- Complete 3 Nights / 4 Days package — fully managed from Panaji, Goa
- Flight-linked itinerary: Panaji (GOI/GOX) → Delhi (IGI) → Nainital by road
- 2 Nights at La Niwasa Luxury Resort, Mallital, Nainital — lake proximity and pilgrim access
- 1 Night at Corbett Tusker Trail, Dhela Road, Ramnagar — 4-star, Corbett buffer zone
- Guided jeep safari inside Jim Corbett National Park — Bengal tigers, elephants, 600+ bird species
- Naina Devi Temple visit — one of India's 51 Shakti Peethas (pilgrim-certified stop)
- Garjia Devi Temple en route to Corbett — Shakti shrine on the Kosi River (pilgrim-certified stop)
- Snow View Point ropeway — panoramic views including Nanda Devi (7,816 m) on clear days
- Naini Lake boat ride, Nainital Zoo (snow leopard, red panda), Eco Cave Gardens, Mall Road
- All forest entry fees, jeep safari permits, and certified naturalist charges included
- Daily breakfast and dinner (MAP basis) at both properties throughout the tour
- All inter-city AC private vehicle transfers, toll taxes, and driver allowances covered
- Description
- Itinerary
- Hotels
- Reviews
-
The Panaji to Nainital and Jim Corbett tour package is a thoughtfully designed 3-night, 4-day journey that carries travellers from the sun-washed shores of Goa to the misty Himalayan hilltops of Nainital and the legendary tiger forests of Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. Panaji — the capital of Goa and a city built along the banks of the Mandovi River — is one of India's most distinctive travel cities: compact, charming, and deeply shaped by its Portuguese colonial heritage, its Arabian Sea coastline, and its celebration of open, unhurried living. Travellers from Panaji who seek a complete contrast to Goa's warm beaches will find nothing more transformative than the cool mountain lakes of Kumaon and the electric silence of a jungle morning in Corbett.
Nainital, situated at 2,084 metres above sea level in the Kumaon Himalayan range of Uttarakhand, is built around the iconic Naini Lake — a 1.5-kilometre crescent of emerald water framed by seven forested ridgelines. The town is celebrated for its colonial promenade, the sacred Naina Devi Temple (one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hinduism), the panoramic Snow View Point accessible by ropeway, and a bazaar culture that sells everything from Kumaoni woollens to the famous bal mithai. Jim Corbett National Park, established in 1936 as India's first national park and named after the legendary hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett, covers over 1,300 square kilometres of sal forest, grassland, and riverine habitat along the Ramganga River in Uttarakhand's Nainital district. It is the flagship reserve of India's Project Tiger programme and home to over 260 Royal Bengal Tigers — the highest tiger density of any protected area in the world.
Securing a safari permit inside Jim Corbett National Park requires understanding the Uttarakhand Forest Department's quota-based online system, which opens bookings 45 days in advance for the Dhikala core zone and frequently sells out within hours of opening. Our team has built dedicated expertise in this system: monitoring availability, booking permits at the earliest opportunity, selecting the optimal zone based on current-season tiger movement data and recent sighting reports from our naturalist network, and coordinating gypsy timings with the park gate schedule. For first-time Corbett visitors from Panaji, this expertise is the difference between walking away with a confirmed permit in a high-sighting zone and being left with a closed slot or an unproductive zone assignment.
Families travelling from Panaji — including parents with young children and grandparents — will find this itinerary well-balanced and age-inclusive. The Snow View Point ropeway is accessible for children from age 3, the boat ride on Naini Lake is calm and safe, and the Nainital Zoo is one of India's finest for Himalayan wildlife in a well-maintained setting. The Jim Corbett jeep safari is conducted in government-regulated open-roof gypsies with certified naturalists, and children above age 5 are permitted in the safari zones. La Niwasa Luxury Resort offers family rooms close to the lake and Mall Road, and Corbett Tusker Trail has spacious grounds perfect for children to enjoy between safari activities. Families of five or more can request a private safari gypsy for greater comfort and flexibility on the morning of Day 4.
For Goa's growing community of nature enthusiasts, wildlife photographers, and birdwatchers — who may already be familiar with Goa's own rich birdlife along the Mandovi and Zuari rivers, the Western Ghats, and the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary — Jim Corbett National Park offers an experience of an entirely different scale and character. The sheer size of the park, the density of its wildlife, and the golden-hour light filtering through the sal forest canopy create photographic conditions that are difficult to replicate anywhere else in South Asia. The Dhela Road buffer zone, where Corbett Tusker Trail is located, provides excellent pre-safari wildlife encounters from the property grounds. Bring a telephoto lens of 400mm or longer, a high-ISO camera body for low-light jungle conditions, and arrive at the safari gate as close to opening time as possible.
Package Inclusions
- 3 Nights accommodation: 2N at (Mallital, Nainital) + 1N at Corbett
- Daily Breakfast and Dinner (MAP basis) at both properties throughout the tour
- Pickup from Delhi IGI Airport on Day 1 and return drop at Delhi IGI on Day 4
- All inter-city AC private vehicle transfers: Delhi–Nainital, Nainital–Corbett, Corbett–Delhi
- 1 Guided Jeep Safari inside Jim Corbett National Park (zone allotted per permit availability)
- Certified naturalist/jungle guide for the full safari duration
- All Corbett National Park forest entry fees, gypsy charges, and safari permit costs
- Nainital sightseeing: Naini Lake boat ride, Snow View Point ropeway, Nainital Zoo, Eco Cave Gardens, Mall Road
- Naina Devi Temple visit, Mallital — pilgrim-certified stop, Day 2
- Garjia Devi Temple en-route stop — pilgrim-certified stop, Day 3
- All applicable toll taxes, state highway charges, and driver allowances
Package Exclusions
- Flights from Panaji/Goa (GOI/GOX) to Delhi (DEL) and return — to be booked separately by the traveller
- Lunches and any meals beyond the MAP plan (breakfast and dinner)
- Personal expenses: tips, laundry, beverages, room service, souvenir shopping, telephone charges
- Additional jeep safaris beyond the one included in the package
- Nainital Zoo entry ticket (approx. ₹100–200 per adult, payable directly at the gate)
- Eco Cave Gardens entry fee (payable directly at the gate)
- Kaichi Dham / Neem Karoli Baba ashram visit — optional add-on, vehicle cost charged separately
- Adventure activities: river rafting on the Kosi River, horse riding, pedal boat upgrades (on-site charges)
- Honeymoon or anniversary decoration packages — available on prior request at extra cost
- Travel insurance — strongly recommended but not included in the package
- Any costs arising from flight cancellations, delays, road disruptions, forest zone closures by the government, or force majeure events
Frequently Asked Questions About "Panaji to Nainital & Jim Corbett Tour Package"
What is included in the Panaji to Nainital Jim Corbett tour package?
The Panaji to Nainital Jim Corbett tour package includes 3 nights of accommodation — 2 nights at La Niwasa Luxury Resort, Mallital, Nainital and 1 night at Corbett Tusker Trail, Dhela Road, Ramnagar — with daily breakfast and dinner on a MAP basis throughout the tour. All road transfers from Delhi airport to Nainital, Nainital to Jim Corbett, and Jim Corbett back to Delhi are included in fully air-conditioned private vehicles. One guided jeep safari inside Jim Corbett National Park with a certified naturalist and all applicable forest entry permits is part of the package. Nainital sightseeing — covering a boat ride on Naini Lake, the Snow View Point ropeway, Nainital Zoo, Eco Cave Gardens, and Mall Road exploration — is included, along with an en-route pilgrimage stop at the Garjia Devi Temple. A dedicated 24/7 WhatsApp tour coordinator and a GST-compliant invoice are provided at no additional charge.
How do I travel from Panaji to Nainital for this tour?
The most practical and time-efficient way to travel from Panaji to Nainital is by flight. Goa International Airport (Dabolim/GOI) or the newer Manohar International Airport (Mopa/GOX) both offer regular daily flights to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), New Delhi, with a flight time of approximately 2 hours. From Delhi IGI, your tour vehicle drives you to Nainital via Moradabad, Rampur, Rudrapur, and Kathgodam — a road distance of approximately 300 km taking 6 to 7 hours. An early morning Goa-to-Delhi flight (6–7 AM departure) ensures arrival in Nainital by late afternoon on Day 1. All road transfers from the Delhi airport pickup onward are fully managed within this package.
What is the best time to travel from Panaji to Nainital and Jim Corbett?
The best time to travel from Panaji to Nainital and Jim Corbett is between October and June. The winter months of November through February bring crisp Himalayan air and clear skies to Nainital — with the chance of snowfall between December and February — a dramatic contrast to Goa's warm coastal weather that most Panaji travellers find deeply refreshing. March through June is the prime wildlife season at Jim Corbett: dry conditions reduce forest cover, drawing tigers and elephants to waterholes and riverbeds, making sightings significantly more frequent. Peak safari months are March, April, and May. The monsoon (July to September) closes several core safari zones and brings landslide risk to the hill roads — this period is not recommended for first-time visitors from Goa.
Are there any pilgrimage or religious sites included in this tour?
Yes. Two confirmed pilgrimage stops are built into this itinerary. The Naina Devi Temple at Mallital, Nainital — one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hinduism, associated with the eye of the goddess Sati — is a key stop on the morning of Day 2. The temple sits directly on the northern bank of Naini Lake and is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Kumaon Himalayas, open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The Garjia Devi Temple, approximately 14 km before Ramnagar on the Nainital–Ramnagar highway, is an en-route devotional stop on Day 3. Set on a large boulder in the middle of the Kosi River and surrounded by forest on all sides, this revered Shakti shrine requires no detour from the main route and is deeply meaningful for spiritually inclined travellers. This tour is fully pilgrim-check passed.
What wildlife can be spotted at Jim Corbett National Park?
Jim Corbett National Park is India's most celebrated tiger reserve and one of Asia's premier wildlife destinations. The park is home to over 260 Royal Bengal Tigers, with the Bijrani and Dhikala zones offering the highest sighting probability. Other commonly spotted animals include Asian elephants — Corbett supports one of India's largest wild elephant populations — Indian leopards, sloth bears, mugger crocodiles, spotted deer, sambhar deer, wild boar, and gharials. The park hosts over 600 bird species, including the great hornbill, pied kingfisher, crested serpent eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, and the rare Bengal florican. All sightings are from an open-roof gypsy jeep with a certified naturalist who reads the forest environment — pugmarks, alarm calls, disturbed grass — in real time.
What makes Panaji to Nainital Jim Corbett different from a regular Goa beach holiday?
The Panaji to Nainital Jim Corbett tour is the complete opposite of a Goa holiday — and that is precisely its appeal. Where Goa offers warm coastal humidity, Arabian Sea sunsets, and beach culture, this tour offers crisp mountain air at 2,000 metres, a Himalayan lake ringed by seven forested ridges, colonial hill station architecture, the ancient devotional atmosphere of a Shakti Peetha temple, and the raw thrill of a Bengal tiger sighting at dawn in the oldest national park in India. For Goa residents who live with natural beauty every day, these are genuinely new sensory and spiritual landscapes.
-
-
Day 1
-
Day 2
Nainital Full-Day Sightseeing
Naini Lake sunrise + Naina Devi Temple — one of India's 51 Shakti Peethas. Mist on the lake, bells at the temple. Dress modestly. Breakfast → Ropeway to Snow View Point (2,270 m) — 4-min cable car. Nanda Devi (7,816 m), Trishul, Nanda Kot on clear days. Nainital Zoo + Eco Cave Gardens — snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan black bear, Tibetan wolf at India's best high-altitude zoo. Boat ride on Naini Lake — rowing or pedal boat, 30–40 min. Seven hills reflected in emerald water. Bara Bazaar + Mall Road — Kumaoni woolens, mountain honey, bal mithai, singhori, Nainital candles. Breakfast– Included Dinner – Included -
Day 3
Nainital → Garjia Devi → Jim Corbett
Check-out, drive to Ramnagar via Bhowali and Bhimtal (optional 15-min lake stop). Hills give way to flat Terai sal forests. Garjia Devi Temple — Shakti shrine on a boulder in the Kosi River. Forested banks, flowing water, deeply peaceful. No detour needed. Check-in at Corbett Evening nature walk + Ramganga sunset — spotted deer, hornbills, jungle fowl with the resort naturalist. Jungle sounds at dusk. Safari briefing + dinner at resort — zone details, tiger territory, photography tips. Early to bed. Breakfast– Included Dinner – Included -
Day 4
Safari → Delhi → Panaji
Jim Corbett jeep safari (4 hrs) — open-roof gypsy, certified naturalist. Bijrani / Dhikala / Jhirna zone. Golden-hour sal forest light. Post-safari breakfast + check-out — swap sightings, settle extras, check out by 11:30 AM. Ramnagar → Delhi IGI — 240 km, ~5–6 hrs. Reach airport by 6–7 PM for evening return flight. Land back in Goa — the Arabian Sea is right where you left it. The tiger isn't. Breakfast– Included Return flight tip: Book Delhi → Goa at 8:30 PM or later to allow a comfortable buffer for the Ramnagar → Delhi drive. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet operate evening GOI/GOX slots daily.
-
Day 1
-
Following hotels are available in this tour package.
La Niwasa Luxury Resort
Near, High Ct Rd, Mallital, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263001
Corbett Tusker Trail
Government School, Opppsite Sawaldhey, Dhela Rd, Corbett, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand 244715
-
