Nainital District

Nainital, which is widely renowned as the “City of Lakes”, is one of the most famous districts of Kumaon division. Situated in the foothills of Kumaon, Nainital is located at a distance of 279 km from Dehradun and 324 km from Delhi. Surrounded by the attractive ‘Seven Hills'- Ayarpata, Deopata, Handi-Bandi, Naina, Alma, Lariya,-Kanta, and Sher-Ka-Danda, this place is also known as Sapta-Shrunga. Nainital is the headquarters of Nainital district and is also known as the Judicial capital of Uttarakhand. It is the home to the High Court of Uttarakhand, which also houses the governor of Uttarakhand.

Spread over 1,490 sq mi, the overall population of Nainital is around 12,6 lakh, making it the 4th largest populated district in the state. Here, most of the people's first language is Kumauni while Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Garhwali are other most common languages. Nainital shares boundaries with Almora to its North, Udham Singh Nagar to its South, Champawat to its East and Pauri Garhwal flanks to its West. The district has been divided in two zones mainly Hilly and Bhabar, where bhabar is the foothill part of the district. Kosi is the main river that flows through the district.

Tourists flock through the state to experience the beauty of Nainital. Ghorakhal, Naukuchiatal, Kaichi Dham, Mukteshwar, Sattal, Bhimtal, Bhowali, Kilbury, Tiffin top, Naina peak, Sariyatal, Khurpatal, and snow view point are some of its major tourist attraction. Activities like paragliding, hot air balloon and trekking are some of the adventurous sports which tourists can enjoy during their visit. Tourists can also enjoy various adventurous activities that may fill them with joy and excitement. Paragliding, trekking, boating, kayaking, Golfing, and Hot Air ballooning are some of them. Beyond its scenic beauty, Nainital is a home to various deities. Interestingly, Nainital names also derive from a deity Naina Devi.

As mentioned in the Ved and Purans and per the legend, when Devi Sati burnt herself alive in a Yagna, it made Shiva distressed. Griefed Shiva, carrying the charred body of Sati all over the place, during this, Sati left eye fell at this place. Since then, this place has been known as Nainital. If one observes from a distance, then they will find the lake of Nainital is eye-shaped, hence it is known as Naini-Jheel. Nainital is also renowned for its Jim Corbett national park, which is the country’s first national park. Tourists flock to this park all round the year to enjoy an enthralling jungle safari.

On special occasions, rural people can often be seen wearing their traditional costumes and performing dances to cherish their rich cultural heritage. Additionally, Nainital district is rich in Flora and Fauna, inhabiting various species in the area. Nainital weather remains cool throughout the year. However, areas higher than 2,000 m also receive snowfall in winter, making it a perfect year round tourist destination.

However, being a tourist destination is not enough until and unless you have good road, air and rail connectivity. Tourists can connect with Nainital through airways, with the nearest airport is just 60 km away, and nearest railhead is in Kathgodam, around 33 km away. Whereas, the city connects very well with all major cities. Various hotels and homestays are available to serve and give you a warm and memorable experience.