Article Published On - 10-06-2025
Himachal Pradesh trekking typically entails challenging mountain passes and high-altitude lakes; Stok Kangri being one of the more well-known climbs among trekkers. Here at Trekup India, we’ve identified easier summit treks throughout Himachal Pradesh. Searching for accessible climbing routes was no simple task; we wanted to find routes that provided more than just physical challenges; they should offer stunning vistas and diverse landscapes as well. Mural Danda Trek begins in Dumrera village, located within Chirgaon Tehsil in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh, and near Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary. Traveling up the Mural Danda trek is an exciting adventure, particularly its last two kilometres, which require off-road driving abilities. At Dumrera, the trek wanders through enchanting woodlands crafted with verdant oak and pine before finally emerging onto Tangnu Bai pastures – home of spectacular grasslands! After Tangnu Bai comes Tangnu Bai pastures, where your journey continues through high ravines and over shaky Ridges until reaching a private Mural camping site, where your climb begins from there to Mural Danda; though difficult and demanding, this trek is certainly achievable when prepared with enthusiasm.
Mural Danda at an elevation of 12,300 feet offers visitors an exhilarating and rewarding adventure. Himachal’s mountains enclose you from every direction, with Hanuman Tibba and Hansabeshan visible far in the distance, as well as legendary mountains such as Yamunotri region in Uttarakhand to its east – Bandar Poonch, Kalanag, and Swargarohini peak at Mural Danda leaving an indelible mark on your mind.
Dec-March (Winter): Take advantage of this prime moment by exploring snow-covered meadows that provide an ethereal atmosphere.
September-November (Autumn): Clear skies and mild weather–an ideal second option
Be mindful of monsoon (July-Aug) conditions: slippery treks and limited visibility.
Day 1 from Rohru to Dumrera by Road
Distance travelled is 25 km with Pick-Up time at 10:00 and Driving time estimated to take 3 hours.
Rohru-Dumrera drive begins with the serene Pabbar River’s blue waters along a winding path leading downhill towards Janglik, the starting point for Buran Ghati trekking. However, approximately 10 km down the road, there is an abrupt left turn in Badiyara, indicating a departure from its main course towards Dumrera. From there, the road continues along to Mansrad Gad, a tributary of the Pabbar River that joins Thana Bhamwari Todsa before arriving at Devi Dhar. At Devi Dhar, two kilometers leading towards Dumrera must be traversed on an off-road route with difficulty and require driving off-road at times. As soon as Mansrad Gad is left behind, Maira Gad should be followed. From there begins a steep and winding uphill climb which eventually brings us to Dumrera, an adorable Himachali village of 10-12 families. Dumrera village is open for visitors who can explore it while admiring Kath-Kuni’s traditional structures and walking through the apple orchards. Due to its small size, a visit could be completed in under 90 minutes, providing the ideal spot for relaxation before beginning their trek.
Day 2, Beginning from Dumrera to Tangnu Bai:
Altitude Increase from 8,400 Feet To 11,600 Feet.
Start your trek off right by getting briefed and having breakfast before leaving Dumrera behind. As you trek along apple orchards and into pine forests surrounding Dumrera, enjoy lunch. Trek during early summer or just after monsoon season for an amazing display of wildflowers adorning forests and streams at 500 meters or closer. Don’t forget to fill up any water bottles you carry! From this point forward, climbing becomes extremely difficult; rough areas could quickly become slippery in wet weather. While trekking to the summit, you’ll encounter lush oak trees interspersed among pines as well as junipers and wild berry trees along the route. At about 1.8 kilometres, you will reach an open space at an altitude of over 10,000 feet where juniper and wild berry trees thrive. Remain here and be prepared as the climb becomes steeper as time progresses.
Day 3: Trekking from Tangnu Bai to Mural.
Distance 2.5 Kilometres | Trek Time: Three hours. Altitude Loss 11,600 feet up to 11,378 feet.
Your day starts right with a stroll through Tangnu’s expansive landscape. As you trace its topmost boundary, tall trees will appear just to your left when traveling down its gentle slope. Short-distance travel leads you to a picturesque ledge tucked along a sunny side of a slope, offering stunning panoramic views. As you progress along this 300m route, its narrowing gradually gives way to stunning vistas, and distant mountains such as Mani Mahesh Kailash can be seen. Mural Danda stands tall over its grassy plateau, seemingly within reach – yet as you draw nearer, it seems to retreat further away. As you near the bottom of the plateau, an extremely challenging section awaits: traversing steep slopes across two ravines within 200m, while traversing steep slopes between them will prove challenging and require finesse and agility to navigate successfully. Once completed, however, the ridge will become visible.
Day 4: Our trek from Mural Ropra to Ropra via Mural Danda
covers 5km with 6 hours of trekking between Mural Ropra and Ropra via a 12,300 feet altitude difference. The total distance covered today was 5km with an altitude range from 11,378 to 10,718 via 12,300 feet. Start your climb day right by going back to where you veered off the path earlier and rejoining it on its journey towards Mural Danda. This mountain ridge that runs through part of Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary remains above trees on both sides, offering spectacular mountain views on either side. As the path gradually climbs the ridge, breathtaking mountain scenery unfolds around you from both ends. On this path, you can witness numerous peaks such as Shrikhand Mahadev, Chaki, Kokshane Hansabeshan Kalanag, and Chansal, but as you approach their summit, it becomes increasingly more challenging. Even with such an uphill trek for 3 km on Mural Danda Ridge, it is truly rewarding when reaching its summit and watching night turn to day with the sun’s light rays falling onto snow-topped mountainsides, which is truly inspirational.
Day 5: Travel from Ropra through Sungri to Rohru by car
10,718 feet of altitude | 30 kilometres, the drive should take three hours.
As you come down from Mural Danda, Ropra’s descent begins along a familiar Ridge that you walked along on Mural Danda. At about 600m and several hundred meters, you will come upon an extraordinarily dense oak forest dotted with large open areas and take a steep descent until reaching the 1.5 kilometres mark, before gradually climbing slowly up onto an upper ridge before reversing direction and descending sharply again. Around 3 km from Ropra, the trek will turn left and follow its rock-paved pathway through forests for about 6.5 miles before making a gradual descent with only minor inclines. At around mile 6, you’ll encounter a small refuge; about 2 kilometres further away lies Sungri’s roadhead, where Mural Danda remains visible from even Sungri! Once at Sungri, take a Trekup India vehicle for a three-hour return journey to Rohru to celebrate the completion of your journey.
By Road: Shimla can be reached from Delhi/Chandigarh by road using overnight buses or private cars.
Shimla to Sungri takes approximately 3-4 hours by taxi or 4-WD vehicle (last leg off-road is currently blocked off). From Shimla, access can also be gained via Rampur Bushahr- Sari Majhali- Kincha.
Rail: Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge train service; Chandigarh to Shimla via broad gauge, then road.
Air: Shimla Airport near Jubbarhatti – Taxis or buses from Shimla can take passengers further along their journeys.
Mountain Expert
Adhish was born and brought up in the Pauri Garhwal region. Since childhood, he has had an inclination towards Mountains. To fulfil this dream, Adhish did his Basic mountaineering Courses from Nehru institute of mountaineering, Advance mountaineering courses from Himalayan mountaineering institute Darjeeling and Skiing courses from ABVIM Manali. He has done various expeditions in the Himalayan region. And his love for mountains and adventure is never-ending. Make sure to get detailed help related to the Himalayan trek from him.
