Uttarakhand Forum: Visit to Deoria Tal, Chopta, Tunganath and then to Auli

Dear Shibatosh,

Thank you very much for your reply to my enquiries on Deoria Tal/Chopta/ etc. Ishall try to contact Mr Kunawar Singh Negi and arrange to visit those places.

I would also like to get associated with you. Is there any way ? My email is "gangaram42@hotmail.com"

Thanks

Gangaram Majhi

shibatosh, the info and your blog are very useful. thank you. my husband and i are planning to do this in the first week of october. do you think it might be raining then? also is the trek very steep? we are both 50+.

thanks for your advice.

saraswati

Some very informative links:

1. indiamike.com/india/…

2. indiamike.com/india/…

3. indiamike.com/india/…

4. indiamike.com/india/…

I am a member with screen name Delhiwala there.

Hi Saraswati,

Nice to know that at 50+ you are planning to trek. Age should not have any bearing on it as long as you are fit. I had been there at 50+. Deorital is a fantastic place with a beautiful view of the Chaukambha mountain.

The trek is relatively a very short one (may be 5kms)and not a difficult one. Hire a porter/pony to carry your luggage (Unless things have changed). Take a Jeep/Sumo from Ukhimath to Sari gaon (a rough road so best to avoid taking your own car)

The Pony/porters could demand high depending on our state (of helplessness)at that time.It is advisable to carry a walking stick while trekking and do it at a steady slow pace.

It is a place worth visiting so get going!

Best wishes

Swaroop

Hi Saraswati,

First of all sorry for the late reply. The trek to Deoriya taal is a short one ~ 3km. It is steep in parts. You can easily do it by taking rests in between. If you are planning to spend the night on top and have luggage you can hire porters.

The trek from Chopta to Tunganath is slightly longer. There also you can take rest in between or hire a pony. The trek from Tunganath to Chandrashila is steep. You can take a call once you reach Tunganath.

Early October is a good time with very little chance of rain and no chance of snow. The Tunganath temple closes after Diwali.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Shibatosh

Hi Shibatosh,That was a very informative message.

How things change over a period of time, now with those rest houses at Deorital I only hope that the place will still be beautiful.

When we went there in 2001 we had nothing to stay there so picthed our tents by the lake side and stayed for two days cooking our meals and sleeping in sleeping bags inside the tents. It was wonderful but always in fear of any animal attacks.

The blog refered by you was very interesting. I will try to make a blog of my own with pictures.

Pillari

Thank you so much, Shibatosh, Pillari. The picture is clearer now. But we have only four days in hand. Do you think that all this is manageable in that much time? If not could you help us with a doable itinerary? We get into Haridwar early on day 1 and leave Haridwar late on day 4. The GMVN office in Delhi is quite cluless.

Thank you so much for your help....

Saraswati

I think it is easily do-able:-

Day-1: Travel from Haridwar to Sari village (via rudraprayag - Ukhimath) 8 hours journey. Trek up to Deoriyataal after a short rest. 3 kms uphill (max 2 -3 hrs)

Spend the night in Deoriyatal.

Day-2: wake up early for the sunrise view ... enjoy reflection of Chaukhamba in the waters of the lake. Trek down to Sari village at your leisure. Travel up to Chopta (take your time). Beautiful views on the way.Spend the night at Chopta

Day-3: Trek up to Tunganath 4 kms and if body permits, upto Chandrashila another 1 km). Trek down to Chopta and spend the night.

Day-4: travel down to Haridwar (9 hrs approx).

A Gurgaon based company Great Indian Outdoors (GIO) offers a package. Check out their website http://www.greatindianoutdoors.com/chopta,-tungnath-and-deoriatal-trek-(family).html

They doo a high cost trip but I guess it is customisable. Call the Gurgaon phone numbers ask to speak to Bala/Bhaskar.

There mightbe other tour operators also, but I am not aware of.

Hope this helps.

BTW, Pillari, thanks for your nice comments

Shibatosh

I do not think you need any tour organizer for these treks ! It is a very easily self doable tour.

At Chopta you have Mayadeep hotel and dhabas there also offer sleeping spaces.

You get shared jeeps/buses on these routes.