The Lake City, Nainital

Nainital is famous for the Naini Lake where it is believed that Lord Shiva performed his tandava. The Naini peak or the China peak is the highest in Nainital with a height of 2611mts. Some of the other places of tourist interest are the Mall, now known as the Govind Ballabh Pant Marg. You can find restaurants, offices and hotels all located in the Mall. Nainital Zoo is a very important tourist spot where you can find rare species of snow leopard, steppe eagle and the Himalayan black bear. The Governor House of the Raj Bhavan with its sprawling gardens is one of the few Raj Bhavnas open for public viewing. Nainital’s latest attraction is the Eco Cave Garden where your children can learn about ecosphere.

Nainital is also famous for its various schools and research facilities. The Observatory or the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) is located 9kms from Nainital on Manora Peak and is the center for astronomical studies and optical tracking of artificial satellites. It also proudly houses many renowned schools some from the British period. Important and famous schools in Nainital includes Sherwood College, St Joseph’s College, and Sainik School. Nainital is also one of the campuses of Kumaun University.

Places To Visit In Nainital

Naini Lake (short for Nainital Lake) is a beautiful natural fresh body lake. The lake is in crescent or kidney shape and is one of the most famous lakes of the Kumaon region. Famous for boating, evening walks and picnics, it offers a breathtaking view, especially during early morning and sunset.

Tiffin Top Tiffin Top is a very famous tourist attraction in Nainital, also popularly called as Dorothy's Seat. A fantastic picnic spot in its own right, one gets a complete view of the town of Nainital and its surrounding hills in the Kumaon region from this location. Adventure activities such as rappelling and rock climbing are also conducted here.

Snow View Point 3 km off Nainital, Snow View offers an expansive and majestic view of the Himalayas. It also houses a quaint little local temple. You can take either the cable car, taxi or a trek up the undulating slopes.

Nainital Zoo Established in 1984, Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo or Nainital Zoo is situated on the Sher ka Danda hill in Tallital, Nainital. Perched at a height of 2100 metres and spread over an area of 4.6 hectares makes it the only one of its kind. The zoo is home to several endangered species and is a popular tourist spot.

The Mall Road Nainital, which runs parallel to the Naini Lake, connecting the two ends of the hill town, is the prime shopping, food and cultural centre of the wonder that is Nainital. Whether it is digging into some luscious food or shopping for the cutest local woollens that are to be found, Mall Road is your go-to for it all.

Eco Cav Garden Famous for its inter connected rocky caves, hanging gardens and the musical fountain, the Eco Garden are a set of six small caves in the shape of various animals. In the evenings, you can see the spectacle of the musical fountain with various audio video effects.

Naina Devi Temple Regarded and revered as one of the fifty-one Shakti Peeths, Naina Devi Temple is one of the most renowned places of Hindu worship all over the country. The presiding deity of the Naina Devi Temple is Maa Naina Devi or Mata Sati. It is believed to have been built on the spot where Goddess Sati's eyes fell on Earth.

How to Reach Nainital

Nainital is a popular weekend getaway from Delhi and nearby places as it very well-connected by bus, road and train. The most convenient way of reaching Nainital from Delhi or other cities in Northern India is by car or overnight bus. Nainital is also connected to all parts of India by train through the Kathgodam Railway Station, located around 35km away. There is no flight connectivity to Nainital.

How to Reach Nainital by Air Nainital does not have direct air connectivity. Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, is the nearest commercial airport to Nainital. As every flight of all domestic and international airlines connect Delhi with rest of the world, travellers can board a flight till Delhi if they are travelling to Nainital. Private taxis from Delhi can be hired to reach Nainital.

How to reach Nainital by Road Nainital enjoys excellent road connectivity with several cities and small towns of north India. Daily bus service to Nainital is available from Delhi and Kathgodam. Coaches like Volvo, AC and non AC are available in this route. Boarding an overnight bus from Delhi is the most convenient way to reach Nainital.

How to Reach Nainital by Rail Kathgodham Railway Station, located around 34 km away, is the nearest railhead to Nainital. Plenty of trains connect Nainital with Delhi and Dehradun. Passengers coming from Kolkata, Lucknow, Agra and Mathura, can even take a train till Kathgodam and then hire a private cab or shared taxi for Nainital.

Climate in Nainital

Summer Season in Nainital For adventure lovers and nature tourists, the best season to visit Nainital are from March to June, when summer it is and brings out the natural beauty of the place. The flora is in full bloom bringing out the animals and the birds. Natural trails abound in the hills and this makes it a wonder to be soaked in. Though one might find the afternoon sun a little overbearing, the mornings and the evenings tend to be cool and pleasant. Temperatures range from 14°C to 30°C. This is the best time to visit Nainital for honeymoon.

Take a ride in the Ariel express ropeway to the Naina Devi Peak. This will accord you superb views of the area. This is also an ideal time to visit the Jim Corbett National park. You might be lucky to catch a glimpse of the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger. With activities galore, summer is the ideal time to visit Nainital.

Monsoon Season in Nainital Monsoon in Nainital the rains down in torrents, soaking the town through and through. This brings the landslides causing road blocks and muddy terrain. This is not the popular tourist season, and hence can be ideal for the budget traveller. With hotels offering huge discounts, Monsoon in Nainital is a season when a budget traveller can visit here. Nature is still in all its glory, but only wet, wet, wet.

Winter Season in Nainital October is the time when Nainital starts to get ready for the winter. The temperature drops with nights turning cold. This month is the best time to visit Nainital. But if you want to see the snow then December and January are the time to come here. But be forewarned, you can get snowed in and will have to huddle in your place of residence before you can get out again. So, for the romantic at heart, this is the best time to visit Nainital for honeymoon. It is also a time for ski lovers with several beautiful trails popping up.