About Chopta Chandrashila Trek
Keeping away the clamour of the city life, Chopta valley is perched at an elevation of 2,680 meters and is surrounded by an imposing forest of Oak, deodar and rhododendron that shadow a rich bed of flowering plants. The spell bound Chandrashila Summit Trek is characterized by grandeur of its Himalayan Peak. One of the most beautiful treks in the Garhwal Himalayan region, the Chandrashila Summit Trek, maneuvers through beautiful meadows and the unpaved trails. At reaching the summit, feast your eyes on the spectacular view of the Himalayan peaks like Nanda Devi at 7,817 meters, Trishul at 7,120 meters, Kedarnath at 6,831 meters, Bandarpunch at 6,316 meters and Chaukhamba at 7,138 meters.
Area : Garhwal Himalayas
Duration : 05 Days
Best Season : Round the Year
Grade : Easy
Altitude : 4090 mts
It is
best to start early in the morning from Chopta to Tungnath,
which is the highest Shiva Temple in the world, located at a height of
3,680 meters. The temple is one of the Panch Kedars and is tucked in the
lap of the Chandrashila peak. It is believed that Tungnath is more than
1000 years old and holds a legend that corroborates some of the
incidents depicted in the Mahabharata epic. From Tungnath temple, a
further ascent of an hour terminates atop the Chandrashila summit
wherefrom one can capture the silvery sheen of the Himalayan range
dotted with several peaks and also of all the green valleys and deep
gorges.
The Chandrashila summit trek, which can be journeyed all throughout
the year, is considered as one of the moderate treks in the Indian
Himalayan region that is located in Uttarakhand. The duration of the
trail is approximately 3-6 days. The journey displays rare glimpses of
an ancient culture of the Garhwal Himalaya along with the natural hues.
Chopta Tungnath Chandrashila Trip Highlights
- Famous Temples at Haridwar: Mansa Devi Temple, Chandi Devi Temple, Maya Devi Temple, Bilkeshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhimgoda Temple, Bharat Mata Temple
- Famous Temple at Rishikesh: Nilkanth Mahadev, Kunjapuri Temple, Parmarth Niketan Temple, Bharat Mandir, Tera Manzil Temple, Raghunath Temple
- Tungnath Temple
- Confluences at Devprayag and Rudraprayag
- Crystal Clear Lake: Deoriatal
- Snow capped Himalayan Peaks: Nanda Devi at 7,817 meters, Trishul at 7,120 meters, Kedarnath at 6,831 meters, Bandarpunch at 6,316 meters and Chaukhamba at 7,138 meters.
- Low altitude trek with cavernous gorges.
- Murmuring Waterfalls, lush green meadows & Mountain Goats.
- Glimpse of an ancient culture of local people.
- Possible sightings of some wildlife
- Nights in Hotel, Guest House and Tents
Best Time to Visit Chopta Chandrashila Trek
Best time to travel to Chopta is in summers (April – June) and
winters (Oct – Dec). Winter treks are also conducted in Chopta and the
best months to trek are between Jan and March.
In Summers:
The weather of Chopta remains salubrious during summers. The Himalayas
are distinctly visible and the cool breeze can felt early in the morning
and in the late evening. Carrying light woolens is advised.
In Monsoon:
Chopta turns greener during the monsoon season. Although trekking
becomes challenging and there are chances of getting roads blocked for a
couple of hours due to landslides, the scenic beauty of Chopta during
monsoons is worth taking the risk for. Carrying raincoats is advised.
In Winters:
The region gets blanketed in snow during the winter season and the
accommodation options are also restricted to few. But Chopta looks the
best during winters and indeed the trek becomes more difficult. Carrying
heavy woolens is advised.
Where is the Chopta Chandrashila?
Chopta is a village located some 36kms from Gopeshwar and 254 kms
from Rishikesh and approximately 450 kms from the capital Delhi. From
Chopta, a trek of approximately 3kms leads to Tugnath and from there a
kilometer trek further terminates at Chandrashila peak. An ideal route
Chopta Chandrashila from Delhi would be:
Delhi > Haridwar > Devprayag > Rudraprayag > Ukhimath > Chopta > Tungnath > Chandrashila
How to Reach Chopta Chandrashila?
By Air
The nearest airport to Chopta is Jolly Grant in Dehradun. It is
situated 226 kms away from Chopta. Flights from Delhi are at regular
intervals to Dehradun. One can hire cabs that are easily available for
Chopta.
By Rail
The nearest and most convenient railway station is Rishikesh from
Chopta. Situated at about 209 kms, Rishikesh railway station is
connected to several cities in the country. One can easily access bus or
taxi services for Chopta from Rishikesh.
By Road
If you plan to visit the neighboring towns in Uttarakhand, then a road
journey would be most convenient. Many buses from nearby towns come to
Chopta at regular intervals. One may even hire private taxi or jeep from
any of these towns.
In the morning from Delhi railway station take a train for Haridwar at 06:50 hrs. After arriving in Haridwar meet our guide and transfer to Ukhimath via Devprayag (Confluence of Alaknanda & Bhagirathi and Rudraprayag (Confluence of Alaknanda & Mandakini River). Arrival at Ukhimath by evening. Check into hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Ukhimath (1370 mts / 4500 ft) is on the other side of the Mandakini River Valley from Guptkashi a relatively short steep walk. Ukhimath is the winter seat of Kedarnath, as well as the winter home of the priest who is appointed for the worship. After the Kedarnath temple closes for the winter, a movable image of Kedarnath is brought in procession to Ukhimath, where it resides until the Kedarnath temple reopens in late April or early May.
Day 02: Ukhimath - Deoria Tal (2438 mts / 7998 ft)
In the morning you can see snow capped Himalayan ranges. After breakfast start your trek to Deoria Tal through the dense forest of Rhododendron along with wild flowers and ferns. The trek will take 3- 4 hrs. Upon arrival at Deoria Tal set out the tents for overnight stay.
Day 03: Deoria Tal - Chopta
In the morning trek to Chopta through dense forest and meadows. It's a 12km trek. Upon arrival at Chopta set out your tents for overnight stay. In the evening explore the magnificent view of the Himalayas.
Day 04: Chopta - Tungnath (3680 ft / 12070 ft) - Chandrashila (4090 mts / 13415 ft) - Chopta
After an early breakfast trek to Tungnath with packed lunch. Tungnath is situated at the height of 3680mts above the sea level. The trek is 3kms upward and en route you will find lush green meadows. You can witness a wide range of snow capped Himalayas. Upon arriving, pay a visit to Tungnath Temple. After resting for a while, you can head out for Chandrashila peak, which is a kilometer away from Tungnath. Later trek back to Chopta for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 05: Chopta – Haridwar - Delhi
After an early breakfast, drive to Haridwar and from here catch train for Delhi at 18:05 hrs. Arrival Delhi by 22:45 hrs.
Chopta Chandrashila Trek (Detailed Itinerary)
Day 01: Delhi – Haridwar – Ukhimath (225 kms/7 hrs)In the morning from Delhi railway station take a train for Haridwar at 06:50 hrs. After arriving in Haridwar meet our guide and transfer to Ukhimath via Devprayag (Confluence of Alaknanda & Bhagirathi and Rudraprayag (Confluence of Alaknanda & Mandakini River). Arrival at Ukhimath by evening. Check into hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Ukhimath (1370 mts / 4500 ft) is on the other side of the Mandakini River Valley from Guptkashi a relatively short steep walk. Ukhimath is the winter seat of Kedarnath, as well as the winter home of the priest who is appointed for the worship. After the Kedarnath temple closes for the winter, a movable image of Kedarnath is brought in procession to Ukhimath, where it resides until the Kedarnath temple reopens in late April or early May.
Day 02: Ukhimath - Deoria Tal (2438 mts / 7998 ft)
In the morning you can see snow capped Himalayan ranges. After breakfast start your trek to Deoria Tal through the dense forest of Rhododendron along with wild flowers and ferns. The trek will take 3- 4 hrs. Upon arrival at Deoria Tal set out the tents for overnight stay.
Day 03: Deoria Tal - Chopta
In the morning trek to Chopta through dense forest and meadows. It's a 12km trek. Upon arrival at Chopta set out your tents for overnight stay. In the evening explore the magnificent view of the Himalayas.
Day 04: Chopta - Tungnath (3680 ft / 12070 ft) - Chandrashila (4090 mts / 13415 ft) - Chopta
After an early breakfast trek to Tungnath with packed lunch. Tungnath is situated at the height of 3680mts above the sea level. The trek is 3kms upward and en route you will find lush green meadows. You can witness a wide range of snow capped Himalayas. Upon arriving, pay a visit to Tungnath Temple. After resting for a while, you can head out for Chandrashila peak, which is a kilometer away from Tungnath. Later trek back to Chopta for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 05: Chopta – Haridwar - Delhi
After an early breakfast, drive to Haridwar and from here catch train for Delhi at 18:05 hrs. Arrival Delhi by 22:45 hrs.
Tour & Services End.
Things to Carry for Chopta Chandrshila Trek
- Warm clothes: windproof jackets, fleece/full sleeve sweater, thermals, woolen cap and socks, mittens and scarf
- Comfortable clothes: tee-shirts, trousers or tracks
- Raincoat or poncho to avoid rains
- Walking stick or trekking pole
- Comfortable trekking or hiking shoes
- Water bottles
- Sunscreen lotion, lip balms, skin ointment and basic medications (or prescribed if any)
- Torchlight or flashlights with extra number of cells and bulbs
- Personal toiletries and towels
Fixed Departure Dates 2018 - 2019
| 23 Mar - 27 Mar 2018 | 6 Apr - 10 Apr 2018 | 20 Apr - 24 Apr 2018 |
| 11 May - 15 May 2018 | 25 May - 29 May 2018 | 01 Jun - 05 Jun 2018 |
| 15 Jun - 19 Jun 2018 | 14 Sept - 18 Sept 2018 | 28 Sept - 02 Oct 2018 |
| 05 Oct - 09 Oct 2018 | 19 Oct - 23 Oct 2018 | 02 Nov - 06 Nov 2018 |
| 16 Nov - 20 Nov 2018 | 30 Nov - 04 Dec 2018 | 07 Dec - 11 Dec 2018 |
| 14 Dec - 18 Dec 2018 | 21 Dec - 25 Dec 2018 | 28 Dec 2018 - 01 Jan 2019 |
