CHOPTA TREK
A Walk to Remember
CHOPTA-TUNGNATH-CHANDRASHILA TREK
The Experience
Chopta is a small region of meadows and areas of evergreen forest. It is the starting point for treks to Tungnath and Chandrashila. It is an unspoiled natural destination that offers views of the Himalayas, including Trishul, Nanda Devi and Chaukhamba. The village of Chopta is surrounded Pine, Deodar and Rhododendrons forests, and is rich in flora and fauna. One can expect to see rare birds and musk deer.
Tungnath is on a 4km trek from Chopta. It is the tallest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the Panch-Kedars!
A trip uphill of 1 km from Tungnath takes us to the summit, Chandrashila. There are several legends associated with this place. According to one of the popular legends, this is the place where Lord Rama meditated after defeating the demon king Ravana. Another legend says that the moon god Chandra spent time here in penance. The beauty of Chandrashila is incredible. It offers a 360-degree surreal panoramic view of the Himalayas. This is one of the best treks to start one’s tryst with the Himalayan treks. Its level of difficulty is classified as easy to moderate.
QUESTIONS?
Our Plan
DAY 1
We board our trip from the Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh at 6 a.m. We cross Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Ukhimath and have our breakfast and lunch in these places. Finally, we arrive at Sari Village, our base. From there, we trek for 2 km to Deoriatal, located at an altitude of 2440 m. We camp overnight in Deoriatal. The night is spent having dinner around the bonfire and interacting with each other.
DAY 2
We get up early and have our breakfast. Then, we trek to Chopta that stands at a height of 3000m. It is an 18 km trek that lasts 6 to 8 hours. We carry packed lunch that we have along the way. Upon arrival in Chopta, people have the option of staying in tents or in a hotel room, have dinner in Chopta and spend the night there.
DAY 3
This is the day of the main trek to the summit. We have our breakfast and then, trek to Tungnath which is 4 km from Chopta. It is at a height of 3680m. It takes about 3-4 hours. Then, after a steep hike uphill of 1 km, we arrive at Chandrashila, located at 4130m. We spend some time marveling at the view, taking photos or simply observing the surroundings. Finally, we walk back to Chopta where we have our lunch and take a trip back to Rishkesh.
What’s Included
1) Transportation from Rishikesh to Sari Village and from Chopta to Rishikesh
2) Accommodation in all places during the walk
3) All meals, snacks and water (Vegetarian)
4) Experienced and expert guide (Super entertaining too!)
5) All entrance fees
Equipments / Things to pack
It is usually quite cold at night.
The following is a list of items that are suggested to be packed.
– Good condition trekking boots
– Camping shoes to cross rivers and to visit Devariyatal
– A pair of thick wool socks
– Keep a thick winter jacket to deal with the cold
– Trekking pants are essential
– Keep a wool cap
– A pair of sunglasses to avoid the dazzling sun
– Sun screen
– At 2liter water bottle
– Trekking stick
– A first aid box is essential in this trek
– It is advisable to carry a Swiss knife. It comes in handy.
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