The real grace of Uttarakhand unfolds on Chopta Chandrashila trek. You might have heard about Himalayan beauty but might not have seen it, Chandrashila Trek won’t only let you see it, it will also let you feel it. The ambiance here is spectacular. You will come across innumerable hills, sometimes the hills are lush green, sometimes they are barren and rocky and snow-clad. You will notice the change in ambiance every now and then.
While on your tail you will come across some exceptionally remarkable forests with pine, maple, silver birch, oak trees. If you have never been across a forest, trek through forests might sound scary, but in reality, it’s the best part of the Chandrashila Tungnath trek, you will relish every bit of it. You will also get a chance to see some lakes on your way, these lakes are pristine, with blue nestled in hills and green meadows and appear like a blue gem. This place will give you heavenly feelings with its surrounding elegance.
This is trek that can be visited during winters as well as summers. In winters it is no less than Switzerland, you can see snow everywhere, and where ever you roll your eyes you will find snow. During summers it is flushed with greenery with less snow at this part of the year, you can still find snow on top of the hills. Deoria Tal, Chandrashila trek is famous for its flora and fauna. You can treat your eyes with some rare and exotic flowers with vibrant colors. Chandrashila trek will also give you a chance to spot some rare and Himalayan species of birds. You can hear the continuous humming of these birds while crossing those dense forests. You will also experience some spectacular sunrises from top of the ridges. This trip will be an unforgettable and the best trip of your life. You will always cherish the memories of this trip.
About the Trek
It is five days four-night break. You will traverse a distance of kms and will take around hrs.
You will start your Chandrashila trek from Sari which is 8 hrs drive from Haridwar. Sari is the base camp. Then you will move from Sari to Deoria Tal, then from Deoriatal to Chopta, then to Chandrashila via Tungnath, then back to Chopta from where you will move back to Haridwar. Reaching the Chandrashila peak is the best part of the trek. Once you are on the top of the Chandrashila ridge you get a complete 360-degree view of the far-flung hills covered with snow, standing up there you can allocate almost every Himalayan range, the view is terrific and incomparable. While on the way to Chandrashila peak you will get a chance to visit Tungnath temple which stands at a height of 12000 feet.
Chopta Chandrashila trek as a whole is considered to be a relatively easy trek and is best for beginners. But this trek has something that sets it apart, the trail through the dense beautiful forest and with flourishing flora and fauna is something that cannot be experienced on any other trek.
If you are an adventure freak, then Deoriatal Chandrashila trek is must for you, also for people who love nature or are good photographers should definitely go for this trek.
Highlights about the Trek:-
All treks are wonderful, but there is something special about Chandrashila trek that makes it a trek that should be on your Wishlist and makes it an experience that you must go through once. There are some amazing highlights of why this trek is one of the coolest and most amazing treks you’ll be experiencing in your lifetime and here are some facts that establishes this trek as a wonderful trek
- The dense forest trek with different variants of trees is a special part of this Chopta Chandrashila Tungnath trek. The trek takes place through a lot of forests and plain areas and if you are a nature lover it’ll be a sight to cherish.
- Tungnath temple, which the highest Shiva temple in the world, comes on the way. It has served as one of the biggest reason for making this Chandrashila trek so famous.
- Chandrashila summit is the charm of the trek. The scenic view from the top covers all the Himalayan ranges.
- You can also spot some rare and endangered species of birds and flowers during Deoria Tal Chandrashila trek. This trek is surely a treat for all the nature lovers and if you are carrying a camera you can capture and take back pictures of the variety of wildlife found here.
- The landscape is captivating and you will find both barren and lush Green ridges at the same place.
- This trek will be a thrilling experience and you will cherish its memories for a lifetime.
Facts:-
This indeed is an amazing trek and there are a lot of things about Chandrashila trek that you should know about. There are a lot of wonderful facts about this trek. One of such fact is that the temperature that’ll be found in this region ranges from 8°C-15°C at day and in night varies from -5°C-3°C.
Another interesting fact is that the maximum altitude that can be achieved during this trek is as high as almost 12100 ft, and the scenic view from there is just magnificent. Also what is magnificent is the Adrenaline rush that comes with having reached the highest point of the trek and when you realize the beauty that comes from putting efforts. Chandrashila trek can be considered as easy to moderate level of difficulty.
So it’ll be a good start for beginners who have never done trekking before, also it’ll be a good trek for the experienced as the scenic beauty and nature’s traits that can be seen in this trek are an absolute delight which makes it a must visit for everyone. There is a good connectivity of this place from different parts of the country and you can opt different ways to reach here. The nearest railway station is the Haridwar railway station and the nearest Airport is the Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun. The base camp of this trek is Sari Village which is a 6-hour drive from Haridwar. The last ATM before the trek is available at Ukhimath.
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1: Haridwar to Sari
- Sari is the base camp of Chandrashila trek with Chopta Tungnath. You have to travel from Haridwar to the sari, it is 8-hour drive from Haridwar to the sari.
- While on the way you will come across a lot of picturesque views, the beauty of Uttarakhand will start unfolding as you move forward.
- After 8 hours of the pleasant expedition, you will land to the sari, where you have your camp for night stay.
- Sari is the small and beautiful place, with small houses and narrow lanes. If you get the time you can go around the village and explore its beauty.
Day 2: Sari to Deoriatal
- It is a short trek. In the beginning, you have to ascend on a craggy path. Then the trail becomes plunging.
- You will come across some small houses, farms, and you will also encounter Hawa Ghar that has been made for tourist to spend some leisure time and enjoy the view of the green meadows and rolling snow clad mountains and with vibrant flora and fauna of the place. Walking on you will find pine trees lined on either side.
- You will be captivated by the pristine emerald lake amidst the snow clad mountains and lush green meadows.
- You will get a chance to spot some rare species of birds that are found only in this region. Golden chest eagle is one of them.
- After 3 kilometers of the trek, you will reach Deoriatal. Here you can rest in your tents and enjoy the elegance of the place. Also, you can visit places in the vicinity and enjoy the scenery.
- There are also watchtowers nearby Deoriatal where you can visit to relish splendor of far-flung hills and valleys.
Day 3: Deoriatal to Chopta
- You will start with a forest of maple and rhododendron trees, you have to ascend on the craggy the forest starts becoming dense as move forward. You can also adore Chandrashila peak that will visible on your trail uphill.
- After ascending for a while you get a glimpse of a flag post. This is at the top of the hill and this place is known as Gandhi Dhar. After reaching Jhandi Dhar you will get a complete view of the far-flung places, the snow-clad hills, the mesmerizing valleys, maple forest and the trail you have traversed to reach the top.
- From there you have to descend on the plunging path in Chopta
- The trek in this forest is very fascinating and you will be awed to see the flora and fauna of this place, the maple, oak, rhododendron trees, rare Himalayan birds and many more.
- Moving on you come to some lakes where you can relax for some time, and hydrate yourself. Our next spot will be Rohini Bugyal, this place has a mesmerizing landscape. Bugyal is famous for its spectacular sunset view.
- After a long trek of 9 hrs, you will reach the Chopta campsite by evening where you can rest and prepare yourself for the next day, as the next day trek is going to be the most interesting one.
Day 4: Chopta to Chandrashila Peak via Tungnath and back to Chopta
- Chopta to Chandrashila peak via Tungnath and back to Chopta.
- Maximum altitude attained will be-
- Distance traveled-
- Difficulty level-moderate
- Start the trek early in the morning to adore the grace of the sunrise from the ridge top.
- The trail is precipitous and cemented. It will be towards the Tungnath After traversing around two kilometers you will find yourself at Tungnath temple. The temple is surrounded by snow and has a primeval structure made of stones. It is believed to be built by Pandavas and is one of the ‘Panch Kedar’. This is stationed at a height of 12000 feet and is also holds the record of highest altitude shiva temple in the world.
- Continue the plunging trail towards the Chandrashila peak. once you reach Chandrashila peak you can see innumerable snow-clad hills surrounding you, Nanda Devi, Trishul, Nanda Ghunti, Kamet, Dunagiri, Chaukhamba, Kedar dome, Thalay Sagar, Gangotri ranges, and Janhukut are some of them the famous pilgrimage Kedarnath is also perceptible from the top.
- Now we trail back to Chopta from the same path. After reaching Chopta you can go back to your camps to rest after an adventurous trek.
Day 5: Chopta to Haridwar
- Chopta to Haridwar
- After having breakfast you will drive back to Haridwar. You will reach Haridwar by evening, ending a memorable and adventurous trip.
INCLUSIONS
- Accommodation- All the arrangements for the accommodation will be made by us. Proper arrangement of camps, the lodge will be made.
- Meal – All breakfast, lunch, dinner is included in the package. You will be provided with vegetarian food and egg.
- Activities – Trekking, camping, campfires.
- Other inclusions
- Qualified and skilled trek leaders, guide and the supporting staff will accompany you on the entire trip, they will guide you and try to meet all your requirements. The trek leaders will help you throughout the trail, they will guide you along the way, in case of an emergency they will tackle the situation and take the proper actions required. You are advised to follow their instructions if want your trek to be decent.
- All arrangements for the permits required at the army camps will be made. Permits are needed to cross the pass and army checkpoints, so keep the id cards handy as it is very important to get through these checkpoints.
- Basic amenities required during camping such as a mattress, sleeping bags, tents, toilet tents, kitchen tents will be arranged well in advance.
- First aid kits and oxygen cylinder will also be available in case of an People having major health issues are advised not to go on the trek.
Proper vehicle arrangements will be made if required.
HOW TO REACH
The 5 days and 4 nights wonderful trek of Chandrashila start from a sari. Sari is situated at a distance from Haridwar that takes around 6 hours to cover by road. Now there are several ways you can reach Haridwar. Haridwar is well connected to all of the major cities and you can reach Haridwar either by road or by railways. NH-72 connects Haridwar to the north-west and terminates at Dehradun. Haridwar is situated at a distance of 235 km from Delhi and this distance can be easily covered via road by traveling by car or a bus.
The road connectivity is very good when it comes to Haridwar making road travel a viable option. Another option for travelling can be by railways, the connectivity of railways to and from Haridwar to various other cities is pretty nice and people prefer this as one of the most comfortable and economical ways of travelling to Haridwar and then from Haridwar then can book a cab or another vehicle to travel to sari which is the starting point of our trek. Another way to reach Haridwar is through buses. As already mentioned the road connectivity is very good when it comes to Haridwar because of National Highway 72. A preferable option is taking a bus from Delhi to Haridwar and then continuing further on the journey towards Sari. Another good option to reach the destination is via air. Jolly Grant Airport is situated in Dehradun and there are daily flights going from Delhi to Dehradun.
Dehradun is about 48kms away from Haridwar and thus flights provide us with a faster yet expensive method for travel. From Haridwar, a 6 hours road travel will take you to sari which is the starting point of your trek and meanwhile, you can also visit Haridwar which is a tourist attraction and a holy place.
THINGS TO CARRY
The following things are a must to be taken along with you for the trip:-
- Trekking shoes – The shoes must be having a sole with a good grip and must be water resistant, normal sports shoes won’t be preferable.
- Backpack- The backpack must have comfortable shoulder straps and should have a capacity of around 50 Litres.
- 3 Full sleeve t-shirts.
- 2 waterproof and woolen track pants.
- 1 Heavy jacket
- Thermal inners
- 2 pair each of socks and gloves.
- Sunglasses
- Suncap
- Led torch – This will help a lot during night time.
- Light towel
- Camera to capture all the beautiful scenic views and to capture some pictures of your family or friends.
- Toiletries- You should make sure that you are carrying sunscreen, lip balm, soaps tissue papers, toothpaste and hand sanitizer as personal hygiene and cleanliness is a must and these things can’t be arranged during the trek if you are not carrying them already
- Water Bottles- Carrying 2 water bottles at least 1 Litre each is a must as trekking can become very exhausting at times and it would be preferable to carry at least 2 bottles which you can refill at clear streams.
- Cutlery – It would be better if you are carrying some of your cutlery with you. A spoon, a fork, a mug and a tiffin box or a plate would be very helpful in maintaining your personal hygiene.
- Medical Kit- This will come in handy and will be one of the most important parts of the luggage you’ll be carrying as medical facilities won’t be available and it is always smart and advisable to carry some medicines as they might be helpful in case of any unwanted circumstance. Band-aids (around 10 of them), Cotton, disprin, Digene and around 10 packets of ORS are some of the medicines that will help a lot during your trek.
- Documents – Original documents and photocopy of your government issued ids such as your Passport or Driving license and medical certificate.
TRANSPORTATION
When it comes to transportation there are a lot of means by which you can reach to the holy place of Haridwar and there are yet again many transportation facilities to cover the journey from Haridwar to sari which is the starting point of our journey. Also when you have to travel back from Chopta to back to Haridwar. There are a lot of ways of reaching Haridwar, you can either reach them via Bus or by train or by car. You can even reach Dehradun via flight and travel from Dehradun to Haridwar.
Haridwar is a holy town and a tourist place and if you want you can spend some of your time enjoying the beauty and the warmth that this city has to provide. Our trek starts from Sari which is at a distance that takes around 6 to 7 hours so it is suggested that you reach and leave early. For this journey, you can hire a cab or if you are in a group you can hire shared cabs. The travel from Haridwar to Sari has some pretty views along the way. One of the most beautiful spots that fall on the way is the Devprayag, from where you’ll be accompanied by a river. Before sunset, you’ll reach the village of Sari.
The village looks good with small huts lined up and agricultural lands, here you can also find some marketplace and in case you have something left to buy this is the last stop before the trek starts. The day 5 journey sees a downhill journey to Chopta, Chopta is the last stop before our journey concludes. From Chopta, you can hire a car or pre-book a cab and from there you can travel back to Haridwar, it takes around 7 hours to travel from Chopta to Haridwar and then you can make accommodations and rest in Haridwar and the next day you can leave from Haridwar via any mode of transportation suited to you.
WEATHER
Weather conditions of Sari:-
- During the month of March-April, the temperature in the daytime is around 10-15 degrees and goes down to around 3-8 degrees at night.
- During the month of September-October, the temperature in the daytime is around 15-20 degrees and goes down to around 6-12 degrees at night.
- During the month of November –December the temperature in the daytime is around 10-14 degrees and goes down to around -1-6 degrees at night.
Weather conditions of Deoriatal:-
- During the month of March-April, the temperature in the daytime is around 5-12 degrees and goes down to around -1-5 degrees at night.
- During the month of September-October, the temperature in the daytime is around 12-16 degrees and goes down to around 6-12 degrees at night.
- During the month of November –December the temperature in the daytime is around 8-12 degrees and goes down to around -4-5 degrees at night.
Weather conditions of Chopta:-
- During the month of March-April, the temperature in the daytime is around 5-10 degrees and goes down to around -4-0 degrees at night.
- During the month of September-October, the temperature in the daytime is around 8-14 degrees and goes down to around 4-7 degrees at night.
- During the month of November –December the temperature in the daytime is around 5-8 degrees and goes down to around -5-0 degrees at night.
ADVISOR
There are a lot of things that need to be kept in mind while planning a visit and so is the case with a trek. When planning to trek you should consider all factors to consider that which will be the best trek suited for you and which will be the best experience. If you have never trek before you must be extra careful and not start with a hard trek, you should always start with an easy or a moderate trek.
If opted for a hard trek it might become a tough one for you and you might not be able to fully enjoy the nature’s beauty and most of the time of your trek might be wasted in getting acquainted with various stuff that comes with being new to trekking. Also if you are a regular trekker you should go for tougher treks as it’ll be more adventurous for you and go on an easy trek might be a waste of both money and time. So on the same topic, this trek is considered as a moderate or easy trek, so it’ll be recommended that this trek is taken by beginners. The beauty of this trek makes it favorable for experienced trekkers too. Also, the best time for going for this trek would be either go in the time period of June end to July or during the period of August to September.
Always keep your ID proofs handy as it is must at the checkpoints. Don’t forget to carry a raincoat just in an emergency condition. People suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma are advised not to go on such treks. Maintain proper fitness. Do regular exercise to maintain your fitness. If you are not fit enough you won’t be able to cope up with it.
Prepaid sims don’t work at J&K. BSNL connectivity is the best here