The name 'Munsiyari' refers to a 'place with snow'. It is a picturesque hill station situated at an elevation of 2298m on the bank of Goriganga river. Embedded in the crown of Kumaon Hills, it’s a place whose beauty is in its tranquillity and untouched landscape. Munsiyari is situated in Pithoragarh District of Uttarakhand and is often compared to Kashmir for its natural beauty. Munsiyari also falls on the ancient salt route from Tibet and is at the entrance of the Johar Valley, which extends along the path of the Gori Ganga River to its source at the Milam Glacier.

It is home to breath taking view of the Panchachuli Peaks which include Nanda Devi and Nandakot. Munsiyari apart from an ideal destination for nature lovers, is a destination for those seeking some adventure in the Kumaon Hills, apart from trekking on less plying paths and viewing sightly views, one can enjoy skiing.

This travel destination is also dubbed the 'Gateway to Johar Valley,' which though lesser known, is extremely beautiful and is home to famous explorer, Nain Singh Rawat. He was one of the first Indian explorers who was employed by the British to explore and map the Himalayas and Central Asia. He was born in Milam village, a Bhotia community village at the foot of the Milam glacier. He surveyed the trade route through Ladakh to Tibet and determined the location and altitude of Tibet. He was so expert in his work that he estimated the altitude of Lhasa as 3420m just by boiling the water, as it was so close to the actual value of 3540m. He also estimated the position of Lhasa with celestial observations.

It is a fast-growing tourist destination, and mountaineers, glacier enthusiasts, high altitude trekkers and nature lovers commonly use it as their hub or base camp.