A Memorable Trip to Nainital – The Lake District of India

I always have a penchant for hill stations. The Himalayan Mountains with their magnificent snow-capped peaks and green pastures, standing tall in silence always attract me. So… when I got the proposal for a trip to Nainital I readily accepted it. The magical charm of lakes was bonus with the beauty of mountains. And now, when I am writing this post I feel happy about the decision I made in haste.

Nainital, the City of Lakes at the heart of Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. The scenic landscapes dotted with emerald-green lakes surrounded by mountains and pleasant weather almost year-round attracts tourists from all across the country.

Nainital district, also popularly called as the ‘Lake District of India’, consists of several naturally created freshwater lakes and mountains. Tal means ‘lake’ in local language. They say there were more than 50 such lakes most of which now have disappeared. The effect of human civilization!

Sometimes the thought of ‘how fast we are losing our forests and natural resources’ dreads me.

Where to Stay

We stayed in Hotel Shalimar, a budget hotel with a strategic location ensuring quick access to the town’s mall as well as spacious rooms overlooking the Naini Lake. The boat pier was visible right from the hotel’s veranda.

(You can read my review on TripAdvisor for a better idea of the hotel)

But if you are looking for a luxurious accommodation there is Grand Hotel on the Mall Road to offer you magnificent view along with high-quality service. . However, these are examples only. Hotels are aplenty in Nainital.

We reached the hotel at around 1 pm and took a much-needed shower and had lunch. After that we set out to explore the town.

Things to do

In my opinion there are five must-dos in Nainital District which are –

#1 Boating

You will find two types of boats in Nainital for recreational purposes – paddleboats and rowing boats. The view of white swan-shaped paddleboats lining up the wharf at Naini Lake was simply inviting.

However, we finally went for a rowing boat since it can accommodate up to four people at a time excluding the boatman. Charge is Rs 210 per boat for a 30-minute ride. As we were enjoying the ride on the pristine water I looked at the promenade along the lake. It was lined with maple trees. There yellowing leaves were looking fiery in golden streaks of afternoon sun.