Nainital Tourist Attractions

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The Jim Corbett National Park (India's oldest national park) is 63 km from Nainital, contains a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, tiger, chital, Sambar Deer, nilgai, gharial, King Cobra, muntjac, wild boar, hedgehog, common musk shrew (White-toothed shrew), flying fox (pteropus, megabat), Indian Pangolin, and nearly 600 species of birds.

Mukteshwar (2,286 m) is a picturesque town 52 km north-east of Nainital, is home to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute. It also offers an unhindered view of the high mountains of the western Himalaya, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Nanda Kot.

Bhimtal Lake is named after the second Pandava brother Bhima in the Mahabharata who was known for his prodigious strength. The lake, which is larger than Naini Lake, is approximately 22 km from Nainital at an altitude of 1,370 m. There is an island in the lake with a popular restaurant on it. There is also a 17th century temple complex, the Bhimeshwar, alongside a 12 m high dam at one end of the lake.

Sattal, literally Seven Lakes, is at a distance of about 23 km from Nainital in the Lower Himalayan Range at an altitude of 1,370 m. It is a cluster of small interconnected lakes in the midst of an old oak forest. On approaching Sattal, the first lake encountered is the Nal-Damyanti Lake; next it is the Panna or Garude lake; and finally there is a cluster of three lakes: Ram, Laxman, and Sita lakes.

Khurpa Tal, literally Trowel Lake, is an attractive lake about 10 km by road (or a 5 km hike) from Nainital at an altitude of 1,635 m. It is popular with anglers and is surrounded by terraced fields (or farms), from which it presumably gets its name.

Naukuchia Tal, literally, Nine-Cornered Lake, is 26 km from Nainital and 4 km from Bhimtal at an altitude of 1,220 m . The lake is almost 1 km long, 0.5 km wide and approximately 40 m deep. It is the deepest of the lakes in the greater Nainital area. According to legend, if one takes in all nine corners in one glimpse, one can disappear in a cloud of smoke.

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Railways

Kathgodam 35 km away is the last terminus of broad gauge line of North East Railways connecting Nainital with Delhi, Dehradun & Howarah.

Ranikhet express departs from Old Delhi railway station at 10:45 pm daily, it reaches Kathgodam at 6:05 am. Extra coaches for Ramnagar are attached with this train, arriving Ramnagar at 5:00 am. Uttaranchal Sampark Kranti Express is also running between Kathgodam & Delhi, it start from Kathgodam at 8:50 am in the morning and reaches Delhi at 3:20 pm and on the same day return from Delhi at 4:00 pm and reaches Kathgodam at 10:45 pm.

Bagh Express connects Kathgodam directly to Howarah via Lucknow. Lalkua Junction 56 km from Nainital is another terminal point of meter gauge line of North East Railways. Nainital Express connects Lalkua with Lucknow while Kumaun Express connects Lalkua with Mathura via Bareilly. Ramnagar 65 km away acts as an alternative outlet for Delhi & Lucknow.

Train No. 4319 / 4320 runs daily in between Kathgodam and Dehradun via Moradabad.

A new weekly train Garib Rath introduced between Kathgodam and Jammu Tawi. This train runs from Kathgodam on Tuesday & from Jammu Tawi on Sunday.

Tourist coming by rail mode can take Taxi or Buses from Kathgodam or Haldwani. Taxis are available on shared seat basis at Haldwani Taxi stand & as well as at Kathgodam, Haldwani & Lalkua railway stations. While most of the buses starts from Haldwani roadways bus stand.

Computerized railway reservation counter is situated near Bus Stand at Nainital. This facility is also available at Kathgodam, Haldwani & Lalkua railway stations.

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Nainital is connected by NH 87. Regular roadways buses run from Delhi, Agra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Lucknow, Kanpur & Bareilly daily. Beside this luxury coaches are available from Delhi for this place.

Distances (in km) of some nearby cities from Nainital are as follows.


Almora - 64
Pithoragarh - 186
Ranikhet - 62
Champawat - 160
Kausani - 117
Kathgodam - 34
Haldwani - 40
Lalkua - 60
Ramnagar - 65
Bareilly - 140
Lucknow - 400
Agra - 403
Delhi - 310
Dehradun - 300
Haridwar - 245
Badrinath - 334

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Pantnagar, 70 km from Nainital, is the nearest air port.