About Deoriatal-Chopta-Tungnath Trek:
Deoriatal is a mountain lake situated at a distance of 3 km from Sari Village in Ukhimath (Uttarakhand)
Chopta is a region sorrounded by forest which is a part of Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary. it is a popular travel destination and also is a base for Tungnath trek.
Tungnath is one of Panch Kedar temples and is highest Shiva temple in world at an altitude of 3680 m.
Itinerary
Delhi --> Rishikesh --> Sari --> Chopta --> Rishikesh --> Delhi
Trekking world is amazing , isn't it?
With a strong feeling of success with my first ever trek "Everest base camp" few weeks prior to this trek, the trek bug was biting me again to embark on a journey of serenity. What followed was a series of treks i did before Covid hit the brake.
Day 1
An overnight journey from Delhi to Rishikesh was followed with a long yet exciting road journey to Sari village.
There were 4 fellow travellers too who shared same itinerary and accompanied this trip.
It was a fulfilling experience to witness and cross through some landmarks which until then i had heard only like Devprayag-confluence of rivers Bhagirathi & Alaknanda and Rudraprayag -confluence of rivers Alaknanda & Mandakini.
We reached Sari village in late evening in darkness due to sudden change of itinerary on the way as there were roadblocks in Chopta owing to fresh incessant snowfall.
Day 2
As we had arrived Sari village in late evening previous day therefore did not realize the beauty of this village. When we saw the cool, cloudy and picturesque morning it was evident that the trek was going to be awesome.
However we got to know that our trek leader couldn't arrive timely and couldn't join us on this day, so suddenly it seemed we might not be fortunate to visit.
But we were informed that trail to Deoriatal is well-paved and almost single trail so it could be done without a trek guide. Our spirits were soared.
So after morning breakfast we started trek around 8 am and soon I started to feel the good vibes of serenity and captivating trail walk.
There was a forecast of bad weather later in the day, so i trekked fast so that i could get ample time to spend and absorb nature's vividity. Its usually an easy to moderate trek. Further up on trail not only snow cover increased but my excitement too.
Finally after 1 hour of walk i reached deoriatal. This majestic lake and its sorrounding was stunning.
It seem like a hidden treasure kept far from the reach of outside world. So, while we are exploring the nature it becomes our duty also to keep the nature intact and safe from pollution. That's why it's well said in eco-tourism - "Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints".
Himalayas is full of folklore and mysteries. According to Hindu beliefs this is the place where Gods used to take bath. Also it is believed that Pandavas were asked questions by Yaksha at this lake.
I spent a couple of hours at this place . I was totally immersed in the surreal views of lake, its sorrounding lush green trees and distant panorama of clouds over mountains in backdrop of the lake.
As weather started to turn bad we had to descend back to Sari village. Later in the day we travelled to Chopta and stayed overnight for Chopta-Tungnath trek next day.
Day 3
Chopta is a scenic place with magnificient meadows and sorrounded by forest of rhododendron,deodar and pine trees.
Our accomodation at Chopta was in one of the several swiss tents pitched amidst snow laden meadow.
There were large no. of trekkers who had stayed here and raring to trek to Tungnath. Around 7 am in morning we started our trek. Equipped with snow safety gears like gaitors and microspikes it was a very smooth walk on snow trail .
The crowd was bustling with fun and excitement. All happy faces everywhere.
This region is paradise for birds. On trail i saw a Snow Partridge moving under trees.
Wherever i looked views were unbelievable. Enroute i could see various snow capped peaks out of which Chaukhambha could be very distinctively recognized owing to its 4 peaks resembling 4 pillars.
The path is stoned paved completely covered under snow and its gradual ascent till Tungnath.
Finally after 2 hours of walk i reached Tungnath temple. Being one of Panch Kedars , Tungnath attracts large crowd of devotees . But in winter temple is closed, nevertheless still there were large no. of trekkers reaching this spot to feel the nature at its best
The trail goes further 1.5 km up to Chandrashila peak which is the highest point on this trail and known for even more stunning views of sunrise and mountain peaks. It was in our initial intinerary too but due to very deep snow trail was inaccessible and no trekker was allowed to go to Chandrashila.
Never mind , the scenary around Tungnath temple was breathtaking too with even closer view of Chaukhambha peak. I stayed there for an hour and captured views and soak in tranquility and magic of this place as much i can.
Same day we travelled back to Rishikesh. Thus it was an end to an amazing trip which had rejuvinated me and my desire to visit more such places found further motivation.
On a final note, Deoriatal-Chopta-Tungnath along with possibly Chandrashila peak is must visit for nature seekers and avid travellers.