Rows of boats with red cushioned seats moored on Nainital Lake, with forested hills across the water

ArticleVerified 2026-10-05

Things to do in Nainital — 5 stops, and which need a car

Five things to do around Nainital, from the lake and the Naina Devi Temple to Kainchi Dham, Bhimtal and the seven lakes of Sattal, with drive times.

Photo: Praveen Singh Bisht · CC BY 2.0

How this list is built

Sorted by distance from the middle of Nainital, because that is how a day here gets planned: what is a walk, what needs a car. The minutes are our own road routing. Each entry sits inside one of our copyable itineraries.

Photos: Photographer Praveen Singh Bisht (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

In town

1. Nainital Lake

The crescent lake the town is built around, about 1.4 km long, with the Mall Road, boat stands and slopes of conifer. Nainital Lake.

2. Naina Devi Temple

The Shakti shrine on the north shore, tied to the legend of the goddess Sati's eye and rebuilt after the landslip of 1880. Naina Devi Temple.

By car

3. Kainchi Dham

The ashram and Hanuman temple of Neem Karoli Baba on the Almora road, 43 minutes out. Kainchi Dham.

4. Bhimtal Lake

The largest lake in Kumaon by area, with an island and an aquarium, 47 minutes east. Bhimtal Lake.

5. Sattal

Seven lakes in oak and pine forest, 49 minutes east, known for birds. Sattal.

Putting it together

The one-day plan does the lake, the temple and Kainchi Dham. The two-day plan adds the eastern lakes. See when to visit Nainital and how to reach Nainital.

Plans that include this

All Nainital itineraries →

Day plan · First visitleisure

One day in Nainital — the lake, the Naina Devi Temple and Kainchi Dham

A one-day Nainital plan: the lake and its boats, the Naina Devi Temple on the north shore, then the Kainchi Dham ashram on the Almora road. Free to copy.

Best Mar–Jun · Oct–Nov

See the plan →

Bhimtal Lake under a blue sky with houses on the slope beside it

1 night · 2 days · First visitleisure

Two days in Nainital — the lakes, Kainchi Dham and Sattal

A two-day Nainital plan: the lake, the Naina Devi Temple and Kainchi Dham on day one, then Bhimtal Lake and the seven lakes of Sattal on day two. Free to copy.

Best Mar–Jun · Oct–Nov

See the plan →

Questions people ask

What are the best things to do in Nainital?

Walk the Mall Road around the lake and take a boat, visit the Naina Devi Temple on the north shore, and drive out to Kainchi Dham on the Almora road. A second day adds Bhimtal Lake and the seven lakes of Sattal, east of town. Wikipedia describes Nainital as a place that draws visitors all year.

What can you do in Nainital for free?

Walk the Mall Road and the lake shore, look at the Naina Devi Temple from outside, and sit by the water. We have no verified fees for boats, the ropeway or the viewpoints, so ask. Taxis to Kainchi Dham, Bhimtal and Sattal are the real cost, since we have no verified bus timings.

How many days do you need in Nainital?

One day covers the lake, the temple and Kainchi Dham, and a second adds Bhimtal and Sattal. From Delhi the road is about 280 km, 5 hours free-flow on our routing, so a night in town avoids driving back in the dark on the hill road. Wikipedia gives 314 to 345 km.