SCENE UNSEEN - DEORIATAL & CHOPTA
THE CLOUD CUCKOO LAND...
ROUTE SUMMARY
#1. Delhi - Ghaziabad - Modinagar - Khatauli - Bijnor - Najibabad - Kotdwar - Satpuli - Khirsu - Ukhimath - Deoriatal and Chopta.
#2. Delhi-Meerut-Muzaffarnagar-
#3. Delhi - Muzaffarnagar -Roorkee - Haridwar - DevPrayag - Rudraprayag - Ukhimath - Deoriatal & Chopta
Respect Nature. It Reciprocates!
To pen down the passion, passionately, everybody needs places like the ones described below....unspoilt and fresh like a daisy...dreamlands! The lucky ones would travel right into nature's nest. This post is for those who venture out in search of new places to explore and enjoy.
CONTENTS
INTRO : A crisp Introduction to the Destination & Super Stop.
THE JOURNEY : Driving experience, General Information(Trivia) & Suggestions etc (Notes).
GROUND REPORT : A summary of the Destination & important Stopovers. Safe Pit Stops(refreshment breaks), Super Stops(important stopovers). Details like Altitude, Distances, HOTEL information WITH TELEPHONE NO & Tourist Attractions etc.
INTRO
DESTINATION
DEORIATAL
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| DEORIA TAL |
An ecstatic piece of earth...Grand Graceful Greens and a choppy Lake under Towering Snowy Stunners. A perfectly textured landscape...
...where the photographs hugely underplay the Grandeur of the Master Magician's Masterpiece...
...where the mountain rises into and above the clouds...
...where lucky few are invited to witness the glorious greeting, the sun gives the mountains every morning.
Watch in awe, the magnificent moon bath of majestic Himalayas.
Be enamored...see the scenes unseen at DEORIA TAL.
SUPER STOP
CHOPTA
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| CHOPTA |
Evergreen woodlands, sprawling meadows, varied flora and fauna and a spectacular view of mighty Himalayan ranges...they call it the 'Mini Switzerland' of India. Abandon treadmill, visit Chopta...
...here the treks run parallel to the sky-Piercing Himalayas.
THE JOURNEY
Month : October
Starting point : New Delhi
Destination : CHOPTA & DEORIATAL.
Mode of transport : Car
NOTE : This blog is in continuation of my Khirsu - Ukhimath post. So, for the prequel please click... https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/rest-house-in-himalayas-khirsu-ukhimath.html
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| UKHIMATH |
Around 20-22 kms drive from Sari village to Chopta was breathtakingly beautiful.
Dense woodlands, lush green meadows with great camping sites, majestic snow-capped Himalayas, fresh perfumed air, an invigorating sight of lively streams flowing down through mighty multicoloured rocks...and all this along with a winding & well-tarred serpent road.
NOTE : Chopta, also known as mini Switzerland, falls in a restricted forest zone, hence there is NO ELECTRICITY.
Once we reached near village Duggal Bittha, seven kms before Chopta, accommodation options in the form of camps, tents etc started appearing. We had pre-booked (online) a four bedded accommodation at Hotel Mayadeep Herbal Resort. The location of the hotel was special. Nestled inside a densely forested, lush green narrow valley with a small water stream flowing in the middle, this hotel is in complete isolation from rest of the world. Some may love it and some may not. No electricity and no mobile network. With chirping birds and floating butterflies, this hotel is for the hard-core nature lovers. Rooms and food are average. (Electricity only for 3 hours. 6.30 to 9.30 in the evening through a generator. Kitchen closes at 9.30, a solar torch is provided during the night).
We checked-in at 4:15 pm and within fifteen minutes left for Chopta, seven kms from our hotel.
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| MUNSIYARI |
MIGHTY HIMALAYAS & FAIRYLANDS around DELHI, visit: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/long-drive-hill-stations-around-delhi.html
Chopta, situated at Guptkashi-Gopeshwar road at an elevation of 2680 above sea level, is surrounded by evergreen forests of Deodar, Oak, Pine and Rhododendrons. Chopta is a peaceful village famous as the commencement point of the trek to Tungnath, Chandrashila etc. Tungnath temple is one of the five Panch Kedar temples and is highest among them. There are a number of shops, tea-stalls, dhabas etc selling almost everything that tourists or trekkers need.
NOTE : Accommodation in Chopta is very basic. Homestays or the huts, run by the locals, are only good enough to give you a shelter. There are some budget hotels besides many deluxe and ordinary tented accommodations around Chopta. Have a look at them for a prolonged and more comfortable stay...but the nature-lover may still prefer Chopta.
It was post five in the evening. Sun was planning to relax after a daylong conflict with the snowy giants. Biting cold was making us shiver. With mesmerizing sunset view of the imposing Himalayas, Chopta seemed to be a natural wild-land, an ideal place for a laid-back holiday in the lap of Nature. After enjoying a spicy soupy Maggi with a hot cup of tea at a tea stall, we left for the hotel.
Late evening at the hotel was depressing, perhaps because we never stayed in such conditions earlier. With dim lights around, SHANVI was quite uncomfortable. Dew filled lawns and compromising quality of snakes and refreshments made us jobless. So, we decided to have an early dinner. [Management of Mayadeep herbal resort must brighten up the place a bit, if possible, during late evening hours (as the hotel is situated in a valley and not in the open). Hire someone who can cook. Improve maintenance. Otherwise, an extraordinary & unique location is being wasted].
Next morning was ecstatic and perhaps the most memorable beginning to the day in this prismatic mini valley. Silky soft butterflies piloting their way through the salubrious and sweetly perfumed fresh morning breeze, pretty birds, some of them never seen before, singing the chorus of life in the lush green surroundings, dotted with colourful flowers...! With a toothbrush still in the mouth of little SHANVI, we were tempted to go down to the lawns and be part of the exceptional morning assembly of mother nature. And after a while, a less than ordinary breakfast tasted better in the extraordinary conditions.
Before leaving for Sari gaon we decided to have another peek at Chopta peaks. No wonder they looked wonderful. Fantastic scenery with gigantic snow-capped Himalayas in the background including Trishul, Nanda Devi and Chaukhamba bathing in the morning sunlight was breathtaking.
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| Surkanda Devi...a Shakti-peeth |
PILGRIMAGE IN HIMALAYAS - 22 SPECIAL TEMPLES around famous HILL-STATIONS, click here to know more;https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/05/18-special-temples-around-famous-hill.html
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| Way to Chandershila |
We reached Sari early. I requested Bharat (a shopkeeper) to arrange two quiet mules and two tents at Deoriatal for a night's stay. The idea of hiring two mules was that one remains reserved for SHANVI and the other one for whoever finds the climb tough. We left our car in the safe custody of Bharat and moved on with just a couple of backpacks. We found Laali & Kaali, the two sturdy mules, waiting for us after climbing few stairs of the trek. SHANVI, for the reasons best known to her, immediately chose Laali over Kaali. Sitting in the lap of her maasi(aunt) SHANVI seemed quite at home, a good omen for the journey ahead.
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| Lalli - A friend indeed... |
After around three-four hundred meters of ascent comes a familiar sight of the hills, a beautifully built Shiv Mandir...seemed like a perfect place to seek divine blessings.
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| Jai-Jai Shiv Shankar... |
The trek was tough. Completely uphill, rocky and uneven. The path came much harder on our feet as compared to some normal trails. The good news was that benches to comfort our limbs kept coming at the right times. Also, two horses' concept worked well for us as everybody enjoyed the ride at his or her convenience and requirement. But in the process, the horse wala was getting a bit annoyed as he felt that at the normal pace he could have earned another round. I immediately rewarded him with Rs 200 and in turn, he shared his phone no. with me for tomorrow's return journey.
The one person who enjoyed the journey most till now was SHANVI. In fact, she seemed to be so much in love with Laali that only twice she got dismounted and on both the occasions 'loo' was the sole reason. Now, our only worry was how will we separate two souls at the end of the journey!
Believe me, two and a half kms is a long journey, especially for the city guys like us, who hardly walk a kilometer in a week. At every other turn, we thought, perhaps we have reached. Somehow we pushed on and on...to reach a small tea stall and we dropped, again thinking that we have made it. But the pony-wala enlightened us that it's around 300 meters still to go...But sir, we had decided to take a break. Maagi and tea were ordered. SHANVI looked tired, so she was shifted to her mother's lap and immediately fell asleep.
After the BREAK we headed for the final assault. Mules were rested and the man gently carried SHANVI, without disturbing her sleep for the remaining trek. And finally we came across a row of small eateries confirming that we have done it...but the lake was still a few yards away...broken and shaken, we moved ahead and after a sharp bend, we were Wonderstruck...
After the BREAK we headed for the final assault. Mules were rested and the man gently carried SHANVI, without disturbing her sleep for the remaining trek. And finally we came across a row of small eateries confirming that we have done it...but the lake was still a few yards away...broken and shaken, we moved ahead and after a sharp bend, we were Wonderstruck...
...with almost every step of ours...a sky-punching, dove-white, huge wall of snow was coming nearer...it was Deoriatal's neighbour, Chaukhamba!
As we moved ahead (After paying the fee for entry and for the camera), what we witnessed there, was a leaf out of a Fairy-tales' book. A Fairy-Land minus a Castle...an Ornamental Lake, with a crystal-clear reflection of Majestic Chaukhamba & Co, lodged inside the sprawling lush green Garden of Eden, enriched with a forest of varied species of Himalayan trees and numerous short trails to roam around in the illustrious company of Mother Nature. Please mind that a lot of rare and cute Himalayan birds are watching you...
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| BLACK-HEADED JAY |
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SO...DON'T LITTER AROUND. USE DUSTBINS. BE ECO-FRIENDLY.
As we reached here early, we enjoyed a clear view of glittering Himalayas. Generally, with the rising Sun, the snowy peaks start getting blanketed with the clouds. We, therefore, were extremely delighted to watch an uninterrupted view of Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Kalanag, Neelkanth, Yellow tooth and the imposing Chaukhamba Peak towering over the vast stretches of refreshing grasslands. The thought of an overnight stay in the tents here too was enthralling.
NOTE : Why it is called Deoriatal? See Ground Report below.
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| KANATAL-At 10,000 ft. |
For Weekend Hill Stations around Delhi(THE 7 HOURS' DESTINATIONS), visit: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/weekend-hill-stations-around-delhi.html
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Soon we were contacted by the person who had to arrange our night stay there. The first thing we requested him was to pitch our tents and then arrange some refreshments for us. Remaining few tourists, who stayed here the previous night, were in the process of leaving, so we got our tents pitched at the location of our choice, i.e., at a nice and broad crest of the meadow with a clear view of the lake. Once tents were stationed in place, it was SHANVI's turn to enjoy the comforts of the new home in every possible manner. Running in and out and around the tent, she immediately started playing hide and seek with us. In the meantime the fluffy clouds started to settle around the snowy tops, making it appear as if the peak were floating in the clouds.
After lazing around a bit we had an almost tasteless lunch of roti-jeera aloo & dal-Chawal (bread with cooked potatoes & rice-pulses). Our stock of namkeens, chocolates and fruits, which we normally carry, helped us a lot as the taste of the food was very compromising.
Most of the day was spent roaming around, eating, playing cards, flying frisbee & shooting the lake, the peaks, the landscapes and pretty SHANVI. In the afternoon we decided to walk down through some fragrant woodlands around the alluring meadow. The exhibition of such scenic and peaceful surroundings was an invitation to meditate. The chanting of OM at such a place makes one rise above the cacophony of worldly grinds...for sure!
As the sky was getting darker, we could notice a fading cloud cover over Chaukhamba. Once the sun moves to other parts of the world, it's time for the stars to take center stage.
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| MOON-BATHED ! |
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| GOOD NIGHT |
Don't know how, but I woke up at around 2 AM. Though the sleep was trying to overpower me in the cozy sleeping bag, yet a strong temptation to have a look at Chaukhamba forced me to unzip the tent's exit. And before I could move out...the sight of colossal Chaukhamba, reflecting the milky bright moonlight, floored me! To view the graceful grandeur of the moonlit snowy hilltops at this hour of the night was an experience inexpressible!
With solar torch (provided by the tent owner) in my hand, I moved out of the tent. The biting cold was making me shiver. There was an absolute silence all around the place. After a long-long time perhaps, my eardrums could not sense any vibration in the air. Though not raining, dew filled surroundings and water vapours rich atmosphere had a typical scent. An almost full moon was defining the landscape differently. The sky looked richer manifolds on the star count. There was no vacant space at-all to insert another one. We all love to see these shining, twinkling and glittering self-dependent little stars. There was a live spectacle for the meek creatures on earth to applaud the Almighty...who needs sleep with such a dazzling night-show.
Moral of the story : Leave city...if you want to admire the amazing night sky.
Again, a very ordinary morning tea tasted OK due to a chilly & blissful morning, watching gigantic Himalayan ranges...that dwarf everything around!
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| Driving Back... |
"There is an end to every journey. It is the journey that matters in the end"
As we had to reach Delhi tonight, an approx 450 kms drive in addition to two and a half kms downhill trek, we left...early.
PIT STOPS
See KHIRSU -UKHIMATH blog, click: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/rest-house-in-himalayas-khirsu-ukhimath.html
SUPER STOP
CHOPTA
Altitude - 2,680 metres (8,790 ft)
State - Uttrakhand
District - Rudraprayag
DISTANCE
Delhi - Chopta : 460 kms approx.
Kotdwar - Chopta : 240 kms approx.
Khirsu - Chopta : 130 kms approx.
Ukhimath - Chopta : 30 kms approx.
Nearest railway station : Kotdwar
Nearest airport : Jolly Grant Airport.
HOW TO REACH
BY ROAD : Chopta is well connected with motorable roads with all major towns of Uttarakhand. At ISBT New Delhi, buses are conveniently available to well-known towns of Uttarakhand such as Pauri, Kotdwar, Srinagar etc.
BY RAIL : Nearest Railway Station Kotdwar, is well connected to Chopta by road.
By air : Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest Airport. Taxis are available from Jolly Grant Airport to Chopta.
MAIN ATTRACTION*
Chopta, situated in the evergreen forest of Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary, is famous as mini Switzerland of India. With varied flora and fauna comprising of towering oaks, pines, rhododendrons etc along with lush green meadows and rare Himalayan species of bird and animals like musk deer, Chopta is a must visit destination for nature enthusiasts.
WHAT TO DO
Chopta is paradise for photographers and bird watchers.
Camping and trekking - Chandrashilla peak 4090 mts, Tungnath temple at 3680 mts, Deoria Tal (a freshwater lake) at 2438 mts.
Activities like Yoga, Rock craft, rock climbing, rappelling etc.
A panoramic view of 41 Himalayan peaks - Meru, Sumeru, Ganesh Parwat, Chaukhamba, Bandarpunch, Nilkantha, Trishul, Nanda Devi etc.
NOTE : Accommodation in Chopta village is very basic. There were one or two small hotels but I don't remember their names. Homestays and the huts etc, run by the locals. The hotels listed below are few kilometers away from Chopta.
1. Mayadeep herbal resort
Address: Okhimath-Gopeshwar Road, Duggal Bittha, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand 246469
Phone: 098181 44959
2. Magpie Jungle Camp
Address: Dugal bitta, Rudraprayag, Chopta, Uttarakhand 246469
Phone: 097586 67755
3. Chopta Meadows Heritage Camps
Address: Ukhimath - Chopta - Gopeshwar Rd, Chopta, Uttarakhand 246419
Phone: 098113 53736
4. Chauhan Guest House
Address: Ukhimath - Chopta - Gopeshwar Rd, Baniyakund, Uttarakhand 246419
Phone: 098181 44959
5. Hanumant Inn & Resorts
Address: Ukhimath Chopta Mandal Gopeshwar Rd, Sari, Uttarakhand 246419
Phone: 099680 96179
DEORIATAL
Altitude - 2,438 m (7,999 ft)
State - Uttrakhand
District - Rudraprayag
DISTANCE
Ukhimath - Sari Gaon : 12 kms approx + 2.5 kms trek.
Nearest railway station : Kotdwar
Nearest airport : Jolly Grant Airport.
HOW TO REACH
Jeeps are available from Ukhimath to reach Sari, a nearby village. Trek another approx 2.5 kms to reach Deoriatal.
MAIN ATTRACTION*
A truly offbeat destination, Deoria Tal (Also spelled as Devaria or Deoriya) is a freshwater lake located at about 2.5 kms on an uphill trek from the village Sari. Deoriatal, a lush green meadow, is known for a mesmerizing 300-degree panoramic view of snow-capped mountain range.
According to Hindu mythology, this lake is the bathing place of devtas and hence the name 'Deoriatal'. It is believed that here the Pandavas were asked 18 questions with philosophical and metaphysical ramifications by mysterious Yaksha (a celestial entity).
WHERE TO STAY
Very basic hotels or homestays, run by the locals are only good enough to give you a shelter, at village Sari. Tents are easily available at Deoriatal for night's stay.
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| NOTE : ALWAYS drive carefully there...remember, mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence. |
To enjoy all my posts...click your preferred link below:
PHOTO GALLERIES
1. NAINITAL & JAGESHWAR...the lake city & the land of Shiva
2. MUSSOORIE & DHANAULTI
3. MUNSIYARI...the lofty Himalayan sequence
2. MUSSOORIE & DHANAULTI
3. MUNSIYARI...the lofty Himalayan sequence
QUICK READS
Respect Nature. She Reciprocates!
Mountains are the World’s Water Towers. Water, stocked as Glaciers, flows downwards in form of rivers. Besides satisfying our thirst, it also sustains most of the food production in addition to the maintenance of various green belts that generate the basic requirement of our life, the oxygen.
My birthplace, Delhi is a wonderful place, just a few hundred kilometers away from world's most famous water towers, The Towering Himalayas. And whenever we want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city we head straight into the lush green wilds of the Himalayas to breathe easy in the lap of raw nature. With an almost endless list of destinations, blessed with delightful landscapes and colourful trails for all tastes, capacities & capabilities, Himalaya, we believe is the abode of Gods. However, spending time in such serene surroundings brings its own responsibilities too...
...avoid littering around. Use eco-friendly produce during the journey.
* Compiled from Google
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The Himalayan escape...around Delhi
"Tourists don't know where they've been. Travellers don't know where they are going"
-Paul Theroux
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| Wanderer's Wonderland |
* Compiled from Google
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