Chopta by road: a chauffeur-driven trip to the Tungnath meadows

Getting to Chopta by road: the short answer

Chopta is not really a town. It is a bend in a forest road at about 2,700 metres, a scatter of tea shops, tented camps and guesthouses on the edge of a wide meadow, with the dense oak and rhododendron of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary all around. What draws people is what rises above it: Tungnath, the highest of the Panch Kedar shrines and widely described as the highest Shiva temple in the world, and above that the rocky summit of Chandrashila, from which Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and the Kedar peaks spread out in a single sweep.

That combination of a short, achievable trek and a truly Himalayan view has made Chopta the favourite weekend escape for Delhi and Dehradun travellers who do not have the time or legs for a longer expedition. It also pairs neatly with Kedarnath and Badrinath, sitting on the forest road that links the two valleys. RutzIndia.com runs cabs to Chopta from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi, from one-way drops for trekkers to full weekends with the car waiting below the meadow.

Tungnath, Chandrashila and the Chopta area

• Tungnath temple (about 3,680 m). A compact stone shrine where Shiva is worshipped in the form of his arms, according to the Panch Kedar legend of the Pandavas. The paved path from Chopta is about 3.5 km and climbs steadily through meadow; most walkers take 2 to 3 hours up.
• Chandrashila summit (about 4,000 m). A further steep 1.5 km above Tungnath, rocky and exposed near the top. Go at dawn for the clearest views, with a torch and warm layers, and turn back if snow or ice makes the final section risky.
• Deoria Tal. A lake at about 2,400 m above Sari village, roughly 2.5 km uphill from the road, famous for its reflection of Chaukhamba on still mornings. Sari is about 30 minutes' drive from Chopta.
• The forest itself. From March to May the rhododendrons turn the slopes red and pink. Birders come for the Himalayan monal, Uttarakhand's state bird, often seen strutting near the meadow edges at first light.
• Ukhimath. On the drive in, the Omkareshwar temple here is the winter seat of Kedarnath and Madhmaheshwar and a peaceful halt.
• Makkumath. The village where Tungnath's deity is worshipped through the winter.

The Uttarakhand Tourism Chopta page and the Rudraprayag district website have more on the area.

The drive: Rishikesh to Chopta

The first 140 km are the Badrinath highway along the Ganga and Alaknanda. The road is wide and busy, with good dhabas at Byasi, Devprayag and Srinagar. At Rudraprayag you turn right into the Mandakini valley, through Tilwara and Agastyamuni to Kund, where the Kedarnath road continues straight and your car crosses to Ukhimath.

The character changes after Ukhimath. The road climbs through terraced villages and then into forest past Duggalbitta and Baniyakund, narrow, winding and quiet, with only a handful of camps and no fuel. The last 30 km are the loveliest of the drive and the slowest; allow a full hour. There is also a northern approach from Gopeshwar and Mandal in the Alaknanda valley, which your driver will use if you are coming from or heading to Badrinath.

From Delhi, add about 240 km to Rishikesh, which our Delhi to Rishikesh taxi covers. Many weekenders leave Delhi on Friday night, sleep in Rishikesh and reach Chopta by Saturday afternoon.

Arriving by air or train

Jolly Grant airport near Dehradun is the closest airport, about 210 km from Chopta, and the new Yog Nagari Rishikesh station and the older Haridwar junction are the nearest major railheads. We meet flights and trains with a name board, track delays, and wait free for 30 minutes after a domestic arrival before hourly waiting begins. If you want a day in the valley first, our Rishikesh taxi service runs local 8 hr/80 km hire for rafting, the ghats and Neelkanth Mahadev, and our Dehradun taxi service handles airport pickups and Mussoorie side trips. Coming across from the Badrinath side instead? The Gopeshwar approach links neatly with our Badrinath by road guide.

Seasons, snow and closures

Chopta is open all year, but it is a different place in each season.

• April to June: rhododendron bloom, pleasant days and cold nights. Tungnath temple opens in late April or May. The busiest time for weekend trekkers.
• July to mid-September: monsoon. The forest is lush and the meadows at their greenest, but landslides on the Rudraprayag stretch and leeches on the trails are common. Views are often clouded.
• Mid-September to November: crystal-clear mornings and the best Chandrashila panoramas of the year. Tungnath closes for winter around Diwali or shortly after.
• December to March: snow. The meadow and trail turn white, and snow treks to Chandrashila are popular with experienced walkers. After heavy falls the road beyond Duggalbitta can close for days until cleared, and cars may need chains.

Tungnath is not one of the Char Dham, so the Char Dham registration is not required for a Chopta-only trip, though you will need it if you are combining with Kedarnath or Badrinath.

Cabs and fares for a Chopta trip

Fares are quoted before 5% GST from our standard rate card. Tolls, parking and any state charges are added at the actual amount, and the driver's night allowance runs Rs 1,500 per night. For round trips we bill whichever is greater, the distance driven or 250 km per calendar day.

• Trekking pairs often book just a one-way drop and arrange the return later; that works, but return cars from Chopta are scarce, so we suggest fixing it in advance.
• Families are most comfortable in an Innova Crysta on rent.
• Winter snow trips should use a Fortuner or similar SUV with chains for the Duggalbitta climb.
• College and office groups can take a Tempo Traveller on rent; the forest road handles a 17-seater comfortably in dry weather.

Every vehicle is under four model years old. A booking cancelled more than 72 hours ahead is refunded in full; after that we retain 10% (inside 72 hours), 50% (inside 48 hours) or the entire fare (inside 24 hours or on a no-show). Details are in our cancellation policy.

Book a Chopta weekend cab

A 2-day Chopta itinerary from Rishikesh

Day 1: Rishikesh to Chopta (about 190 km, 7 to 8 hours). Leave Rishikesh at 6 am. Breakfast at Byasi, a pause at the Devprayag sangam, lunch at Rudraprayag, darshan at Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath, and arrive at your Chopta camp before dusk. Walk the meadow at sunset.

Day 2: Tungnath and Chandrashila, then back (about 190 km). Start the trek at 4.30 am to reach Chandrashila for sunrise. Descend by 10 am, breakfast at Chopta and drive to Rishikesh by 7 or 8 pm, or overnight at Srinagar to break the return.

Add a third day for Deoria Tal: drive to Sari in the afternoon of day two, stay the night, and climb to the lake for its famous dawn reflection before heading back. Combining with a yatra? Our Kedarnath by road guide and pilgrimage taxi service can link the Panch Kedar shrines, and our Auli by road guide covers the snow slopes on the Badrinath side.

Where to stay and what to eat at Chopta

Accommodation at Chopta is deliberately simple. Forest rules restrict permanent construction on the meadow, so what you find are tented camps, a few basic guesthouses and the odd government rest house, with most comfortable hotels further down at Baniyakund, Duggalbitta or Ukhimath. Electricity can be intermittent and hot water comes by the bucket in many camps. For families with elders, sleeping at Ukhimath and driving up at 4 am for the trek is often the better plan, and your driver will be ready.

Food is honest mountain fare: parathas, Maggi, rajma-chawal, and tea by the gallon from roadside stalls at the trailhead. Carry dry fruit and chocolate for the climb; the one or two stalls on the Tungnath path charge mountain prices.

Practical tips for Chopta and Tungnath

• No fuel after Ukhimath. The car tops up at Rudraprayag or Ukhimath.
• Network is patchy. Some operators work at the meadow, others not at all. Download maps and share your plan before you leave Ukhimath.
• Dress for four seasons. Even in May, dawn on Chandrashila is below freezing and windy.
• Walk slowly, drink water. You gain about 1,300 metres from Chopta to the summit. Headaches mean stop and rest.
• Keep the meadow clean. Carry your wrappers and bottles down; the bugyal is part of a protected sanctuary.
• Hire a local guide in snow. The route above Tungnath can be hidden under snow between December and March.
• Carry a headlamp and spare batteries. The pre-dawn start for Chandrashila is in total darkness, and phone torches drain fast in the cold.