Nainital

Set amidst the towering peaks of the Kumaon hills, the lake resort of Nainital has a lot to offer. From boating to feeding animals at the zoo; from picnicking on the hills to exploring Jim Corbett’s home, Nainital has all that you could hope for in a hill station. Nainital is set in two parts, Tallital and Mallital, with the lake separating them. Tallital is the southern side of the lake, while Mallital consists of the northern upper reaches. The town was destroyed during the landslip of 1880, and later rebuilt by the British. It is renowned for its lake, bird's-eye views, and prestigious educational institutions.

Nainital, also known as lake district of Uttarakhand, is named after the goddess Naina Devi. It is located around Naini Lake in Uttarakhand.

The weather in Nainital is quite pleasant. Summers are mildly warm and temperatures may reach 22 degree Celsius. During winter, temperatures may be sub-zero. The town receives snowfall during December and January.

In 1841, the British first discovered Nainital as a holiday resort. Today, the town has emerged as one of the most important hill resorts of India.

Nainital is a modem hill resort of northern India (336 kms from Delhi) connected by best-aligned and maintained roads from the railhead of Kathgodam. Railway line was laid up to Kathgodam in 1882. The road passes through forests where occasionally wild animals can also be seen. "Naini" is derived from the temple of goddess Naini which was built on the bank of the lake but later got destroyed due to land slides in the year 1880. The place is mentioned in Skand Puran as ‘Trishul Sarover’. Tri Rishi (three sages Atri, Pulastiya and Pulha) had come there for pilgrimage while they were at Gagar range (now called China Peak), they felt thirsty and could not find any water. Thereafter, they thought of Man Sarover and dug a hole which at once got filled with water.

The places of interest in Nainital are Hanumangarhi, Khurpatal, Kilbury, Lariakanta, Land’s End, Naini Peak, Naini Lake, Bhimtal, Naukuchia Tal, Sat Tal, among others. Languages spoken in Nainital are Hindi, Kumaoni and English. Best time to visit the town is between March to June and September to October.