Five glaciers, five Panchchuli peaks, and no other trekkers in sight. Munsiyari's crown.
Khaliya Top is the day hike above Munsiyari, a 16 km round trip through rhododendron forest to a grassy summit at 3,500m with the Panchachuli peaks directly in front. The five snow summits of Panchachuli dominate the northern skyline. Best done March-May or September-November.
The drive from Kathgodam winds into the Kumaon hills, the road climbing through pine and oak forest. Munsiyari appears at dusk, the Panchachuli peaks dark against a fading orange sky. Your Ettiq guide has a guesthouse ready, a wood fire in the dining room, a Kumaoni dinner of aloo ke gutke and mandua roti. The town settles into night, the cold creeping in through the window frames.
Start at dawn, the trail climbing through birch and rhododendron forest, the sun rising behind the Panchachuli peaks. Khaliya Top at 3,500m is a grassy summit with a 360-degree panorama of five glaciers and the full Panchachuli range. Your Ettiq guide sets up a packed lunch on the summit, the peaks at eye level, the valley dropping away in every direction. The descent is through the same forest, the light different now, softer, the day complete. Munsiyari by late afternoon, a hot shower, a meal that tastes earned.
Morning departure, the peaks visible one last time before the road drops into the lower hills. Kathgodam by afternoon, the hike done, the memory of the five summits settled into something permanent.
Stay in Munsiyari. The trail starts from the town.
Moderate day hike. Max 3,500m. Walk 16 km round trip. Fit beginners welcome.
Is the view guaranteed?
In summer (May–June) mornings are almost always clear. By afternoon, clouds may roll in. We start the hike at dawn to catch the view.
Meeting point
Kathgodam Railway Station, Uttarakhand
Trip ends
Kathgodam Railway Station, Uttarakhand
Minimum age
14 years
Fitness required
Moderate, 1,200m altitude gain in a single day
Starting from
₹8,500
per person, all inclusive
from ₹8,500