward connections
By rail — Kathgodam station (35 km, 1 hr taxi, INR 400-600) — Shatabdi Express from Delhi NZM in 6 hr; Ranikhet Express overnight; connecting services from Lucknow (5 hr), Bareilly (2 hr)
By road — Delhi via NH9 and SH37: 280 km, 6-7 hr by car; state Uttarakhand Roadways buses from Anand Vihar ISBT Delhi, 7-8 hr (INR 350-600); Dehradun 190 km, ~5 hr via Rudrapur
On a Driftibo trip we handle the transfers.
Permits & entry — No permit is required for Indian nationals visiting Nainital; the district carries no inner-line or restricted-area designation. For access to Dhikala zone in Corbett National Park, Indian and SAARC nationals may book up to approximately 45 days in advance through the official portals corbettgov.org or corbettonline.uk.gov.in. Three roads serve Nainital — via Haldwani, via Kaladhungi, and via Bhowali — and the Bhowali route is landslide-prone July through September; when it closes, police divert traffic via Haldwani. Check current road conditions through Uttarakhand PWD at mis.pwduk.in or the district administration website. Naina Devi Temple requires shoes off and modest dress fully covering shoulders and knees; Uttarakhand authorities have issued a formal dress-code order specifically for this temple.
Day trips nearby
- Bhimtal + Sat Tal + Naukuchiatal cluster (20-30 km, half-day) — canoeing, Butterfly Research Centre, far quieter than Nainital
- Mukteshwar (51 km, 1.5 hr) — Chauli Ki Jali granite cliff, panoramic Himalayan arc, apple and pear orchards
- Ranikhet (60 km, 2 hr) — colonial cantonment, Chaubatia gardens, Jhula Devi temple, 9-hole golf course
- Jim Corbett National Park via Ramnagar (90 km, 2.5 hr) — Dhikala zone jeep safari; book 90 days ahead on forestdepartment.com
Seasons and access shift — we reconfirm every detail before we quote.