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The grey stone Tungnath Temple on a rocky ridge under a clear blue sky
Day planFirst visittrekpacked

One day at Chopta — the walk up to Tungnath Temple

A one-day Chopta plan on foot: the paved path from the road-head up to Tungnath Temple, an early start and a descent before dark. Free to copy.
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Photo: Varun Shiv Kapur from Berkeley, United States · CC BY 2.0

A packed day that is all walking: from the road at Chopta up the paved path to Tungnath Temple and back down. Wikipedia gives 4 to 5 hours for the climb alone, so the day has no room for more. The summit of Chandrashila above the temple is a separate effort, and the two-day plan gives it the second morning.

Timing is in when to visit Chopta, and the stops are in things to do in Chopta.

Photos: Varun Shiv Kapur from Berkeley, United States (CC BY 2.0) · TEKSENG MOS (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Reasonably fit walkers with a day, used to altitude and able to turn back when the weather changes.

Day by day

Day 1

Up to the temple and back

The whole day is the walk: a start at first light, the temple around late morning, the descent in the afternoon.

  1. 05:30
    Chopta
    town · 1 min from Chopta · about 15 min there
    The road-head. Leave at first light with water, a warm layer and rain cover.
  2. ↓ 4 h 30 min on foot · 3.1 km
    11:00
    Tungnath Temple
    temple · 4 min from Chopta · 4 h 30 min walk from the road · about 30 min there
    The temple on its ridge, up the paved path. Ask at Chopta whether it is open, and turn back if cloud builds.

Getting there

Chopta is about 484 km from Delhi on our routing, 7.5 hours free-flow, and about 200 km from Rishikesh. See how to reach Chopta.

Where to stay

Stay in or near Chopta the night before, so the walk starts at first light. We have no verified room or camp rates; ask locally.

Know before you go

  • Start early: Wikipedia says cloud and rain gather by afternoon and spoil the view.
  • This is high-altitude walking. We have no verified guide, rescue, permit or fee information; ask in Chopta.
  • Check that the road and the temple are open: snow shuts the temple for about six months a year.

Places on this route

Tungnath Temple
Tungnath Temple
temple · 4 min from Chopta

Other ways to do it

All Chopta itineraries →
Two days at Chopta — Tungnath, Chandrashila and Ukhimath
1 night · 2 days · First visittrek
Two days at Chopta — Tungnath, Chandrashila and Ukhimath
A two-day Chopta plan: the walk to Tungnath Temple on day one, then the Chandrashila summit and the winter pilgrimage town of Ukhimath on day two. Free to copy.
Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →

Questions people ask

Is one day enough for Tungnath?

For fit walkers, yes. Wikipedia gives 4 to 5 hours for the climb from Chopta to the temple, so a full day is needed with the descent, and you should start at first light. It leaves no time for the Chandrashila summit or for Deoria Tal, which the two-day plan covers on its second day.

What is the best order for the day?

Start at Chopta at first light, climb to the temple, spend time there if it is open and the sky is clear, and come down in the afternoon. Wikipedia says clouds and rain build by afternoon and cover the view, so the morning is when the views are likeliest.

Can you do this in winter?

Not as an ordinary day walk. Wikipedia says snow covers the temple and the summit above it from December to March, the road to Chopta can be closed, and trekkers then use another route by Deoria Tal. Ask locally about the snow and the road, and do not set out without advice.