About the City

Nainital is a glittering jewel in the Himalyan necklace, blessed  with  scenic  natural spledour and varied natural resources .It is set around Naini Lake, at an altitude of 1938 mt. In the central Himalayas of the Kumaon region. Nainital is a lovely hill station surrounded by mountains on three sides.

It was discov P.Barrow, a sugar merchant from Saharanpur in 1841. Dotted with lakes, Nainital has carved the epithet of ‘ Lake District ' of India . Once this area had many lakes and it was called the City of 60 lakes or 'Chakta'. Most of the lakes in the region have disappeared and whatever remains is just a glimpse of what they might have been in the past. Today the life of Nainital revolves around the lake of Naini . But there are few other lakes around Nainital which are equally beautiful and attractive as the Naini lake.

Accessibility

• By Air
  Pantnagar 70 Kms from Nainital is the nearest air port . During the summer regular flights are operational.
• By Rail
  Kathgodam 35 Kms. away is the last terminus of broad gauze line of North East Railways connecting Nainital with Delhi,Dehradun & Howarah .
• By Road
  Nainital is connected to National Highway No. 87. which make it easy reachable from any places of Uttaranchal & other states.

Places of Interest

• Sattal ( Seven Lakes )
  The nucleus of Nainital's exquisite beauty is beautiful lake. 25 kms away from Nainital to the way of Bhimtal is a group of seven lakes called the Sattal. Nature has really provided this place beauty in abundance. In the day ,mirrored in its waters stand seven proud hills,dotted with pretty cottages and villas . This reflection alone holds one spell bound.The north end of lake is called Mallital while the southern one is called Tallital which have a bridge (Danth popularly named) having Gandhiji's statue

• Bhimtal
  The myh goes that the lake was built during the Mahabharata era. It is situated around a huge lake which is larger than Naini Lake, at an altitude of 1370 m, 22 km from Nainital.

• Naukutchia Lake
  Just 4 kms from Bhimtal is lake with nine corners hence it is known as the Naukutchia lake. This is an ideal place to spend your holidays and relax. The lake is full of lotus and is surrounded by forest with a backdrop of the mountains, all this creates an ideal condition to enjoy boating in here or sit on the banks and feel the breeze coming from the lake. It has a religious significance, according to a popular belief, if one can manage to see all its 9 corners, he/she attains nirvana (salvation).
  
  
• Hanumangarhi Temple & State Observatory
  Hanuman Garhi is a famous temple of Lord Hanumanji and is just three km from Nainital. It is an ecstatic spot reputed for good views & spectacular sunset. One km further on, is the State Observatory which undertakes astronomical studies & optical tracking of artificial earth satellites.
  
  
• Kilbury
  2528m, 12 km on motorable road, it is an ideal place for a quite weekend holiday & picnic spot. It is rich flora & birdlife.
  
  
• Naina Devi Temple
  The attractive lake of Nainital is said to be the eyes of Sati, wife of Lord Shiva. Sati jumped into the sacrificial bonfire. Lord Shiva to mourn the death of his beloved wife carried the body across the country. The remains of her body fell at various places which today are sacred worship places for the Hindus. The temple is beleive to be reestablished after 1880 disastrous landslide.
  
  
• Naina Peak
  Known as the China peak this peak is the highest point in Nainital. From here Nainital appears as a bowl. You can walk or take ponies to the peak. From this peak you can capture the exciting views of Nainital. Naina peak also gives a good view of the Camelback peak. There are no hotel or restaurant on the top so carry food and water along with yourself.
  
  
• Zoo Gardens
  Around one Km. away from bus stand at an altitude of 2100 meters in sprawling open area there is Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoological garden . There are many animals kept here which includes Deers, Bears, Tigers and many more. The hygiene and cleanness of the zoo is a point which attracts the mind even if one ignores it. Not surprising this zoo is one of the most clean zoos in the country. The zoo remains closed for visitors on Monday, all national holidays , Holi & Diwali.
  
  
• Governor's House (Raj Bhavan)
  Raj Bhavan was built by British as residence of Governor of North West Province. Now Raj Bhavan is the official accommodation of Governor (Uttaranchal).State guests coming to Nainital also use it for their stay. It consists of a marvelous garden, Golf Links it is one of the best golf course in Northan India.For visiting this place prior permission is must.
  
  
• Other Places
  Snow View is located about 3 km from the town and is accessible only through a cable car. This point offers a breathtaking view of the 350 km long Himalayan range. . Hanuman Garhi is a famous temple of Lord Hanumanji and is just three km from Nainital. View Point at a majestic height of 2300 meters is just five km from the main town is a tourist spot offering glimpses of the Himalayan ranges and the lower forested ridges.etc.