Bhimtal

Bhimtal lies at about 1,370 metres, lower and warmer than Nainital and larger in area, with an island near the middle reached by boat that holds an aquarium and a cafe. The town is named for Bhima of the Mahabharata, and an old Shiva temple stands at the lake's edge. Around it lie the other Kumaon lakes: Sattal, a group of interconnected waters in oak forest known for birdwatching and camping; Naukuchiatal, the nine-cornered lake, deeper and quieter; and smaller ones at Khurpatal and Naina. The area has become a base for people who want the lakes without Nainital's congestion.

History

From the seventh to the eleventh centuries the region was ruled by the Katyuri kings, and then by the Chand kings of Kumaon, under whom Bhimtal became a caravan stop on the royal road from the plains to Almora; in 1667 King Baz Bahadur Chand had the Bhimeshwar Mahadev temple on the lake rebuilt. Gorkha forces from Nepal ruled Kumaon from 1790 for twenty-five years, under the British Bhimtal became a rest camp and staging post on the way to Almora, Ranikhet and Nainital, and in 1883 the Public Works Department completed the Victoria Dam across the lake's outlet (Wikipedia, Bhimtal).

What's there

• The lake and island - the main water with its central island and boats.
• The lakeside temple - the old Shiva shrine at the water's edge.
• Sattal - interconnected lakes in oak forest, good for birds.
• Naukuchiatal - the deeper nine-cornered lake nearby.

When to go

March to June and September to November; the monsoon brings landslides on the hill roads. Bird activity at Sattal peaks in winter and spring. Summer weekends bring plains crowds.

Practical notes

Development around the lakes has grown fast, with construction visible. Boating is the main organised activity. Water quality varies and the lakes are lower and hotter than Nainital.

Nearby

Nainital lies northwest; Sattal and Naukuchiatal are close by.