If you want to spend the weekend not in any club, bar, or restaurant in Delhi, but in some calm and peaceful place, Pangot is a perfect destination. Where you can breathe in the open air, and enjoy nature closely. Also, if you are fond of bird watching and photography, that can be fulfilled by coming here.

Paradise for birdwatchers
Pangot is only 13 km away from Nainital. But most people's tour of Uttarakhand is limited to Nainital, Mussoorie, due to which this place is still away from the eyes of tourists. Due to this, the beauty of this place is still intact. By coming to this place, you can see various types of birds walking on the lush green forest and trees. More than 580 species of birds are present here. On the way to reach here, you can also see many species of Himalayan animals and birds, such as Lammergeier, Himalayan Griffon, Blue-winged Minala, Spotted and Grey Forktail, Roof-bellied Woodpecker, Roof-bellied Neltawa, Pheasants, various types of Thrushes, etc. This place is a very good place for many types of flora and fauna including leopards, deer, and sambar. Located in the Kumaon region, the view of Pangot is heart-touching.

Mukteshwar Temple

It is located at an altitude of 2286 meters (7500 feet) in the hills of Kumaon. From here the peaks of Himalayan mountains like Nanda Devi, Trishul, etc. are visible. There is a temple of Shiva on top of a hill here which is situated at an altitude of 2315 meters. This temple is famous as the Mukteshwar Temple. To reach this temple, one has to climb about 100 stairs. Here, along with Lord Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Parvati, Hanuman, and Nandi Ji are also seated. There is a gathering of monkeys outside the temple.

There is a Chauli ki Jaali in the rocks near the temple. It is also called 'Chauthi ki Jaali'. This place is adjacent to Mukteshwar temple. One can reach here by climbing a little mountain. It is believed that a war took place here between the goddess and the demon. This is a mountain peak on which there is a round hole on the topmost rock. It is said that if a childless woman passes through this hole, she gets a child. A beautiful view of the valley can be seen from the top of the mountain.

If the weather is clear, then a beautiful view of the sun rising behind the Himalayan mountain peaks can be seen in Mukteshwar and mountain ranges like Nalkantha, Nanda Devi and Trishul can also be seen. There is an Indian Veterinary Research Institute here where research is done on animals. This institute was built in 1893. There is also a museum and library here where old items and books related to research on animals are kept safe.

Bhimtal
Bhimtal is a triangular lake. It is 10 km north of Kathgodam in Uttaranchal. Its length is 1674 meters, width is 447 meters and depth is 15 to 50 meters. It is a bigger lake than Nainital. Like Nainital, it also has two corners which are called Talli Tal and Malli Tal. It is also connected by roads at both corners. The distance of Bhimtal from Nainital is 22.5 km. Its nearest railway station is Kathgodam.

The biggest feature of Bhimtal is that it is located in a beautiful valley and blooming area. There is an island in the middle of this lake, there is an arrangement to reach the island by boat. This island is used as a picnic spot. Most of the tourists go to Bhimtal in the morning from Nainital. On reaching the island, we eat our favorite food and go boating in the open lake. There are good quality restaurants on this island. An aquarium has also been built on this island by the fisheries department of Uttar Pradesh. There is also a good facility for fishing here.

Bhimtal is also a useful lake. Two to three small canals have been drawn from its corners, which irrigate the fields. A stream of water flows continuously and gives strength to the water of the Gaula River. A television factory has been opened here by the Kumaon Development Corporation. A typewriter manufacturing unit has also been opened by Faceit Asia. A 34-bed accommodation house has been built here by the tourism department. Apart from this, there are also accommodation and food facilities available here.

Before Nainital was discovered, Bhimtal was the most important lake. However, some scholars associate this lake with Pandu's son Bhima. It is said that Pandu's son Bhima dug the land and created a huge lake here. By the way, there is a temple of Bhimeshwar Mahadev here. This is an ancient temple - perhaps it is Bhim's place or it was built in memory of Bhima. But even today this temple is known and worshipped as Bhimeshwar Mahadev's temple.

Sattaal
Sattaal, as the name suggests, is a group of seven lakes and is one of the best places to visit in Uttarakhand in December. Being home to migratory birds, nature enthusiasts, and keen bird watchers will find Sattal to be an attractive destination. Pleasant weather throughout the year and numerous opportunities to explore the wooded forests of Sattal during the winter season, especially in January, make it one of the most preferred gateways to Uttarakhand. Nestled amidst dense forests of oak and pine trees, Sattal is one of the few unspoiled and unspoiled freshwater biomes in India. These lakes are a paradise for migratory birds. It is home to a few camps mostly run by locals who cater to tourists looking for outdoor vacations.

Seven Lakes of Sattal
- Panna Tal or Garuda Tali
- Nal Damyanti Tali
- Hanuman Tali
- Sita Tali
- Ram Tali
- Lakshman Tal
- Sukha Tal or Bharat Tali

Nainital

Nainital is a town and important tourist destination located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is also the headquarters of the district. Nainital has special significance in the Kumaon region. It falls in the 'Chhatta' pargana. The name 'Chhatta' is derived from 'Shashtikhat'. 'Shashtikhat' means sixty lakes. Earlier there were sixty picturesque lakes in this region. That is why this area was called 'Shashtikhat'. Today this region is more known by the name 'Chhatta'. It is called the Lake District of India because this entire place is surrounded by lakes. The word 'Naini' means eyes and 'Tal' means lake. Nestled between snow-capped mountains, this place is surrounded by lakes. The most prominent lake among these is Naini Lake, after which this place is named Nainital.

All these places are very close to Pangot, so if you have time, you can also plan a trip to these places.

How and when to go

—The weather in Nainital is always pleasant, so you can plan a trip to Pangot any time of the year.

—Pangot is located at a distance of 13 km from Nainital where you can plan a road trip. However, one can also reach here by bus.

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