Lakhs of tourists and devotees flood to Haridwar annually. This gateway to god has several religious connotations which make it a popular pilgrimage and tourist spot throughout the year. With Har ki Pauri, Vishnu Ghat, Bharat Mata Mandir, and Mansa Devi temple, Haridwar is a must visit for everyone.

Things to Do in Haridwar

However, due to its popularity, many unintentionally end up skipping some magnificent areas and towns in the state. Chopta is one of them. Chopta is often termed as ‘mini Switzerland’. It is a small greenery region and is a part of Kedarnath Wildlife sanctuary. It acts as a base for treks to Tungnath and houses the third temple of Panch Kedar.

It is a bird watcher’s paradise with over 240 bird species. This includes migratory species such as Himalayan monal, Himalayan swiftlet, Himalayan griffon, scarlet finch, and hill partridge to name a few.

As mentioned, Chopta acts as a base to trek for Tungnath. For those of are unknown to the magnificent Tungnath, it is one of the highest Lord Shiva temples globally. It is located at an altitude of 3600mts from sea level. The temple is said to be more than 1000 years old. It is the third and also the highest of the Panch Kedar temples in the Rudraprayag district. The mountains also house Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys.

How to reach Chopta from Haridwar

Chopta is 225 kms away from the town of Haridwar and one can take the journey by road, air, or train.

Let’s take it step by step –

Via Road

The route-

Haridwar– (24kms) Rishikesh – (70kms) Devprayag – (34kms) Srinagar – (33kms) Rudraprayag – (19kms) Agastyamuni – (10kms) Kund – (6kms) Ukhimath – (22kms) Duggalbitta – (7kms) Chopta.

One will certainly recommend taking either the bus or private vehicles for undertaking the journey. One can find the earliest bus for this route from GMOU (pronounced geemu) bus stand which is 500m from the main Haridwar bus stand. Kund is where the road gets divided into two routes- left towards Guptkashi and Gaurikund which is the Kedarnath route and right towards Ukhimath which leads to Chopta. The distance between the two is 29 kms.  There is no direct bus from Haridwar to Kund or Ukhimath and hence one needs to change buses in order to reach Chopta.

It is also an easy option to opt for cab services in Haridwar to make this journey.

One can take either of the below mentioned buses-

Towards Joshimath, get down at Rudraprayag, and change buses.

Towards Badrinath, get down at Rudraprayag, and change buses.

Towards Gaurikund or Kedarnath, get down at Kund, and opt for a shared sumo.

NOTEs: Do not search Haridwar to Chopta, it will lead you to Chopta village. You need to go for Chopta Hill station.

Via Airways

Unfortunately, there is no flight service from Haridwar to Chopta and vis versa. The Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is the nearest airport for both locations.

Via Railways

Unfortunately Chopta does not have a railway terminal. The nearest railway station is Rishikesh (RKSH) that is 77.8 kms away.

Day 01) Haridwar to Chopta

The best option to travel Chopta is via road for which you can always look out for the best taxi service in Haridwar. Start your journey at around early morning as it takes aroung 6 to 8 hours to reach Chopta. En route you will encounter the following scenic points –

Rishikesh

The land of Rishis, Rishikesh is a perfect amalgamation of culture and adventure. While en route you will encounter tourists rafting upon the mighty river Ganges along with numerous hotels and river side campsites.

Devprayag

Literally meaning Godly confluence, Devprayag is where the two might rivers- Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge together as river Ganga. Some of the prominent places include Sangam, Raghunath Ji Temple, Dhaneshwar Mahadev temple. Mata Bhuvneshwari temple, and Danda Nagaraja.

Devprayag is also the winter home for Badrinath pundits.

Srinagar

The town derives its name from the evil and mythical giant rock Sri Yantra. Thousands of lives were taken before the intervention of Adi Shankaracharya. He turned the rock upside down and tossed it into the mighty Alaknanda.

The most prominent attraction of the Dhari Devi temple situated 16kms from Srinagar. Kilkileshwar Mahadev, Keshorai Math, Vishnu Mohini temple, and Kamaleshwar temple are also popular. One can have a memorable picnic at the Hill Top located 7 km from Srinagar.

Rudraprayag

Rudraprayag is a small town and is a point of confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakani. It is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda. The name is derived from the Rudra avatar of Lord Shiva.

The town is one of the most holy places in the country as it houses the one and only Kedarnath temple. Other prominent temples include Rudranath temple and Chamunda Devi temple.

Kund

The path on Kund is an integral one for a journey towards Chopta or Kedarnath. One needs to take the right direction on this divergence, otherwise one can end up in a different location altogether. On Kund, the left path takes the traveller towards the Kedarnath route, while the right turn takes us towards Chopta.

Kund is just 29 kms away from Chopta and can be easily reached within an hour. It lies on the borders of Pauri Garhwal District, Tehri Garhwal, and Haridwar District.

Ukhimath

Ukhimath is another religious place in Uttarakhand.  It is a small town in Rudraprayag district. If you are in Ukhimath then you are bound to visit Madhyamaheshwar temple which is just 41 km away from Ukhimath. The temple is one of the Panch Kedar that all the devotees need to visit.

Another place which is at the heart of town is the Omkareshwar Temple. It is one of the oldest temples in our country. During winters, the devotees take a different route to worship Lord Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar. The idols are carried down from Kedarnath and are kept here for six months. Ukhimath is a part of the Winter Char Dham Yatra circuit introduced by the state government.

One can undertake the Deoria Tal trek that commences near the town and can see the majestic peaks like Chaukhamba, Meru-Sumeru, and Kedar Dome. Guptkashi is another hidden gem that seeks attention. As it is situated 13km from Ukhimath, it is one of the best spots to see Himalayan ranges.

Through the scenic route you will reach Chopta by late noon only to mesmerize the beauty this place has to offer –

Chopta

About Camping in Chopta

Making memories on a camping trip is one of the most precious moments ever!

Unfortunately, camping on the green meadows of Chopta near Tungnath or Chandrashila is prohibited. But worry not one can in spite of that have a wonderful camping experience on this trip!

One can experience camping on various camping sites in proximity. The most prominent and popular ones are at Baniyakund, Bhulkan, and Dogalbhita.

About Snowfall in Chopta

One can visit Chopta all around the year minus the monsoon season. However, if you want to witness the snow clad beauty of Chopta, January to March is the perfect time. During January, the village sees a snowfall intensity of moderate to heavy. It is a challenge to drive during this month. For February, the season is more or less same but the road covering snow shall be intensive as compared to before. March continues to be severely cold with degree range of -5 at night and 15 during day. Most food joints and hotels remain close during this time. However, it is the best time for people planning to go for a winter trek at Chopta.

Best time to visit Chopta

Chopta is a great place that can be visited anytime around the year. However, May-June is the best time to take a trip to the Mini Switzerland. However, if one wishes to witness the breathtaking snowfall, winters are highly recommended.

Day 02) Chopta – Tungnath – Chandrashila – Chopta

Tungnath Trekking Guide

Trek distance- 3.5 Km

Undertake this 3.5 km trek in order to reach the highest Shiva temple in the world and the highest Panch Kedar temple of the state. Tungnath is situated on the Chandranath Parvat which is the third mountain in the Panch Kedars.  The temple is considered to be over 1000 years old!

This highest Shiva temple is ironically the easiest to trek with an altitude of Tungnath is 3600 mts above sea level.  The trek can be undertaken by beginners for sure.

Chandrashila Trekking Guide

Trek distance- 1 Km

Want to take your trip a notch up? With just 1 km steep trek ahead, one can reach the Chandrashila summit.

Legend has it that Lord Ram meditated here after killing the asur Ravana. One can witness the panoramic view of the Himalayas include Nanda Devi, Trisul, Kedar Peak, Bandrapunch, and Chaukhamba peaks.

Back to Chopta for a Night Full of Stars

If you are visiting Chopta, then the nights are worth waiting for. One should explore camping in night time at Baniyakund. Camping in the meadows is a must for the trekkers and campers. Laying in the meadows gazing at the cluster of stars is something not to miss.

Day 03) Chopta to Haridwar

Post a heavy breakfast on Day 3; we start the departure from Chopta to Haridwar. The journey shall take about 5 – 8hrs via NH7

FAQ’s

Paromita Gupta is a final year MA. Journalism student at the University of Delhi. She is an avid reader with her favourite authors being Khaled Hosseini and Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee. In the meantime and pre-covid days, she liked to play tennis and football. Also, she paints in her free time.