Delhi to Nainital by Road: A Self-Drive Guide to the Lake District

Nainital, the lake town of the Kumaon hills, is one of the most popular weekends from Delhi: about 300–320 km and 7–8 hours, the last hour a climb from the plains through the forest to a green bowl around Naini Lake. With your own car you can stay by the quieter lakes nearby and drive out to Mukteshwar for the Himalayan views. This guide covers the route, tolls, parking, the best time to go and a weekend plan.

Delhi to Nainital at a glance

• Distance: about 300–320 km.
• Driving time: 7–8 hours, more on busy weekends.
• Tolls: about ₹250–300 one way on NH9; the hill road is toll-free.
• Best time: March to June and September to November.
• Good for: a weekend of two or three days.

The route

Take NH9 east out of Delhi through Ghaziabad and Hapur to Moradabad and Rampur, a fast divided highway with plenty of dhabas. From Rampur the road heads north to Haldwani and Kathgodam, where the plains end. The last stretch climbs about 35 km through the forest to Nainital.

Parking in Nainital

Nainital is small and its lake-front roads are busy, so parking is the hardest part of the trip. Book a hotel with its own parking and leave the car there, or use the public car parks near the lake. On peak weekends and holidays, police sometimes hold cars outside town and run shuttle services, so plan for it.

A weekend plan

1. Day 1: drive up in the morning, check in, and take a boat on Naini Lake before an evening walk along the Mall.
2. Day 2: the ropeway to Snow View Point and a walk to Tiffin Top in the morning, then the Naina Devi Temple.
3. Day 3: a morning at Bhimtal or Sattal, then drive back to Delhi through Haldwani.

With an extra day, drive about 50 km to Mukteshwar for its orchards and wide views of the Himalayas.

Driving tips for the hills

• Drive up from Kathgodam in daylight: the road is narrow in places, with blind curves.
• Use a low gear going downhill and give way to vehicles coming up.
• From December to February, expect fog in the mornings and occasional snow.
• The monsoon can bring landslides on the hill road, so check conditions before you leave.
• Our cars have a 120 km/h speed limit, so plan the plains at a steady pace.

Tolls and fuel costs

Tolls come to about ₹250–300 each way for a car on NH9, paid by the FASTag in the car; the hill road from Kathgodam is toll-free. Expect parking charges in town.

For fuel, a petrol car doing 15 km a litre uses about 21 litres each way: roughly ₹2,000 at ₹96 a litre, or about ₹4,000 for the round trip.

Renting a self-drive car for Nainital

• Unlimited kilometres and an All-India permit on every car; you pay any state entry taxes.
• Trips over 48 hours get 10% off, so a three-day weekend costs less per day.
• A compact car or SUV is easiest on the hill road and in tight parking: a Swift, Brezza or Venue; for a family, the Ertiga.
• Collect the car at our Mahipalpur office near IGI Airport, or have it delivered in Noida, Ghaziabad or anywhere in Delhi NCR.
• You need a driving licence held for at least a year, a government ID and a ₹5,000 refundable deposit.

See all our cars or read more about outstation trips from Delhi.