Chopta Tungnath Trek – UKBT4

From Haridwar to Sari village is a journey of 7-8 hours. The Alaknanda & Bhagirathi river will keep you company throughout, reaching you at Sari by 6:00 in the evening. If you are missing any minor requisite for the journey ahead, visit the market area in Sari, just might find something useful! The trek on the first day is easy with mixed ascent and descent. A well-defined rocky trail will show you to the end, from where the Chandrashila summit is clearly visible and the Tungnath temple is a speck of colour. After this point, it‘s a steep uphill bend on the ridgeback of the mountain. Get ready for an acutely laborious climb, giving you the first taste of challenge. Soon, you will reach the Forest Department built a resting stop. Clocked timely by your Trek Leader, you can afford a 20 minutes break here. An excellent view of the way of the mountain fall waits here. A grand vista of Chaukhamba massifs is unveiled in the background of the lake. It will be evening by the time you reach the spot. Hot dinner on this day will be served on reaching our lakeside camp in Deoriatal.

Today‘s trail will familiarize you more with the Chaukhamba massif and Mount Kedar summit, rising closely as you process. The trail is sprinkled with little shrines that stand out in the greenness by the red and yellow flags tied on them. After crossing a clearing in the forest-lined with scarlet blossoms, we are directly ushered up an ascending path towards Rohini Bugyal and Chopta. The ascending trail gives way to level land and some leeway in the rigorous uphill hike. A resplendent view of the Chandrashila awaits on the other side of the forest margin. After the level-land, you will have to re-enter the forest now characterized by old oaks and maple beside the rhododendrons. This forms part of the Kedarnath Sanctuary, and with some luck, trekkers can spot red fox and other small wild things.

We commence the hike today early morning. Starting in the wee hours of dark will let us have a beautiful sunrise experience from Tungnath top. The trek runs on a well-defined concrete-bound trail from Chopta to the temple. Today, the hike will be fraught with steep climbing challenges with sharp turns to cross by. There will be other shrines on the way, of which a particular temple with a flagpole is notable. This one comes after the 10th bend of the road and marks the opening of a splendid view of Chandrashila up ahead. From here, you will also get a clear vision of a connecting peak to Chandrashila. This one is named Ravanshila. In the winter, you will find snow from here. The 11th bend marks the entryway to Tungnath above which the splendid Chandrashila peak towers at 12, 083 ft. The route to the peak bends from behind the temple complex. At the end of a steep and arduous climb, the summit will be reached with a 360-degree view of the Garhwal and Kumaon mountains welcomingly lying ahead. Notable peaks in this panorama of grandeur are—Nanda Devi, Trishul, Nandaghunti, Dronagiri, Chaukhamba, and Kedar. Glimpses of the Thalaysagar and Gangotri ranges too could be made out at the edges.

A ride back from the Chopta road head to Haridwar is scheduled for day 5. After this 7-hour journey full of mellow reminisces of the hills, you will be reaching Haridwar in the evening. Our tour ends here with a sweet memory and a dream to join in Eastern Heavens once again.