Corbett & Nainital
safari first, then the lake and the Mall

Because the safaris need early starts and fresh legs, and because the lake is the better place to relax afterwards. Doing it the other way round puts the hardest mornings at the end of the trip. It also means the climb into the hills comes as a reward.

Three where permits allow: one on your arrival afternoon and two on your full day. A fourth at dawn on the day you leave for Nainital can be added if a slot is available; ask when you enquire, because morning slots sell out first.

Whichever your permit names, which depends on the season and how far ahead we book. Jhirna, Dhela and Garjia run year-round. Bijrani typically opens mid-October and closes at the end of June; Dhikala normally runs mid-November to mid-June with day entry tied to an overnight forest rest house stay. The reserve issues fresh orders every season, so we confirm the pattern for your dates rather than promising a zone.

Yes. Under the Supreme Court’s judgment on Corbett, enforced from 5 February 2026, phones are not allowed inside the tiger reserve in any zone and are deposited at the gate. Proper cameras are permitted. Bring one.

It is the route we are asked for most by families. The safaris suit children old enough to sit quietly for three hours and cope with a pre-dawn start; for younger ones we swap the dawn slot for a second afternoon. Nainital — the boat, the lakes loop, the ridge, the zoo — suits every age.

Roughly 65 km and about two hours by road from Ramnagar, most of it the climb from the plain to the ridge. It is an easy morning drive, with an optional dawn safari before it.

On clear mornings, usually in October–November and March–April, the snow line runs along the northern horizon from Snow View and Tiffin Top. In summer the haze builds early and in the monsoon there is no view. Treat it as a bonus.

Mall Road became a no-horn zone on 1 August 2026, enforced by camera. Heavy vehicles are barred from the Mall at set hours in May, June and October, and there is a municipal toll on cars entering the town. Your driver handles all of it; the effect for you is a quieter town.

By private car it is roughly 300 km and seven to eight hours. The alternative most families prefer is the hour down to Kathgodam and the daily Shatabdi, about five and a half hours to Delhi with lunch on board. There is no Vande Bharat on the Kathgodam line. Pantnagar airport flies only to Delhi and Jewar.

For tiger sightings, March to mid-June, peaking April and May, which is also hot on the plain and pleasant on the ridge. For comfort and clear views in both places, mid-October to November and February to March. Dhikala closes in mid-June and the monsoon, July to mid-September, is the one season to avoid.

We do, on the official Corbett portal, in your own names. Permits are non-transferable and non-refundable, so a permit in someone else’s name from a tout is worthless at the gate. There is also a documented practice of diverting visitors to Sitabani or Phato, outside the reserve, while calling it Corbett. A permit naming a zone inside the reserve is your protection.

Dhikala’s forest rest house sells out within days of its seasonal window opening and the rules on overnight stays have been under review since the 2025 judgment. We will try for it if you want it and tell you honestly whether we have it. We do not sell it as included.

Yes. Two more nights turn it into our Quiet Kumaon Ridge route through Ranikhet, Almora and Binsar, or you can add Mussoorie at the other end for a full week.

Every Itinerary Diary journey is private and quoted to your own dates, party size, lodge category and number of safaris, so we do not publish a fixed price. Park fees are set by the reserve and added at cost. Send us your dates and we will reply with a tailored itinerary and quote within one working day.

Yes. Itinerary Diary Tours & Travels is a registered company and every booking comes with a proper GST invoice.