Nainital & the Kumaon Lakes District

This is a private, 8-day tour through Kumaon's cluster of lakes in Uttarakhand — Nainital, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal — all within about 30 km of each other, though most visitors only ever see the first. You ride the Shatabdi Express from Delhi to Kathgodam, then travel by private vehicle between the lakes, spending two nights each at Nainital and Sattal so you actually experience dawn and dusk at the places most day-trippers rush through. A private naturalist joins you for two full days of birding at Sattal, home to roughly 500 recorded bird species. A private guide, driver and vehicle travel with you throughout, in your choice of three tiers: Premium, Luxury and Ultra-Luxury.

This Nainital lakes district tour puts the famous lake in its place, two nights at the start, and then moves on to the quieter ones. Kumaon has a cluster of lakes within about 30 km of Nainital, and most visitors see only the first. This Kumaon lake district tour package takes in Nainital, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal in eight days, and it is a Sattal Bhimtal Naukuchiatal tour for people who would rather watch a Paradise Flycatcher than queue for a boat.

The route goes by train and road. The Shatabdi Express takes you from New Delhi to Kathgodam in about five and a half hours, and a private vehicle takes you up to Nainital at about 2,084 m. You stay two nights in Nainital, one at Bhimtal, two at Sattal and one at Naukuchiatal, with a night in Delhi at the start. A private guide, driver and vehicle stay with you from Kathgodam, and a private naturalist joins you for two days at Sattal, so this is a private Kumaon lakes tour with no group and no set hour to be anywhere.

Sattal alone has about 500 recorded bird species and over 525 butterflies, and Naukuchiatal is the deepest lake in the region. The package is a birding Kumaon holiday and an offbeat Nainital tour in one, priced as a tailor-made Kumaon lakes holiday in three tiers, Premium, Luxury and Ultra-Luxury. It is built for October to March, when the air is clear, the lakes are quiet and Central Asian migrants are in.

What to know before you book. Book the Shatabdi tickets early. The train leaves New Delhi at 6:20 am, which is why the plan starts with a night in Delhi, and the return reaches New Delhi at 8:55 pm, so a late flight suits best. Winter fog on the plains can delay trains. Nights are cold from December to February, with Nainital between about 2 and 11 C in January. Luxury hotels are few outside Nainital and Bhimtal, and the Sattal and Naukuchiatal stays are forest lodges and cottages, not hotels.

Temple access. In 2026 the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee resolved to bar non-Hindus from 47 temples in its charge. None of the places on this route was named in the reports we read, and we have not found a rule for the temples at Nainital and Bhimtal. We confirm the position for your dates before you travel.

WHY BOOK THIS WITH BIZAREXPEDITION

The lakes reward guests who stay long enough to hear them.

• Uttarakhand is our home base. BizareXpedition™ Services Pvt. Ltd. (CIN U63090UR2016PTC007433) is headquartered in Haridwar, so the Kumaon roads, the hotels and the drivers are known to us first-hand.

• Two nights, not two hours. Most visitors see the lakes on a day trip and book a boat ride. This plan stays two nights at Sattal, so you are on the trail at dawn and dusk, when the birds are.

• Privacy is the plan. You have your own vehicle, your own guide and your own table at every meal, and a private naturalist for two days. Nobody joins the car.

• The pace suits the hills. The longest drive is under two hours, and the last morning is free because the train leaves in the afternoon.

• Three tiers, one route. The Premium, Luxury and Ultra-Luxury versions share the same route and the same guide standard. The tiers change the rooms, the vehicle and the private touches.

ACCOMMODATION CATEGORIES

Note on hotels. The Naini Retreat stands on the Ayarpatta slopes at about 1,995 m and was once the residence of the Maharaja of Pilibhit. Fortune Lakeview is an ITC group hotel with 63 rooms on the Bhimtal lakefront. The Sattal Birding Lodge has five Swiss-style tents in Bhaktyura village, with no televisions or generators. The Lake Resort has cottages in 70 acres of oak forest above Naukuchiatal. There is no ultra-luxury property in these lakes, so the Ultra-Luxury tier adds a Mercedes on the Delhi legs, the best room grade and private touches. Property names are proposals and are confirmed at booking. Rates in this document are modelled, not contract rates.

3-TIER PRICING SUMMARY (indicative)

Prices are indicative and modelled. The upper figure covers date and season variation. The final quote depends on dates, hotels confirmed and any upgrade you choose.

Why Choose This Kumaon Lakes Tour Package

• Four lakes, not one. Most Nainital trips end at the one famous lake. This itinerary uses Nainital as a starting point and takes you on to Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal — the lakes within reach that most visitors never see.

• Two nights at Sattal, not two hours. Day-trippers see Sattal from a boat and leave. This plan keeps you there for two full nights, so you're on the forest trail at dawn and dusk, exactly when the birds are most active.

• A private naturalist, not a shared guide. For two days at Sattal, an expert birding naturalist travels with you alone, pointing out species like the Paradise Flycatcher and Red-billed Blue Magpie from the hides near the ashram.

• Genuinely private throughout. Your own vehicle, driver and guide stay with you from the moment you step off the train at Kathgodam — nobody else joins the car, and every meal and evening is yours.

• An easy pace. The longest single drive is under two hours, and your final morning is free, since the return train doesn't leave until early afternoon.

• Local knowledge that runs deep. BizareXpedition is headquartered in Haridwar, in the same state as this route, so the Kumaon roads, hotels and drivers are known first-hand.

SEASON ADJUSTMENTS

Dates and weather change by year, so we confirm both when we quote.

What You'll Experience

• Naini Lake at dawn. A quiet walk around the lake before Mall Road wakes up, taking in the Naina Devi Temple on its northern shore.

• Snow View Point by ropeway. A ride above Nainital for a wide-angle look at the Himalayan peaks on a clear day.

• Bhimtal's island and temple. A circuit of Kumaon's largest lake by surface area, a ferry ride to the island aquarium, and a stop at the 17th-century Bhimeshwar Mahadev Temple.

• Dawn birding at Sattal with a private naturalist. A forest of seven interlinked lakes holding about 500 recorded bird species — look for the Paradise Flycatcher, Kalij Pheasant, Great Barbet and Red-billed Blue Magpie from the bird hides.

• The Jones Estate butterfly museum. Around 2,500 butterfly and moth specimens housed on a former colonial tea estate.

• Naukuchiatal's nine corners by boat. A private boat ride around the deepest lake in the region, at about 175 feet, with a seasonal lotus pond along the way.

• The Shatabdi Express. A comfortable, scenic train journey between Delhi and Kathgodam that lets the plains fall away before the hills begin.

Which Lake Is Right for You?

Nainital, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal sit close together but feel genuinely different from one another. Here's how they compare, and why this itinerary visits all four rather than stopping at the first.

If you're choosing between Nainital and Sattal specifically: Nainital is the classic, busier hill station with a famous lake and a lively Mall Road, while Sattal is a quieter forest of seven lakes built for birdwatching. This itinerary doesn't ask you to choose — it gives you two nights at each, in the order that lets the busier lake come first and the quieter one linger longest.

Who This Trip Suits

• Birders and nature-focused travellers drawn to Sattal's roughly 500 recorded bird species and 525-plus butterflies, ideally with their own binoculars in hand

• Couples and small groups who want the classic Nainital experience without stopping there — and without a shared group boat ride

• Slow travellers who'd rather spend two unhurried nights at fewer places than rush through a longer list of lakes in a single day each

• Photography-minded guests chasing dawn light on the water, Himalayan views from Snow View Point, and forest wildlife at Sattal

• Travellers comfortable with forest lodges, not just hotels since Sattal and Naukuchiatal are stayed in cottages and tented lodges rather than conventional city-style hotels

It suits guests happy with early mornings, some walking on forest trails, and a genuinely unhurried pace; it's a less natural fit for anyone wanting a fast-paced, sight-a-day itinerary or five-star city hotels at every single stop, since Kumaon's smaller lakes simply don't have that kind of infrastructure yet.

PRACTICAL NOTES

• The train. The Shatabdi leaves New Delhi at 6:20 am and reaches Kathgodam at 11:55 am. The return leaves Kathgodam at 3:20 pm and reaches New Delhi at 8:55 pm. It runs seven days a week, with Executive and AC Chair Car, and tickets are booked early. Winter fog can delay it.

• Roads. From Kathgodam it is about 35 km up to Nainital, and the drives between the lakes are short. Hill roads are narrow and winding.

• Altitude. Nainital is at about 2,084 m and the other lakes are between about 1,200 and 1,400 m. Altitude is not a problem for most guests.

• Weather. Days are mild in autumn and cool from December. Nights are cold in winter. Bring layers, a light waterproof and walking shoes.

• Birding. The best birding at Sattal is from 5:30 to 9 am and 4 to 6 pm. Bring binoculars and neutral clothes.

• Boating. Boats run at Nainital, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal, and rates vary by season and lake. Boat rides on the plan are covered.

• Dress. Cover shoulders and knees in temples, and take off shoes at the door. The guide tells you where it matters.

• Connectivity. Mobile signal is patchy at the Sattal lodge. Your guide keeps a fixed daily check-in time with our office.

• Health. The forest lodge at Sattal is 4 km from the lake and reached by a stony path. Tell us about any mobility needs before booking.

• Food. Kumaoni food is simple, and vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are both available at the hotels. Tell us about allergies and the guide arranges each meal.

• Wildlife. Leopards live in the Kumaon hills. Walk with your naturalist and do not wander in the forest after dark.