Chopta (the land of meadows) - All information about how to reach Chopta, best time to visit, best places to visit around Chopta & Deoriatal etc.
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. By 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.
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.
* Please note: There is a bus from Delhi -Kashmiri gate ISBT to Guptkashi which leaves around 8 PM everyday. From Guptkashi, there are shared jeeps/ taxis easily available till Saari village or Chopta.
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.
·
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 -2 Nights and 3 days 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, trek up towards Deoriatal and further to Chopta via Rohini Bugyal which is also known as the base camp for Deoriatal 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
Call : +917838966603 for booking
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.
Although you can reach Chopta by road but an alternative route to Chopta is from Deoria Tal via Rohini Bugyal, 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.
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.
Click here to 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
