Sattal

Activities in Sattal

Camping around the lakeside: The local people organize camps which offer a nostalgic outdoor experience to the visitors. The visitors can camp in the wilderness around the lakeside and bond with the profoundness of nature. One can plan a trip to this gorgeous place in any month as the weather is always pleasant and romantic.

Boating: Boating on a lake is one the most popular activity among tourists and honeymoon couples.

Bird Watching: The dense oak and pine forests of Sattal is nothing but a paradise for the bird enthusiasts. There are innumerable varieties of birds, both resident and migratory, that are a delight to watch, observe and capture with a camera. 

Fishing/Angling: Fishing is another leisure activity popular at Sattal. After obtaining fishing permit, tourists can relax beside the lake and indulge in fishing. The best part of fishing is that, anglers are allowed to take the caught fishes their home for cooking. 

Adventure Activities: Even the adventure enthusiasts are attracted towards this place as the verdant hills around Sattal offers an array of adventure activities such as boating, angling, trekking, rappelling, mountain biking, rock climbing and much more.

Trekking and Nature Walks: The area around Sattal offers several trekking and nature trails through the forests, providing opportunities to explore the rich flora and fauna. These trails are ideal for those who enjoy walking amidst nature and discovering the natural beauty of the region.

Staying in Sattal

Sattal is one of the several lakes present in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. Being a fairly popular tourist destination, quite a few accommodation facilities have sprouted in Sattal. 

One can find plenty of places to stay available ranging from private hotels and resorts to budget guesthouses near Sattal. Government-owned guesthouses (KMVN) can also be availed for the tourists.

Sattal Food Guide

Sattal has quite a few restaurants and eating joints which offer cuisines ranging from Chinese, continental to the scrumptious Indian cuisine – both North Indian and South Indian. Apart from that, one can also enjoy street food like Momos which are available all over the place and sip a coffee by the lake side. The best option is to eat at the restaurants of the resorts and hotels.

History of Sattal

The British used to compare the bewitching beauty of Sattal with the Westmorland of England. During the colonial era, Sattal had a tea plantation area which was among the four tea plantation estates of Kumaon region. 

Mythology about Sattal

The bedazzling Sattal meaning the ‘seven lakes’ is linked with a popular legend that is related with the epic Mahabharata. According to the famous mythology, King Nala drowned in the water of one of the seven lakes of Sattal with his wife Damayanti, during his fourteen years long exile given by his brother. Hence, the lake came to be known as Nal Damyanti Tal. 

The names of the other six lakes are Purna Tal, Laxman Tal, Sita Tal (named after the lead character of Ramayana), Sukha Tal and Garud Tal (named after the phoenix-like creature that carries the chariot of Lord Vishnu).

The essence of Sattal is the outdoors and staying in a camp by the lake gives you a great taste of wildlife and adventure.

Bird Watching in Sattal

The freshwater lake of Sattal is a home to the natural flora-fauna. These seven lakes are a home to the migratory birds that flock here in winters. More than 500 migratory bird species have been recorded in this area. One can easily spot birds like the red-billed blue magpie, kingfishers, blue-throated and brown-headed barbets in Sattal. Besides birds, the town is also home to 525 species of butterflies, more than 11,000 species of moths, beetles and about 20 species of mammals.

Butterflies at Sattal

At present, the centre of attraction of this town is the Butterfly museum which lures many nature lovers to have a look at some of the vibrant species of butterflies.