Snow View Point
#6of 9 places to visit in NainitalNainital, Uttarakhand
Also known as Aerial Ropeway Nainital
Quick answer
Opening hours: 10:00–17:00, closed Saturdays. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 08:00 – 10:00.
Updated · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read
- Opening hours
- 10:00–17:00
- Closed Saturdays
- Entry fee
- Free
- Time needed
- 1.5 hrs
- Best time of day
- 08:00 – 10:00
- Best months
- Mar – Jun, Sep – Nov
- Address
- Snow View, above Mallital, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263001
About Snow View Point
Snow View Point sits at roughly 2,270 metres on the slope of Naina Peak above Mallital, reached either by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam's aerial ropeway — a two-and-a-half-minute cable car ride — or by a 3.5-kilometre bridle path on foot or horseback. On a clear day the terrace looks north across a series of foothill ridges to the snow line of the Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Nanda Kot massifs, a genuine high-Himalaya panorama rather than the middle-hill views available from most other Nainital vantage points. The ropeway car itself, glass-sided on all faces, climbs from a station near the lake in Mallital directly up the forested slope, giving a compressed aerial view of the lake basin during the ascent that most visitors rate as being nearly as memorable as the summit view.
Best time of day: 08:00 – 10:00. For the clearest pre-haze view of the Himalayan range, before afternoon cloud typically builds up over the peaks.
Snow View Point timings
- Opening hours
- 10:00–17:00
Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00 Saturday Closed Sunday 10:00–17:00 - Ropeway operates 10:00 – 17:00; viewpoint itself accessible whenever reached by road or trail
- Closed on
- Saturday (ropeway maintenance, variable)
Good to know: The ropeway is commonly closed on Saturdays for maintenance, and both the ropeway and the viewpoint's snow-capped Himalayan views are best October–February; monsoon cloud cover (July–September) frequently blocks the view entirely.
Opening hours compiled from kmvn.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Snow View Point ticket price
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Indian visitors | Free |
| Foreign visitors | Free |
| Children | Free |
| Camera | Free |
No entry fee for the viewpoint itself. The KMVN aerial ropeway from Mallital charges approximately ₹380 for an adult two-way ticket and ₹280 for a child two-way ticket as of 2026 — fares have been reported inconsistently across sources, so verify at the KMVN counter. Reaching Snow View by road or on foot instead of the ropeway carries no fee.
Prices compiled from kmvn.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Best time to visit Snow View Point
- Quiet
- Moderate
- Very busy
10:00 – 11:30
Morning Opening
Ropeway queue is moderate; clearest Himalayan visibility of the day before any afternoon haze builds.
Moderate11:30 – 14:00
Midday Peak
Ropeway wait times extend to 45–60 minutes on clear-weather weekends; viewpoint terrace is at its most crowded.
Very busy14:00 – 16:00
Afternoon Cloud Risk
Crowds ease somewhat, but Himalayan visibility often degrades as afternoon cloud builds over the high peaks.
Moderate16:00 – 17:00
Last Ropeway RidesBest time to go
Final ascents before the ropeway closes at 17:00; light softens for photography of the foothill ridgelines even if the high peaks have clouded over.
Quiet
History of Snow View Point
Snow View Point's KMVN aerial ropeway was built as part of the state tourism corporation's mid-20th-century push to make the Kumaon Himalaya's high viewpoints accessible without a long trek, following the broader pattern of ropeway development at other Indian hill stations through the 1980s and 1990s. Before the ropeway, Snow View was reached only by the bridle path from Mallital, a route still used by pony operators and still the only free way up.
The viewpoint's name is descriptive rather than historical — it refers simply to the fact that, in winter and early spring, it is the closest point to central Nainital from which the snow-covered high Himalaya becomes visible, distinguishing it from the many mid-elevation viewpoints around the town that look only at the surrounding, snow-free Kumaon foothills.
Rules & etiquette at Snow View Point
Snow View Point's ropeway queue at the Mallital base station can back up significantly on clear-weather weekends in peak season (May–June, October); tickets are sold on a first-come basis with no advance online booking as of 2026, so arriving before 10:00 opening reduces wait time substantially. Each ropeway car carries a limited number of passengers and operators enforce this strictly for safety.
The alternative bridle path is a genuine trail rather than a paved walkway — sturdy footwear is advisable, and horse operators congregating near the base charge negotiable rates that should be fixed before mounting. The viewpoint terrace itself has restricted railings in places; visitors should stay behind marked barriers, particularly with children, given the steep drop on the northern face.
Tips for visiting Snow View Point
- 1
Cloud cover is the single biggest risk to a Snow View visit — check a same-day weather forecast or ask locally before committing to the ropeway fare, since October to February gives the most reliable clear mornings while the monsoon months routinely produce a white-out. A pair of binoculars sharpens the distant Himalayan skyline considerably; the peaks are roughly 70–110 kilometres distant in a straight line.
- 2
Combine the visit with Naina Peak itself if time and fitness allow — the summit trail continues past Snow View for a further two to three hours, though most visitors treat the two as separate outings given the extra elevation gain involved. The small snack stalls at the Snow View terrace serve hot Maggi noodles and chai, useful given the noticeable temperature drop compared to Mall Road below.
How to reach Snow View Point
The red star is Snow View Point; the numbered pins are the 2 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.
Snow View, above Mallital, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263001Directions in Google Maps
From Naini Lake / Mallital boat house
0.5 km · 8–10 min walk
Free (walking distance from central Mallital).
From Kathgodam Railway Station
₹900–₹1,20037 km · 80–95 min
Shared taxi to Mallital, then walk to ropeway).
From Pantnagar Airport (PGH)
₹1,800–₹2,50073 km · 2.5 hours
Prepaid taxi).
Nearest airport
From Pantnagar Airport (PGH)
73 km, approximately 2.5 hours by road.
Nearest railway station
From Kathgodam Railway Station
37 km, approximately 1.5 hours by road.
Snow View Point FAQs
How much does the Snow View ropeway cost?
Approximately ₹380 for an adult two-way ticket and ₹280 for a child two-way ticket as of 2026, though fares have varied across sources — confirm at the KMVN counter before boarding.
Can Snow View Point be reached without the ropeway?
Yes. A 3.5-kilometre bridle path from Mallital reaches the same viewpoint on foot or horseback, free of any ropeway fare, though it takes considerably longer than the 2.5-minute cable car ride.
Is the Himalayan snow line visible year-round from Snow View?
No. Visibility depends heavily on weather; October to February gives the clearest mornings, while the July–September monsoon frequently obscures the peaks with cloud cover entirely.
Is the ropeway closed on any particular day?
It is commonly closed on Saturdays for maintenance, though this has been reported inconsistently — check locally or with KMVN before planning a Saturday visit.
Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated . How we rank and check places
Places to visit near Snow View Point
Straight-line distances from our map; times are estimates.
