07 Kimu

Kumaon Hi-Altitude Villages Trek (K-Trek)

A 10-day, 100+ KM trek to some high-altitude Villages of Eastern Kumaon. Route: Loharkhet - Dhakuri - Khati - Mikila - Kimu - Namik - Thal~Kharik - Chupoo~Pass and finally the trail ending on the road to Munsiary (32KM), between Bala & Birthi Falls

Mikila to Kimu

Balwant resting - on climb to Madari-Top from Mikila

Rock-pile cairn at Madari top

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Raj-Kharik - rest stop

Family of five on Raj-Kharik

The ladies with colorful dresses at Raj-Kharik

Raj-Kharik was a huge grazing meadow (click enlarge)

Shepard at Raj-Kharik - has a way of sticking his Axe down his jacket neck at the back - the Axe is used to cut leafy branches from trees for his sheep grazing below

Shepard's Kharik (long hut for shelter)

**** Kimu 2265M ****

The Kimu GH where we stayed - Upper floor to right, My room

Next Morning View from Kimu GH (Left i.e. towards North)

19th Dec 2008 Day-7: Mikila to Kimu 18Km, a long trek day

We left Mikila at 8:00AM after a breakfast of sweet Suji. Initially, we climbed steadily through several small ridges for an hour and then a steep climb, for 2 hours, to reach the Madari Top (3020M) at 11:30am.

Looking back, towards Mikila, an hour after leaving - you can see Jhuni village, across the valley (small white spots, at center of pic)

As we descended gradually from Madari Top, we passed throuh several bugyals or grazing meadows at various levels. We met many shepards and their flocks of sheep along the way. And we reached Raj-Kharik, a huge meadow (like Ali Bugyal) at 12:30 PM; where we met a party 5 locals - father, mom, son and two aunts resting before climbing the Madari Top. they were headed to another Village (near Mikila) for attending a family-function. We also stopped for tea there.

After an hour of steep climb down from Madari Top, we passed this 75 year old shepard, climbing towards the top with his sheep

We had our packed lunch of Puri-Aloo here on Raj Kharik's beautiful meadows, surrounded by huge forests of trees

Autumn like Colours of trees on way to Kimu

At 4:30PM Kimu is now visible ahead, at last

A family headed to Kimu is resting here, near a trail junction

Arriving at Kimu village down there .... finally at 5:00PM

Next Morning View from Kimu GH (Right - towards South)

Next day at 6:00AM at Kimu it was 12*C and there was a light snow fall (flakes) for a few minutes and it stopped. After breakfast we left Kimu GH at 8:15AM. Anyway today was a short walk to the opposite valley village Namik . You can see that in the picture below:

Next Morning View from Kimu GH (Front i.e. towards East)