Best Things To Do in Nainital, India

Are you looking for what to do in Nainital?

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

  • Naini Lake: One of the most famous tourist attractions of Nainital, this lake is a must-visit. You can take a boating trip on the lake at a very reasonable price. The beautiful lake and the majesty of the surrounding mountains make this one heck of a sightseeing experience.
  • Naina Devi Temple: This temple is built on the banks of the Naini Lake and is one of the oldest places of worship in the city. It offers some spectacular views of the lake and is one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for some time for reflection and peace. Don’t forget to add this in your trip planner.
  • Eco Cave Gardens: These series of interconnecting caves located in Mallital (a mere 10 minutes away from the city centre) are an interesting place to visit if you are the adventurous sort. Be careful though, the rocks can be slippery. Not recommended for children or the elderly people. A great place to see if you are on solo travel to Nainital.
  • Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary: A must-see for bird and nature enthusiasts. A little far from the city centre but the 40 minute drive that will take your breath away. This should be a definite part of your itinerary planner.
  • Naina Peak: This one is for the trekkers. The aerial view of the lake and the city is well worth it if you’re looking for fun things to do. If you’re not interested in the climb, you can even take a cable car to the top.

GUIDED TOURS

  • Skybird Adventures: A tour of Nainital from the sky; this service will make you paraglide over the hills and see Nainital from an entirely different perspective. One of the thrilling activities to do during your trip!

Below we have a list of things to do in Nainital and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Nainital getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Nainital with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Nainital

Here is the list of things to do in Nainital and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Naini Lake

    4.6 (3918 Votes)
    Naini Lake

    Temple, Leisure, Lake, Hill

    The Naini Lake is a natural freshwater lake located amidst the spectacular hills in the city of Nainital. It is tectonic in origin and is looks like a crescent when looked from a bird’s view. Considered to be the largest and most popular of the several lakes of Kumaon region, this lake is a great romantic getaway. Besides the popular boat rides in the lake, you can spend some leisure time...Read more
  2. High Altitude Zoo

    4.3 (2610 Votes)
    High Altitude Zoo

    Zoo, Nature

    Pt G.B. Pant High Altitude zoo is located on the SherKaDanda hill in Nainital. Standing at a height of 2,100 meters above the sea level, the zoo is spread over 4.6 hectares and is the only high altitude zoo in India. Located in between the Shivalik and middle Himalayas mountain range, the site is covered with glorious flora and fauna. It was established in 1984 and opened to vistors in 1995. Hi...Read more
  3. Eco Cave Gardens

    4.3 (2456 Votes)
    Eco Cave Gardens

    Cave, Garden, Play, Fountain

    Eco Cave Gardens is a network of inter-connected natural underground caves and hanging gardens. Located on the Kaladungi road near Sukhtal, the gardens offer an enthralling journey of narrow winding roads and weathered caves. The site has an enchanting garden with musical fountains. A stroll across the Garden stretch and passing through the underground cave definitely makes for an exciting fami...Read more
  4. Goddess Naina Devi Temple

    4.7 (2613 Votes)
    Goddess Naina Devi Temple

    Religious Site, Temple, Lake, Festival

    Naina Devi temple is one of the 51 Shakti peeths of Hindu religion. Located at the northern end of famous Nainital Lake, the temple has Goddess Naina represented in form of her two eyes. According to Hindu Mythology, this is the place where eyes from the burnt body of Goddess Sati fell when Lord Shiva was carrying away her corpse. Since then, the Goddess has been worshipped in the form of eyes ...Read more
  5. Snow View Point

    4.3 (2473 Votes)
    Snow View Point

    View Point, Adventure, Lake, Monastery

    Snow View Point is one of the most visited tourist spots in Nainital that offers excellent views of 350 km long range of snow-capped Himalayas. Situated at a height of 2270 meters, it is well connected by road and can also be accessed by taking an adventurous ride of the aerial ropeway from Mallital. There are small shops selling tea and snacks at the Snow View Point. Highlights and must sees i...Read more
  6. Mukteshwar Temple

    4.6 (1596 Votes)
    Mukteshwar Temple

    Art And Culture, Religious Site, Temple

    Mukteshwar temple also known as ‘MukteshwarDham’, is a 350 year old Shiva temple, situated at the highest point of Nainital (2,312 meters). The temple has a white marble Shivling surrounded by idols of Brahma, Vishnu and several other Hindu gods and goddesses. It is believed that couples come to pray here, seeking blessings for a child, with mud lamps in their hands. Located amidst ...Read more
  7. Tiffin Top

    4.5 (3184 Votes)
    Tiffin Top

    Amusement Park, Cable Car, Picnic Spot

    Tiffin Top is a beautiful picnic spot located at an altitude of 2290 meters on the Ayarpatta hill. It is also called Dorothy’s seat in the memory of Mrs Kellet Dorothy (a British army officer’s wife), who died in an air crash, later her husband developed this spot. Tiffin top stands for consuming packed food, so the tourists like to visit this place with packed lunch and spend an af...Read more
  8. Khurpataal

    View Point, Scenic Drive, Lake, Nature

    KhurpaTaal, situated 1600 m above the sea level, is a beautiful spot at a short distance from Nainital. Because of the high altitude, it is rarely known to most of the tourists visiting this region and thus it has turned into a hidden heaven in the hills for the visitors. The place is blessed with stunning natural beauty and a peaceful environment. Far away from the reach of pollution and comme...Read more
  9. Naina Peak

    4.6 (2119 Votes)
    Naina Peak

    View Point, Lake, Peak

    Naina Peak, located 6 kilometers from the town, is the highest peak of the town with an altitude of 2611 meters. The place was also called as Cheena Peak, which was named after the Cheena baba and was also known as China Peak. It also gives a beautiful view of Nanda Devi. The Naini Peak covers an amazing view of the Himalayas covered with snow which can easily be seen from Bandar punch. Highlig...Read more
  10. Kainchi Dham

    Religious Site, Temple, Garden

    Kainchi Dham, located 17 km away from Nainital, is a modern pilgrim centre. The word kainchi means two sharp hairpin bends of the motor road in a local dialect and hence the name. Maharjji inaugurated the Hanuman temple in mid June and hence every year on mid June, there is a Bhandara, which feeds more than one lakh people. It is a religious place and thousands of devotees come to this place ev...Read more
  11. Nainital Governor's House

    4.6 (1980 Votes)
    Nainital Governor's House

    Garden, Architecture , Heritage Building

    The Governor’s house also called, as Raj Bhavan is located at Tallital area near mall road of Nainital City. It is a two-storied building consisting of 113 rooms. Built during the period of 1897 – 1900, the structure is of British architecture and appears to be a replica of Buckingham Palace. The Governor’s house earlier was a summer residence for the British and now it serves...Read more
  12. Pangot And Kilbury Bird Sanctuary

    Outdoors, Forest, Wildlife Sanctuary , Bird Watching

    Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary is located 12 kilometers from Nanital, on Kilbury road before Pangot, and is famous for the numerous birds species. Pangot is like a remote Himalayan village that is rich in its flora and fauna. The place is located in the midst of mountains and a drive through this area is thrilling and exciting. The most commonly found birds are the Brown wood Owls, White- th...Read more
  13. Sonapani Himalayan Village

    4.6 (1647 Votes)
    Sonapani Himalayan Village

    Outdoors, Forest, Trail, Village

    Sonapani Himalayan Village, located 55 kilometers from Nainital, is a village surrounded by lush green mountains. During the British Raj, when the soldiers were crossing the ridge, they happened to drink water from this natural spring and fell in love, and they called it Sonapani. Hence the name was given, which means Gold Water and it also, has medicinal properties. The place is perfect for a ...Read more
  14. Astronomical Observatory

    Observatory

    Astronomical Observatory also called as ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences) established on 20th April 1964. It is located 9 kilometers from Nainital and is situated at an altitude of 1951 meters. It is one of the leading research institutes of the country and gives knowledge of our stars and galaxies. With permission, the visitors can also access to the observatory a...Read more
  15. Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary

    National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary , River

    Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the Corbett National Park and covers an area of 301 square kilometres. The place is named after the Sonanadi River, which means Golden River. It is rich in flora and fauna with various species of Sal, Sheesham, Semal, Baki, Jamun, and Figs along with a range of medicinal plants. The wildlife sanctuary has about 600 different types of resident and migr...Read more