Kumaon Trip - Day 7 - Munsiyari

Day 7: Friday, June 11, 2010

Location: Wayfarer Retreat, Munsiyari

We left Chaukori at 7 in the morning. The 125 km journey, the final 25 kms of which comprises of a steep climb was certainly not something I was looking forward to. Once we reached there by noon, there was little to cheer us. It was cold and cloudy, and the view of the Himalayas was completely blocked.

The “Wayfarer Resort” comprises of a few slightly modern huts. The food quality was good and the room was comfortable, but the resort appeared to be severely understaffed. All in all, we were pleased with our decision to extend our Chaukori stay by a day at the expense of Munsiyari. Maybe I am giving a very bleak view of the place; and probably my opinion would have been different if the weather was better.

After resting in the afternoon, we headed towards the Nanada Devi temple in the evening. The place where the temple is located offers a majestic view of the valley. There is also a viewing point (“Machan”) there, which is a bit risky to climb, but gives an even better view of the surroundings from the top. Fortunately, the sky started clearing up a bit towards the evening, and we were able to get a reasonable view of at least those peaks that are very close to Munsiyari.

Verdict: This place is very close to the Himalayas, and a must visit in the Autumn months. Also try the km trek to Khaliya top, which I am told gives a stupendous view when the horizon is clear. Definitely worth going if you do not mind the extra travel.