Sunrise Kunjapuri Hike
A full hike on foot. Up from Upper Tapovan to Kunjapuri for sunrise, then back down the same trail to where you started.
A real hill hike, on foot both ways · a pre-dawn climb, about 18 km · leave around 4:30 AM for the sunrise
Overview
Most people drive up to Kunjapuri for the sunrise and drive straight back. This one never touches a car. You walk up into the hills in the dark, passing close to the Secret Waterfall and up through small mountain villages, reach the temple for first light, and then walk back down the same trail to where you started in Upper Tapovan. The walk is the whole point. The temple and the ridge are the postcard; the climb up in the cool dark through the forest, the sunrise at the top, and the same quiet path unfolding differently on the way down are the part you remember. It is a real hike in the hills, both ways on foot, not a photo stop. It suits travellers who are comfortable on their feet for a full morning and want a proper mountain start to the day, without a multi-day trek. If a long climb before dawn or a long descent on uneven ground is not for you, this may not be the right one, and we will happily point you to the easier drive-up Kunjapuri sunrise instead.
- Sunrise at Kunjapuri
- On foot, both ways
- Through hill villages
- Out and back to Tapovan
Your morning, stage by stage
The hike, stage by stage, in the same shape as our package itineraries: what you do, in order, with a line on each part and what is and isn't included.
- ~ 4:30 AM · leave Included
Meet your guide at AYM Yoga School
For a sunrise start we meet outside AYM Yoga School in Upper Tapovan around 4:30 AM, while it is still dark. A warm hello, a quick check of your shoes, layers and water, and a look at the plan. Not chasing the sunrise? We leave later, at whatever time suits you.
- ~ 4:45 AM Included
Set off on foot into the hills
Head-torches on. You leave the last lights of Tapovan behind and pick up the trail as it begins to climb into the forest, your guide setting an easy, steady pace.
- ~ 5:30 AM Included
The fork up towards Kunjapuri
The trail passes within a few hundred metres of the Secret Waterfall, then forks off and climbs away towards Kunjapuri; we don't go down to the fall itself. A short pause to catch your breath before the path steepens.
- ~ 6:00 AM Included
Up through Barkot and Badhera
The path threads through quiet, still-sleeping mountain villages and terraced fields, gaining height steadily towards the ridge.
The stages are in order. We haven't fixed exact clock times to each: the day is built around you, so your host confirms the start time and the plan with you. BMR is timing the full route on the ground.
Your route
The route is a foot-only out-and-back: up from Upper Tapovan, passing close to the Secret Waterfall and through the villages of Barkot and Badhera, to Kunjapuri for sunrise, then back down the same trail to Upper Tapovan. The distances shown are approximate, from local trail references; a measured GPS profile will appear here once BMR has mapped the exact route.
- 1Upper Tapovan (start)Start
- 2Kunjapuri (sunrise, turn around)
- 3Back to Upper Tapovan (same way)End
Good to know
On foot, both ways — no vehicle
The hike is on foot, up to Kunjapuri and back down the same trail. There is no car on the route. If you would rather walk only one direction, a one-way taxi or scooty up to Kunjapuri can be arranged as an optional add-on (agreed with your host), and you walk back down. The exact route distances are approximate until BMR has GPS-mapped them; we only publish what we have checked ourselves.
Before you go
It is a full hike, both ways
There is no vehicle. You climb roughly 9 km up to Kunjapuri and walk the same 9 km back down, about 18 km in total, on foot in one morning. Come only if you are comfortable being on your feet for a long, hilly morning.
The climb up
The way up is a real, continuous climb in the dark to about 1,676 m. It is the demanding part of the day. Tell us your fitness honestly before you book and we will be straight with you about whether it fits.
The way back
You return down the same trail, which is long and on uneven, loose ground in places. If stairs or long descents normally hurt your knees, tell us first and we will suggest an easier option.
The weather
Hill weather changes. Your guide and host may shorten, adjust or move the route on the day if conditions call for it. That is a safety decision, not a downgrade.
The practical bits
Toilets and food are limited and the signal drops in sections. Carry water and start well rested.
The people
You pass homes and a temple. Don't photograph people or courtyards without asking, and carry your plastic back out with you.
What's included
- A local hiking guide for the whole hike, up and back
- Your BMR host coordinating the day
- Drinking water
- Tea and snacks at the top
- Basic trail first aid
Confirmed when you book.
What to bring
- Shoes with proper grip
- A head-torch for the dark climb
- One warm layer for the top
- A small daypack
- Water
- Sun protection
- Any personal medication
- A rain layer when the weather calls for it
Walked by BMR, with a local guide
This is not a route we read about. Someone from BMR has hiked the whole way, up and back, at a normal traveller’s pace, and a local guide who grew up in these hills walks every step of it with you: leading the climb in the dark, knowing the forest turns and the villages you pass, and setting a pace that suits your group. Everything on this page, the times, the ground, the distance, comes from doing it, not from a brochure.
We've walked it ourselves
We only list a trail once someone from BMR has actually hiked it, at a normal traveller's pace, not a trekker's. The times, the ground and the turns on this page come from doing it, not from a brochure.
A local guide, the whole way
Your guide is from these hills, walks with you the whole hike up and back, knows the forest turns in the dark and the villages you pass, and sets a pace that suits your group, not a fixed one.
The honest bits, written down first
The climb, the distance, the ground underfoot, where the signal drops, what is and is not included. Before you book, not after. If we haven't GPS-mapped something yet, we say so instead of guessing a number.
One host, start to finish
The same BMR host stays with your booking from your first message, through the pre-dawn start time and the meeting point outside AYM Yoga School, to the moment you are back in Tapovan.
Common questions
Is there any car or vehicle on this hike?
No. It is on foot the whole way, up and down. If you would rather only walk one direction, a one-way taxi or scooty up to Kunjapuri can be arranged as an optional add-on, and you walk back down; just ask your host.
How difficult is the hike?
Moderate to demanding. It is a full hike, not a gentle walk: a real climb of roughly 9 km up to about 1,676 m before dawn, then the same 9 km back down. The climb and the length are what make it work your legs. It is not technical.
How long is it and how long does it take?
It is out and back, roughly 9 km up to Kunjapuri and the same 9 km down, about 18 km in total. For a sunrise start you leave around 4:30 AM and are back by about 10 to 11 AM. These distances and times are approximate, from local trail references; BMR is GPS-mapping and timing the exact route.
What shoes should I wear?
Shoes with proper grip. The ground is loose and uneven in places on the descent, which matters more than how fit you are. Bring a head-torch too, for the climb up in the dark.
What happens if it rains?
Hill weather changes. Your host and guide check conditions and may shorten or adjust the route, or move it to another day, for safety.
Can I do this if I don't hike regularly?
Be honest with us first. If you are comfortable with an early start and a full, hilly half day on foot, yes. If a long climb or a long descent normally troubles you, the easier drive-up Kunjapuri sunrise is the better fit.
What if I only want the Kunjapuri sunrise, not the hike?
That is the easier drive-up product. We’ll point you to the Kunjapuri Sunrise instead: same sunrise, up and back by road, no long hike.
How early do we leave, and can we change the time?
If you want the sunrise, we leave around 4:30 AM, in the dark, so you reach Kunjapuri in time, and you are back by about 10 to 11 AM. But nothing is fixed: the whole morning is built around you, not us. If you would rather skip the sunrise and just do the hike, we leave later, at whatever time you are comfortable with. Your host asks what suits you and plans the day around it.
Not ready for the long hike? Try Kunjapuri Sunrise, the drive-up sunrise, without the long hike.