Why is Chopta famous?
Chopta is no less than a heaven for travelers who love to indulge in both spirituality and adventure. It lies at an altitude of 3,000 meters and is surrounded by pristine meadows and evergreen forests. Chopta is also considered to be part of the Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary, and being the en route path of the Tungnath temple, which is one of the Panch Kedar, it is visited by tourists during their trips to Kedarnath Dham.
Location from nearby cities:
Chopta is 208.6 km from Dehradun and 199.1 km from Haridwar, and if the weather conditions are favorable, you can elongate your trekking to Chandrashila Peak, along your hiking towards the Tungnath temple.
Specialty of Chopta
Chopta is majorly famous amongst nature lovers because it is nestled in the Himalayas and offers several thrilling and magnificent outlooks. It is often praised and liked by travelers as the end point of the trek offers spectacular views of Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Chaukhambha peaks. Chopta is also renowned as a birding paradise and around 200 species of birds are found here, some of which are migratory birds.
Why is Auli famous?
Auli is an enchanting hill station and ski resort destination in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state. It is also known as Auli bugyal, which means meadow in Garhwal.
Auli is famous for its skiing slopes and snow adventure events, which prove to be the main attractions for tourists. There are some skiing slope competitions held every year in winter to encourage skiing in India. Which are organized by the Uttarakhand tourism department for both professional skiers and novices.
Auli is located at an elevation of 2,909 meters. Although Auli is primarily popular for skiing, its beauty can’t be resisted by visitors because it is encircled by oak and coniferous forests, along with panoramic sights of the Himalayas.
In June and July, the valley of Auli gets enriched with an uncountable number of flowers. And, with an estimation, around 520 species of high-altitude plants grow there, of which 498 are flowering plants. The temperature here remains around 33°C the whole day.
Specialty of Chandrashila Summit
A stunning peak for summit seekers is Chandrashila, which is perched at a distance of 1.5 km above Tungnath temple. It is situated at an altitude of 3690 meters in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand state. As it is easy-moderate, this Trek is one of the dream destinations for every trekker. It offers an exclusive 360° view of Himalaya peaks, including Nanda Devil, Kedar Peak, Bandarpoonch, and Chaukhamba Peaks.
Besides this, people don’t come here just for the Trek; they also come here to celebrate the sacredness of the place. According to Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Lord Rama, the king of Ayodhya, had meditated here after defeating Ravana.
To reach the Chandrashila peak, the first stop is Chopta. To start this journey, you will have to book your tickets to Rishikesh, which is the nearest town, approximately 220 km from your base Trek. From there onwards, you can travel by bus to reach Chopta. The Chandrashila peak is located at a distance of 6 km from Chopta, and the Tungnath temple is in the middle of the Trek.
Therefore, the Majority of the people cover both these eye-catching destinations in one go. Well, you can enjoy the pleasing weather of this place in any season, but if you are fond of snow showers, then it’s recommended to undertake this trek between December and January.
