Situated at about 6,500 ft above sea level, Nainital is full of deodar and oak trees. The misty Naini Lake, splendid mountain scenery and chilly romance in the air made Nainital the favorite spot for British who came here to escape from the heat of the plains. Nainital was the chosen home of Jim Corbett for many years. Naina Devi Temple situated on the bank of Naini Lake is one of the 64 Shaktipeeths, where the left eye of Goddess Sati fell when Lord Shiva performed Tandava (or the cosmic dance) to mourn the death of her consort. The Boat House Club on the lake is a must see while boating and yachting are some of the popular activities here.
Places to See
With a lake at its center, Nainital has a number of tourist attractions that you must see. These include:
- Aerial Ropeway to Snow-View Point
- Caves Garden
- Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoo
- Hanuman Garhi
- Kilbury
- Lands End
- Naina Peak or China Peak
- Naini Lake
- The Flats
Shopping
The famous market areas in Nainital are The Mall, and the Tibetan Market at The Flats. You can buy candles, fresh fruit jams, pickles and woolens here.
Where to Stay
From luxury heritage hotel and royal retreats to camps offering varied experiences, Nainital offers an array of accommodations. You can also find budget hotels here. The best stay options at Nainital are:
- Manu Maharani Nainital
- Manu Maharani Lodge
- Camp Saat Tal
- Hotel Krishna
- Naini Retreat
- Shervani Hill Top Inn
- Hotel Arif Castles
- Vikram Vintage Inn
- Hotel Classic
- Chevron Fairheven
How to Reach Nainital
310 km from Delhi, Nainital is connected to major Indian cities via National Highway No. 87.
By Road: Direct daily buses and luxury coaches connect Nainital to
Delhi,
Agra, Dehradun,
Haridwar, Lucknow, Kanpur & Bareilly daily. It takes about eight hours from Delhi to reach Nainital by bus.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to Nainital is Kathgodam, 34 km from the city. It has regular trains to and from Delhi, Howrah in Kolkata, and Lucknow. Kathgodam is the last terminus of the broad gauge line of the North East Railways. For narrow gauge trains, the nearest railhead is at Lalkuan, 60 km from Nainital. Tourists take train to Kathgodam, Ram Nagar or Haldwani railway stations and then hire a bus or taxi to Nainital from there. The best train from Delhi is the Ranikhet Express. From Kolkata or Lucknow, you can take the Bagh Express.
By Air: The nearest operational airports to Nainital are at Delhi and Lucknow.
