I didn’t know that you would sweep me off my feet and enthral my senses. Chopta, you were too gorgeous to be true. Cast your spell on us in the magical Himalayan monsoons.
Me and my husband were craving for some wilderness lately .I had heard about Chopta and its unique beauty but honestly never expected this kind of scenic verdure . I was more excited about carrying our own camping tent ,the summit hike to chandrashila and obviously the Tungnaath temple( the highest Shiva temple in the world).Got some camping essentials too.And the Excitement zoomed !
Wandering clouds swept a thin veil over the waterfalls in the backdrop of lush green meadows dotted with colorful wild flowers. These were my first impressions of Chopta as we got off the Jeep. Yes, I have been to Uttarakhand so many times but it appeared as if we were in some other part of the world. Its called the ” mini Switzerland ” for some reason that I now know. The entire zone is under the Forest Department and one can feel the purity due to the lack of commercialization and needless construction. So no fancy hotels, but yes some nice luxury camps.
It rained right from the time we reached Chopta, and I was apprehensive that it would dampen my excitement of pitching our tent on a solitary meadow in the middle of lush oak. We decided to stay in a tented camp accommodation which was rather plush inside.
The buffalo stared at my hubby from the tent’s window while he was brushing his teeth in the well-equipped bathroom and he gave it a friendly whoop.All he could see was the big nostrils peeking into the small mesh window. Yes, it was amusing and cute at the same time !
The trek to Tungnath was rather deserted with only a few devotees coming back since we started a little late. We were actually waiting for the mist to settle and for views to open up. Raincoats, water bottle, some dry snacks and we were up on the drenched yet stunning trek. The view of the Tungnath temple was mesmerizing ( and relieving ) after a good 2.5 hours of hiking. Known to be built by the Pandavas 1000 years ago to recieve pardon from Lord Shiva for their act of killing their own kin in the Mahabharata.One can feel the sacred and blessed charm from the old solid granite slab structure as well the mystical vibes. A true spiritual experience !
What next ? Chandrashila hike ! We met only two other hikers. These young guys who would frequently stop for selfies and attempt to broadcast live videos but were also quite swift. All in swag. The feeling on the summit was exhilirating. One of the guys said ” You can probably lose your sanity in such an ethereal place”. It is believed that this is the place where Lord Rama meditated after defeating king Ravana. The clouds moved on and views were revealed for a few minutes. and then again. Hide and seek .
It stopped raining the next day and we could now pitch our tent. It was smoother than we had imagined. We chose a location far out from civilization , quickly set up the tent and spent some hours inside . I slept a bit to the lullaby of birds chirping and a soothing , caressing breeze.
I cannot emphasize how beautiful the hills look in the monsoons. You have to experience it to believe it. All you need is a raincoat and a sturdy pair of hiking boots. Avoid leeches as they suck ( pun intended ! ) .Not too harmful but not pleasant as well.
Such inviting pictures 🌄🌄🌸🌸 I really like your way of narrating the story… Makes it so interesting!! Cheers, Charu
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Aahhh ! Thank you so much. ❤️
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Everything about this hike sounded perfect and the photos are gorgeous … then you had to mention leeches. GAHHHH!!! I keep forgetting that in your part of the world, the leeches are not water-based!!
The question though is, how do you get leeches on you wearing long pants and big hiking boots?
More importantly, can they/do they get into your tent?
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Hahaha. You certainly can’t avoid leeches during monsoons ,all you can do is to protect yourself wearing hiking boots that are mostly sturdy and little high and shorts should definitely be avoided.No they didn’t get inside our tents as the one we stayed were on high platform. Also we pitched our own tent in dry meadows when rain stopped. Thankyou so much for reading 🙂
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Note to self – avoid forested areas during monsoon weather.
Thanks. Got it 🙂
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Gorgeous images!
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Thankyou so much 🙂
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Amazing pictures and story
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Thankyou for reading and expressing your thoughts 😇
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Beautiful scenic images and love this place.
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Thankyou so much. Glad to know that you liked the pictures. 😊
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Nature’s Beauty is always amazing. Stunning Place.
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Absolutely gorgeous xx
https://projectmusings9.com
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Thankyou . I am in love with this place.💖
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What a great read! Very descriptive 🙂 we are hoping to get onto this trail one day soon 🙂 any tips? Check out the trails we done so far to if your interested, appreciate your advice and support.
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Thankyou so much for reading. Chopta trails are waiting for you. Nothing special. Just keep the trekking essentials with you along with water bottle while you hike to chandrashila trek and yes hiking boots are must if you trek in monsoons to protect yourself from leeches. 😃
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Thanks so much for the reply and all the wonderful tips 🙂 please check out the hikes I have done so far i think you would enjoy the read 🙂 if you do be sure to follow 👍
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Beautiful pictures. It does look like mini Switzerland- clean, serene and so peaceful. Thanks for sharing this.
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Thankyou. It truly was splendid 💓
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Holy cow! What a beautiful place. And in Uttarakhand too. Never knew though I’d heard of the temple from my parents. Wonderful pics, and your description just adds pizzas to it
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Yeah indeed Uttarakhand is full of stunning locations. Lot of them are still not well known. And thankyou for reading 😇
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You’re most welcome 😊 😊 😊
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This is such a beautiful place!! Your pictures make me want to go there..beautiful post 🙂
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Thankyou. It surely will take your breath away. 😊
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Beautiful place! Loved the post!
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Thankyou .It’s indeed an unspoiled place..😊
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wow Pooja…. what an adventure….. the place is so beautiful and enjoying the beauty at a serene place in those tents is amazing……
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Thankyou so much for going through it. Pitching tent was an amazing experience. The beauty of the place mesmerized us for long.
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Wow, great post inspired me to rush here. Nice pictures.
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Thankyou so much for reading.. I am sure you will love this place 😊
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SUPER DUPER! There is a kind of victory in good work, no matter how humble. Now that’s what I call a fine job!
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Thankyou so much 😃
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MARVELOUS! Give the world the best you have, and the best will come to you! I want you to know that I really appreciate your efforts. Keep it up!
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Thankyou for kind words. 😃
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Breathtaking views and pictures!
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Thankyou and everything was dreamy.. 😃
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Though the hills looks beautiful but the hidden pain and struggle here is 😐. Love chopta.
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