Bhimtal

Bhimtal is a small Kumaon town about 24 km from Nainital, built around the lake that gives it its name. Local legend credits Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata, with creating the lake. Colonial bungalows and Kumaoni houses climb the slopes above the water, boats go out on the lake, and from November to February migratory birds winter here.

Smaller sights surround the town: Kamal Tal, a pond covered in lotus flowers; Nal Damyanti Tal, a sacred lake with walking paths; and the Folk Culture Museum (Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya), open since 1983, with wooden antiques, paintings and other regional artefacts. Hikers climb Hidimba Parvat for views over the hills, Padampuri village beside the Kala River is used for camping, and the Stargate Observatory runs astronomy shows.