Nainital is a town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and headquarters of Nainital district in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 6,358 feet above sea level, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake, approximately two miles in circumference, and surrounded by mountains, of which the highest are Naina 8,579 ft on the north, Deopatha 7,999 ft on the west, and Ayarpatha 7,474 ft on the south. From the top of the higher peaks, "magnificent views can be obtained of the vast plain to the south, or of the mass of tangled ridges lying north, bounded by the great snowy range which forms the central axis of the Himalayas."
Nainital is a quaint hill station, visited for its scenic beauty.
Nainital has temperate summer, maximum temperature +27 °C (81 °F); minimum temperature +10 °C (50 °F), during which its population increases more than fivefold with an annual influx of tourists predominantly from the plains of Northern India. In the winter, Nainital receives snowfall between December and February with the temperatures varying between a maximum of +15 °C (59 °F) and a minimum of −3 °C.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Although there are banks and exchange counters at Nainital, it is advisable to get foreign currency exchanged at Delhi.
Domestic Flights Contrary to popular belief, flying into Nainital is the fastest way to reach the hill station. Nainital is served by Pant Nagar Airport, located about 2 hours away. It is served only by Jagson airlines. It is one of the least busy airports in the country, handling only 6 scheduled flights a week.
There are daily bus services from Delhi. The buses leave from ISBT Anand Vihar and are run by Uttarakhand Roadways.
Driving to Nainital takes 7 to 8 hours. From Delhi, it is highway driving throughout. NH 24 connects Delhi to Rampur via Hapur. At Rampur, turn and head north on NH 87 all the way upto Nainital. En-route halts include the Wonderland, Railway crossing, Moradabad and The Cottage, Jeliokot.
There are a few cycle rickshaws in town. Rates are fixed at 5 rupees from one end of the mall to the other. Some of them agree to seat 3 people, for which you have to pay them 2 rupees extra above the normal rate.
However, there is no better way to explore Nainital than on foot. The mall has smooth pavements, making it extremely pedestrian-friendly. During the summer season, all traffic is denied entry on the mall from 6 to 9 pm, making the road a pedestrian's dream. The town is not very large and there are some very interesting shops and emporia on the mall, making the walk a pleasure.
Train Travel The town is served by the Kathgodam station, which is located 35 kms away from the town. The station handles 46 express trains per week.
Snow View, Sher-Ka-Danda Ridge. Located at an altitude of 2270 m, Snow View offers spectacular views of the NainaDeviPeak. It can be reached by the Aerial Express Ropeway. Round trip:Rs 50. One-way: Rs 30.
Nanda DeviTemple, NainiLake. The temple was destroyed during the Landslip of 1880, and was later rebuilt. It is located on the lake's northern shore.
St. John in the Wilderness, Mallital. This charming church was named and founded by the Bishop of Calcutta.
Tiffin Top, Aryapatta Hill. Altitude: 2292 m. To get here you can drive up to SherwoodCollege and then continue on a short scenic walk.
Gurney House, Aryapatta Hill. This was the former home of Jim Corbett. It has been converted into a museum and houses Corbett memorabilia.
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.
Shopping: There are two main shopping areas, The Mall and Barra Bazaar. Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
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.
Woods. Sher-e-Punjab, Embassy, Machan are a few of the innumerable restaurants and food joints in Nainital.
Tea is served in the dhabas of The Mall. Try the local Herbal Chai.
Verandah, Arif Castles, Mallital. This 24-hr cafe serves excellent coffee and pastries.
Where To Stay
There are plenty of hotels in Nainital. Visitors are spoiled for choice in the top end category. Mountain Quail and Jungle Lore offer tents.Some of the high end hotels are:
Abbotsford- Prasada Bhawan,
ArifCastles,
Claridges Naini Retreat
There are also a number of private villas offering accommodation in and around Nainital like The Hermitage..
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Boating in NainiLake is a must. Paddle boats can be hired by the hour. You can also hire a yacht from the Nainital Boat Club.
Feed the animals at the Nainital Zoo, where one can find some high-altitude species that are native to the region. Rs 5 per feeding. Zoo Entry Fee: Rs 10, closed on Mondays. The zoo also has an interesting sponsorship programme where one can sponsor the maintenance and food of the animal of your choice.
Explore the caves: 2 Kms further up from Mallital (northern end of the lake) is a cave complex. This consists of a series of caves which get narrower as one progresses. People who are claustrophobic should not explore the later ones and there is a facility to get out after every cave.
Trek to Naina/China Peak, the highest point in the region (8622ft). You can get scenic views of the whole region. Hiking there takes around 60 minutes and is not so strenuous.
If you have some time and are game for some adventure, MountainRovers can arrangecamping, trekking, rock climbing and lots of adventure activities.
Bhimtal Lake is named after the second Pandava brother Bhima in the Mahabharata who was known for his prodigious strength.
Sattal, literally Seven Lakes, is at a distance of about 23 km from Nainital in the Lower Himalayan Range at an altitude of 4,495 ft. It is a cluster of small interconnected lakes in the midst of an old oak forest.
