Mukteshwar lies hidden in the Kumaon Hills, under the radar in comparison to the attention that tourists give Nainital or Mussoorie. It’s a quiet little hill station at an elevation of 2,171 meters. The place calls those looking to get a taste of a calming and peaceful holiday amidst the mountains. If you’re going to be exploring the hilly hamlet of Mukteshwar soon, here’s everything you need to know on exploring Mukteshwar –
How To Reach Mukteshwar
Mukteshwar lies in the interiors of Uttarakhand in the Kumaon hills. Just a heads up, it’s not extremely close to the first-choice tourist destinations of Uttarakhand like Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun. Due to this, the car journeys to Mukteshwar are going to be long. But don’t worry, the scenery that unfolds en-route will keep your spirits lifted. Now after that warning, let’s look at the ways you can reach Mukteshwar –
Getting To Mukteshwar By Air
The domestic airport closest to Mukteshwar is the Pantnagar Airport. However, the Pantnagar Airport only has flight connectivity to the city of New Delhi. No matter where you’re traveling from, you’re going to need to fly to New Delhi in order to then fly to Mukteshwar. From this airport, it will take you 3 to 4 hours to reach Mukteshwar.
Getting To Mukteshwar By Train
If you wish to take a train, you’d have to book a ticket to Kathgodam Station. From this station, it would take approximately 2.5 hours to get to Mukteshwar by road.
By Road
Many tourists choose to drive to Mukteshwar by road from Delhi. It’s roughly an 8.5-hour drive but thankfully, not too strenuous. You can consider making some stops en-route to break down the journey.
Best Time To Explore Mukteshwar
The best part about exploring Mukteshwar is that the weather here is pleasant year-round. Even summers here are surprisingly not that humid. The heat is bearable since it’s a hill station and the maximum temperature is 27°C in the summers. You can come here between March and June to escape the heat in your city. If you wish to see some sparse snow and a sparsely white landscape, plan your time around January and December.
Expect temperatures to be between 3 and 16°C during winters (October to February). Mukteshwar turns green as monsoons breathe a new life into the scenery here. The monsoon here is from July to September and if you don’t mind a little downpour, it is a good time to explore Mukteshwar.
7 Things To Do When Exploring Mukteshwar
Enjoy Yourself At Bhalu Gaad Waterfall
If you’ve had a tiring day and just want to relax by a waterfall, then Balu Gaad is the place to head to when exploring Mukteshwar. You can dip your feet in the water and listen to the sounds of the waterfall that lets your mind, body and soul take a short recess. The water falls from a height of 60 feet so it’s pretty cool to see. You would have to take a cab here as the waterfall is 30 to 40 minutes away from the hill station’s center.
Once you reach the entry gate, it’s a short, pleasant hike towards the waterfall. Don’t worry, the trail is marked, which makes it easy to figure out where to go. Chances are that you’d get to chill by the waterfall all by yourself because there are rarely moments where it’s filled with tourists. Remember to carry a towel and an extra pair of clothes if you’re going to swim in the water.
Contemplate At The Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple
Not too far away from the viewpoint of Chauli Ki Jali, you’ll find an old temple sitting in isolation and surrounded by some great scenery. There are a number of stairs to climb to reach the Mukeshwar Mahadev templ. But it can all be worth it once you get a glimpse of the views from there. The temple is not filled with many devotees like other temples which lets you have some peaceful time. The beauty of this temple is that it reminds you of how soothing the wilderness of nature can be.
Cool Down At A Freshwater Lake
If you want to make more refreshing excursions from Mukteshwar, you can visit any of the 4 freshwater lakes in the Kumaon hills. The lakes are Sattal, Bhimtal, Naukuchital and Nainital lakes. From the four, Bhimtal and Sattal are often less explored. You would have to drive for over an hour to any of these lakes. Only if you have enough time to kill, we’d recommend that you visit a lake or two to soak in the calming atmosphere.
Take Some Pictures At Chauli Ki Jali
Have you heard of the phrase “a view to die for”? Well, that’s exactly what you’ll catch yourself saying if you visit Chauli Ki Jali at sunset in Mukteshwar. Photographers flip out on the view and it’s nothing less than stunning. It’s a cliff point at an altitude of 7500 feet which gives you unobstructed views of the entire valley. An upside is that it’s also not too far away from the center of the hill station, you can get here in 10 to 15 minutes tops. You can try adventure sports like zip-lining and rock climbing here as well. There are many other thrilling outdoor activities that you can try in Mukteshwar, so make sure you check them all out.
Visit A Fruit Orchard
Mukteshwar is a hill station filled with plenty of fruit orchards and you’ll probably start to notice it too when you’re here. Make sure you visit some of the orchards that you find along the way. You’ll have to take permission before entering any orchard because it’s not always public property and could be part of some of the high-end resorts. If you get the chance to enter an apple or pear orchard, explore it responsibly without plucking any of the fruits. Don’t even think about littering because it would only bring harm to the fruit farm. After visiting the orchards, you can try some fresh fruit juice at stalls that mostly lie in close proximity to these huge orchards.
Shop For Souvenirs
Two of the most interesting stores that you can visit in Mukteshwar to pick something up to take back home are The Nirvana Organic Store and Kilmora Handicraft Stores. You can pick a few handmade items that are made locally from here. Choco House Chocolatiers is another interesting shop where you can buy some yummy handmade chocolates. If you love cheese, make sure you also get your hands on some insanely good cheese at Darima Farms. The place is run by Pritam Bhattay who trained to be a cheesemaker in Italy. You get to try out a variety of Italian cheeses without having to travel to Europe!
Try Out The Cafés
For some lip-smacking Mukteshwar food, you must make your way to the many cafés you’ll find as you explore the hilly hamlet of Mukteshwar. Some of the best ones that you’ll run into are – Nirvana Organic Kitchen, Chirping Tales Café, Café Chandi Mati and The Birdcage. Most of the seating options at these restaurants offer beautiful picturesque views, which is a bonus. Another upside is that most of these best restaurants to eat at in Mukteshwar are minutes away from the goSTOPS hostel in Mukteshwar.
Conclusion
Exploring Mukteshwar lets you feel relieved of any tiredness. It’s a great destination to rejuvenate, escape the tourist noise and give into giving yourself a break. But if the deafening quietness of Mukteshwar makes you feel like you’d need a fellow traveler to talk to, you’d probably find that at goSTOPS. Our hostels have cozy corners for you to isolate and spaces where you can find company when you feel like trying some thrilling activities in Mukteshwar. Enjoy the best of both worlds by staying at goSTOPS.
FAQs
Is Mukteshwar Worth Visiting?
Mukteshwar is worth visiting if you’re on the hunt for a quiet offbeat vacation where you can rejuvenate while the Kumaon hills keep you company. The weather in Mukteshwar is also pretty pleasant throughout the year which makes it worth visiting.
What Is Famous In Mukteshwar?
Mukteshwar is famous for the surreal scenery of the Kumaon hills and orchards. It’s slowly also becoming popular for the number of adventure activities it offers.
How Many Days Are Enough For Mukteshwar?
Mukteshwar is a place to rejuvenate and travel at a slow pace. A weekend could be enough if you just want to go on a quick getaway. But you can also easily spend 4 or more days exploring the natural landscape of Mukteshwar. It depends on what you want out of your trip.
Which Is The Best Time To Visit Mukteshwar?
The weather in Mukteshwar is pleasant throughout the year so you can visit this hill station anytime you feel like it. Many tourists choose to visit Mukteshwar between March to June as it’s summer and hill stations are perfect to get some relief from the unbearable heat.
