Chopta Tungnath Chandrashila Trek

Day 01: From Dehradun to Sari

To go to Sari village, we get up early and drive via the cities of Devprayag and Rudraprayag. The path follows the Ganges till it reaches Devprayag, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet. From here, we follow Alaknanda all the way to Rudraprayag, where Alaknanda and Mandakini converge. The famed big cat hunter Jim Corbett mentions Rudraprayag in his book “The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag.” He was successful in tracking down the leopard who had murdered around 125 people in the region. From here, the Mandakini River is followed upstream. We arrive at Sari in the early evening. Tents were set up near the community for the night.

Day 02: From Sari to Deoria Tal

On this day, we start up the hill to Deoria Tal on the route. The trek leads to the ridge above the settlement, which is lined with rhododendrons. Deoria Tal is a tiny lake surrounded by grassland. From here, the views of the mountain ranges are breathtaking. At times, the Chaukhamba mountain is mirrored in the pure water. Because the hike is short, one may spend the day relaxing in the tranquil forest and taking small walks around the lake.

Day 03: From Deoria Tal to Chopta

This day’s walk is pretty flat and takes you through some lovely forest and meadows. The walk begins near Deoriatal, at the forest department cabins. It enters the forest and soon comes to a point on a ridge, from where the settlement of Sari can be seen far below on our right. From here, we return to the forest. In the spring, the rhododendron blossoms bloom, giving the impression of wandering through a park. The hues range from red to pink in varied shades. If we go trekking in the winter, there may be some snow in the gloomy parts. There are two places to camp: just outside of Chopta along a creek, or in the meadows below the Chopta stores.

Day 04: Chopta to Tungnath to Chandrashila peak to Chopta

Today we’ll get started early. We walk the road via the arch heading up to the temple from the scenic surroundings of Chopta. The walkway is paved and has railings in certain areas. The monal bird can occasionally be seen in the woodland on the left side of the trail. The state bird of Uttarakhand is the monal, a species of pheasant. Tungnath is a 2-kilometer hike from Chopta. The temple can only be seen for a few hundred metres. We go to the mountain after visiting the ancient temple. After taking in the breathtaking panoramic view of the Himalayas from Chandrashila, we set out for Chopta, arriving in the late afternoon.

Day 05:  From Chopta to Dehradun

On this day, we might go to Ukhimath’s Omkareshwar temple. It is where the idol of the Kedarnath temple spends the winter. We return to Dehradun and arrive in the early evening.