Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Saver Garhwal · Active
Four nights and two of Garhwal's best short walks for little money: Deoria Tal from a village homestay at Sari, then Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple of the Panch Kedar, and the summit of Chandrashila above it. Buses, shared jeeps and simple lodges, with every bed below 3,000 m.
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · CommonsChopta is where we send students and first-time walkers who have a long weekend and a small budget. The walks are short, the views of Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Nanda Devi are wide, and you never sleep higher than about 2,700 m. Deoria Tal is a 2.5–3 km climb from Sari village; Tungnath is 3.5 km from Chopta on a paved path, with Chandrashila another 1–1.5 km above.
The trade-off is transport. Buses from Rishikesh reach Ukhimath in 7–8 hours, but there is no regular bus to Chopta, so we share a taxi for the last stretch. Rooms are simple: a family homestay at Sari with shared or basic attached bathrooms, and a Chopta lodge or camp with blankets and bucket hot water. Snow closes the upper road for part of winter.
Sleeping altitude, night by night
Red points are nights above 3,000 m. We pace those climbs by the usual advice of no more than 300–500 m of sleeping height a day. This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor before a high trip. Try the altitude planner.
Day by day
Reach Rishikesh by train to Haridwar or overnight bus from Delhi and check into a dorm at Zostel in Tapovan. Confirm your seat on the early bus to Ukhimath at the ISBT or GMOU yard, buy snacks for the road, and walk down to the ghats for the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat. Pack a small bag for the walks and leave the rest at the hostel if they allow it.
About RishikeshTake the early UTC or GMOU bus from Rishikesh to Ukhimath via Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag, then a shared jeep to Sari, about 12–15 km. Ukhimath's Omkareshwar temple, winter seat of Kedarnath, is worth 30 minutes if your bus arrives early. In Sari, settle into a family homestay; dinner is usually home food with mandua roti and local dal. Sleep early for the dawn walk.
About Chopta & TungnathStart at 5 am for Deoria Tal, a 2.5–3 km climb on a stone path through oak forest from Sari, to reach the lake for sunrise over Chaukhamba. Pay the forest fee at the gate. Walk down for breakfast at the homestay, then share a taxi to Chopta, about 25 km, through the rhododendron forest of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Afternoon short walk in the meadow; listen for monal pheasants.
About Chopta & TungnathWalk up the paved 3.5 km path to Tungnath, climbing about 700 m to around 3,680 m. The stone temple is the highest of the Panch Kedar and is open roughly May to early November; in winter the deity moves down to Makkumath and the path may be under snow. Continue 1–1.5 km to Chandrashila, about 4,000 m, for views of Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and Kedarnath. Our local guide walks with you. Back to Chopta by afternoon.
About Chopta & TungnathShare a taxi down to Ukhimath early and catch a bus or shared jeep to Rudraprayag, where buses for Rishikesh run through the day. You reach Rishikesh by evening, in time for an overnight bus to Delhi or a late train from Haridwar. If you can, keep a spare day; landslides and missed connections are common in the hills.
About Chopta & TungnathWhere you sleep
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Budget
A backpacker hostel in Tapovan, between Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula, with dorms, private rooms, a rooftop cafe an…
Questions
On this saver plan, about ₹11,500–14,000 per person for 4 nights, with buses, shared jeeps and taxi, homestay and lodge meals and a local guide. A private car from Rishikesh adds roughly ₹14,000–18,000 for the vehicle.
It is a 3.5 km paved path climbing about 700 m, steep in places. Most walkers take 2–3 hours up. Chandrashila adds 1–1.5 km on a rougher path. It suits fit beginners walking slowly.
April to June for rhododendrons and clear mornings, and October to December for the sharpest mountain views. January to March brings snow and possible road closures. July and August are wet and cloudy.
The temple is closed from around November to April, with the deity at Makkumath. The walk is possible on clear days with microspikes and a local guide, but snow can block the road to Chopta. Check current status before you travel.
Take a UTC or GMOU bus from Rishikesh to Ukhimath, about 7–8 hours. There is no regular bus to Chopta; shared jeeps are irregular, so most people share a taxi for the last 30–35 km.
Yes. It costs half a day, the climb is just 2.5–3 km from Sari, and on a clear morning Chaukhamba reflects in the lake. Sari's homestays also give you a night in a Garhwali village.
Generally yes. Many solo women walk here, especially in spring and autumn. Choose registered lodges, walk in daylight, and hire a local guide for Chandrashila or in snow.
Signal at Chopta is limited and varies by network; some lodges have weak Jio or Airtel coverage. Expect no reliable data. Download offline maps before leaving Rishikesh.
Tungnath is not one of the four Char Dham shrines, and Deoria Tal has its own forest entry fee at the gate. Registration rules for temples and treks in Uttarakhand change from season to season, so check current status before you travel.
More from Garhwal
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Private car with driver
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Private car with driver
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Saver
UTC and GMOU buses, shared jeeps and walking
Plan with a local planner
We reply within one working day with a route, a sleeping-altitude profile and an itemised price in your tier. Change anything. Pay nothing until you are sure.