Misty Mountains - a unique place in Kumaon Himalayas
Slow Travel @ Misty Mountains Jhaltola
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to live in the hills, far away from it all, Misty Mountains, Jhaltola, is the place to visit. You can witness and experience mountain life in the few days that you spend in this bountiful place blessed by mother nature.The Misty experience is slow and immersive. It is a treat in every season. An ideal stay would be between 3 and 5 days, although you can stay for weeks if you enjoy the slow mountain life. We have made some exciting packages for the spring and summer seasons, that is built around Slow Travel. The longer you stay the lesser you pay!
Spring Season – Feb/ March/ April – as the earth comes alive in the spring, you can expect perfect weather for river side or forest picnics; brilliant days and time outdoors for walks, hikes and birding; Himalayan views on a clear day, bon fire evenings, and cosy nights.
Summer Season – May/ June – During the summer holidays, Misty is a quite refuge in all the madness of traffic jams and long queues. We will happily design “no traffic jam” tour plan for you, so that the holiday is more about relaxation and less about a hustle to plan and reach. If you are planning a road trip with multiple destinations in Kumaon, we can help you plan that too.
Things to do while @ Misty...
Walks, Picnics and Forest Trails
Misty Mountains, Jhaltola, is blessed to be set amidst a 1000 acres of solitude. We are surrounded by acres and acres of lush green forests and you can spend days or weeks exploring it. There are many walks within and beyond the estate from easy walks to brow-sweating hikes. We organize an easy to do complimentary guided walk everyday, usually after breakfast or around sunset. There is also a whole menu of treks, picnics, excursions and other activities that you can enjoy. Read below for details.
Complimentary Guided walks. One per day included in the package.
| Trail Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Sunset walk @ the ridge and tea @ the bungalow | A small hike and a ridge walk with beautiful sunset, Himalayas, and valley views. This is followed with a refreshing tea at the estate bungalow and a lovely walk back. Around sunset. 1.5 hours. |
| Vinayak Dhar Sunset | A brisk walk with lovely valley and sunset views overlooking Thama village. Get a bird’s eye view of village life around Misty. Around sunset. 1.5 hours. |
| Old Estate Walk | This is the western slope of the estate bungalow. Lovely and easy walk with birding, local flora, and fauna. Valley views. Can be done after breakfast or lunch. 2 hours. |
| Jadapani, Forest Bathing | This is an old oak forest that offers a unique experience. A brisk walk of 2 km on undulating terrain brings you to a glen in the forest. You could spend hours sitting in silence and enjoying forest bathing. Can be done after breakfast or lunch. 2 – 3 hours. |
| Leopard Trail | A short, thrilling walk around Misty to understand the terrain, its flora, fauna, and avian fauna. Follow the trail the resident leopard walks every day and experience the thrill of the forest. Best after breakfast or lunch. 30 to 45 minutes. |
#onlyatMisty Experiences. Per person charges include GST.
| Trail Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Lamkeshwar Forest Trail & view point hike – Rs.400 Per person including refreshments | A 3 km hike of moderate difficulty. 500 metres altitude gain. Total time taken 2 – 3 hours. Beautiful forest trails,the mighty 300 year old oaks at the temple, and 360 degree views of Himalayas and valleys are the highlight. All seasons. |
| Picnic and Kite flying at Silent Meadow – Rs.700 per person | A 4 acre beautiful meadow with a water body. All seasons except monsoons |
| Picnic @ Baans Pathan River – Rs,700/person. Transport not included | A small rivulet 16 kms/ 45 minutes drive from Misty. Perfect to dip your feet in, and safe for kids. Good in all seasons. |
| Full Day guided trek to Patal Bhuvaneshwar – Rs.900 per person including packed lunch Transport not included. | This is a full day trek – 16 kms/ one way. It meanders through dense Oak forests and villages. You can cab your way back. Total time 7 hours. Can be done in any season accept monsoons. |
| Full Day guided trek to Ram Ganga River – Rs.900 per person including packed lunch Transport not included | This is a full day trek. It goes through a scenic village and pine forest. Since it is a river valley, it can get humid. It is best in spring, autumn and winter. |
| Full Day guided trek to Kshineshwar Waterfall – Rs.900 per person including packed lunch Transport not included | This is a full day excursion and trek. Needs a jeep to take you about 16 kms. Last 4 kms is a trek. Good to go in any season. |
Or just do Nothing...
This is only for advanced level vacationers who have mastered the art of doing nothing. You can practice here rigorously by pursuing various well designed inactivities. This includes day dreaming on hammocks and garden chairs; holding on to a book with a genuine intention of reading it while chasing some butterfly wings with your gaze; roaming around in circles with your expensive camera strapped to your neck; having monosyllabic conversation with rank strangers and well meaning intruders; and staring into the distance with a satiated smile.
Sight Seeing...
Patal Bhuvaneshwar (25 kms one way)
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is a cave temple about an hour from Misty Mountains Homestay.
It is an energy centre and a place of faith and worship for Shiva devotees that finds mention in Skanda Purana as well. Its also an experience as you need to climb down into a cave which is 300 ft below the ground level to reach the main temple. A must visit for people visiting this area.
Aavni - An NGO ( 15 kms one way)
At Misty homestay , we actively promote Aavni, an NGO working on alternative energy and women empowerment that has won numerous accolades and awards over the years.
They have done some remarkable work in these areas and are worth visiting for people who want to know about alternative energy or who want to pick a memento or two from their gorgeous collection of naturally dyed wool and silk products. You can see some samples at our homestay and visit the place if you are interested.
Ram Ganga river @ Thal (70 kms one way)
Ram Ganga is a beautiful snow fed river. You can drive right upto its beaches near Thal. You would have to cross the small town and drive up a few kilometers to find a good spot. It will be worth your while though. It is also an excellent spot for birding for water birds.
Birding
Resident Birds
Misty Mountains Homestay at Jhaltola is blessed with a diverse and dense flora and fauna. The estate ranges from 1600 meters to 2600 meters with the Misty Mountains Homestay, at 2100 meters approx. We have photopraghed and catalogued over 130 species over the years.
Prominent amongst the resident birds are – Khalij Pheasant, Black Francolin, Hill Patridge, Grey WInged blackbirds, Rusty Cheeked and Streak breasted Scimitar babbler, Black lored, green backed and black throated tits, Stripe throated and whiskered Yuhina,Bar throated Siva and Blue Winged Siva, Shikra, Collared Owlet, Black Eagle, Chestnut crowned laughing thrush, grey headed and scaly bellied woodpecker, mountain bulbul etc..
Seasonal birding
Misty is blessed with a diverse Avi – fauna. However, it is a difficult terrain to do birding because of the foliage. Spring and autumn are best time.
Spring brings with it rhododendron blooms and lots of flowers in the gardens. You get to see seasonal visitors like the Verditer flycatcher and Himalayan blue tail, And ofcourse are residents.
And in autumn, the wild cherry blooms. For the next month or so, it is like a birding festival. You can sit close to any rhododendron tree all day and specie after specie will just come right there.
Water Birds
Our homestay at Jhaltola is close in proximity to Ramganga, Saryu, and Baans Pathan – a tributary of Saryu. Of these Baans Pathan is the closest and most easily accessible. Birds can be spotted here in every season. Crested Kingfisher, White throated King Fisher, Brown Dipper, Pipits, and Yellow Fantail, Little and spotted forktails are commonly seen.
