Chopta Trek: The Best Way To Experience Nature

What is a Chopta Trek?

A Chopta trek is basically a trek that begins from Joshimath and ends at Chopta, following the old Kumaon trail. The Chopta trek journey is mainly conducted by jeeps and mainly consists of ascending and descending slopes to and from the treks. A part of this trek, which takes place on the most difficult and dangerous route is known as the night trek.

About The Chopta Trek

The trek starts from Joshimath, which is around a 20-minute drive from the city center of Dehradun. Chopta trek is considered to be one of the most difficult and dangerous treks in the state. The terrain is extremely rugged, and as the trek begins, a thick mist hangs in the air that covers the trail from head to toe. There are no trails to follow.

2. Why Visit Chopta?

The villagers of Chopta sell the small firewood called chopta on the roadside. These are the wood and stones that are dug up from the glacier when it melts during summers. The locals of the village also sell the ground pieces of barusli, which is the frozen leftover of the glacier and is sometimes called the ‘Chopta ice’. There you found the famous sweet of Uttarakhand is chopta jalebi.

When To Visit Chopta

The best season to visit Chopta is between October and April. However, it can also be visited anytime during summer. The weather in this place can be quite harsh as there are extreme cold and extreme heat. Summers in Chopta are pleasant but the winter season is cold and windy. The hottest time to visit this place is during the monsoon.

The trekking route to Chopta is marked by white stones that are scattered across the road.

3. Getting to the Chopta Village

The journey to Chopta village is very convenient as it is around two hours drive from Joshimath town. This is the only trekking route that is opened at the time of the winter when the Chardham Yatra will be going on. This makes the journey so much easier as many people travel here during this time, which means you get much easier access to the village itself.

More than The Tourists

The locals do not find it very comfortable to see a lot of tourists. They might be experiencing difficulties while starting their day, in their own village. So it is a small village with a population of just 1500. Most of them find the people visiting the place and offering their services to be very rude.

4. Accommodation Options

There are several accommodation options in the area. The available hotels in the area include Moti Baug Hotel, Hotel Sahayam, and Sheranjyoti Lodge. The Moti Baug hotel is in fact a private lodge managed by the Indian Army,

Sheranjyoti Lodge is a rustic lodge near the Pindari glacier, and Hotel Sahayam is a budget lodge. Most of the hotels come with hot water and a flush toilet. Most of the hotels offer freshly cooked food including scrambled eggs for breakfast and soups for lunch and dinner.

Duration of Journey

Chopta Trek is about a three-to-five-day trek. You can spend two nights in Chopta while hiking or trekking along with your company or friends. You can extend your trek to all five days by trekking on the next day.

The scenery of this place

Chopta trek is a mountainous area.

5. Food and Shopping at Chopta

Chopta is famous for its local spicy Tibetan-style food and spicy Tibetan-style desi coffee. The spice is so potent that it is difficult to swallow. We did not try the local cuisine as we weren’t quite sure about the origin of the spice. All we could manage to bring back were memories of the spicy food that we had savored in the hills.

One thing was for sure, this would be one of the hardest meals we would eat during our entire trip. After the meal, we had a little break and decided to take a walk in the small village. Chopta is famous for its Tibetan and Nepali-style handicrafts. It also has an assortment of handicrafts that are sold at the shops of the village.

6. Activities Around Chopta

The most preferred tourist activity in the area is trekking. The trekking takes you to the valley of Chopta, which is filled with beautiful waterfalls. The Himalayan landscape in Chopta is also perfect for mountain biking.

One of the most popular rides on the trek is to explore the Pindari glacier. There are several places on the glacier where you can choose to hike or ride a bike. The ice can also be used as perfect ice hockey or hockey rink for friends. In fact, the concept of ice hockey was originated here. You can also go horse riding, paragliding, and rappelling.

The best way to enjoy the entire journey is to travel by Jeep or a bus.

7. Best Time to Visit

With the increasing popularity of the trekking destination, one can expect quite a bit of traffic, especially during the weekends. One can experience the best timings in Uttarakhand during the month of August when the temperature dips down by five to seven degrees below normal. It is not possible to beat the cold when you get in touch with nature. So, do not miss this chance and visit this amazing place.

Low Budget

The place is not very cheap and it should be an affordable vacation. However, the lodging in this place is very affordable as it is just a few hours away from the Dehradun airport. You can enjoy the trekking experiences and the adventure games without feeling the pinch of the expenses.

8. Conclusion

Chopta trek offers the best package deals for you when it comes to traveling in the state. Traveling is an adventure, but staying back home is boring. Your friends or family will be endlessly looking for ways to keep you occupied and keep the homefront happy. If you’re planning to explore the state then you need to search online for the right package deals or contact the respective tour operators and hotels to make the arrangements.

With a lot of fascinating destinations in India, it’s easy to make the wrong choice in picking the most suitable ones for your trip. So, the next time you plan to go on a trip to India, pick a destination that’s safe and fun at the same time. Get a pleasant stay at one of the hotels in Uttarakhand that will take care of your every need.