Chopta - Uttarakhand
CHOPTA – UTTARAKHAND
A blog By D.R.Patel
1. ABOUT :
Chopta is a small region of meadows and evergreen forest area, a part of Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary located in Uttarakhand state, India and a base for trekking to Tungnath, the third temple of Panch Kedar which lies 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) away. Located at a distance of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from Tungnath is Chandrashila, a summit rising to over 4,000 metres (13,000 ft).
Chopta is an unspoiled natural destination lying in the lap of the Uttarakhand Himalayas and offers views of the imposing Himalayan range including Trishul, Nanda Devi and Chaukhamba. It is located at an elevation of 2,709 metres (8,888 ft) above sea level. Chopta village is surrounded by forests of pine, deodar and rhododendron and is rich in flora and fauna include rare species of birds and musk deer.
2. LOCATION :-
This place is popularly known as 'Mini Switzerland'. It lies 45 km from Ukhimath, 162 kilometres (101 mi) from Rishikesh and approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) from the capital Delhi. The best time to visit this hillside is from April to November. Chopta is also a popular destination during the winter months due to the snowfall that the area experiences. Tungnath temple and Chandrashila are covered with snow from December to March. Chopta can be reached from Rishikesh via Rudraprayag, Kund, Ukhimath OR via Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Chamoli, Gopeshwar, Mandal.
Chopta is simply accessible as it is situated on the road connecting Gopeshwar with Guptkashi. Wake up with cool healthy breeze and chirping of birds in Chopta. The morning view from Chopta is invigorating when the crimson rays of the sun kiss the snow-laden Himalayas.
3. NEAREST AIRPORT
Chopta does not have an airport of its own, but one can fly to Dehradun and travel further to Chopta from there. The Dehradun airport offers flights connecting to most major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Lucknow. Service providers such as Jet Airways, Air India and Spice Jet have scheduled flights to Dehradun. International tourists can travel to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, and then board a flight to Dehradun or take a direct bus to Chopta.
Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun is located 225 km from Chopta.
RAILWAY STATION
Chopta does not have a railway station. The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh, located approximately 200 km away. One can find many trains to Rishikesh. Tourists can find plenty of government buses and private taxis to Chopta from Rishikesh.
4. HOTEL :-
AVAILABLE 2 STAR HOTEL, DELUXE & TENTS.
5. DISTANCE TO :-
| HARIDWAR - 185KM, |
| RISHIKESH -163KM, |
| DEV PRAYAG -90KM, |
| RUDRA PRAYAG - 24KM |
| DELHI - 401KM |
6. ATMOSPHERE :-
Chopta has a very cool and pleasant climate from March to May with the temperature between 10 °C and 30 °C. After that comes monsoon season that starts from July and ends in October. Chopta witnesses snowfall from November to March and the temperature is between a minimum of −15 °C and a maximum of 15 °C.
Seasons in Chopta · Summers: The weather of Chopta remains salubrious and pleasing during summers. · Monsoons: The greenery of Chopta welcomes the tourist ...
December: -5°C
November: -3°C
January: -8°C
March: -4°C
7. POPULATION :-
Chopta is a small village located in THALISAIN Tehsil of Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand with total 24 families residing. The Chopta village has population of 124 of which 49 are males while 75 are females as per Population Census 2011.
In Chopta village population of children with age 0-6 is 17 which makes up 13.71 % of total population of village. Average Sex Ratio of Chopta village is 1531 which is higher than Uttarakhand state average of 963. Child Sex Ratio for the Chopta as per census is 1833, higher than Uttarakhand average of 890.
Chopta village has lower literacy rate compared to Uttarakhand. In 2011, literacy rate of Chopta village was 74.77 % compared to 78.82 % of Uttarakhand. In Chopta Male literacy stands at 86.05 % while female literacy rate was 67.19 %.
As per constitution of India and Panchyati Raaj Act, Chopta village is administrated by Sarpanch (Head of Village) who is elected representative of village. Our website, don't have information about schools and hospital in Chopta village.
8. ATTRACTION :-
Chandrashila temple
Perched on top of the eponymous peak, this simple stone temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga. The peak, at altitude of around 4,000 m, is one of the most stunning mountains in the region and offers stunning views of several Himalayan peaks, including Nanda Devi, Bandarpunch, Chaukhamba and Kedar peak. According to legend, Chandrashila is the place where Lord Rama meditated after defeating Ravana. Another lore says that Moon god or Chandra spent time here in penance. Chandrashila literally means “moon rock”. The trek to the summit is one of the most popular at Tungnath. Chandrashila peak is a steep 1.5 km trek from Tungnath temple, which is around 3.5 km away from Chopta.
Deoriatal
Around 50 km from Chopta, this beautiful high-altitude lake (around 2,438 m) sitting amidst mountains and forests makes for a refreshing trek.
9 LOCAL TRANSPORTATION :-
Chopta by Public Transport: Chopta is not connected with any public transport. The nearest places covered by public transport are Ukhimath and Guptkashi. You can get taxis from Guptkashi and Ukhimath.
10 VISIT TIME :-
It is a place that is yet to be fully explored and one of the best hill stations in India. Chopta is a must visit destination for nature lovers and those who are passionate for trekking. Chopta has a very cool and pleasant climate from March to May with the temperature between 10 °C and 30 °C. After that comes monsoon season that starts from July and ends in October. Chopta witnesses snowfall from November to March and the temperature is between a minimum of −15 °C and a maximum of 15 °C. It starts snowing in the month of November and increases significantly day by day. By January it is a 4- to 7-foot-thick layer of snowfall. It is fully covered with snow during winters and during the same time, some of the routes going to Chopta are blocked. An alternative route to Chopta is from Deoria Tal, which is 10–12 km trek that starts from Deorial Tal. Deoria Tal can be approached from Saari Village. It can be taken during winter season. So, trekkers must visit the place during winters if they want to see snowfields.
Summertime in Chopta does not offer clear view of Himalayas due to cloudy weather from June to August. All the peaks are covered in clouds and the view is unclear. During winters, the sky is crystal clear and all the mountains are clearly visible. It amazingly offers a 360-degree view of snow-clad mountains.
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