About Chopta – the land of meadows

Chopta, also known as mini Switzerland of India, is a silent, blissful upcoming hill station and weekend getaway best for self-exploration via travelling. 

Chopta is situated at a height of 2680mts (metres) /8790ft (feet) in the Rudraprayag district (Garhwal) of the land of Gods, commonly known as the state of Uttarakhand in India.

Chopta valley, along with nearby attractions like Chandrashila peak, Tungnath temple, Deoriatal is famous for trekking tours and self exploration, amidst the rising summits of Himalayas considered suitable enough for those who love travelling either solo or together in a group.

How to reach Chopta?

There are several means of transportation.

Via road:

1.  CAR-Haridwar is the starting point of this beautiful journey ahead that is easily accessible by road, rail and air.  Go for adventurous road trip via NH-58 that joins other major cities to this heavenly amazing place.

An alternative route to Chopta is from Deoria Tal, which is 16–18 km trek that starts from Deorial Tal itself. Deoria Tal can be approached from Saari Village. It can be taken during winter season. So, trekkers must visit the place during winters if they want to see soulful snowfields.

        2.  BUS- Several buses travel between national capital Delhi and Haridwar on a regular basis making Haridwar a well-connected point.One can come to Chopta even from Dehradun by road.

        3.  TRAIN-Indian Railway networks from major cities like New Delhi (4-5 Hours) and Dehradun (1 Hour) connects to religiously famous Haridwar’sRailway Station, which is at a walking distance from numerous hotels. Rishikesh railway station is near too.

Delhi>Haridwar>Devprayag>Rudraprayag>Ukhimath>Chopta>Tungnath>Chandrashilla

Via Air:

Flight- Board a flight to the Jolly Grant Airport, at a distance of 36 kms from Haridwar with daily flights on this route from Delhi. Taxis are conveniently available from the airport to reach Haridwar.

 
Chopta : Nearby attractions

·        From Chopta, you can trek towards TUNGNATH TEMPLE, highest temple of Lord Shiva and third temple of PanchKedar, which lies 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) away and from there, trek for 1.5 kms to CHANDRASHILLA PEAK a rising to over 4,000 metres (13,000 ft).

·        The peaks of Panchchuli, Nanda Devi, Nilkanth and Kedarnath are all clear during the course of the trek giving a majestic sight.

·        Above-mentioned trek encompasses a large area starting from Haridwar and ending at famous Chandrashilla summit with a number of other interesting areas falling on the way. It is a perfect opportunity for starters who are looking to get a hang of the usual basics of trekking in the Himalayan region.

·        The magnificent points of this trek are the Tungnath Temple and the Chandrashilla peak which provides a breath taking 360 degree panoramic view of the snow clad mountains above and deep valleys below.

·        You can also have a glance at peaks like Trishul and Chaukhamba.

ADDITIONALS:

·        Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary

·        Grass land patches (Bugyal/ Meadows)

·        Deoriatal(lake) at 2350 m

·        Atrimuni falls

·        Visibility of 41 Himalayan peaks like Meru, Sumeru, Ganesh Parwat, Tirsuli, Nilkantha, Bandarpunch, etc .And a wide view of Himalayan range all around you. 

Best time to visit Chopta

1.   Every season adds unique blend of colours to the meadows and trees present in Chopta. You can see different hues throughout the year.

·        During Winters, there is 4 to 7 foot thick layer of snow due to snowfall happening between November to March when the temperature ranges from −15 °C to 15 °C. Those who cannot go to far-off Switzerland can witness the Swiss beauty here with a vast view of snow laded White Mountains shinning like Diamonds. Do not forget to carry woollens along.ENJOY SNOW!

·        When Monsoon arrives in July and continues till end of October, you can enjoy clear sky and greenery all over.  Sometimes, roads get blocked due to heavy rainfall and landslides but that is what we call an ADVENTUROUS TRIP! Isn’t it? Must bring water soaking raincoats and umbrellas. ENJOY RAIN!

·        In Summers,betweenMarch to May, temperature varies from 10 °C to 30 °C. You can escape the dust and hot climate of cities and visit Chopta as there is cool breeze blowing all over here. Still carry light woollens. ENJOY WIND!

Thus, you can visit Chopta anytime from January to December.

2.   Temperature-15/2 degree Celsius.

3.   Stay-over-2Nights and 3days are sufficient enough for exploration. But you can go for more for more relaxed holiday. This place is a great weekend getaway.

LOCALITES

Localities are welcoming and sweet. As Haridwar is nearby  and Chopta is located on the road connecting Gopeshwar and Guptkashi, so many devotees and solo young travellers also travel to Chopta on their way to pilgrimage. You can feel positivity and divinity all around. Interaction with local people will give you ample knowledge about this UPCOMING HILL STATION IN INDIA!!!

STAY

When you visit small ‘Saari village’ in Rudraprayag, then you have to park your vehicle there itself as the car does not go beyond that. Then, walk towards Chopta which is also known as the base camp for Tungnath-Chandrashilla trek.

Options for night stay-

v Tents (sharing and non-sharing basis)

v Budget Hotels / Guest houses

v Resorts

v Houses of local families

v Eco-friendly Huts

FOOD

v  Local Pahadi eatery points offering local dishes

v  Roadside food stalls having North-Indian and Chinese food

v  Dhabas

v  In-house restaurants inside resorts offer multi-cuisine food

FUN-ACTIVITIES DURING TRIP

v Camping

v Trekking

v Jungle walking and grasslands crossing

v Photography

v Yoga

v Meditation in Mountains

v Survival challenge/activity

v Snow trekking and snow skiing

v Rock craft, rock climbing and rappelling

v Night sky Observation of stars, planets, cosmology

v Bird watching

v Botany research

v Village culture exchange

v Outdoor games like frisbee, volleyball, badminton etc.

v Tent games/Indoor games

v Bon-fire and music

v Sightseeing

THINGS TO CARRY

v Easy to carry Backpack

v Woollen clothes, warm socks, caps, jackets, light blanket

v Comfortable Trek pants

v Trekking shoes and Floaters

v Walking stick

v Head torch

v Water bottle

v Personal first aid box and medicines you take

v Snacks, energizers like energy bars, drinks etc.

v Sunglasses

v Sunscreen cream, moisturizer, lip balm

v Toiletries like toilet soap, wipes, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, oil etc.

v Eco-friendly small bags to carry extra or wet clothes. Avoid Polythene in mountains.

KEEP NATURE GREEN & CLEAN!

ADD-ON ADVICE

Though a first aid kit will be available with the guides still it is recommended to carry your own personalised and customised safety kit.

The trek route ranges from moderate to easy and can be done by kids also, so don’t forget to nourish the young minds with the natural beauty.

Sometimes it rains heavily in monsoons in Chopta and Tungnath and the roads get a bit slippery so be mindful of that, carry shoes with good traction.  The views are unforgettable and magnanimously beautiful to be captured not only via cameras but minds too.

Recommended itinery for Chopta

Day 01: Drive from Delhi to Haridwar

Day 02: Drive Haridwar to Sari and trek to Deoriatal

Day 03: Trek Deoriatal to Chopta

Day 04: Trek Chopta to Tungnath and then onto Chandrashila Top and back

Day 05: Drive Chopta to Haridwar. And then back to Delhi.

You can get more details about this trek here

EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS

1. Uttarakhand Helpline: 0135 – 2710334, 0135 – 2710335, 0135 – 2710233

2. Surya Medical Emergency Helpline: 18001805558, 18004190282

3. Army Control Number: 0135 – 2716201, 0135 – 2710925, 0135 – 2716201, 0135 – 2710925

Army Medical Emergency Numbers – 18001805558, 18004190282, 8009833388

Author - Shweta Mittal, Marketing Head, MHETCLUB