Chandrashilla Trek – How to Reach and Travel Guide
Chandrashila Trek
Chandrashilla peak is a summit of Tungnath. It means “Moon Rock”. Chandrashila is located at a height of about 4000 metres (13,000ft) above sea level. The Chandrashilla provides beautiful views of the Himalayas, including Trishul, Kedar Peak, Nandadevi, Chaukhamba Peak and Bandarpunch. There are many legends associated with this site. Chandrashilla is one of the popular treks of Uttarakhand where every day hundreds of tourists visit
According to one legend, this is the place where Lord Rama meditated after defeating the king Lankapati Ravana. Another legend says that moon-god Chandra spent time here in penance.
Why Trek to Chandrashilla?
Chandrashila is located at a high altitude. Many travellers like to commence the exhilarating Chandrashilla trek that can be completed by a short trekking route of 5 Km from Tungnath.
The base camp for the Chandrashilla trek is Chopta. Chandrashilla is one of the most popular treks of Uttarakhand that can be undertaken throughout the year. But in winters the trek route remains hidden under the heavy layer of snow and the trek remains closed. Trekkers use different routes during this period(Deoria Tal – Duggalbitta – Tungnath – Chandrashilla).
How to reach Chandrashila
The bus can be directly taken from Haridwar or Dehradun to Ukhimath or you can take a shared taxi up to Rudraprayag and then for Ukhimath. It takes about 8 hours to reach there. There is no taxi service for Chopta from Ukhimath, it’s better to hire a taxi for the whole tour if you are 3 or more people.
Note: Don’t follow Google Maps to reach Chopta because it will not provide you with the incorrect information and you will reach a different Chopta which is near Rudraprayag. Chopta is well-connected by roads with major towns in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state. Follow NH-58 to reach Rudraprayag and after that follow the route to Kedarnath and take a right turn to Ukhimath. Chopta is 29 Kms away from Ukhimath. You can reach Chopta from Gopeshwar also.
How to reach Chandrashilla
Below is the travel guide to Chandrashila Trek day by day.
Chopta Distance Chart | Distance in Km |
---|---|
Delhi to Chopta | 451 Km |
Ukhimath to Chopta | 29 Km |
Meerut to Chopta | 368 Km |
Rishikesh to Chopta | 200 Km |
Pauri to Chopta | 126 Km |
Haridwar to Chopta | 225 Km |
Dehradun to Chopta | 246 Km |
Mussoorie to Chopta | 212 Km |
Devprayag to Chopta | 130 Km |
Tehri Garhwal to Chopta | 151 Km |
Kotdwara to Chopta | 229 Km |
Srinagar to Chopta | 96 Km |
Joshimath to Chopta | 96 Km |
Kedarnath to Chopta | 64 Km |
Gopeshwar to Chopta | 41 Km |
Badrinath to Chopta | 136 Km |
Rudraprayag to Chopta | 136 Km |
From Chopta the Chandrashilla trek distance is approximately 5 Km.
Day 1: Rishikesh to Chopta
Take a Bus from Rishikesh to Ukhimath that will follow the route via Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Ukhimath or via Rudraprayag – Karanprayag – Chamoli – Gopeshwar. It will take around 8 to 10 hours to reach Ukhimath or Gopeshwar, from where you can take a taxi to Chopta. Here you can find hotels and resorts, and camps in Chopta for a night stay.
Day 2: Chopta – Tungnath – Chandrashilla – Chopta
Wake up early in the morning and after breakfast get ready to trek to Chandrashila. On the way to Chandrashila, you will see the beautiful meadows, wild animals, shepherds, Himalayan birds and rare species of flora and fauna. After trekking for 3.5 Km you will reach Tungnath temple which is the highest Shiva temple in the world at an elevation of 3,680 meters. Stay at the temple and relax there and commence the short 1.5 Km trek to Chandrashilla peak.
On reaching Chandrashilla enjoy the beautiful and stunning 360-degree view of snow covering the Himalayas. Trek back to Chopta and take your lunch. Enjoy the beauty of Chopta and overnight stay in Chopta, Ukhimath.
Day 3: Departure from Chopta
If you are a traveller from Delhi, NCR, so you have to catch a train or flight otherwise you can also take the bus from Ukhimath to Rishikesh and Rishikesh to Delhi ISBT Kashmiri Gate).
Travel Tips for Chandrashilla Trek
If you are planning to trek Chandrashila, make sure that you are physically fit because the site is at a high altitude of 4000 meters so you can trek the route easily.
Hire a travel guide during winters, this is the time when the trek to Chandrashilla is completely covered with snow.
As Chandrashilla is a Summit itself, it is inhabitable. Facilities like petrol pumps, ATMs etc are not available here, even at Chopta. One has to go from the Gopeshwar route to find these facilities.
Accommodation in Chandrashilla Trek
Chandrashilla is the summit of Chandranath Parvat. There are no accommodation facilities available here, also camping at Chandrashilla is not allowed. One has to trek down 1.5 Km to Tungnath Temple to find accommodation, but there are only a few rooms in an Ashram and cannot be pre-booked. The best is to find a place to stay at Chopta and trek to Chandrashilla via Tungnath.
What is Chandrashila Trek famous for?
Chandrashilla trek is famous as Temple, Easy grade trek, Snow trek, Chandrashilla summit, beautiful Himalayan views, and winter trek.
Chandrashilla trek is a recommended location for Corporate, Couples, Kids, Groups, Foreigners, families and Solo.
Chandrashilla trek is popular for the following – Adventure, Peaks and Mountains, Trekking, Winter destination, Himalayan views and Temple.
Chandrashilla Trek overview
- Temperature: 10(Maximum) and 6(Minimum) in August month
- Location: Rudraprayag, Garhwal
- Trek distance: 6 Km
- Trek grade: Easy
- Starting point: Chopta
- Altitude: 4000 meters
- Nearest railway station: Rishikesh, 209 Km
- Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun 226 Km
- Famous for: Trekking, Snow trek, Himalayan views, Temple