Explore the Tungnath trek and its breathtaking views.

By Shivani 

The most unforgettable journey I have experienced so far in my life. The trip was unforgettable because it wasn't the intended plan, due to my final exams at IGNOU. In the evening of June 28th, we hopped on a train to Haridwar. By around 7 am the next morning, we had reached our destination. 

After having breakfast at a local dhaba, we searched for a bus or share taxi to take us to Chopta, which is on a different route from Kedarnath. After an extensive search, we discovered that the bus to Chopta had already left the city in the morning before our arrival. Afterwards, we searched for a share taxi and managed to find one heading to Kund. However, the other passengers in the taxi were traveling to Kedarnath Temple , so the route diverged from the one leading to Tungnath temple.

The view I saw all the way to the kund was absolutely mesmerizing. The sun was gracefully setting on the mountains, casting a beautiful glow. In just a fleeting moment on the route, we caught a glimpse of the stunning snow-covered mountains. The route was clearly hazardous with numerous curves, but the driver was experienced. At first, I was a little nervous while sitting in the front seat of the car, but as we drove, I became entranced by the stunning mountains. 

Upon arriving in Chopta, I understood why it's called the mini Switzerland. The beauty of the towering trees, mountains, and clouds surrounding the area was truly breathtaking. By the time we arrived, the sun had almost set. We decided to take a short break and rest for the night before starting our 5-kilometer trek on the morning of June 29th at around 6 am.

Excitedly, we began our trek but as we ventured on, our energy started to dwindle. To keep our spirits up, we played some uplifting music and continued our journey. Along the way, we came across numerous natural formations, pastures, and small stone houses where we observed some people tending to their shops or calling it home. We truly experienced the beauty of the journey over the destination as we trekked and encountered many stunning sights that were incredibly soothing to the eyes. As we approached the temple, we felt our energy dropping again. But this time, Mahadev made sure to boost our energy as soon as we caught a glimpse of the temple. Our spirits were instantly lifted and we started walking faster once more. Upon arrival at the temple, we enjoyed some time at the top and took some photos. The Chandrashila peak, which was 2 kilometers above the temple, was our initial destination. However, we were running out of time as it was getting darker. Therefore, we chose not to continue to the peak and instead decided to return to our camp. I had never trekked before, but my first experience was incredibly beautiful and calming.