Nainital as a European town began only in 1841, when the sugar trader P. Barron built Pilgrim Lodge on the lake shore after finding the lake on a trek through the hills.
Source: Nainital
Hill station in Kumaon
Nainital
An eye-shaped lake, a Raj summer capital and the gateway to Kumaon
Nainital is Kumaon's busiest hill station, built around an eye-shaped lake at about 1,938 m, 35 km above Kathgodam railway station. Come for a dawn row to the Naina Devi temple, the ridge walks to Tiffin Top and Snow View, and day trips to Kainchi Dham and Kaladhungi. Two nights is right; avoid May weekends.
Photo: Skalvanov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsNainital fills a bowl in the hills. The lake, about 1,433 m long and 463 m wide, lies at roughly 1,938 m, and the town climbs from its shore up seven named hills: Ayarpata, Deopata, Handi Bandi, Cheena (Naina Peak), Alma, Laria Kanta and Sher ka Danda. Mallital sits at the northern end with the Flats and the Naina Devi temple; Tallital sits at the southern outlet with the bus stand. The Mall Road links the two along the eastern shore in about 1.5 km.
The town is young by Kumaon standards. The sugar trader P. Barron built the first European house here in 1841, and within decades Naini Tal was the summer capital of the United Provinces, with a church, clubs, schools and the Governor's residence. The Kumaoni name for someone from here is Naintalwal. Hindu tradition holds the lake to be one of the Shakti Peeths, where the eye of the goddess Sati fell, which gives the town its name.
Nainital is also the easiest base for a first trip. It is about 1.5 hours from Kathgodam, 2.5 hours from Almora and close to Bhimtal, Sattal, Mukteshwar and Kainchi Dham. The trade-off is crowds: in May, June and on long weekends traffic can back up for kilometres. Come midweek, walk rather than drive inside town, and use early mornings, when the lake is still and the ridges are empty.
Say it like a local · KumaoniTal
lake; Naini Tal is the lake of the goddess Naina
What to do in Nainital
Row to Naina Devi at first light
Hand-rowed boats leave from the Mallital and Tallital jetties. At 6 or 7 am the water is still and the Naina Devi temple on the north shore is quiet. Boat rates are fixed and posted on boards; agree the route before you start.
Tiffin Top on Ayarpata
A 4 km walk or pony ride from the Mall climbs through oak and deodar to Tiffin Top, also called Dorothy's Seat, at about 2,290 m. On clear mornings you see the snow peaks to the north and the plains to the south.
Snow View by ropeway
An aerial ropeway runs from Mallital to Snow View ridge at about 2,270 m in a few minutes. Ride up early before queues build, and walk down through the forest in about 45 minutes. In October the Nanda Devi group is visible from the top.
Naina Peak hike
Naina Peak, also called Cheena Peak, is the highest point around the town at about 2,615 m. The trail from Snow View or from the Mallital side takes 2–3 hours return and gives the widest view of the range in town.
St John in the Wilderness
Built in 1846, this stone church in the forest above Mallital is one of Nainital's oldest buildings. The churchyard holds graves of early residents, and a memorial lists victims of the 1880 landslip. Visit quietly outside service times.
Day trip to Kainchi Dham
Neem Karoli Baba's ashram, 17 km away on the Almora road, has a Hanuman temple consecrated in 1964. Go early on a weekday; on busy days police run shuttles from parking areas. Check current status before you travel.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Nainital
On 18 September 1880 a landslip on the Alma hillside buried 151 people, the Victoria Hotel and the old Naina Devi temple. The open ground called the Flats was laid out on the debris, and the temple was rebuilt.
Source: Nainital
Naini lake is tectonic in origin. Its main feeder stream, the Balia Nala, runs along a fault line, and the lake was once nearly round until landslides gave it its crescent, eye-like shape.
Source: Nainital Lake
Experiences
Three days worth having in Nainital
Photo: Incorelabs · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Nainital · 2 hours
A dawn row to the Naina Devi temple
Start before the town wakes: a hand-rowed boat from Tallital across the still lake, the ridges lit from the east, then …
Rowing boat ₹300–600 per boat at posted rates; temple free
Photo: 25 Cents FC · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Nainital · Half day
An early visit to Kainchi Dham
Kainchi Dham is the ashram of Neem Karoli Baba on the Shipra stream, 17 km from Nainital. Its Hanuman temple was consec…
Free entry; shared taxi ₹100–200 a seat, private taxi ₹1,200–1,…
Photo: rohit gowaikar · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Nainital · 4–5 hours with the drive
Jim Corbett's house at Kaladhungi
Jim Corbett, hunter of man-eaters and later a conservationist, spent his winters at Chhoti Haldwani near Kaladhungi, 35…
Museum entry ₹50–100; private taxi from Nainital ₹2,000–2,800 r…
Real prices
What things cost in Nainital
ItemIndicative 2026
Shared taxi seat, Kathgodam–Nainital₹200–300
Rowing boat on the lake (per boat, posted rate)₹300–600
Snow View ropeway, return₹250–400 per person
Guesthouse double, off-peak to peak₹2,000–4,500 a night
Kumaoni or North Indian thali at a dhaba₹180–300
Private taxi to Kainchi Dham and back₹1,200–1,800
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Nainital
Air
Pantnagar Airport is about 70 km away, 2 hours by taxi via Haldwani. Flights from Delhi are few, so most travellers come by train. A taxi from Pantnagar costs about ₹2,500–3,500.
Train
Kathgodam railway station is 35 km below Nainital. The Shatabdi from New Delhi arrives around midday; the Ranikhet Express arrives early morning. Shared taxis and Uttarakhand Roadways buses wait outside the station; the drive takes 1.25–1.5 hours.
Road
Uttarakhand Roadways runs buses from Delhi's Anand Vihar to Nainital in about 8–9 hours, including overnight Volvo services. By car, Delhi to Nainital is about 320 km via Moradabad and Rampur. In peak season private cars are often stopped at outer parking lots; check current status before you travel.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Nainital
Saver: guesthouses in Mallital lanes and the KMVN rest houses at Sukhatal and Tallital start around ₹2,000 for a double off-peak; dorm beds exist in a few hostels. Comfort: The Naini Retreat on the Ayarpata slope, a former residence of the Maharaja of Pilibhit now run by Leisure Hotels as an IHCL SeleQtions property, has lake views and a quieter setting above the Mall. Many good mid-range hotels line the Mall, but rooms facing the road can be noisy. Signature-tier travellers usually prefer the hotels outside town at Mukteshwar or Kasar Devi.
Trips that stop here
See Nainital on a trip
Photo: Skalvanov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Kumaon · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,084 m
Kumaon lakes family holiday
Private car with driver
From, per person₹42,000Mar – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: Krishan09 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Kumaon · 3 nights · sleeps to 2,084 m
Long weekend from Delhi: Nainital and Bhimtal
Overnight train to Kathgodam, shared taxis and walking
From, per person₹7,500Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Skalvanov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Kumaon · 8 nights · sleeps to 2,400 m
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Questions
Nainital, answered
What is the best time to visit Nainital?
March to mid-June and mid-September to December are best. October and November give clear views from Snow View and Naina Peak with fewer people. May and early June are pleasant but crowded, with traffic jams on weekends. July and August are rainy with landslide risk on the access roads. January can bring frost and occasional snow.
How many days are enough for Nainital?
Two nights cover the lake, Naina Devi, Snow View, Tiffin Top and a day trip to Kainchi Dham or Bhimtal. Add a third night if you want Naina Peak or Kaladhungi. Many travellers use Nainital as the first stop before Almora, Mukteshwar or Ranikhet.
How do I reach Nainital from Kathgodam?
Shared taxis leave from outside Kathgodam station for ₹200–300 a seat and take 1.25–1.5 hours for 35 km. Uttarakhand Roadways buses are cheaper but less frequent. A private taxi costs about ₹1,500–2,200. Book ahead in peak season if arriving by the Shatabdi.
Is Nainital too crowded?
On long weekends and from mid-May to mid-June the Mall and lake can be very crowded, and cars queue for hours. Midweek, and in October, November and February, it is calm. Staying at Bhimtal or Sattal and visiting Nainital for a day is a good alternative in peak season.
Does it snow in Nainital?
Light snow falls in some winters, usually between late December and February, often after a western disturbance. It does not happen every year and usually melts within a day or two. The ridges such as Naina Peak and Snow View are more likely to get snow than the lake shore.
Can I bring my own car into Nainital?
Yes, but in peak season police may stop private cars at outer parking lots at Rusi Bypass or Narayan Nagar and run shuttles into town, and parking in town is limited. Check current status before you travel and confirm parking with your hotel.
Is Nainital good for a honeymoon?
It works for a short honeymoon if you avoid peak weekends and choose a stay above the Mall with a lake view. A quiet morning row, Tiffin Top walk and dinner overlooking the lights suit couples. Pair it with two nights in Mukteshwar or Kasar Devi for more calm.
What does a Nainital trip cost on a budget?
Expect ₹1,500–2,500 per person a day on a saver trip: a shared double in a Mallital guesthouse at ₹2,000–3,000, dhaba meals for ₹400–600, and boat or ropeway tickets. Costs rise sharply on long weekends and in May–June.
Is Nainital safe for solo travellers?
Yes, Nainital is busy and well policed, and solo travellers are common. Stay in the Mallital or Tallital areas, use registered taxis, and avoid forest trails after dark because of leopards and poor lighting. Tell your stay where you are going if you hike Naina Peak alone.