Nothing is more exhilarating than taking an uncharted course, where you can appreciate the simple joys of nature, cool air, wildflowers growing on mountain slopes, and an unforgettable view. We are back with yet another story that will take you to the 7th sky and back!

Chopta, Tungnath, and Chandrashila are quite famous treks that are taken by thousands of thrill-seekers every year. Offering one of the best panoramic views of a multitude of mountains.

Parag Bhargava is a resident of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Earlier he was working as an assistant manager at Vedanta Aluminium and Power, Odisha but recently he has left his job to pursue future studies. He planned his trip beforehand to cover the maximum place in limited days. The flight was booked from Raipur to Delhi and then he booked a rental car from MyChoize for the journey ahead. He was along with his 2 other friends. 

Day 1

Starting from Delhi around 11 pm, they reached Haridwar late at night at 3. Having rested there a while, they went for ‘shahi doobki’ at Har ki Pauri, at 6 in the morning, and then later went to attend the Ganga Aarti. After some hearty breakfast, they left for Haridwar. Upon arrival, they directly headed for some local shopping. And then it was time for some adventure! River Rafting; Rishikesh is quite famous for its White River Rafting.

River Ganga gushing at its finest and being surrounded by Garhwal Himalayas makes rafting an absolutely thrilling experience. Enough to give them a good appetite and so they headed to a local restaurant for lunch. After lunch, they went on a brief fun visit to Neer Garh Waterfalls, which also happens to be in Rishikesh. For the night, they had special arrangements and stayed in a tent by the river at Tapovan. 

Day 2

The next day they started early, around 10 am, and drove for Chopta to do the Deoria Tal trek. Having lunch on the way at a local Dhaba, they started the trek at around 4 in the evening. The trek is an easy one for beginners and can be covered in just one day.

The emerald lake on the top blesses the tourists with miraculous reflections of Chaukhamba peaks on its crystal clear water. By the time Parag and his friends reached the top, it was already dark, so they decided to rent the tents and sleeping bags and spend the night at the top. 

Day 3

There’s nothing more beautiful than being able to witness the sunrise from the mountaintop. And so they did. After walking around the lake for a while, they headed downwards and reached the ground within an hour. Without making any stops they directly went to the starting points of the Tungnath and Chandrashila trek. Upon reaching, they booked into one of the local hotels. After a light breakfast at Dhaba, they were ready to start the trek. They rented boots and sticks for the trek and started their journey. It took about 2 hours to reach their first stop, Tungnath.

Other than the trek itself, the Shiva temple is one of the major tourist attractions there. It is also one of the highest Shiva temples in the world and is the highest of the five Panch Kedar temples located in the Rudraprayag. However, it only opens sometime in May, so, unfortunately, they couldn’t pay the visit. Parag recalls the trek to be extremely pleasant and calming. After taking a stoppage for about 40 minutes they resumed their journey to Chandrashila. Our traveler recommends having a stick and hiking boots while on the trek since the terrains are a little rough.

This is the most beautiful trek of all. Situated at 3,690 m above sea level, it offers a 360° panoramic view of the Himalayas, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, Kedar Peak, Bandarpunch, and Chaukhamba peaks. What could be better than this? 

They started their descent after spending a good amount of time at the top and after a long tiring day, they went back to their hotel and called it a night. 

Day 4 

This was the last day of the trip. They left Chopta early in the morning and on their way to Delhi took a little off route and had a break at Lansdowne. It is a charming little hill station in Uttarakhand. They headed for Tip N Top, to have one last breathtaking view of the mountains and valleys. After having lunch there at Cafe Blues they left the place in the evening. And that was the end of the most wonderful trip. 

So this was Parag’s amazing journey to Chandrashila. For more photos and videos, check out his Instagram page @that.strange.freak.

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