Thamri Kund Trek: Height, Route, Distance and Best Time

What the Thamri Kund trek is

The district site lists Thamri Kund, with Maheshwari Kund, as an alpine lake near Munsyari. (pithoragarh.nic.in)

• A small, still freshwater lake ringed by hills, in thick deodar and rhododendron forest. A small temple stands on one shore; locals believe praying here pleases Indra, and come to ask for rain in dry spells. Panchachuli is in view for much of the walk. (kafaltree.com, 19 Jul 2019)
• The forest holds plenty of wildlife and many birds; the monal is sometimes seen. (kafaltree.com, 19 Jul 2019)
• Jagran lists Thamri Kund with Mesar Kund and the Bitlidhar eco park among the sights around Munsiyari. (jagran.com, 26 Apr 2024)

The route, stage by stage

From Betulidhar the trail goes straight up to Thamri Kund: 1.5 km one way. The km are the sources' own, each linked; trails shift with landslides and new road, so treat them as close, not exact.

1. Munsiyari town to Trailhead by the temple on the road toward Birthi7 km

   By road, per Kafaltree (2019). (kafaltree.com)

2. Betulidhar (road) to Thamri Kund1.5 km

   New path built by the Harkot Van Panchayat (2025). Kafaltree (2019) gave 3 to 3.5 km on the older track; Chalbanjare says 2 to 3 km from Harkot village; the OSM line measures about 2.2 km. (jagran.com)

When to go

Best from mid-March to mid-May, when the pink rhododendron is in full bloom. (kafaltree.com, 19 Jul 2019)

• Chalbanjare suggests April to June and September to October. Monsoon makes the path slippery, and winter brings snow. (chalbanjare.com)

Permits and fees

• The Harkot Van Panchayat decided to charge visitors Rs 50 as a royalty to pay for cleaning and path upkeep, and to post two local youths to look after the site. Chalbanjare (undated) still lists entry as free. (jagran.com, 26 Mar 2025)

How hard it is

• Rated moderate; a short forest walk that suits beginners and children, but Chalbanjare marks it unsuitable for seniors. (chalbanjare.com)

Where you sleep, food and water

• No stay at the lake; rooms and shops are only in Munsiyari. Camping may be possible with local permission. (chalbanjare.com)
• No facilities at the lake: no toilets, food stalls or seating. Carry drinking water. (chalbanjare.com)

Getting to the start

The trek starts at Betulidhar. By road it is 11 km from Munsiyari, 113 km from Bageshwar, 114 km from Pithoragarh, 181 km from Almora, 266 km from Kathgodam to the start, measured on OpenStreetMap.

• Betulidhar, on the Munsiyari to Thal road (NH109K) (openstreetmap.org)
• Distance from Munsiyari is given as about 10 km in all (Kafaltree: 7 km by road plus 3 to 3.5 km on foot). Chalbanjare says 12 km in its summary and 8 to 10 km in its directions. (kafaltree.com, 19 Jul 2019)

The nearest railway station is Kathgodam (267 km by road); the nearest airport, Pithoragarh Airport (112 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

• Bilju Inn, hotel, 1.9 km from the start as the crow flies
• The Pinewood Homestay, homestay, 1.9 km from the start as the crow flies
• Hotel Maa Bhawani Munsiyari, hotel, 1.9 km from the start as the crow flies
• Brahm Kamal Lodge, hotel, 1.9 km from the start as the crow flies
• KMVN Tourist Rest House Munsyari, KMVN rest house, 2 km from the start as the crow flies
• Hotel Pandey Lodge, hotel, 2.1 km from the start as the crow flies
• Cedar Wave, hotel, 2.1 km from the start as the crow flies
• PWD Guest House, government guest house, 2.1 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 centre of the OSM lake 'Thamri Tal'. Kafaltree gives about 7,500 ft instead; see the facts. (openstreetmap.org)
• Heights disagree: Chalbanjare gives 2,800 m, while Kafaltree gives about 7,500 ft (about 2,290 m). The SRTM 30 m model reads 2,787 m at the OSM lake point (model value). (api.opentopodata.org)
• Mobile coverage is unreliable. (chalbanjare.com)
• Chalbanjare lists visiting hours of 07:00 to 16:00 and mornings as the best time. (chalbanjare.com)

What changed in 2025 and 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)
• In March 2025 the Harkot Van Panchayat opened a built trekking path from Betulidhar to Thamri Kund, about 1.5 km, replacing a rough earth track. Thamri Kund falls in Harkot gram panchayat. (jagran.com, 26 Mar 2025)