A Day's Trip To Naukuchiatal, Nainital

Just when I thought that the scenic boat ride of Nainital will go down as being my best boat ride ever, little did I knew that I would be proven wrong in my trip to Naukuchiatal. A hidden treasure of Uttrakhand, this hill hamlet was a treasured discovery for me.

What To Do

Boating! That will be the best part about your trip to Naukuchiatal. Surrounded by tall mountains, enjoy magnificent views sitting in a colourful shikara. Of course, the boat ride steals the show but there are a lot of other activities you can do when you are here - kayaking, angling, swimming and horse riding. To get a bird’s eye view of the lake and the entire region, go hand- gliding, organised by the Himalayan Adventure Institute.

Look What I Spotted...

Home to a variety of birds, spotting a Kingfisher is the most common bird here irrespective of the season you choose to visit.

Bollywood Connection

Remember the beautiful bungalow where actress Preity Zinta lived in the blockbuster movie, Koi Mil Gaya. Perched on a hilltop, I spotted this famous bungalow in my trip to Naukuchiatal.

And The Myth

While some say that if you can see all the nine corners of the lake from a single spot, you attain nirvana, other locals believe that if you spot these corners on a cloudy day, you disappear and turn in to a cloud! Just to be safe, I didn’t take any chances.

Getting There

Kathgodham railway station is the nearest railhead approximately 44 kilometers away. You can take a shared taxi from the railway station and reach Naukuchiatal. You can also stay in Bhimtal as Naukuchiatal is just a four kilometer drive uphill from there.

While leaving this wonderland, I couldn’t help but make a mental note to plan my Naukuchiatal trip soon.