A Himalayan Birding Tour – with Munsiyari

Earlier this year in March, I went birdwatching to Munsiyari with my wife also a birdwatcher. I was so much settled in this quaint and serene place that I strongly recommend my fellow birdwatchers not to miss this exotic hill station. I am going to provide all the important info you should know before you pack your bags.

pictures courtesy Ms. Jainy Maria

Why Munsiyari for Birdwatching?

Located in the far-reached and off-the-beaten-track part of the state of Uttarakhand, Munsiyari is the quaint hill station. It offers the serene views of five Himalayan sister peaks where you can visit by road.

Munsiyari is the best destination to have fruitful birding experience and get a break from the crowd. You can start the tour from Delhi to the best Himalayan birding spots in Pangot and Sattal several beautiful Himalayan treks here and great sightings of Migratory birds. Even if you are not habitual to walking, there are different treks with various difficulty levels some very easy and elderly-friendly. We chose to travel with Asian Adventures India’s oldest and largest ground handlers for birdwatching tours and stayed at their birding Lodge the Jungle Lore Birding Lodge. We were recommended to cover Munsiyari Vijaypur and Ranikhet. Munsiyari filled us with Awe.

Also known as “Little Kashmir”, Munsiyari is located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. At the altitude of 7590 ft, Munsiyari is truly an offbeat place with serene views of snow-capped mountains. We researched and found the Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan,  Fire Breasted flowerpecker, Bearded Vulturethe endangered White-Throated Tit, Himalayan Cutia, Red-headed Bullfinch, Pied Thrush, Green-tailed Sunbird, Snowy Browed Flycatcher, Golden eagles, Grey-bellied Tesia and many more.

Weather in Munsiyari a

In Munsiyari, the weather remains almost pleasant all year round. During summers, the weather is a delight. In fall and spring, you can expect soothing evenings and mornings. There are chills in winter as it gets snowfall. The temperature is very delightful and pleasant.  In summer months, expect up to 25 degrees Celsius. The winter remains coldest with -5 to -10 degrees Celsius.

How to Get There?

Munsiyari is located around 560 km from Delhi. If you want to get there by road, I would recommend spending a few nights at Pangot-Nainital or Kumaon and then to Chaukori or Binsar. Then on the third day, you can reach Munsiyari. Basically, it takes around 2 days to reach Munsiyari from Delhi.

By Air

Nainital’s Pantnagar Airport is the closest airport to this hill station. You can get there by taxi. To save money, reach Almora by taxi and take a shared taxi or bus to Munsiyari. 

By Train

Kathgodam is the closest railway station, i.e. 278 km away. Kathgodam is well known as an entryway to the Kumaon region. There are only two trains from old Delhi to Kathgodam which run every day and take around 7 hours of travel time. But I would suggest you book your tickets in Kathgodam Shatabdi, which is the fastest train. It takes only around 5 hours to reach from New Delhi. 

From Kathgodam, you can easily hop on regular buses for Pithoragarh or Almora. You can also book a taxi or get a shared jeep to Munsiyari from there.

You can also plan a road trip on your car or bike from Delhi. Keep in mind that it would take two days and there are no direct buses. A shared taxi would be the best option to save on costs.

Phone: +918010450000
Email: info@asianadventures.in
https://linktr.ee/aatoursandlodges

E: info@asianadventures.in

M: +91 8010450000

Don’t miss joining our ‘conservation-travel’ community! Click Here