Overview
Mukta Top trek, situated in Uttarkashi District of Garhwal region is counted among the beautiful and less-crowded treks of Uttarakhand.
Heading from Kuflon, the hiking for this trek includes Shiladuni, Chaithathar, Mukta Tal, and Kuari in its Itinerary. The main attractions of this trek are Mukta Tal and Mukta Top, therefore the hiking ends at the summit point of Mukta Top.
Mukta top is elevated at 11,830 ft, and so it offers big and clear views of Himalayan Peaks, dense alpine vegetation, and beautiful valleys. From the top, you can visualise the precious views of Gangotri, Draupadi Ka danda, Bandarpoonch, Kala Naag, and Janoli peaks.
Located in a peaceful region of the Barahat range, Mukta top trek trails are adorned with the different alpine and deciduous flora. With the trek length of approx. 28 Km, this trek can be hiked within 6 Days.
Besides this, the basecamp Kuflon is located on the bank of the Assi Ganga River, and 11 km away from Uttarkashi. There is a motorable road upto Kuflon, so you can reach there by driving without hustle.
To provide detailed information on this trek, we have mentioned the complete trek Itinerary, trek difficulty level, best time to visit, Cultural and Historical significance, type of flora and fauna, and the nearby places to visit.
Trek Itinerary
Drive Distance & Time: 150 km; 5-6 hours
Altitude Gain: 5,000 ft/ 1,520 m
On Day 1 of this pleasant Mukta Top trek, firstly, we shall receive you from Dehradun and then commence the road journey to the base camp Kuflon.
From Dehradun, Kuflon is about 150 Km, and it will take approx. 5 hours to cover this uphill road journey. On the way, you will pass through Mussoorie, Chinyalisour, Uttarkashi, and Gangori.
Kuflon, the basecamp of Mukta Top trek is situated at 5,000 ft. altitude.. After reaching Kuflon, we’ll have a night stay here in a Hotel or Homestay. Today, this journey will make you gain 2950 ft. in altitude by driving.
Trek Distance & Time: 4 km; 5-6 hours
Altitude: 6,700 ft
On Day 2, you will leave the Kuflon behind and begin hiking to the Shiladuni. Shiladuni is located at approx. 6700 ft. After crossing the Kuflon, you will be on an elevated and isolated region of the Barahat range.
The trail on which you will hike will be encircled by the trees. So it would seem like a forest trek, and trails would be covered by the fallen leaves. On the sides of the trail, there will be rocks in some parts. Initially, upto 2 Km, there will be a gradual ascent, which is easy to trek.
But from 5,413 ft. to 6,397 ft, there is a steep ascent, the trails are also narrow and the terrain is typical. You must carry potable water on this trek. However, there are a few water streams on the way as well.
After you reach the 6,397 ft. altitude, then the ascent is again gradual. After a few hours of hiking amid the pine trees, you will reach the Shiladuni. Shiladuni is a campsite, where you will take a camp night stay. At this campsite, you can the beautiful Himalayan sunset. Thereafter, along with your trek mates, you can have your dinner and enjoy the stargazing.
Trek Distance & Time: 5 km; 6-7 hours
Altitude: 9,744 ft
The Day 3 of the Mukta Top trek, will begin with the target of reaching another campsite, Chaithathar. Chaithathar is located at 9,744 ft altitude and 5 Km away from Shiladuni. In the morning, you should wake up early and behold the golden moments of sunrise at this altitude. Thereafter, have breakfast, pack the bag, and start trekking to the Chaithathar.
Passing through dense vegetation, hearing birds chirping, and observing the beauty of nature, you can enjoy the hiking journey. In this less popular, yet incredible trek, you will feel the real peace in nature’s lap.
In between you can take a few minutes break to re-energize yourself. Moreover, you can eat energy bars or other snacks like salted peanuts and cashews. During the trek, you should avoid overeating.
After hiking over the ridges, and narrow trails full of greenery for 6 to 7 hours, you will finally reach today’s stop Chaithathar. Here, we’ll set up our camps and cook the meal for dinner. Here also, you should take the chance to look at the Sunset and the scattering of orange colour over the Sky. Additionally, you will be able to see a few mountain peaks from this campsite.
Trek Distance & Time: 4 km; 3-4 hours
Altitude Gain: 10,800 ft
On Day 4, you will be reaching the Mukta Tal, which is a small alpine lake settled at 10,800 ft. Beginning from Chaithathar, you will trek for 6 to 7 hours to reach there.
On this trek, as you step up, your eyes will catch the views of mountain peaks. The more you ascend, the more beautiful views will be. Far away from city life, you will experience the joy of tackling nature’s challenges. Along with enjoying this outdoor activity, you will experience the Himalayan flora and fauna.
Once you reach the Mukta Tal, it’ll be stop for today’s adventure. By setting the camps beside the Mukta Tal, you can dwell in the beauty of this alpine lake, mountain views, and the camp night.
Mukta Tal to Mukta Top: 1 km; 1-2 hours
Altitude Gain: 1,030 ft
Mukta Top to Kuari: 6.5 km; 7 hours
Altitude Loss: 3,956 ft
On Day 5 of the trek, you will be arriving at the awaited destination Mukta Top. From Mukta Tal, Mukta Top is just 1 Km, and you can cover this distance in 1.5 hours easily. Your excitement will fuel you with the courage to put each step forward.
Wherever you’ll see from this point, the natural landscapes reflecting peace and stability will catch your vision. After 1.5 hours of hiking on a continuous elevated portion, you will reach the Mukta Top. It’s the moment to be lost in the beauty of scenic views, staring at mountain peaks, and experiencing the reward of your 5 days of trekking. If you start trekking early in the morning from Mukta Tal, then you can arrive at Mukta Top at the golden time of Sunrise.
After a few hours, you should begin trekking down to the Kuari. The 5 to 6 hours of hiking will make you reach tonight’s stay point Kuari. Here, you’ll spend the last night in Camps, so enjoy the dinner, and the mesmerising surroundings.
Trek Distance & Time: 7 km; 6 hours
Altitude Loss: 3,274 ft
This is the last day of this trek, so pack your bags, and start hiking down to the Kuflon. In this trek, you’ll find it easy to hike down. As you move down, you’ll start seeing sheep grazing in the grasslands. After 5 to 6 hours of trekking, you will reach the base camp Kuflon. From Kuflon, you’ll return to Dehradun via Uttarkashi by driving.
Package Details
Price Inclusion
Accommodation for 5 nights: Stay is included from Day 1 to Day 5 (base camp to base camp).
Transportation from Dehradun to Dehradun: Transport from Dehradun to Kuflon and back is included.
Meals: Meals from Day 1 dinner to Day 6 breakfast.
Trek Equipment: All essential trek equipment is included, such as sleeping bags, kitchen and dining tents, utensils, mattresses, personal tents, toilet tents, and crampons (if needed).
Forest Entry and Permits: All required fuel charges, tolls, forest entry fees, and permits are covered.
Experienced and Certified Guides: A qualified, professional team, including a mountaineering-certified trek leader, guide, cook, and support staff, will accompany you.
Emergency Kit: First aid medical kits, oxygen cylinders, and stretchers are provided to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of all participants.
Trek Certificate & HDT Badges: Receive a trek certificate and HDT badges to celebrate your adventure.
Price Exclusion
Meals during Transfer: Meals are not included while traveling to and from the trek starting points.
Emergency Evacuations: Any charges related to emergency evacuation are not included.
GST (5%): Not included in the package cost.
Personal Expenses: Any meals or accommodations outside of the provided itinerary or additional services not listed in the inclusions.
Personal Luggage Carrying: Charges for mules or porters to carry personal luggage are NOT included in fees.
Best Time to Visit for this Trek
The best time to visit the Mukta Top trek is winter and summer. During the summer, the trek looks refreshing and vibrant. While in winter, you will feel the serenity and tranquility all over the trek. If you want to see the green beauty of a trek, then you should go during the summer. Moreover, in this season, you will see the wildlife movement beside the trails. In winter, you will see the snow encapsulated in all trees, trails, grounds, and meadows. When the sun’s rays fall on these snow-covered trails, their beauty and vibration are unmatched.
Temperature: 2°C to 14°C
As the sun rises early during summer, it makes the temperature moderate and the weather warm. In this season, you can go hiking in light clothes. However, you must keep woolens in the backpack, because usually the temperature falls during nights in high altitude. In addition, many flowering plants begin blooming in April or May, so you can get the chance to look at the beauty of Garhwal.
Temperature: (-10°C to -2°C)
In the winter season, the sun rises comparatively late and sets early. Therefore, trekkers get less time in a day to hike, but the white beauty of snow on the entire trail makes the efforts worth it. Due to less intense sun rays, the temperature remains low and the weather seems cold and frosty. For winter trekking, you must include enough woolen clothes. However, you can rent a few things like a jacket, boots, gloves, and some trekking tools.
Besides this, in the early mornings, there will be fog, so the visibility is usually low. Hence, you should start trekking after the fog clears. Because the ridges are narrow and the terrain is uneven in some parts of the trail. So it’s unsafe to trek in poor visibility.
Temperature: (1°C to 9°C)
In the autumn season, the summer is completely gone, and the winters are peeping. So there will be a drop in temperature compared to summer. However, the sun shines brighter in the autumn season, so the temperature is comfortable during the daytime. If you go hiking during the late autumn, then you will see the thin layer of snow in some points of meadows, and trails.
Difficulty Level of this Trek
According to the trek length, elevation, terrain type, and trek duration, the Mukta Top trek is categorised as a Moderate Level Trek. From a beginner’s perspective, it’s a Moderate trek, while it’s an easy trek for expert hikers. To hike on this trek, you need to be physically fit as well as active. To warm up your body, you should do exercises like cycling, jogging, and running before one week of going on this adventurous trek.
Generally, individuals struggling with obesity, Asthma, and Heart Disease should avoid going on Moderately challenging treks.
Preparation for the Trek [Physical Fitness, AMS]
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Trek Essentials
The best time for Kedarkantha Trek is during the winter months, especially from December to April, when the entire trail is covered with snow.
- 45-60 Ltr Bag Pack With Rain Cover & Comfortable Straps
- Hot and Cold Water Bottle Like Borosil and Milton
- Energy Bar, Dry Fruits, and ORS
- Personal Medical Kit
- 1 Pair of Sunglasses (UV Protected)
- 1 Neck Gaiters (Buff)
- Tiffin Box
- 2/3 Full Sleeves (Non-Cotton)
- 1 Full Fleece T-Shirt
- 1 Fleece Jacket (Woolen or Sweater)
- 1 Down Feather/ Hollofil Jacket
- 1 Waterproof Jacket/ Poncho
- 1 Pair of Thermal Inners (Upper and Lower)
- 2 Trek Pants (Avoid Shorts and Denim Pants)
- 1 Pair of Waterproof Gloves
- 1 Pair of Woolen Gloves
- Sun Cap
- Woolen Cap
- 4 Pairs of Cotton Socks
- 1 Pair of Woollen Socks
- 1 Waterproof and High Ankle Trekking Shoes
- 1 Pair of Floaters
- Hand Sanitizer and Sunscreen Lotion
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Toilet Paper
- Quick Dry Towel
- Lip Balm and Antibacterial Powder
- Moisturizer
- Aadhaar Card, Pan, or Passport for Applying Permit
- Trek Insurance
- Medical Certificate
- Self-Declaration Form
- Sleeping Bag
- Common Tent
- Mattress
- Dining Tent
- Camping Stool
- Walkie Talkie (For Team)
- Utensils
How To Reach Base Camp
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Trek Map
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Weather & Temperature
More Info About this Trek
Kuflon
Kuflon the basecamp of Mukta Top trek, is the last human settlement on the trek route. Mainly, the people from the Bhotiya tribe, and the Garhwali live here. Generally, the weather is cold, so their attire, food, and routine life are influenced by that.
If we look at their lifestyle, then it’s mostly connected to agriculture, cattle rearing, horticulture, and small businesses like homestays for tourists, restaurants, etc. Whatever cereals they consume in daily life, are grown in their fields. Also, they grow vegetables and fruits to sell and self consumption.
Most of the houses are built of wood and they are majorly dependent on natural resources in their routine life. Generally, they speak Garhwali, which you can understand if you are well familiar with Hindi.
Flora and Fauna
Flora
Due to being situated in the tough terrain of the Himalayas, the area around the Mukta Top is mostly unpolluted and untouched till now. So most of the area is covered with alpine and tropical deciduous vegetation and connected with the primary sector.
The trail going to Mukta Top is mainly adorned with beautiful Rhododendron, Maple, Oak, and Pine trees. If you hike on this trail during the blooming season, then the bright red beauty of Rhododendrons will undoubtedly steal your attention. On this trek, you will see the Bamboo tree, which is uncommon on Garhwal Treks.
The nearby villages are often seen indulged in agriculture, horticulture, and cattle rearing. And they grow cereals like wheat, maize, paddy, pulses, and sometimes sugarcane as well. Additionally, they grow vegetables, and fruits for consumption and fodder for the cattle.
Fauna
On the Mukta Top trek, you will see a lot of wild animals as well as cattle. Besides this, the birds, reptiles, and insects also live in the trees and surroundings. The cattle, which you will see are mostly milch animals like sheep, goats, cows, and Buffaloes. The wild animals, that are found at that altitude are Tahr, Wolf, Bear, Deer, Ibex, and leopard in dense forests.
And the birds, whose voices will give you company during the trek, are Monal, Black Francolin, pigeon, Nightingale, and Woodpecker.
Nearby Attractions
To make your trip more worthy, you can plan to visit the nearby attractive spots in Uttarakhand. Here are the sites, which will make your journey wholesome.
- Mussoorie Hill Station (On route from Dehradun to Kuflon, 121 Km away from Kuflon)
- Gulabi Kantha Trek (125 Km distance between Kuflon and its basecamp Hanuman Chatti)
- Dodidal Lake Trek (8.7 Km distance between Kuflon and Agoda)
- Dayara Bugyal Trek (42 Km distance from Kuflon to Raithal)
- Yamunotri Dham (135 Km away from Kuflon)
- Uttarkashi (On the route of Dehradun to Kuflon)
SCL, Foreign Permit & Vehicle
HDT is registered with the IMF, and we can cater to the needs of SCL for Government Employees. According to the rule, the government of India provides its employees with a prospect where they’re allowed to apply for a 30-day special casual leave in a calendar year to do trekking, hiking, or whatever adventure pleases them.
Mail us at info@himalayandreamtreks.in or call us at +91 80896 93825, if you want to avail SCL.
For foreign nationals, permit charges are different, and hence the overall package price is different for foreign trekkers. Connect with us before booking your trek.
- For 4-6 people Ertiga/Bolero or equivalent vehicle.
- For 7 or more people, Force Traveller.
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