Moila Bugyal Trek- Tiger Waterfall Camping

Overview of Chakrata:

• Chakrata is a cantonment town at 7250 feet above sea level, located between river Tons and Yamuna (Yamuna Valley). It is approximately 98 km from Dehradun.
• The former name of Chakrata (pronounced as Chakrouta) was Jaunsar Bawar, a hamlet inhabited by the Jaunsari tribe.
• Chakrata was developed as a cantonment of the British Indian Army in the year 1866 by Colonel Hume. Chakrata was a summer retreat for the high executives of the British East India Company to beat Indian summers in the plain. It is the permanent garrison of the Special Frontier Force of the Indian Army.
• Chakrata hosts a versatile range of adventure activities (trekking, waterfall camping, forest camping, cave exploration, skiing, waterfall rappelling, cycling, rock-climbing, bird-watching) in the lap of the Himalayas which is a best kept secret of Uttarakhand.
• Chakrata is dotted with numerous coniferous forests & habitat to variety of flora and fauna which includes panther, spotted deer & wild fowls.
• Foreign travellers are allowed only till Kalsi (43 km before Chakrata). Foreign travellers need to obtain permit from the Commandant 22 Force c/o 56 APO.
• Apart from a trip solely dedicated to Chakrata, it can even be clubbed with other Himalayan trek with Dehradun as drop point. Chakrata can also be planned as an extended holiday from Mussoorie or Dehradun.
• Reaching Chakrata:
  By Road: Chakrata is well connected by a road network to Dehradun, Saharanpur & Mussoorie
  By Rail: Nearest railway station is Dehradun
  By Air: Nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport
• Chakrata lacks in the public transportation within the town and to visit places in its proximity. Hence, the best way to explore Chakrata is to hire a private SUV/ Jeep if you are not traveling there in your own vehicle.

Highlights:

• Trek one of the least trodden trails in Uttarakhand. Lacking on the easy accessibility, Chakrata has successfully kept its natural beauty untouched by the adventure junkies who flock towards the more popular & easily accessible locations in Uttarakhand, like Rishikesh.
• Being a weekend adventure program, Moila Bugyal trek- Tiger waterfall camping is the best way to take a quick break from the city chaos, without taking leave from the office.
• Experience Trekking, Caving, and Waterfall camping all in a single trip. Taste a bit of all these adventure activities without exhausting yourself.
• Highly recommended for the beginners in the world of adventure who are keen to explore the raw beauty of the world but are skeptical to come out of their comfort zone. Join Moila Bugyal trek- Tiger waterfall camping to get a hang of staying amidst the nature.

Moila Bugyal Trek

As the name reflects, Moila bugyal (Himalayan alpine meadow), is a long stretch of grassland at 8855 feet above the sea level, approximately 30 km from Chakrata market, named after a German, Moila who discovered the nearby cave- Moila/ Budher cave.

It lies in Kansar region which has lush green meadow surrounded by the dense Deodar & Pine forest. Kansar forest proudly preserves the Asia’s biggest Deodar tree with the circumference of 6.35 meter. All the birders: be vigilant so as not to miss out Himalayan monal pheasant (the state Bird of Uttarakhand), vulnerable Cheer pheasant, Koklas pheasant and Himalayan mountain weasel as you cross this forest. There is an old Forest Rest House from the British era, 3km from Kansar. Dietrich Brandis, the Inspector General of Forests in India is credited to bring this lone Forest Rest House to the notice of the outside world. The FRH was constructed in 1868 and renovated later in 2008.

It’s not just Moila bugyal, surrounded with the dense forest that this short trek have for you but the bugyal is studded with an Ancient Temple, Limestone Cave and a tiny Alpine Lake.

Pari Mandir: Moila Danda (the top of Moila bugyal) has an enchanting architect constructed from the wood. This architect is the mysterious ‘Pari Mandir’ (Temple of Fairies) where the locals offer animal sacrifices during the festivals. This temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva & holds several beliefs among the local villagers. You may get to hear several interesting tales related to Pari Mandir, the most popular one: only the Pariyan (Fairies) can worship in this temple (hence, the name). The panoramic view of the snow-capped Garhwal Himalayan peaks from Moila Danda is sure to strike you with awe.

Moila/ Budher cave: Just below the Moila Danda is the mythological limestone caveBudher cave or Moila cave. This cave is named Budher after the local inhabitants of this region & Moila after the German, named Moila who discovered this ancient cave hidden in the secluded forest. The cave is believed to date back to the era of Mahabharata when the ‘Pandavas’ took a shelter here during their ‘vanvaas’ (exile) just before the war of Mahabharata, after their lac palace was burnt down. This cave full of stalagmites and stalactites is believed to be approximately 150km long during that time. This cave still waits to get fully explored. The entrance looks tiny and the pitch black darkness inside the cave is enough to challenge one to overcome the claustrophobic feel. The initial 25 meter inside the cave will make you crawl and squeeze yourself at places. Beyond which there is a drop of 250 feet (not advised to venture out alone beyond this point, which will require you to be led by an expert with safety gears).

Alpine Lake: After the thrilling experience of caving to the world’s darkness, soothe yourself with as you laze at the lake side. This lake gets frozen during the winters. Watch the herd of sheep and the ponies gazing in the meadows before you head for the next adventure.

Tiger Waterfall:

Tiger fall lies 25km from Chakrata. Plunging from the height of 312 feet, is considered one of the highest direct waterfalls in India.

Tiger fall is known as ‘Keraao Pachad’ & ‘Kailu Pachad’ in the local languages.

As the name of this majestic waterfall depicts, the roar of the Tiger waterfall gets magnified by the echoes from the hillocks that encircles the waterfall. The fall forms a pond at its base which makes a natural swimming pool for you to bathe in. The force of this fall is of such an extent that you are sure to get wet by the water droplets of the crashing waterfall, even if you stand at the edge of the pool. You can see the ‘Rainbow effect’ at the pool as the sunlight falls on the scattering mist formed by the fall.

Tiger fall can be reached either by an easy trek of 5km through the Rhododendron & Oak forest or directly by the vehicle. ‘Me & Mountain’ shall take you to the Tiger fall directly via vehicle so that you get ample of time to soak yourself under the waterfall.

During monsoon, Tiger fall can be seen in its ravishing beauty. Blessed, not to be commercialized as yet, Tiger fall & its surroundings maintain the pristine beauty of the mother nature.

Things to carry:

Clothing:

Note: Don’t forget to carry warm cloths even if you are traveling during summers.

• 2 pairs of T-shirts/ Top/ Shirts & pants (preferably trek pants)
• Insulated jacket- down or synthetic padded
• Fleece jacket
• Woollen gloves
• Woollen cap
• 2 pairs of socks
• Swim wear

Footwear:

• Trekking shoes or at least Sports shoes with a good grip at the sole
• Slippers/floaters for the campsite & waterfall

Gears:

• Daypack- 20-30 litre
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• Cap/ hat
• Quick dry towel
• Trekking pole
• Headlamp (Mandatory for cave exploration)
• Water bottle (preferably of 1 litre capacity)

Other essential items:

• Toilet kit
• Personal medical kit
• Snacks for personal consumption
• Ladies: Menstrual hygiene products with zip lock bags to carry back waste for disposal. Menstrual cups are recommended over tampons /sanitary
  napkins.
• Camera to capture memories
• Sporty spirit of an explorer

Essentials:

• Enrolment form
• Medical form
• Self-declaration form

Booking terms:

Confirmation policy:

• Mode of payment: only online
• The participants will receive the Confirmation email and Ticket via email within 48 hours.

Cancellation policy:

• Cancellation done by 20 days before the commencement of the trek: 100% of  payment will be refunded.
• Cancellation done between 10 days to 20 days before the commencement of the trek: 50% of payment will be refunded.
• In case of cancellation done within 10 days before the commencement of the trek, the amount shall be adjusted in any of the events done later with ‘Me and Mountain’.