A 5-Day road trip : Nainital , Jim Corbett & Kainchi Dham

It had been five months since my last break, and I felt the need to take a few days off to reset. I had a few options in mind like Nainital, Jim Corbett, Kainchi Dham, or Kasol. Also, was considering the possibility of a family trip to Kashmir. After checking flight prices, weather conditions, and other arrangements, I finally decided on Nainital and Jim Corbett. But Kainchi Dham had been on my mind for over six months, it felt like something I was meant to do.

My 13-year-old nephews joined me on the trip, thanks to them to make it even more enjoyable. I used MakeMyTrip for most of the bookings for flights, hotels, and cabs, and Cleartrip for a one-way flight ticket. There’s a certain joy in planning a trip, especially when everything starts coming together.

We took an early morning flight from Bangalore to Ghaziabad and began our five-day road trip from there. Here's the itinerary, along with a few highlights:

Day 1: Bangalore to Agra via Vrindavan & Mathura

We landed in Ghaziabad at 7:30 AM after a 3-hour flight. The pre-booked cab was waiting for us at the airport.

We drove on smooth Yamuna Expressway to Agra, taking a stop before and after Vrindavan at a food court on the highway. After parking at Vrindavan, we took an auto to the Radha-Krishna temple and arrived just before it closed at 12:30 PM.

Next, we went to Mathura, but the temple there was closed. We walked through the crowded streets, filled with shops, Mathura is known for its peda(peda originated in Mathura) . The roads were narrow and there was a huge traffic jam , it made it hard to even walk around, but the place had its charm.

Afterwards we had lunch & we continued to Agra and reached the Taj Mahal by 4:00 PM. Timed it in such a way that we stayed there until sunset. The monument entry closes @ around 6:00–6:30 PM. There is buggy service from parking lot to the Taj Mahal , this ride saved us the 1.5 km walk. The first sight of Taj Mahal was a wow moment and was unforgettable. We took lot of pictures. There were hundreds of school kids visiting Taj Mahal on that day, it was quite crowded. Summer was just setting in so the temparature was bearable 30-35 deg C.

We drove straight back to Ghaziabad, reaching our hotel around 9:00 PM.

We stayed at SK Premium Park in Ghaziabad. The rooms were spacious and close to the metro. Our cab cost approx ₹6000 for the day, including tolls and state tax.

Day 2: Ghaziabad to Nainital

I booked a different cab for the next 4 days , we started by around 8:00AM for Nainital and it was about a 6-hour drive. The roads were good with many food joints in the route.

We reached Nainital by 2:00 PM , first checked into The Earl’s Court luxary hotel. It is a quiet place about 1.5 km from Mall Road, with a peaceful vibe and great ambience.

In the evening, we hiked up to Tiffin Top. It is about a 45-minute walk, with an entry fee of ₹50. On the way, we saw monkeys and birds, and the path was beautiful with tress & rodhodendron . It was a bit cold on the top, so a light jacket helped. The view of Naini Lake and the distant Himalayan peaks at sunset was beautiful. There’s a small Maggi stall at the top, ginger tea and Maggi was a good combination. It was dark by the time we reached the cab, good to carry a torch or mobile with charge to turn on torch. The cab dropped us off at the entrance of mall road, we walked to the mall road, there was huge traffic jam and vehicle entry is not allowed from 6:00-8PM.

We took a walk along the crowded but lively Mall Road, boys did some toys shopping. We had few snacks, headed back to the hotel for dinner. The hotel had live music, camp fire and tasty food.

Day 3: Kainchi Dham, Naukuchiatal & Snow View Point

It was a long holiday weekend and the mountain was crowded. Driver and i discussed and we decided to start by 5:00AM in the morning and I reached Kainchi Dham by 5:45 AM. The temple opens at 7:00 AM during winter until the first week of April. No socks are allowed inside, and the floor was freezing. I’m especially grateful to the lady who helped me with the cold by offering a place to sit. Since I was among the first to enter, the darshan quick & was peaceful. I was back at the hotel by 8:30 AM and boys were still sleeping. The dham gets crowded , and the queue can take up to 3 hours. Traffic jams can also make the 40-minute journey stretch to 2-3 hours.

After a heavy buffet breakfast, we drove to Naukuchiatal via Bhimtal. Naukuchiatal is a quiet, clean lake area, perfect for some peace and relaxation. We rented a paddle boat for 2 hours (₹400), and the kids also enjoyed zorbing (₹400) and ziplining (₹1000 for 1 km over the lake). Paddling made me realize that age is just not a number!😀😀

We drove back to Nainital and went to Snow View Point. Instead of the cable car, we took a small cab (Alto : ₹1200) that showed us seven different viewpoints. The roads were narrow and bumpy, but the views were worth it. We ended the day watching the sunset at Birds Eye View (₹300 per person), with a beautiful 360-degree view of the mountains and Naini Lake.

Later, we took a rowboat ride on Naini Lake and had dinner back at the hotel with live music and delicious food. It was a long but beautiful day, slept off early.

Day 4: Back to Snow View & Jim Corbett Safari

This morning we again went to the Snow View since clouds had blocked the peaks earlier. This time, the view was clearer and more peaceful. We were the first ones up there. The cab cost was ₹600.

We left from Nainital to Jim Corbett @ around 10:30 AM. The drive was smooth with little traffic, and we arrived early for the evening safari, giving us enough time to walk around. As soon as we landed in Jim Corbett, we were greeted by a deer that had escaped from the forest and wandered onto the road.

I booked the safari online through the official site (recommended). The total cost was ₹3300 for the permit, ₹900 for the guide, and ₹2500 for the jeep.

We chose the Bijrani zone for the safari. We saw three types of deer—spotted deer, sambar, and barking deer—along with two types of monkeys—langurs and rhesus macaques. We also spotted several birds, including a kingfisher, yellow-beaked hornbill, and a serpent eagle. We even saw tiger paw prints. Just when we thought the safari was over and the kids were getting disappointed, an elephant chased us! It turned out to be the most thrilling experience of the trip, thanks to the elephant and our jeep driver’s quick thinking. The forest was beautiful, some areas were dry, but the trees with orange, red, and yellow leaves added to the beauty of the nature.

After the safari we drover towards our resort. We stayed at Sterling Resort, about 30 km from the safari gate. Due to road work, it took about an hour to reach. We ordered dinner and ended the day with the boys still talking about the elephant chase.

Day 5: Ramganga River & Return to Delhi

I woke up early and took a walk around the resort, it was truly a beautiful location. The view from the balcony was peaceful. The boys woke up a bit late, and we headed to the Ramganga River and a nearby hanging bridge, about 1.5 km from the resort. We dipped our feet in the icy water, kids skipped stones, and enjoyed the quiet surroundings. The area is surrounded by mountains.

We checked out by 11:00 AM and had a smooth drive to Delhi. After Moradabad, the highway widened and the drive became easier.

We reached Delhi Airport around 5:30 PM. We had timed it so that even if there was a 1-hour delay, we would still be comfortable for the flight. Security check gave us a bit of a scary moment when a toy gun in one of the kids' bags caused a small confusion, boy was happy finally since they allowed us to carry it.

We boarded our Air India flight with food onboard and reached home by 1:00 AM.

Some tips :

Breakfast/Dinner Buffets: If the meal option is not too expensive, it's worth selecting breakfast or dinner at your hotel (buffets cost ₹500–₹1000).
Vehicle Choice: For long drives, opt for newer vehicles. Avoid CNG cabs if traveling with luggage, as some of our bags had to be tied to the roof.
CNG Bunks: CNG refueling stations can be hard to find, and you might face long queues.
There is an option to change the cab & driver if they dont behave well or if the vehnicel is not up to the mark.
One Easy Day: Plan at least one easy day in your itinerary to relax.
Hotel Location for Safari: If you're heading to Jim Corbett, book a hotel closer to the safari zone, as most roads are under construction.
Food: South Indian tiffin options are widely available in most hotels.
Booking for Kids: For children over 10–12 years old, it's better to book them as adults to avoid check-in delays, as many hotels/resorts consider them adults for check-in.
Patnanagar or Bareilly Airport: airports are closer to Nainital and is a better option than driving from Delhi, have limited flights . 4 day cab cost with permit & tolls 16-18k.