Chopta To Tungnath Trek

Hello There, Hope you are doing well! If you love trekking then today I am going to tell you one of the best trekking from Chopta to Tungnath. Maybe you don’t know but Chopta to Tungnath trek is one of the beautiful treks in Uttarakhand state, which is located in the trails of Garhwal Himalayas.

In this blog, I’ll tell you everything about Tungnath trekking that how to reach, beautiful things around, the best time to visit, etc. I personally visited there in the month of December’2018. That day, the temperature was around -3 °C and it was an unforgettable experience for me.

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Best Places For Camping In Uttarakhand

Skandagiri Trekking

Tungnath Trek is one of the most exciting and challenging trails you ever find, where you can enjoy 360 degrees of surrounding views. Though it’s so cold out there, still you’ll definitely forget your tiredness. Chopta Trek is a year-round trek as the level of fun, thrill and excitement are exclusive for every season with some of the most scenic backgrounds.

Tungnath Trek

Tungnath is one of the highest Shiva Temples in the World of approx 5 km (3.1 mi) round trail. Soaring up at an elevation of 3,680m ( 12,073ft) and located in the mountain range of Tungnath in the Rudraprayag district in the right in the heart of an Indian state Uttarakhand. The complete trek is adorned with mists, coniferous, and snow, this is one heck of a trek you must take.

Tungnath is one of the Panch Kedar temples and it is believed that the temple is more than 1000 years old and holds a legend that corroborates some of the incidents depicted in the Mahabharata epic. Tungnath is tucked in the lap of the Chandrashila peak, which is a further ascent of an hour terminates atop the Chandrashila summit wherefrom one can capture the picturesque greenery, forests trails, and amazing snow-covered mountains of the Garhwal Himalayas.

One can trek out there throughout the year and every year a lot of trekkers do this Tungnath snow trek and experience the mesmerizing, and breathtaking panoramic views of the Himalayas. Here, you usually see mountain ranges in the distance. It is best to start early in the morning from Chopta to Tungnath trek as you can cover it under sunlight.

How To Reach – Chopta To Tungnath Trek

You can reach there directly by a personal vehicle via Kund Camp and Sari Village both act as starting points for different routes, so don’t get confused with the route on the map. You can also commute by these available options

By Air: The nearest airport to Chopta is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. It has around 7 hours of journey to cover the 220 km distance from the airport to Sari Village. Which is the nearest point near Chopta by road in a private vehicle.

By Train: Haridwar is the nearest railway station which is well connected with major Indian cities. Taxicab and local bus options are available from Haridwar to Sari Village, which is the base camp for Tungnath Trek.

By road: Private buses, government buses or roadways, and taxis all the way from Haridwar to Chopta. 200 km in a little less than 7.5 hours.

Beautiful Stay

As I just mentioned while trekking you will be witnessed by the silvery sheen of the Himalayan range dotted with several peaks and also of all the green valleys and deep gorges. If you love camping and planning solo, keep a tent and sleeping bag handy in your rucksack because this will be a perfect place for camping with your loved ones.

You can also stay in camps at Chopta Valley as Chopta is also known as the “Mini Switzerland” of Uttarakhand. Tents, guest houses, and lodges are available for a comfortable stay during the trek on a single as well as a sharing basis.

I would recommend you to do pre-booking otherwise you may have to stay too far from Chopta or it will be much expensive. As you can see in the below image, this was our camping site in Chopta. We carried our own tent, which was hardly 600 m from Tungnath trekking point.

Safety Measurement

Tungnath trek can be covered in approximately 4–5 hours (depending on the trekker’s physical ability) you may fall and slipped because of glassy ice during trekking. There are a couple of safety measures, which you have to follow before you step-out for trekking

Wear light and quick dry clothes; avoid shorts or capris and other body-hugging clothes.

Never move without a raincoat in the mountains during the rainy season.

Carry water bottles and stay hydrated.

Wear good trekking shoes, helping in icy and strenuous muddy terrains.

Take a small backpack for snacks and carry a first aid kit – just in case.

Carry a raincoat in monsoon and try not to get down while raining.

Best Time To Travel

Chopta is a year-round destination and can be visited in different seasons depending on your preferences as it is one of the best treks for those who are looking forward to embarking on moderate treks. If you want to visit the Tungnath temple then trek between April to November as the temple remains closed for the rest of the months.

The best time to visit Chopta Tungnath is between April and June as trekking would be easier and the presence of snow would be minimal too. I would advise you not to trek during the rainy season as trekking becomes challenging and there are chances of getting roads blocked due to landslides still you can carry raincoats with you.

If you visit Tungnath & Chandrashila trek between September and November then the views will be extremely clear and no snow. On the other hand, If you want to trek on ice, so visit during winter from December to February, the trek trails will be full of snow. Indeed the trek becomes more difficult, so it’s best to carry heavy woolens clothes with you.

I hope this blog will give you some handy tips about Chopta to Tungnath trek. I have mentioned all the possible information, you should know before you visit. Still, if there is something, which I missed-out then feel free to mention in the comment box, I’ll try to update the same here.