Munsyari : An Untamed Beauty

The first view of the Panchachuli Range was around 4 pm in the evening. The view was so surreal and godly reviving us from all the fatalities of the journey. I actually shouted like a crazy child on seeing that heavenly view. The range were actually glowing. The snow covered peak blushed red by the rays of the sunset falling on it.

The first view of the Panchachuli Range was around 4 pm in the evening. The view was so surreal and godly reviving us from all the fatalities of the journey. I actually shouted like a crazy child on seeing that heavenly view. The range were actually glowing. The snow covered peak, blushed red by the rays of the sunset falling on it.

We reached Munsyari next day after 26 hours of journey around 5pm. Chatting, playing, sleeping, sharing food and many other activities the whole journey passed. We even helped a stuck bus out of a path hole with all our force to clear the traffic. We felt like some heroes doing stunt in a movie or something.

So, far so adventurous right?

We started early in the morning to find a place to have good breakfast. Since the area is not commercialized proper restaurants are not available.

During our quest in that place of finding real Nestlé Maggie we found a large plane area.

In that moment surrounded by beautiful mountain range and chilling winter somehow we started playing Tag.

It was really fun! 8 people playing tag at some remote village of Uttarakhand was really fun.

We reached Munsiyari next day after 26 hours of journey around 5pm. Chatting, playing, sleeping, sharing food and many other activities the whole journey passed. We even helped a stuck bus out of a path hole with all our force to clear the traffic. We felt like some heroes doing stunt in a movie or something.
So, far so adventurous right?

Now the best part starts from here. The Khaliya Trek We started the trek around 10 am in the morning. With bags on our shoulders, spirit lifted high we started our journey to concur another challenging Summit.

The trek tested us now and then since it had not a single shop from the base till the top. We ran out of water and had to ask a fellow trekker to help us out and it was really kind of him considering the lack of facilities.

Our all time motivator, the Bluetooth speaker was always there playing the best trip songs, kept fueling our Zeal to reach the top.

The views we encountered on the way were amazing and difficult terrains at places demanded us to push ourselves throughout the trek.

Somewhere around 3 we reached the Khaliya top. But the journey didn't end there. The zero point was still 4 km away from the top base. That is the highest peak to have a 360 degree look of the surrounding.

We had lunch at Khaliya top, rested for a while and started towards the Zero Point. We encountered snow on our way. Snow means happiness atleast to me. It was really beautiful but ironically it made our trek a little more difficult. But as usual we managed to pass that too.

We finally reached the zero point at around 5 pm. And the view, that view I can't tell enough was literally mesmerizing. The Panchachuli Range turned golden by the last rays of the sun. When the whole valley was getting dark that highest peak somehow managed to steal the rays and it looked like the whole snow white range was on fire. It was beautiful, too beautiful to be true.

Well now from here things started to get a little scary. We miss calculated the timing and by the time we should be at the Khaliya top base we were at the zero point.

We paced down towards our tent. Two of us went ahead to manage the tents and everything. Leaving 6 of us to reach the tents as soon as possible. As long the day seemed the faster the night grew within few minutes it started to get darker and after the sun went down the temperature too started to drop drastically. We were still half way to go and the night came up. It was very scary but we somehow managed to keep ourselves cool. We literally had to put our mobile phones flashlight in our caps to find the way in the dark.

As the temperature dropped the snow started to turn ice and the path became Slippery. We switched from walking to sliding. After few hours of train sliding, helping each other, motivating each other we finally managed to reach our tents.

The temperature was dipping minus celsius. We revived ourselves at the fire place took some rum shots to kick in some more heat. It literally helped.

After all this was over, when we looked at the sky, full of stars we realized that every bit of it was worth it. I never felt that rush of Adrenaline through me in my entire life. It was that once in a lifetime adventure I never wish to repeat.

We ate Maggie by the fireplace that night. Told the adventure tale to the remaining two in detail. At 12 we wished each other a Very Happy New Year and the next day returned to our hotel at Munsyari.

Don't forget to play with the snow wherever you find it. It's the best things ever. Snow fights are my favorite. You will encounter snow while returning as well.

We started later that afternoon explored some more sites nearby. The best among those were Gori Ganga. We enjoyed a lot there. Clicked lots of pictures and danced on the river side. It was awesome!

Munsyari doesn't offer mall roads and facilities like Mussoori and Shimla. All it has to offer is crude, wild and untamed natural beauty which you could never get enough of.

Do's and Don't for this trip and trek.

1. A comfortable journey can be done by taking a share jeep from Nainital for Pithoragarh or book a cab for the same.

2. Cabs are available in Munsyari for local sight seeing. What is difficult is to find good food there !

3. Pre book your tents a day before you start the trek.

4. If you are planning to return the same day, start early and leave the top around 2 to 3 pm for sure.

5. If you have booked the tent, travel light. Carry essentials only. They will provide blankets and all.

6. Carry water bottles and snacks for the trek to keep yourself hydrated since there is only one Shop at the Khaliya top.

7. If you plan to go to zero point. Try to reach it around 1 to 2 pm and return down to Khaliya top around 4 pm.

8. Bring all your waste along with you and dispose it properly in dustbins.