One day covers Nainital's best-known sights if you leave at 08:00: Kainchi Dham and Bhimtal in the morning, then back in town for the ropeway to Snow View, Eco Cave Gardens, a boat ride on Naini Lake and Naina Devi Temple. It is about 73 km by cab. Walk Mall Road in the evening.
Leave at 08:00 for Kainchi Dham, Neem Karoli Baba's ashram, while it is quiet, then a boat ride on Bhimtal. Back in Nainital, take the ropeway up to Snow View before lunch, see Eco Cave Gardens, row on Naini Lake and end at Naina Devi Temple. About 73 km by cab. The routing says back by about 15:45, but the hill roads are slow, so expect closer to 17:00. Walk Mall Road in the evening.
The ashram of Neem Karoli Baba, a Hindu saint, in a narrow valley beside a stream on the road to Almora. It has small temples to Hanuman and other gods. Steve Jobs came here in the 1970s, and people from all over the world have visited since.
Tip: On busy days cars park before the ashram and a shuttle takes you the rest of the way. Dress modestly; phones and photos may not be allowed inside.
The biggest lake in the Nainital area, in a small town about 20 km from Nainital. A little island in the middle has a café, and you reach it by boat. An old Shiva temple, Bhimeshwar, stands by the dam at one end.
Tip: Bhimtal is less crowded than Naini Lake, so it is a good place for a long boat ride. There are cafés by the water for lunch.
A cable car from Mallital up to Snow View, a hilltop above the town. On a clear day you can see a long line of snow peaks to the north, Nanda Devi among them. Looking down, you see the whole lake. There are tea stalls and telescopes at the top.
Tip: Come at opening: the queue grows fast in season. The views are best from October to February. A road also goes up to Snow View if the ropeway is shut.
A garden on the hill above Mallital with six small rock caves joined by paths. Each cave is named after an animal, like the tiger cave and the bat cave. Some are so low you have to crawl. Children usually love it.
Tip: The caves are tight and dark in places, so it is hard for older people or anyone with bad knees. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dusty.
The green lake in the middle of the town, with Mallital at the north end and Tallital at the south. You can take a rowing boat with a boatman, a pedal boat, or a small sailing yacht. From the water you see the hills on every side and the town climbing up them.
Tip: Buy the ticket at the prepaid booth, where the rates are written up, not from touts. A rowing boat costs about ₹210 to ₹300.
The temple Nainital is named after, on the north shore of the lake at Mallital. It is for the goddess Naina Devi, shown by a pair of eyes. The first temple was lost in a landslide in 1880 and built again. The Flats, a big open ground, and the Tibetan market are next to it.
Tip: Cabs stop at the Flats parking a few minutes away. Leave shoes at the gate. The evening aarti is at about 18:30.
Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Nainital's roads are narrow and winding, and the town jams on summer weekends and holidays. Allow more time than the map shows, often an hour more on the lakes and Mukteshwar days. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.
Call or message a local Nainital operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
We are still listing Nainital operators. Write to [email protected] and we will put you in touch.
The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kainchi Dham | About 07:00 to 18:00, every day; free | Early morning, before the crowds. | 1 h |
| Bhimtal | Boats about 09:00 to 18:00 | Any time in the day. | 45 min |
| Ropeway to Snow View | About 10:00 to 16:00; return ticket about ₹200 | Morning, when the snow peaks are most often clear. | 1 h 15 min |
| Eco Cave Gardens | About 09:30 to 17:30; about ₹60 entry | Any time in the day. | 45 min |
| Boat ride on Naini Lake | Boats about 06:00 to 18:00; yachts to about 16:00; fixed rates at the booth? | Any time in daylight; the water is calmest in the morning. | 1 h |
| Naina Devi Temple | About 06:00 to 19:00, later at festivals; free | Morning, before the crowds and the ropeway queue. | 30 min |
Naina Devi, Snow View, Tiffin Top and the lake · Kainchi Dham, Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal
See the 2-day plan →Naina Devi, Snow View, Tiffin Top and the lake · Kainchi Dham, Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal · Mukteshwar and the Golu Devta temple
See the 3-day plan →Every sight with what to see, opening times and how long to stay.
See all places →You can see the highlights. Tiffin Top, Land's End and Sattal need a second day, and Mukteshwar a third.
It gets crowded by late morning. On busy days cars park before the ashram and a shuttle takes you in, and in 2025 that shuttle ran only from about 08:00 to 14:00. Arriving before 09:00 avoids both.
Yes. Use day one of the 2-day plan instead: Naina Devi, Snow View, Eco Cave Gardens, Land's End, Tiffin Top and the lake, all in about 23 km.
