Namik Glacier Trek: Height, Route, Distance and Best Time

What the Namik Glacier trek is

The Ramganga East rises at Namik Glacier in Pithoragarh district, flows south-east and joins the Sarju at Rameshwar near Ghat. (en.wikipedia.org)

• The Ramganga valley holds 7 glaciers, and Namik is the largest at 2.4 sq km. (en.wikipedia.org)
• The district site names Munsyari as the base camp for treks to Milam, Ralam and Namik Glacier. (pithoragarh.nic.in)
• The glacier lies at about 3,600 m. In clear weather Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot and Trishul are in view. Locally the name is linked to springs of sulphur or salty water. Munsiyari is called the main base, with the trail going on by Gogina and Namik village. (hindi.news18.com, 4 Sept 2026)
• The trek sits between Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts and runs about 60 to 80 km there and back, topping out at about 3,600 m. Bikat lists 81 km and Himalaya Shelter 80 km. (hindi.news18.com, 25 Mar 2026)

The route, stage by stage

From Munsiyari the trail goes by Namik village, Thaltop (Thalthok) camp, Sudamkhan camp and Nandkund camp, and on to Namik Glacier snout. The km are the sources' own, each linked; trails shift with landslides and new road, so treat them as close, not exact.

1. Munsiyari to Namik villagekm not stated

   2 days on foot per the OSM route description (Lifeontrails), past Mesar Kund and over Rur Khan pass. No distance stated; the mapped line measures about 21 km. (openstreetmap.org)

2. Namik village to Thaltop (Thalthok) campkm not stated

   Per Bikat Adventures (operator), Thaltop is about 3 to 4 km from Namik village. Himalaya Shelter puts Namik at 2,400 m and Thalthok at 3,450 m. (bikatadventures.com)

3. Thaltop (Thalthok) to Sudamkhan campkm not stated

   Camp at about 3,900 m, per Himalaya Shelter (operator). No distance stated. (himalayashelter.com)

4. Sudamkhan to Nandkund campkm not stated

   Camp at about 3,960 m, per Himalaya Shelter (operator). Bikat walks Thaltop to Nandkund in one day. (himalayashelter.com)

5. Nandkund to Namik Glacier zero point and back5 km

   About 5 km each way, per Bikat Adventures; News18 (2026) also gives about 5 km to the zero point on the last day. The glacier itself is about 3 km long. (bikatadventures.com)

When to go

May to June and September to October are the usual best months. Check weather, road and local administration updates before going. (hindi.news18.com, 4 Sept 2026)

• Per Himalaya Shelter (operator), the trail is often snow-covered and blocked from November to April; avoid the monsoon. (himalayashelter.com)

Permits and fees

• Operators include forest entry charges for Indian nationals and charge foreigners extra; no amount is published. (himalayashelter.com)

How hard it is

• Moderate: steep climbs and descents, rocky paths and stream crossings, but no technical climbing. Fit beginners can do it with guidance. (himalayashelter.com)

Where you sleep, food and water

• Nights are in tents at Thaltop and Nandkund, with camps or homestays at Gogina. (bikatadventures.com)
• Leeti village in Bageshwar (2,000 m), which News18 calls a starting point of the Namik trek, has a homestay run by Laxman Singh Koranga at Rs 700 a bed or Rs 1,000 a room. (hindi.news18.com, 17 Jul 2026)
• On the Munsiyari side road, KMVN runs a Tourist Rest House at Birthi; phone 05961-214001 or 9917894096. (kmvn.in)
• Streams and waterfalls run along the way; carry at least 2 litres of water capacity. (himalayashelter.com)

Getting to the start

The trek starts at Munsiyari. By road it is 4 km from Munsiyari, 120 km from Bageshwar, 121 km from Pithoragarh, 188 km from Almora, 274 km from Kathgodam to the start, measured on OpenStreetMap.

• Munsiyari (on foot via Mesar Kund and Rur Khan pass to Namik village) (openstreetmap.org)
• Bageshwar side, per Bikat: Kathgodam to Bageshwar 155 km; Bageshwar to Gogina 76 km by Kapkot; Gogina sits at 1,950 m with camps and homestays. The return drive Gogina to Kathgodam is 225 km. (bikatadventures.com)
• Munsiyari side: OpenStreetMap also maps a 'Namik to Virthi' foot route that meets the Thal to Munsiyari road (NH109K) near Birthi at about 30.0431, 80.1497. (openstreetmap.org)
• OSM marks Namik village at 30.0988, 80.0898 but flags the location as approximate. (openstreetmap.org)

The nearest railway station is Kathgodam (274 km by road); the nearest airport, Pithoragarh Airport (120 km). The road to Munsiyari, town by town: from Dehradun, from Lucknow, from Rishikesh, from Bareilly, from Haridwar, from Moradabad, from Tanakpur and from Delhi, Kathgodam and Haldwani.

Stays near the start

• himalayan glamping By ahaan himalaya, camp, 0.3 km from the start as the crow flies
• Dropati Mehra Homestay, homestay, 0.3 km from the start as the crow flies
• Milam Inn, hotel, 0.4 km from the start as the crow flies
• Pangtey Home Stay, homestay, 0.4 km from the start as the crow flies
• Hotel Chandra Paradise, hotel, 0.4 km from the start as the crow flies
• Himalayan Ark, homestay, 0.4 km from the start as the crow flies
• Monal Inn, hotel, 0.5 km from the start as the crow flies
• Mount Kailash Homestay, homestay, 0.5 km from the start as the crow flies

All 62 stays in Munsiyari, each on the map with the peaks in view and a link to book.

Good to know

• Coordinates are the top of the OSM-mapped Ramganga, at the lower edge of a mapped glacier. OSM's 'Namik Glacier' label (node 13284382701) sits higher up at 30.2283, 80.1156. The camp at Nandkund may be higher than the snout; see the facts. (openstreetmap.org)
• Per Himalaya Shelter the maximum is 3,600 m in its summary but close to 3,800 m in its text, and it lists Nandkund camp at about 3,960 m, so the camp may be the highest night. News18 (December 2025) gives the glacier as 3,600 to 4,000 m. (himalayashelter.com)
• Map check with the SRTM 30 m model (model values): about 3,384 m at OSM Thaltok, 3,949 m at Sudhamkhan pass, 4,073 m at Nanda Kund lake, 3,600 to 3,666 m at the top of the mapped Ramganga, and 5,000 m at OSM's 'Namik Glacier' label. (api.opentopodata.org)
• Sudden weather, rain and hail; slippery trails, landslides and leeches in the monsoon; a poorly marked trail in places; altitude gain; and little emergency help. (himalayashelter.com)
• When the District Magistrate visited Namik, villagers raised poor roads, water, power, health care and telecom network among their problems. (bhaskar.com, 3 Jun 2026)

What changed in 2025 and 2026

• Roads to Namik and Bhadeli in Munsiyari block have been approved. The PWD (LONIVI) division at Didihat will survey them and prepare a detailed project report, said Executive Engineer Ajay Thapliyal. For now villagers walk. (amarujala.com, 30 Sept 2026)
• A landslide near Bala, about 40 km from Munsiyari on the Thal to Munsiyari road, stopped heavy vehicles for four days in late August 2026; light vehicles passed with risk. (bhaskar.com, 28 Aug 2026)
• DM Ashish Bhatgain visited Namik, called the last village of Pithoragarh district, on the Bageshwar border, in June 2026, inspected its schools and heard villagers' complaints. (bhaskar.com, 3 Jun 2026)
• News18 wrote in March 2026 that a road now reaches Namik village and makes the trek easier. That conflicts with Amar Ujala (September 2026), which says the road is only approved and not yet built. (hindi.news18.com, 25 Mar 2026)
• A 'Namik Glacier' label was added to OpenStreetMap in November 2025 at 30.2283, 80.1156 (tagged as a peak), and the Lifeontrails Munsyari to Namik route in September 2026. (openstreetmap.org, 6 Nov 2025)