Nainital
Nainital, formerly anglicized as Naini Tal, is a town and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India.
It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters of an eponymous district. It also houses the Governor of Uttarakhand, who resides in the Raj Bhavan. Nainital was the summer capital of the United Provinces.
Getting to Nainital
The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, 35 km away. Taxis charge ₹750-1000 to Nainital, you can also board taxis on sharing basis which would cost ₹150-200 per person. Most hotels will arrange for a pick-up on prior request, ₹1000. You can also walk out of Kathgodam station, the bus station is 100 m away, take a bus to Nainital, its only ₹60 per person.
Worth seeing
Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, One and only Gurdwara Sahib situated at the heart of Nainital. Guano Hills, Pangot. These hills in the Pangot village are excellent for walks through forests of thick oak, bamboo and deodar. Some rare birds such as the grey woodpecker and black-chinned babbler are found in the forests.
- 01Gurney House
It has been converted into a museum and houses Corbett memorabilia.
- 02Naina Devi Temple
One story tells us that this temple was constructed in the 15th century during the Kushan reign but another version states that it was built by Moti Ram Shah.
- 03Naina Lake
Naini Lake is set amidst seven mountains that surround this stagnant water pool and high peaks that almost touch the sky.
- 04Naina Devi Temple
The temple was destroyed during the Landslip of 1880, and was rebuilt.
- 05Sariyatal Lake
The water can be extremely cold, but this is a nice area to spend some time.
Things to do
Boating in Naini Lake is a must. Paddle boats can be hired by the hour. You can also hire a yacht from the Nainital Boat Club. Boating charges: ₹160 for half round for row boat ₹210 for full round for row boat ₹210 per hour for paddle boat, comes with a boatman, you can also have a self-paddle boat. Cave Garden, Sukhatal, Mallita, +91 97607 94088. 9:30AM to 5:30PM.
Where to eat
Nainital, being close to Delhi, becomes the natural holiday destination for a lot of the capital's folks in the sweltering summer months. The eateries in Nainital reflect that with Punjabi staples being standard fare - most of the better eateries are in the Mall. Embassy, The Mall. Kumaon, Manu Maharani, Grasmere Estate, Mallital,. Machan, The Mall,. Purohit, The Mall (just beside the Embassy). Shiva, Barra Bazaar.
- 01Janardan Resort Pangot
Getting around Nainital the local way
- Go nextTourists also opt to trek to Bhalugaad waterfall, it's a 30min trek through the jungle and the famous waterfall with a big pond is the reward for same.
From Wikivoyage: Nainital, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-08.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Photographer Praveen Singh Bisht (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.
