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Brightly coloured kayaks on the stony shore of Sattal lake, with green forested hills and a cloudy sky behind
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Photo: Wikinivii · CC BY-SA 4.0
Day plancouples and familieslakesbalanced

The Nainital lakes circuit in one day — Naini, Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal

The Nainital lakes in a day: Naini Lake at dawn, the seven lakes of Sattal, Bhimtal and its island, and Naukuchiatal, the lake of nine corners and drive times.
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Nainital is the town of lakes, and this is the day that visits four of them. Start on Nainital Lake, then drive east to the seven linked lakes of Sattal, on to Bhimtal Lake for lunch, and to Naukuchiatal, the lake of nine corners, before looping back to Nainital.

Photos: Wikinivii (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Praveen Singh Bisht (CC BY 2.0) · Subhrajyoti07 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Couples and families who like water, boats and birds, and a day with short drives between stops.

Day by day

Day 1

Four lakes, one loop

4 stops · 1 h 18 min on the road

Start on Naini Lake early, then drive the loop east through Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal, and back to Nainital by evening.

  1. 07:30
    Nainital Lake
    lake · 10 min from Nainital · about 1 h 30 min there
    The lake at the heart of the town; walk or row before the crowds.
  2. ↓ 49 min by road · 22 km
    10:00
    Sattal
    lake · 49 min from Nainital · about 1 h 30 min there
    About 49 minutes away on our routing: a cluster of seven linked lakes at about 1,370 m in oak and pine forest, loved by birdwatchers.
  3. ↓ 17 min by road · 8 km
    12:00
    Bhimtal Lake
    lake · 47 min from Nainital · about 1 h 30 min there
    About 17 minutes on: the big lake of the region, with its island and the old dam; lunch by the water.
  4. ↓ 12 min by road · 6 km
    14:30
    Naukuchiatal
    lake · 55 min from Nainital · about 1 h there
    About 12 minutes beyond Bhimtal: the lake of nine corners at about 1,220 m, the deepest of the Nainital lakes by Wikipedia's account. About 53 minutes back to Nainital.

Getting there

See how to reach Nainital for the train to Kathgodam and the road from Delhi, the best time to go and things to do in Nainital.

Where to stay

Stay in Nainital, or near the water at Bhimtal. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.

Know before you go

  • Wikipedia gives two depths for Naukuchiatal, 175 feet and 40.3 m; either way it is deep, so swim only where it is allowed.
  • Sattal is a birdwatchers' lake; go quietly and early for the birds.
  • We have no verified boating hours or fares on any of the lakes; ask at each jetty.

Places on this route

Nainital Lake
Nainital Lake
lake · 10 min from Nainital
Bhimtal Lake
Bhimtal Lake
lake · 47 min from Nainital
Sattal, the seven lakes
Sattal, the seven lakes
lake · 49 min from Nainital

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

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Other ways to do it

All Nainital itineraries →
Two days in Nainital — the lakes, Kainchi Dham and Sattal
Two days in Nainital — the lakes, Kainchi Dham and Sattal
1 night · 2 days · First visit · leisure
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 →
One day in Nainital — the lake, the Naina Devi Temple and Kainchi Dham
One day in Nainital — the lake, the Naina Devi Temple and Kainchi Dham
Day plan · First visit · leisure
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
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Kumaon in five days — Nainital's lake, Almora's old temples, and the Kausani ridge
Kumaon in five days — Nainital's lake, Almora's old temples, and the Kausani ridge
4 nights · 5 days · First visit · Multi-hub · starts in Nainital
A five-day Kumaon plan: Nainital Lake and Naina Devi, Almora's Katarmal Sun Temple, Kasar Devi and Jageshwar, then Kausani's snow view, Baijnath and Bageshwar.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Nainital →
Naina Devi Temple, Nainital
Naina Devi Temple, Nainital
temple · 348 m away
Kainchi Dham, Nainital
Kainchi Dham, Nainital
temple · 6.6 km away
Kaladhungi — the foothill town where Jim Corbett lived
Kaladhungi — the foothill town where Jim Corbett lived
town · 16 km away
Chauli Ki Jali — the cliffs for climbing and valley views
Chauli Ki Jali — the cliffs for climbing and valley views
viewpoint · 17 km away
Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteshwar — Koch's microscope and the 1900 cold room
Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteshwar — Koch's microscope and the 1900 cold room
viewpoint · 17 km away
Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple — the Shiva shrine that names the town
Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple — the Shiva shrine that names the town
temple · 17 km away
Corbett Falls — the forest waterfall on the Kaladhungi road
Corbett Falls — the forest waterfall on the Kaladhungi road
viewpoint · 17 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Rocky crags of Chauli Ki Jali in the foreground with ridge after ridge of blue hills fading into haze beyond
Mukteshwar
20 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
A wide panorama of forested ridges below a long line of snow-capped Himalayan peaks seen from Ranikhet
Ranikhet
28 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
28 km away · 3 itineraries · 4 places
A wide grassy river valley in Jim Corbett National Park under a pale sky, with forested ridges and blue hills beyond
Ramnagar
32 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

Which lakes are near Nainital?

The best known are Nainital Lake in the town, Sattal, a cluster of seven linked lakes, Bhimtal, the big lake with an island, and Naukuchiatal, the lake of nine corners. On our routing Sattal is about 49 minutes from Nainital, Bhimtal 17 minutes beyond it, and Naukuchiatal 12 minutes beyond that.

Can you see all the Nainital lakes in one day?

Yes, these four make a comfortable loop. Start on Naini Lake early, then drive to Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal, and come back to Nainital in about 53 minutes from the last lake on our routing. Weekend traffic on the hill roads can add time, so leave early.

Why is it called Naukuchiatal?

Nau kuchia means nine-cornered, and Wikipedia translates the name as the lake of nine corners. It lies at about 1,220 m, about 4 km from Bhimtal, and Wikipedia calls it the deepest lake in the Nainital region. Local belief links it with the god Brahma, and a small temple to him stands near the shore.