“Rudraprayag is generally entangled with the iconic confluence (Sangam) of river Alakananda and Mandakini forming one of the birthplaces of the Ganges (another being Devprayag). Yet Rudraprayag, like most treasures in Uttarakhand, can give you an acute direction through its compass towards an exemplary expedition. In Rudraprayag, I have had an amalgam of experiences, the qualitative aspects of which I am not ready to evaluate, mostly because they are too sensitive (not in an emotional sense) to land on the concrete. So I am leaving them the way they should be, undiscovered yet explored”.
Read more about – Places to visit in Uttarakhand
The Local Bus Ride from Srinagar Chandrashila Trek
Keeping my 70-litre backpack in Toliyon Village and exploring cities and villages with the company of my beloved waistband has taught me one thing – my necessity can be minimized to a waistband. It’s light, it’s handy, it’s hitchhike-friendly, especially since I love to explore a city on foot.
Coming down from Toliyon took quite some time, so I decided to take the local bus from Srinagar to Rudraprayag (Rs. 60). Passing side by side with Dhari Devi Temple and the mud-coloured river, the sudden change in the surroundings struck me as a ruined picture. After the landslide and rockfall zone, the landscape drastically changes to naked mountains and dry structures with less and less trees. The mountains change their aura. Maybe they are twinning with the still water.
The moment I landed on Rudraprayag I saw a monkey stealing a bunch of bananas from a local shop. Monkeys are everywhere in Rudraprayag. On the roof, on the wires, even in the gutters.
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Koteshwar Mahadev Bathing Ghat Chandrashila Trek
A one-hour walk away (3 km) from the town of Rudraprayag is a tiny town Koteshwar, mostly famous for the crowd leading to Koteshwar Mahadev Temple and the adjoining Koteshwar Mahadev Bathing Ghat. The mythology has it that Lord Shiva meditated in Koteshwar Temple on his way to Kedarnath.
You need to come down through several stairs from the main gate to reach the temple and the Ghat. Colourful depictions of the ancient yatras (Kedar Dham, Nanda Devi and others) are inscribed on the sidewalls. Again, monkeys are everywhere.
The mud-coloured still water that was not leaving me behind takes a strong hold at the Bathing Ghat. Huge formations all around and the bits and pieces of woods lying in the water – you can sit there forever.
But I did have a negative experience there which I will not mention here due to the known religious tenacity in India.
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Hitchhiking in Rudraprayag and Reaching the ‘Other’ Chopta Chandrashila Trek
14 km away from Koteshwar is Chopta. Apparently, there are two Choptas in Rudraprayag district. The one I am talking about is not the one which is famous for being the base of Chopta-Chandrashila trek. This one is a small cluster up on a mountain. I hitched a bike ride and only midway I realized I was riding towards the wrong Chopta. Then I had to hitch two more rides to come down to the centre of Rudraprayag. Upon confirming the road to the ‘real’ Chopta, I had to stand by the road for an hour with the honest intention of hitching a ride. But no vehicle was ready to take me. In this context I must inform that booked jeeps go to Chopta from Rudraprayag. Plenty of jeeps are parked near the pool.
Coming back to hitchhiking, that day I got no ride. So, the last ship to my rescue was the local bus again. From the centre, regular buses run to Ukhimath (Rs. 70), a quaint town I set my foot on during sundown.
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Spending the Night in Ukhimath Chandrashila Trek
Ukhimath is situated at an elevation of 1311 meters and 41 km away from the town of Rudraprayag. Omkareshwar Temple is the most revered site here, as the idol of Kedarnath is brought from Kedarnath to Ukhimath. The name Ukhimath comes from Ushamath, Usha being the name of the wife of Krishna’s grandson.
GMVN Rest house is at a distance of 2 km away from the main bazaar of Ukhimath. You can get dorm beds there. Other rest houses are right beside it.
As the dorm was already full, I took shelter for the night at a roadside rest house for Rs. 600. From the balcony the view looked like a live picture only blinking at times. It stayed that way till 7 am in the morning.
Chopta: The So-Called ‘Mini Switzerland of India’ (Phrases We Need to Stop Using)
Chopta, a part of Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary, is located at an altitude of 2680 meters. From Ukhimath the distance is 29 km. One can easily access Chopta through the Rishikesh-Devprayag-Kund-Ukhimath route. Known among the tourists as ‘the mini-Switzerland of India’, it has nothing to do with Switzerland. The combination of the elevating road and snow-laden meadows and sidewalks can only be what it is, Chopta, not Switzerland or any other land for that matter. Check out River Rafting in Rishikesh Riding Raging Rapids.
Only booked jeeps go to Chopta from Ukhimath now (Rs. 1500-2000). Shared jeeps or local buses are not available. At 7:30 in the morning, I got the fortunate ride in a car (four riders from Delhi were also going to Chopta) and a roadside Paratha breakfast, and a fun company of those riders all the way up and down the Tungnath trek. That’s the beauty of hitchhiking. You meet lives from each corner.
The Chopta-Tungnath Trek: A Must Take Snow-white Journey
Tungnath, one of the highest Shiva temples in the world, is considered as the highest of the Panch Kedar temples (Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar – five temples forming Panch Kedar temples). At an altitude of 3650m, Tungnath Peak stands as an instance of snowbound sheets on a bed of stony surface and inexplicable beauty. The trek can be undertaken by first timers, as it is considered as an easy trek. One can either take the stipulated trail or go for the steep stone-heaped way for a more adventurous experience.
Tips for winter: Wear enough padding to keep yourself warm and durable (something I did not do, hence the impending snowstorm took a significant toll on me).
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If nothing, keep a water bottle with you (again, something I did not do, but there was not much need of water from my side as I took the steep way instead of the stony path).
Make sure your shoes are compatible with the snow-covered path and can provide firm foot grip (finally something I did do, but my socks were too small).
This being my first snow-trek I had my share of initial disorientations which with the help of a fellow trekker transformed into one of the most beautiful adventures I have undertaken so far. The journey I started out alone, ended up in sixteen (another solo-traveller-blogger-trek-guide joined along with ten trekkers).
The Tungnath Peak is garnished with the architectural splendour, Tungnath Temple, the yellow door of which adorns itself with red-yellow-white-blue borders. Men meditating around the temple despite the seasoned crowd has an extraordinary sense of reconciliation in it.
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There’s an entry fee of Rs. 150.
The Chopta-Chandrashila Trek: How We Survived a Snowstorm Together
Chandrashila, the ‘moon rock’ of Uttarakhand, is the second tier in the Chopta-Chandrashila trek. Around 1.5 km away from the Tungnath temple, the trek becomes slightly difficult towards the peak, as the steep peak propels without a proper trail. The weather was already deteriorating when we were at Tungnath, but we did not take heed. The trekkers coming down the Chandrashila peak warned us against the unforeseen contingency, but we did not take heed. Mild snow began falling, but we didn’t take heed. I remember asking another trekker, ‘Should we go?’ In my mind I said, “Yes, yes, yes’, he also said, ‘yes, yes, yes’. That decided it.
Can you imagine trekking through a white sea with white nectar sliding through you? (Which is ironic, given that after a few minutes we must slide as well, won’t feel like nectar then) On the way I kept shouting random phrases, which is generally the outcome of the highest level of contentment in my world.
I reached the summit with the dire help of my newfound trek-guide-friend, sliced in frostbite. My legs were already completely frozen (since I did not have enough padding, snow frosted inside my shoes) and my fingers were almost gone. My lips were struggling to curl up while forming words. On top of it, the sprinkles of lightning and thunder were burning through our hair. We could feel the lightening the way you can feel your skin.
The downhill side of this experience was risky and frightening. We had to slide twice from the peak in a condition in which white fog is all you can fathom. I slipped through the snow with no sense of direction, keeping my eyes closed. The trek guide had to recede our downstream motion after each slide until we reached Tungnath in this way. At Tungnath, we indulged in a bonfire, especially because I was the ultimate food of the bait. My numb hands glowed in a kind of physical pain I faced for the first time. I owe a great deal to three individuals (Aman, Ankit and Pramit) for their undivided attention to my wellbeing.
We came down two in a row on the sheet of fresh black ice. The sky, like a seasoned lizard, changed its clothing’s a numerous number of times. Yet I was not in a state to take in the exceptional occurrence I had the good fortune of experiencing. We climbed down to Chopta at around 7:30 pm in utter darkness with the help of torch and loving hands.
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Tips of the Trade for the Chopta-Chandrashila Trek
Anything is possible. Anything can happen in the mountains. The trek that is considered as an easy trek can be transfused to a vicious experience. The base of travelling is to understand those selves which lay hidden otherwise. How you will behave during an extreme situation cannot be taught through the Discovery channel. You live the experience, you behave vulnerable, you learn, you proudly take it in.
Physical pain is not about the sense of fear. Physical pain exceeded any generality when I had no fear of the storm. The thought of death or any fatality did not even cross my mind, thanks to the excruciating physical pain I was in.
And most importantly, always go prepared. Don’t go to a snow-trek wearing a woolen bottom, like I did (a local in Ukhimath told me that there will be no snow in the trek).
Trek to Deoria Tal: A Lake Up the Mountain – Chandrashila Trek
Deoria Tal is a lake on the lap of a mountain at an elevation of 2438 meters. The base of the trek is Village Sari, from where you can solely rely on your foot for the next 2.5 km. Deoria Tal is famous for its 300° panoramic view, even though the view was unclear when I visited.
The trek is a series of steps climbing up the mountain. Maggi points and campsites are settled on the way. The ascent is easy but requires strength which can easily be replenished with Burans Juice from a stall on the way.
Camping is not allowed near the lake, but plenty of campsites are available throughout the mountain. Also, an entry fee of Rs. 150 needs to be paid to enter the arena surrounding the lake.
How to Reach Rudraprayag – Chandrashila Trek
By Bus: Direct buses from Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar or any other city to Rudraprayag can easily be accessible. The fare from Srinagar to Rudraprayag is Rs. 60. One can reach Chopta directly from Rudraprayag in shared jeep. Or, one can take the local bus from Rudraprayag to Ukhimath (Rs. 70) and take booked jeep from Ukhimath to Chopta (Rs. 1500-2000). Know more about Srinagar – The City of Splendid Houseboats
By Train: The nearest railway station is in Dehradun. From Dehradun buses are available up to Rudraprayag. Shared cab or jeep will drop you off in Chopta.
By Flight: Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest airport. From the airport buses are available for Rudraprayag. Again, from Rudraprayag you can hire shared cab or jeep.
About me: I am Ipsita, a travel blogger, full-time traveller, and hitchhiker. A solo female backpacker currently backpacking across Uttarakhand and jotting down my experiences at nomadenroute.com.
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