Chandrashila Trek in Uttarakhand region is a great choice for beginners. The trek is between easy to moderate and is the best trek for people looking to explore the Indian Himalayas. Chandrashila Trek gives a clear view of some great Himalayan Peaks including Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peaks and many more.
The first night of the Chandrashila Trek is at Deoriya Tal (2438 Meters). Sari which serves as the base location for Deoriya Tal, is a beautiful small village with extremely humble people. From Sari, one can also take a pony to go up to Deoriya Tal. It is a quick 1-2 hours trek up to the lake. Deoriya Tal is a camping location with beautiful meadows surrounding the lake (Tal) with forest surrounding it. We will camp here for the night and enjoy the clear sky and a starry night. The early morning view of Chaukhamba peaks will be beyond imagination.
The next night on the trek, we will be camping in the meadows in Chopta. Depending on the weather we will plan our ascend to Chandrashila. It will be a gradual 2-4 hours ascend and back to our campsite. On the way up to summit, we will first pass Tungnath Temple. Tugnath temple is the highest Shiva temple in the world. It is also one of the Kedars.
As we pass the Tungnath temple, we are just about 1 km before the Chandrashila summit. The trek is quite steep, but the Peak is in sight and the views are stunning. As soon as you reach the top, it is magical all around. On a clear day Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peaks are visible.
After spending some time at the top, we start our descend and reach our campsite. Chopta-Chandrashila trek can practically be done throughout the year.
Day 1:- Drive from Haridwar to Sari (Via Unkhimath) and trek to Deoriya Tal
The drive today will be about 7-8 hours but it is a beautiful one throughout. We drive along different Rivers (Ganga, Bhagirathi, Alaknanada) and their confluences to reach Unkhimath. Sari is not far away from Unkhimath. After reaching sari we take a quick trek uphill and reach Deoriya Tal. It is here we camp for the day. Unwind in the beautiful meadows by the lake. Overnight in tents.
Day 2:- Deoriya Tal – Chopta
Wake up to a mesmerizing sunrise and start our trek to Chopta. It is a gradual trek and passes through fine alpine meadows and forests. We should be able to reach Chopta campsite by afternoon.
We reach Chopta and camp for the night. The view from here is beautiful and it is generally quite crowded with trekkers from around the country.
Overnight in Tents.
Day 3:- Chopta - Chandrashila – Chopta
We begin our trek to Chandrashila summit. We see the snow-clad mountains surrounding us. The trek is moderate and the beauty around it makes it an experience of a lifetime.
We reach Tungnath temple and after visiting the temple, move ahead to Chandrashila summit. It will not take long from Tungnath temple to reach the summit. We reach the top of summit and spend some time here just to look around and see the mighty Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peaks. We start descending and reach our campsite at Chopta.
Overnight in tents at Chopta.
Day 4:- Drive from Chopta to Haridwar
Drive back from Chopta to Haridwar. The trip ends at Haridwar.
Inclusions:
1) Meals - All the meals from Sari to Sari.
2) Accommodation -
- Camping/forest guest houses while on trek on twin sharing basis.
- While camping, wanderers will provide: dry cleaned sleeping bags and mattresses with fresh individual fleece liner for hygiene.
- Toilets – clean and hygienic (traditional cat pit style).
3) Trek Leader - An experienced mountaineer who is also a certified wilderness first aid responder.
4) Guide - There will be a well experienced local guide who is well versed with the local topography.
5) Camping & trekking permits and permissions from the local administrations/ authorities.
6) Other Equipments (if required) can be rented from Wanderers.
Exclusions:
1) Transport - To the base (Sari) and back.
2) Any meals/services not mentioned above
3) Any costs in accommodation & food arising out of unforeseen circumstances like landslides, road blocks, bad weather, etc.
4) Insurance
5) Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc.
6) Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
7) Any charges for video cameras, still cameras, etc.