 Excursion points in Nainital, Uttarakhand, offer a wondrous and diverse experience to the visitors. The places are adorned with picturesque natural beauty and enchanting landscapes. Some of the most gorgeous lakes of the country can be witnessed here. These sites also offer spellbinding views of Himalayan ranges along with captivating sunrise. A number of pilgrimages also form the major tourist attractions of these places and allures devotees from distant regions of the country. Apart from savouring the grandeur of nature, excursion points in Nainital also offer an amazing experience of recreational activities like trekking, angling, fishing and boating.
Baijnath Baijnath is located at an altitude of 1125 metres on a flat valley along the banks of Gomti River. Here the temple complex of Baijnath was established by the Katyuri kings. Temples of Brahma, Surya, Kuber, Chandika, Parvati, Ganesh and Shiva are also situated in Baijnath. 
Bhimtal
Bhimtal lies at a distance of 22 kilometres from Nainital at an altitude of 1370 metres. The place is famous for a vast and beautiful lake where tourists enjoy a pleasant boating experience. Amidst the lake, an island is located which houses a restaurant for the visitors. The place also houses a dam over which an ancient temple complex of Bhimeshwar, belonging to 17th century, is located. Bhowali Bhowali is situated at about 11 kilometres from Nainital town, at an altitude of 1706 meters. Basically it is a road junction which serves all the hill stations situated near Nainital. The place has mesmerizing scenic beauty and is also famed as a fruit mart. Bhowali is also known for T.B. sanatorium which was founded in 1912. Binsar Binsar is one of the most spectacular places in Kumaon Himalaya, known for its captivating scenic beauty. Ferns, alpine forests, wild blooms and hanging moss adorn this exquisite place which offers a splendid view of the Himalayas. Trekking is also done in this region amidst rhododendrons and Himalayan oaks. Ghorakhal Ghorakhal is situated near Bhowali. The place is popular for the temple of Lord Golu, the local deity of the hill people, and the Sainik School. 
Kainchi Dham
Kainchi Dham is a famous pilgrimage site located near Nainital. The Ashram of renowned Neem Karoli Maharaj has rendered recognition to the place. Kausani Kausani lies in a spectacular landscape; situated over a narrow ridge and embraced by dense pine forests. Low mountains separate Kausani from the Nanda Devi range of Himalayas. The place offers a breathtaking view of towering Himalayas, especially the snow capped Nanda Devi and Trishul ranges. Enthralling sunrise can also be witnessed from Kausani. In the year 1929 Mahatma Gandhi had spent 12 days at Kausani and the guest house where he stayed is known as Anashakti Ashram. It is also the birth place of famous poet Sumitranandan Pant. Jageshwar Jageshwar is enlisted among the 12 Jyotirlings of the country. Ancient monarch-sized deodars border the narrow valley where Jageshwar is situated. Numerous shrines dot the place among which three are quite popular owing to their magnificent sculptures. These three shrines are dedicated to Pushtidevi, Mrityunjaya and Jageshwar. The temple of Jageshwar has artistic sculptures of 'dwarpals' at the entrance. The artistic carvings on the temple show profound Buddhist influence. Mukteshwar Mukteshwar is another beautiful excursion site at a distance of 51 kilometres from Nainital. The place was nurtured by the British people in 1893 as a research and education institute. Dense coniferous forest and fruit orchards embrace the place bestowing a captivating look to Mukteshwar. It also offers a magnificent view of the long Himalayan ranges and an ancient Shiva temple. Naukuchia Tal Naukuchia Tal, located 26 kilometres away from Nainital, is a deep and clear lake having nine corners. The lake, lying on a picturesque valley, offers a breathtaking view to the visitors. Angling and bird watching are some popular activities cherished here. Apart from this, yachting, paddling and rowing are also widely practiced here. 
Ranikhet
Ranikhet, situated near Nainital, is a hill station endowed with splendid scenic beauty. Local myths say that the queen of Raja Sudhardev, Rani Padmini was highly impressed with the place and thus chose it as her abode. The place got the name Ranikhet since then which means 'Queen's Field'. The place offers an amazing experience to its visitors with it fragrant and invigorating mountain breeze, colourful chirruping birds, scenic landscapes and the spellbinding view of majestic Himalayan ranges. It is also the headquarters of Kumaon Regimental Centre (KRC) and hosts KRC museum and memorial. Other tourist attraction of Ranikhet include Upat Kalika with its best golf links, Chaubatiya Garden with its beautiful fruit gardens and a Government Fruit Research Centre, Bhalu Dam which is famed for fishing and Hairakhan Dham which hosts the ashram of Hairakhan Baba. Sat Tal Sat Tal is an enchanting place located at about 23 kilometres from Nainital, at a height of 1370 metres. The place is greatly cherished by nature lovers where an oak forest surrounds a group of lakes. The first lake while proceeding towards Sat Tal is Nal Damyanti Lake. It also hosts an Ashram of an American Missionary, Stanley Johns. Next lake on the way is Panna or Garude Lake. Proceeding further, a cluster of three lakes are found known as Ram, Laxman and Sita lakes. |
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