Ever thought of visiting a place where nature greets you with open arms? Where from a dense forest cover to snow-covered hills, mountains or waterfalls deep inside the jungles, or the open fields and cold climate offer you an overwhelming experience of losing one's sense of being on earth for some time?

Perhaps, India's small hilly town of Mukteshwar is just that special place for you. Located in Nainital district of Uttarakhand state, Mukteshwar is like a mini gateway to heaven on earth.

Offering a special joy of visiting small hamlets, meeting innocent villagers farming or simply running after their little kids in the fields or around their small houses, the place brings to you a host of lifetime experiences of watching people celebrate life in their own way, tendering apple or other fruit orchards.

Be it the ancient temples or unspoiled beauty of olden houses make you feel something deeply moving drawing you to visit them in this lifetime and cleanse your soul, absolving it of all sins of the present and past lives. All this and much more, greets you here with open arms, inspiring you to just lose your sense of being for a moment and think afresh, breaking the monotony of life that you may have lived so far.

Why to visit Mukteshwar?

The town of Mukteshwar, the name derived from Lord Shiva, the Hindu God who can give salvation from the cycle of birth and death, is a calm and secluded town and tourist destination. The famous Mukteshwar Temple with main deity as Lord Shiva is a famous attraction here. Located at a height of about 7,500 feet from sea-level in the Kumaon Hill, the enchanting place has many tourist attractions apart from famous Mukteshwar temple, with 'Chauli ka Jali' being one of the much talked about attractions and its 1893-established Indian Veterinary Research Institute campus.

Recommended by many as a place worth visiting throughout the year, it's famous among tourists thronging this place to enjoy it as a hill station and pilgrimage centre. It's a recommended destination for honeymooners, lovers, corporates, families and kids, foreigners, groups and even for those who love to travel all alone and lose themselves in photography.

Also, Mukteshwar is today a popular destination for camping, adventure, christmas, and New Year celebrations, as honeymooners' paradise, for leisure, paragliding, weekend getaway, or for simply practicing yoga and meditation.
Also, adorned with small houses of red roofs, ancient style window frames made of wood and picket barriers reminiscences of the British Raj.
Agriculture in the area consists chiefly of potato cultivation and fruit orchards on terraces cut into the hillsides.

Scenic Place

*The place is worth visiting for all those who wish to enjoy 180 degree views of the majestic Himalayan range.
* The unspoiled beauty simply overwhelms the mind and soul, leaving oneself lost in the lap of nature and simply providing a perfect blend of nature lifting the mood to enjoy romance in its pure form.

Pilgrimage

It is also valued by believers as a pilgrimage centre, as the place offers the much needed peace and a good time to relax and think about one's course of life.

Mythological belief

A Hindu legend has it that Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and blessings, had killed a demon at this place once and thus granting him salvation.

What to see in mountainous range of Himalaya in Mukteshwar?

Nanda Devi, Nandaghunti, Nanda Kot, Trishul, and Panchachuli are some of the major peaks visible from Mukeshwar. These are covered by dense forest. On the side, the scenic natural beauty offers a splendid view of the enchanting valley and Himalayas.

Interesting facts:

One of the most interesting things about Mukteshwar is that it can be visited all year around. The place receives its snowfall between last week of December to mid-February.

Special Activities to Enjoy

Adventure Sports: Mukteshwar is well known for activities like rock climbing and rappelling. The overhanging cliffs near Mukteshwar, known as 'Chauli-ki-Jali' is also one of the attractions and a popular spot for rock climbing. Many people visit the place to enjoy the thrill of paragliding.

Trekking/Hiking:

The one who wish to explore their sense of adventure, Mukteshwar has a host of options to enjoy. There are various options for trekking. There are many trekking trails in and around Mukteshwar. One can even trek from Peora to Mukteshwar or Peora to Almora as well as Binsar to Artola.

Enjoy the fun of Camping

The place offers the joy of spending a quality time camping with family or friends in the lap of Mother Nature. Being situated amidst the dense deodar trees, Mukteshwar is an ideal place to camp and celebrate time together while being overwhelmed by natural beauty spread all around.

Places to visit in Mukteshwar:

This place is also viewed as a silent paradise. Here you can spend your days and nights in the warmth of nature and detoxify your soul and body. On sunny days, one can watch the surrounding peaks as far as Nepal border. One can also do easy hiking to nearby places, exploring the area and nearby temples with various legends of ancient times linked to them. One of the many places of interest and sightseeing in and around Mukteshwar is the 350-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Mukteshwar Dham. There are various places of interest in and around Mukteshwar. Methodist Church is another charm among tourists in Mukteshwar.

A Few More:

Mukteshwar temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is adorned at Mukteshwar in Nainital district. Chauli ki Jali, also known as Chauthi Jali, is an old charm located behind the cliff of Mukteshwar temple. It is located at a distance of 250 metres from Mukteshwar Temple. Chauli means rock and Jali means hole. This place is paradise of nature lovers and adventure seeksers. Many people visit this place for sightseeing and having a rock climbing experience. One can have a mesmerising view of the Himalayan range and Kumaon Valley from the edge of Chauli ki Jali.

Religious Significance:

Hindu mythology has it that once the goddess and demon had a fierce battle at this place. There is a trunk of an elephant, a hield and indefinite outlines of a sword, which serves as the testament of the battle. It is believed that if a barren woman crossess the holde of Chauli ki Jali during Shivratri, she is blessed with a child. Dhanachauli

At a glance

State name: Uttarakhand
District: Nainital
Place is famous for: Hill Station
Spoken languages: Hindi, Kumaoni
Perfect Season: March to June, October - Nov
Weather: Summer 15 to 30°C
Winter 0 to 24°C
Altitude: 2,171 metre
Pin code and Phone no.:
Pincode: 263138
STD code: 05942

So near, yet so far…

Delhi to Mukteshwar 310 km
Bangalore to Mukteshwar 2238 km
Chennai to Mukteshwar 2292 km
Almora to Mukteshwar 33 km
Nainital to Mukteshwar 54 km

Best Season / Best time to visit

It has a quite pleasant temperature pattern throughout the year. Summers during March to May have a maximum temperature of 27°C. Winters are cold with temperature varies between 17°C to a low 3°C. Heavy snowfalls occur during winters. July, August and September are rainy months.