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    Deoriatal Chandrashila Peak Trek

Rating : 5.0

Destinations Covered : - Chandrishala - Dioriatal

Journey Begins : 05/10/2021 ( 5N 6D)

Group Size : 10 to 20

Package Category :

Starting from : ₹ 980 ₹ 1,000 Per Person 2% off

Package Code : SAT13

Available : 5

Sold By : Slip a trip

No convenience fee on paying through NEFT in payment method.

Rating : 5.0

Package Code : SAT13

Available : 5

Sold By : Slip a trip

Destinations Covered : - Chandrishala - Dioriatal

Journey Begins : 05/10/2021 ( 5N 6D)

Group Size : 10 to 20

Package Category :

Starting from : ₹ 980 ₹ 1000 Per Person 2% off

No convenience fee on paying through NEFT in payment method.

Overview :

An in-depth account by the Founder Of Indiahikes, Arjun Majumdar, who has been on this trek thrice! He loves it. And in this account, he will reveal why, by taking you through every detail that you must know about this trek.


Set in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, the Deoriatal Chandrashila trek is a treat for wildlife lovers. And it is also a great summit climb (12,083 ft)  for those who are beginning to start trekking in the Himalayas.

You see, summit climbs are rewarding, and trudge up a mountain for hours during the wee hours. You reach its highest point like the rays of the sun lighten the sky. Everything is below you — the clouds, the hills, the tiny specks of civilization. On a Himalayan trek, you usually see mountain ranges in the distance.

This is where Deoriatal Chandrashila is special. It is not a section of Himalayan ranges that you see. You see all the major summits of Western and Eastern Uttarakhand from the summit. By all, we mean all.

Highlights :

    An in-depth account by the Founder Of Indiahikes, Arjun Majumdar, who has been on this trek thrice! He loves it. And in this account, he will reveal why, by taking you through every detail that you must know about this trek.


    Set in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, the Deoriatal Chandrashila trek is a treat for wildlife lovers. And it is also a great summit climb (12,083 ft)  for those who are beginning to start trekking in the Himalayas.

    You see, summit climbs are rewarding, and trudge up a mountain for hours during the wee hours. You reach its highest point like the rays of the sun lighten the sky. Everything is below you — the clouds, the hills, the tiny specks of civilization. On a Himalayan trek, you usually see mountain ranges in the distance.

    This is where Deoriatal Chandrashila is special. It is not a section of Himalayan ranges that you see. You see all the major summits of Western and Eastern Uttarakhand from the summit. By all, we mean all.

Package Itinerary :

Day 1(Reach Sari)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

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    Lunch

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    Dinner

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    Stay

Sari, the base camp of the Deoriatal-Chandrashila trek, is an 8 hour drive from Rishikesh. The journey is picturesque, as you pass through Devaprayag, the confluence of rivers Alakananda and Bhagirathi to form river Ganga. The entire journey traverses the mountain side, with the river flowing below you. A quick tip: Pick the window seat on the right to enjoy the views! Sari is a small village with around 100 houses. If you reach Sari when the sun is still out, go down to the village and walk around. The paddy fields are so prettily laid out that they almost beckon to you. There is a small school amidst the fields. This school was built in 1947 and is the only school at Sari. The views around the village are gorgeous. This is also where you’ll get your first glimpse of the summit of Chandrashila!

  • Altitude: 6,601 ft (2012 m)
  • Time taken: 7-8 hours drive from Rishikesh. Transport from Rishikesh at 6.30 AM.

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Day 2(Sari to Deoriatal)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

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    Lunch

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    Dinner

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    Stay

  • Altitude: 6,601 ft (2012 m) to 7,841 ft (2,390 m)
  • Time taken: 2 hours, 3.5 km
  • Trek gradient: Easy. The day starts from the village with climbging a few stairs, followed by a gradual climb on a well-defined rocky trail. It becomes steeper after the first 20 minutes. A short walk on even terrain after an hour of climbing takes you to the campsite.
  • Water sources: None. Carry around 1 litre of water from Sari.

The adventure starts at Sari. There is a sign-board indicating the trek route to Deoriatal in the heart of the small market in Sari, next to Hira and Murali Singh Negi Tourist House. The sign board says Devariya Tal, which is an alternative name for the lake. It’s called so because it’s believed that devis (Goddesses) once came to the lake to take a dip. Alternatively, one can also start the trek from Ukhimath by taking another trekking route over the mountain for an 8 km steep incline trek to Sari. However, if you are short of time, this can be avoided. You can instead proceed to Sari via road.

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Day 3(Deoriatal to Syalmi via Rohini Bugyal)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

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    Lunch

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    Dinner

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    Stay

  • Altitude: 7,841 ft (2,390 m) to 7,710 ft (2,350 m)
  • Time taken: 6-7 hours, 10 km
  • Trek gradient: Moderate. Initial 15 minutes of gradual ascent followed by 45 minutes of steep descent, easing off after an hour of ascent to reach Rohini Bugyal. After 10 minutes of graduate ascent, comes the steep descent for 90 minutes to Siyalmi campsite.
  • Water sources: Carry 2 litres of water from Deoriatal. No water sources along the way

Walk along the left side of the lake towards the Forest Guest Lodge. Pass by a watch tower and proceed from behind the Forest Lodge from your right. A lovely forest trail awaits you. Full of rhododendron and maple trees, the trail is a picturesque one. Every now and then, the Kedar Dome and Chaukhamba peaks peek at you through the trees on your left.

After 15 minutes of forest walk from the guest house, look for a small clearing as you exit the forest. In front of you, the Chandrashila peak is visible. Below, towards your right, you can see Sari village again. Observe the open expanse and a view of the forested ridge. This is the logical route of the forest ridge trek to the base of Chandrashila Peak. Take the ascending trail ahead of you as you get much better views from both sides of the valley. Towards your left, you can see the mountain ridge, from where a trail to Madhmaheshwar and Nandikund trek passes. After 15 minutes of climbing the ridge, look out for the highest point of the ridge nearest to you. This hill-top has a flag post. This is Jhandi Dhar (N 30°31.580, E 079 °08.515). In the month of March and April, the trail is blazing with red and pink flowers of rhododendron. After 15 minutes of following the laid trail, you reach the top of Jhandi Dhar. The ridge has a small flat ground with unobstructed views from all sides. The forest continues to thicken throughout the trek. If you thought the forests until now were dense, you haven’t seen the start of it. From here, proceed and take the trail that descends rapidly and connects with the forest ridge below. The descent is sharp, but pleasant. After 10-15 minutes, the trail takes an eventful turn as you enter the forest ridge from the left. The flora of the region is stupendous. Every now and then, you might come across small shrines with bright yellow flags tied to them. These are all made by tourists and locals. You can use them as landmarks to ensure you’re on the right trail. Also, keep an eye out for wild animals such as foxes and leopards. Keep walking on a leisurely downhill trail inside a generous cover of the forest, which will give you respite from the late morning sun. This is a quiet section of the forest with an abundance of birds. The Himalayan woodpecker and Verditer Flycatcher can easily be spotted here. Walk for another 20 minutes, until you see three trails branching out.

Take the centre trail that ascends gradually. This is the trail to Rohini Bugyal. After 20 minutes of gradual ascent, you’ll walk on level land for around 10 minutes. From here, the trail opens to small pasture land. You exit the forest even as the view of Chandrashila peak greets you up front. Just before you, you see the second forest ridge that needs to be traversed. Take the trail from the right side of the connecting ridge. It passes by a small grassland. The trail ascends sharply as you re-enter the forest once. This part of the forest has some of the oldest oak, maple and rhododendron trees of the Kedarnath Sanctuary. Another 20 minutes of trekking will have you reach the next landmark of the day, which is next to a small temple. This is known as Bhagdwal by the locals. By now, you have trekked approximately 5 km. There are three trails branching out from here. The one towards the right descends sharply and reconnects with Sari Village. The one that descends from the left goes to a local village near Ukhimath. Take the center trail and walk for 15-20 minutes till you reach a small meadow. From here, you can see Kala Parvat, which is a peak located on the right of Chandrashila peak. Below Kala Parvat is a small glacial lake, called Bisuri Tal. As the legend has it, the Pandavas hid their weapons here. The trail from here is a leisurely walk ahead for about 30 minutes as you pass a small rivulet. The stream is the only source of water and it is advisable to fill your bottles here. Rohini Bugyal is now only a 40 meter climb up from your right side. Rohini Bughyal (N 30°31.026, E 079 °11.702) is a small meadow surrounded by beautiful rhododendron forest and view of the Kedar dome and the Kala Parvat peaks. The sunset view from here is incomparable! The Syalmi campsite is across the small valley that’s just in front of the Rohini Bugyal campsite. It takes another 20-30 minutes to reach the campsite.

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Day 4(Syalmi to Baniya Kund 6 km)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

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    Lunch

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    Dinner

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    Stay

  • Time taken: 4 hours, 6 km
  • Altitude: 7,710 ft (2,350 m) to 8,562 ft (2,610 m)
  • Trek gradient: Easy-moderate, an hour of descending till Akashkamini river, followed by a steep ascent through dense forest. And after an hour of climbing, you will see the first chaniya and from there, it’s a series of ascent and descend till Baniya Kund.
  • Water sources:  Lots of water sources on the way.

Next, you traverse the ridge of Rohini Bughyal to enter the meadows of Bhrujgali. From Rohini Bughyal, proceed towards the connecting forest ridge from your right. Observe a tall rhododendron tree, which is just a five-minute walk from the camp site. Enter the forest of upper Rohini Bugyal and reconnect with the old trail to Chopta. Follow the trail that ascends gradually all the way to the top of the forested ridge. It takes 30 minutes to reach the ridge top, which is covered in dense forest cover. The locals call this spot as Tikidi Khal. From here, there are two trails. One goes straight ahead towards Kala Parvat. This trail goes all the way to Bisuri Tal and Nandikund. The other trail takes a sharp right turn and descends rapidly all the way to Akash Kamini, a rivulet coming from Chandrashila. Take the second trail and descend 500 ft to reach the stream crossing. It takes 20-30 minutes to reach the stream. It’s a good idea to refill your water bottles here. There is a small bridge that needs to be crossed.

From here, take the trail that now ascends gradually with a series of three scissor bends. As you climb up, the view of the valley gets better and better. Around 20 minutes of the steady climb will take you to a small meadow. There is a series of shepherd huts here made of stones. In summer, you will find locals occupying the huts with their livestock. As you enter the meadow, look for a path that diverts towards your right and around 20 minutes of descent through a jungle trail, you would come upon a road head. Walk for about a kilometer to reach the Baniya Kund campsite.

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Day 5(Baniya Kund to Chopta by car. Trek to Chandrashila Peak via Tungnath and back to Baniya Kund)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

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    Lunch

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    Dinner

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    Stay

  • Altitude: 8,562 ft (2,610 m) to 12,083 ft (3,683 m)
  • Time taken: 5-6 hours, 8 km
  • Trek gradient: Gradual ascent to Tungnath (3 km) followed by a steep climb to Chandrashila for about 60 minutes. The descent on the same path takes around 90 minutes.
  • Water sources: None. Ensure you are well hydrated and carry 2 litres of water while starting from Chopta

Start the trek early, preferably before sunrise, so that you can treat yourself to a sunrise view from Tungnath and the Chandrashila peak. The trek from Chopta to Tungnath is accessible via a cemented pilgrim trail. From your campsite, take this trail. It ascends sharply via a series of 11 scissor bends. The walk is pleasant but is a very steep climb. The trek up to Tungnath temple is approximately 3 km. After you reach the 10th scissor bend, look for a flag and a small open temple towards your right side.


You can now see Chandrashila peak and Tungnath temple complex at the base of the peak. The views from here onwards are incredible. A connecting peak leading to Chandrashila, known as Ravanshila, is visible to your right. Tungnath temple is only half a kilometre away from here. Towards your left, overlooking the valley is a section of Birch trees (Bhojpatra). This is a haven for birds like Monal and Griffin vulture. Take the 11th and last bend to reach the famous and holy Tungnath temple. The temple is closed in winter and you will find snow here from late December until around April. Tungnath temple is the third of the Panch Kedars. These are 5 temples believed to have been built by the Pandavas to atone for the sins of killing their kin and Brahmins in the Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata. Lord Shiva, whose forgiveness they sought, disguised himself as a bull. Parts of this bull appeared in 5 different places, each of these identified as a Panch Kedar. Tungnath is where his hands and chest are said to have appeared. This place has the distinction of being the only temple in the world to be located at such a high altitude (12,083 ft). Chandrashila peak is 1.5 km above the temple complex. The route to Chandrashila peak is from behind of the temple complex. Pass by the local dormitories and take the trail that winds from the right side of the base of Chandrashila peak. A trail goes by from here and takes a series of scissor bends. During winter, expect this trail to be completely buried in snow. Those planning to do a winter trek here are strongly advised to carry crampons/micro-spikes and an ice-axe. The climb from Tungnath to Chandrashila is a 600 ft ascent and is a very steep climb. After you negotiate a series of switchbacks, you will reach the upper base of Chandrashila Peak. From here, the summit of Chandrashila is visible. The climb up to the summit takes 30-45 minutes.

Once at the top of the peak, you get a 360-degree view of the mountains of Garhwal and Kumaon. Walk past a temple and see some great mountains of Uttarakhand, like Nanda Devi, Trishul, Nandaghunti, Kamet, Dunagiri, Chaukhamba, Kedar dome, Thalaysagar, Gangotri ranges, Jahanukut and more. The sunrise view from this spot is the best you will get to see in all of the Himalayas. At Chandrashila, you find another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is believed to have been built by Rama to atone for the sin of killing Ravana. This temple is open from April to October. The deity is moved to Ukhimath in winter. The trek back to Chopta is via the same route taken to reach here. It takes 20-30 minutes to reach Tungnath and another 60 minutes to reach Chopta from Tungnath.

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Day 6(Depart to Rishikesh)

Inclusions :

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    Breakfast

Chopta also has a few private guest lodges. Board your jeeps from here for a drive back to Rishikesh. You will reach Rishikesh between 6.00 and 7.00 pm. Cab costs will be approximately Rs 6,000 per vehicle on the way back as the drive from Chopta increases distance by 20 kms.

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Hotel Details :

Guest House

Chandrishala

Rating :

Package Includes :

  • Accommodation – Stay from Day 1 to Day 5 (Sari to Baniya Kund). Sari and Baniya Kund have guest house accommodation. You will camp on the trek (3 per tent).
  • Meals – All meals from Dinner at Sari on Day 1 to breakfast at Baniya Kund on Day 6 are included. We provide simple, nutritious vegetarian food on all days of the trek.
  • Camping charges – All trekking permits and forest camping charges are included.
  • Trekking equipment – High-quality tents, sleeping bags, ice axes, roped, microspikes, gaiters, etc. as required.
  • Safety equipment – First aid, medical kit, oxygen cylinders, stretchers, etc. will be available at all campsites to deal with emergencies.

Package Excludes :

  • Transport to and from the base camp – We will arrange shared taxis for trekkers to pick you up from Rishikesh and drop you back there from Baniya Kund. This will cost Rs.5,500 per 5-6 seater vehicle on the way to Sari and Rs.6,000 per 5-6 seater vehicle o
  • Food during transit to and from the base camp
  • Backpack offloading charges – Rs 750 for the full trek + 5% GST. The backpack cannot weigh more than 9 kgs. Suitcases/strolleys/duffel bags will not be allowed. Please note that charges will vary for last minute offloading in case you decide to offload yo
  • Anything apart from inclusions

Terms & Conditions :

We understand the pain of cancelling a trek. As trekkers, we always look forward to treks, and after months of training and planning, if we have to cancel our trek, there’s no greater disappointment than that. 

Given that, we have one of the most trekker-friendly cancellation policies. 

Take a look at the Indiahikes cancellation policy below.

Cancellation Policy :

In case, you wish to cancel your trek, please login to your account and cancel.
Cancellation requests will not be taken over phone or email.

The cancellation charges are as under.
Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the trek — full refund.
Cancellation between 30 days and 20 days to the start of the trek — 50% refund.
Cancellation less than 20 days to the start of the trek — no refund.
Please note: In case of refund, there will be a deduction of 4% (cancellation charges) from the total fee you have paid. Also, if you have opted for a trek insurance, the amount will not be refunded.

If a trek is called off at the last moment due to a natural calamity/unforeseen circumstances (like rains, earthquake, landslides, strike, bandh, unexpected global health issue etc), Indiahikes will issue a trek voucher for the full amount. The voucher can be redeemed for the same trek or another trek in the next one year.

Additional Information :

Backpack Offloading

Indiahikes expects all trekkers to carry their own backpacks. All common gear will be carried by the support team. If for some reason a trekker is unable to carry his or her backpack, he/she can offload the same by paying an additional charge.

Backpack offloading charges – Rs 1,000 plus GST of 5%. Charges for last minute offloading during the trek will be Rs. 375 per day inclusive of tax. You can opt for offloading directly your dashboard after your payment is done for the trek.

Partial offloading is not allowed. The backpack cannot weigh more than 9 kg. No suitcases/strolleys/duffel bags will be allowed.
Online offloading in advance is possible up to three days prior to the trek start date.


 

Repeat Trekker Policy

At Indiahikes, we believe that the mountains hold all the aces. The weather could play spoilsport, the altitude could mess with a trekker, the unpredictability of nature itself could turn against him. Whatever the reason might be, it is never nice to turn away from a trek midway.

In the event that a trekker has to come down without completing your trek, they can always head back to the mountain and do the same trek again. If this happens, trekkers don’t have to pay the trek fee. They have to just make the optional payment for the insurance amount.

On another note, it could also happen that you love a trek so much that you want to go back time and again. Trekkers don’t have to pay the trek fee for repeating a trek.

Note – The Repeat Trekker Policy holds good only for Indian Treks.
It is not valid for treks we run in Nepal.

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