The "Mini Switzerland of India" — a meadow-ringed base camp for the Tungnath–Chandrashila trail, at roughly 2,680m.
Chopta is a small alpine meadow in the Rudraprayag district, surrounded by oak and rhododendron forest and framed by views of Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi and Kedar Dome on a clear day. It has no real "town" — a handful of dhabas and guesthouses along the road — which is exactly what keeps it quiet compared to Uttarakhand's bigger hill stations.
It's best known as the roadhead for the Tungnath temple, the highest Shiva temple in the world, and the Chandrashila summit just above it.
~460km via Rishikesh–Rudraprayag–Ukhimath (10–11 hours by road). Most travellers break the journey overnight in Dehradun or Rishikesh.
~210km via Rishikesh and Rudraprayag (7–8 hours by road). This is the route our Chopta departures use, with an early-morning start from Dehradun.
Trek to Tungnath and Chandrashila, watch sunrise from the summit, walk through the Deoriatal side trail (optional add-on), and spend an evening around a bonfire at the base camp.
Daytime temperatures range from 5–20°C depending on season; nights are considerably colder, often near freezing even in shoulder months. Warm layers are essential year-round.
A 3-day/2-night trip from Dehradun, including transport, stay and meals, typically runs ₹6,000–₹8,000 per person in a group departure. See our Chopta Tungnath Chandrashila trip page for a detailed, itemised breakdown.
Basic guesthouses and tented camps at Chopta itself; more comfortable options are available in Ukhimath, about 30 minutes downhill.
Yes — the Tungnath–Chandrashila trail is graded easy-to-moderate and manageable for first-time trekkers with reasonable fitness.
Patchy at best. BSNL works occasionally; treat the base as low-connectivity and inform family in advance.
Only if you're already staying nearby (e.g. Ukhimath). From Dehradun it needs at least 2 nights to be comfortable.
Desh Darshini