Himalayas · Travel Guide
The Kumaon Himalayas at their most accessible — a glacial lake reflecting colonial-era hill station architecture, Neem Karoli Baba's ashram drawing seekers from across the world, dense forests harbouring over 600 bird species at Pangot, and the quiet of Bheemtal's shoreline still largely undisturbed by mass tourism.
Places to Visit
The glacial lake at the heart of the hill station — roughly 1.5 kilometres long, 0.5 kilometres wide, and ringed by seven hills. The name Nainital derives from "Naini Tal" meaning lake of eyes, and the lake is considered sacred to the goddess Naina Devi whose temple stands at its northern shore. Rowing boats and paddleboats are available at Tallital and Mallital. The quieter Thandi Sadak (Snow View Road) side of the lake, away from Mall Road, gives the most undisturbed view of the Shivalik ridges reflected in the water.
One of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hinduism, situated on the northern bank of Naini Lake at Mallital. The present temple was rebuilt in 1883 after the original was destroyed in a landslide. The deity is represented by two natural rock formations said to be the eyes (naina) of the goddess Sati. The temple is most crowded during Nanda Ashtami in August; at other times the lakeside courtyard is quiet enough to sit. Non-Hindus are welcome throughout the complex.
At 2,270 metres — 300 metres above Mall Road — the highest viewpoint easily accessible from the town centre. On clear mornings between October and March the Trishul (7,120 m), Nanda Devi (7,816 m), and Nanda Kot peaks are visible across the range. A ropeway (cable car) runs from the Mallital end of Mall Road; the walk up via Snow View Road takes around 45 minutes and passes through oak and rhododendron forest. The point has been a defined viewpoint since the British hill station era.
A Hanuman temple at 1,951 metres on the Nainital-Kathgodam road, approximately 3.5 kilometres from the town centre — known as much for its panoramic view of the surrounding hills as for the religious site itself. The terrace of the temple faces west and gives a clear view of the sunset over the Kumaon ranges. An ashram and meditation centre occupy the hillside below the main shrine. Easily combined with a morning visit to Nainital Lake.
A ridge village 8 kilometres above Almora — the Kasar Devi Temple sits on a rocky outcrop that NASA scientists identified as part of the Van Allen Belt, a band of heightened electromagnetic energy that also runs through Stonehenge and Machu Picchu. Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, and Cat Stevens all came here. The Crank's Ridge view of the Himalayas at dawn is the reason most visitors stay longer than planned.
The ashram of Neem Karoli Baba, 17 kilometres from Nainital on the Nainital-Almora road — a site of pilgrimage for devotees from India and abroad and the place where Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg both made personal visits. The June puja draws tens of thousands; at other times the gardens are quiet enough to understand what drew them here. Arrive early.
22 kilometres from Nainital — a wider, calmer lake than Naini at 1,370 metres elevation, with an island aquarium at its centre accessible by paddleboat. The surrounding oak and rhododendron forest is far less crowded than Nainital's main lakeside and the villages along the eastern shore remain largely outside the tourist circuit.
15 kilometres northwest of Nainital at 2,000 metres — a small forest settlement that Birdlife International has identified as one of north India's premier birding sites, with over 600 species recorded including the Kalij pheasant, koklass pheasant, and the cheer pheasant. Best visited at first light with a local naturalist guide; the rhododendron canopy in spring (February to April) is a separate reason entirely.
95 kilometres from Nainital in the Jhandi Dhar hills at 2,412 metres — a 47-square-kilometre sanctuary with one of the widest panoramic views of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand: 300 kilometres of peaks including Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Nanda Devi, and Panchachuli visible on a clear winter morning. Leopard, barking deer, and Himalayan black bear move through the oak and rhododendron forest; over 200 bird species have been recorded here.
35 kilometres from Almora — a cluster of 124 ancient Nagara-style stone temples set in a dense deodar cedar forest along the Jataganga stream, dating from the 7th to 12th centuries. One of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva; the Mritunjaya Mahadev temple at the complex's centre has been in continuous worship for over a thousand years. The forest around the temples is protected and the atmosphere — cedar canopy, mountain stream, temple bells — is unlike any other religious site in northern India.
51 kilometres from Nainital at 2,286 metres — a colonial-era hill station with a 350-year-old Shiva temple on a sheer cliff edge commanding a direct view of the Nanda Devi massif. The Indian Veterinary Research Institute campus here was established in 1893; the apple and plum orchards surrounding it come into bloom in March. Far less visited than Nainital, with the same quality of Himalayan view.
60 kilometres from Nainital — a former British cantonment at 1,829 metres, most notable for the Chaubatia Gardens (a government-run apple, pear, and apricot orchard spanning 600 acres), the 9-hole golf course set against Himalayan ridges, and a view of the Nanda Devi range undisturbed by development. The cantonment character has been preserved; the town remains quieter than any other Kumaon hill station.
120 kilometres from Nainital — India's oldest national park (established 1936) and the origin of Project Tiger, centred on the Ramganga River valley and sal forest at 400–1,100 metres elevation. Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, leopard, and over 600 bird species are resident. The Dhikala zone inside the core area, accessible only with prior booking, offers the most immersive wildlife experience in the Himalayan foothills — a full day inside the park with a naturalist guide is available exclusively to overnight camp guests.
Things to Do
A pre-sunrise walk into the Pangot forest with a naturalist who has spent years learning this particular patch — the sounds before you see a single bird are an experience in themselves. The cheer pheasant and bar-tailed treecreeper are year-round residents; spring migration adds dozens of Himalayan species passing through.
Rowboats and paddleboats on the glacial lake that gives the town its name — early morning before the crowds arrive, when mist still sits on the Shivalik ridges above. The lake is roughly one kilometre in circumference and best experienced slowly.
A cable car from the Mall Road to Snow View Point at 2,270 metres — on a clear morning between October and March, the Trishul and Nanda Devi peaks are visible across the Himalayan range. The cable car runs from 10am; arriving at sunrise means the 1.5-kilometre walk up, which is worth it.
The evening aarti at Kainchi Dham takes place at dusk in the temple courtyard — open to all visitors regardless of background. The atmosphere at this particular ashram is unlike anything at better-known religious sites: unhurried, unperformed, and entirely sincere.
A 1.5-kilometre natural cave network 1 kilometre from Mall Road — six interconnected rock caves named for the animals they resemble, set in a hillside garden. Narrow passages require crouching; the hanging garden above provides a clear view across the Naini Valley.
The Kilbury road through Pinus roxburghii and oak forest connects Nainital to Pangot on foot — a 4-kilometre trail used by birders and walkers, with consistent Himalayan views to the north on clear days. The forest department checkpoint at the trailhead opens at dawn.
Food to Try
Kumaon's signature sweet — a dark brown fudge made from roasted khoya, coated in tiny white sugar balls. Originally from Almora but found at every reputable sweet shop in Nainital. The version at Shekhar's on Mall Road has been made to the same recipe for three generations.
Boiled mountain potatoes tempered in mustard oil with jakhiya seeds — a spice found only in the Kumaon hills — and dried red chillies. The essential Kumaoni home dish, available at the dhabas on the Tallital side of the lake and at Pangot's small guesthouses at breakfast.
A slow-cooked black soybean curry made with the bhatt bean native to Kumaon — earthy, slightly bitter, and served with mandua (finger millet) flatbread. The bhatt is cultivated at altitude and unavailable in the plains; this is one of the few dishes that can only be authentically eaten here.
A thick spinach and fenugreek curry cooked slowly with rice flour — the Kumaoni equivalent of palak paneer, but richer and more deeply flavoured from the mountain fenugreek variety. Served with steamed rice in every hill household and available at local restaurants off the main Mall Road circuit.
A cone-shaped sweet made from mawa (reduced milk) wrapped in the leaf of the maalu plant — the leaf imparts a faint herbal fragrance as it sets. Bought fresh from roadside vendors at Bhowali, 11 kilometres from Nainital, and best eaten within an hour of purchase.
Yoghurt tempered with mustard, curry leaves, and the signature jakhiya seeds — a condiment that appears at every Kumaoni meal and whose sharp, nutty flavour has no equivalent in the plains. The jakhiya seeds are wild-harvested from the Kumaon forests each autumn.
Places to Stay
A colonial hill station property with a heritage character — terraced gardens, a pool, and views across Naini Lake that most Nainital hotels cannot match. One of the Kumaon's finest heritage hotel experiences, combining the atmosphere of the British hill station era with genuine comfort.
A hilltop resort above Nainital town with panoramic lake and mountain views, a spa, and the full resort amenities that the smaller heritage properties lack. Good for families; the best large-property option in the area.
A long-established hotel on the Mall Road, directly above the lake — old-fashioned in the right sense, with colonial-era furniture, lake-view rooms, and the kind of service that comes from decades of hill station hospitality. Consistently good value.
A boutique heritage retreat above Nainital town in the pine forests — smaller, quieter, and more intimate than the Mall Road properties. A good choice for those who want to be above the town's afternoon crowds with a walking trail from the door.
A budget hostel with lake views — the right choice for solo travellers and backpackers on the Himalayan circuit, with a communal terrace, reliable Wi-Fi, and a social atmosphere that makes Nainital's evening promenade more enjoyable.
A luxury eco-retreat in the Kumaon hills above Nainital — sustainably designed cottages with Himalayan views, organic gardens, and walking trails through oak and rhododendron forest. One of the most thoughtfully built luxury properties in the Kumaon region: contemporary architecture, food from the estate, and genuine silence.
Solo Female Travel
Mall Road between Tallital and Mallital is crowded and noisy during peak season. The lake path (Thandi Sadak) on the quieter side of Naini Lake is uncrowded, well-lit in the evenings, and significantly more pleasant for walking alone.
The ashram at Kainchi Dham has a long history of welcoming solo international women travellers. The atmosphere is respectful and the ashram management is responsive. Dress modestly, respect the no-photography rule inside the temple, and you will be entirely comfortable.
Pangot's forest trails are beautiful and largely empty — which means going alone before dawn is not recommended. A local naturalist guide costs around ₹600 for a morning walk, is available through your guesthouse, and dramatically improves the birding in any case.
Plan Your Trip
We know the guesthouses above the lake noise, the Pangot naturalists who have been watching these forests for twenty years, and how to time a Nainital visit with the rhododendron bloom or the winter bird migration. Kumaon done properly.
Start PlanningFree consultation · No obligation · Reply within 24 hours
Free Resource
Download The Essential Women's Guide to India — our free, no-fluff resource covering what to pack, what to expect, and what no travel blog will tell you. Trusted by 2,000+ women.
Prefer to speak directly? hello@roamrani.com