Quick answer: Tungnath temple is the highest Shiva temple and the third of the Panch Kedar, at 3,680 m (12,073 ft) in Rudraprayag district. It is a walk of about 3 to 3.5 km from Chopta. The temple committee announces opening and closing dates each year; in winter the puja moves to Makkumath.
Where is Tungnath temple and how high is it?
The Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), which manages the shrine, places Tungnath "on the Chandranath parbat in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand" and calls it "the highest temple of Lord Shiva", at 3,680 m above sea level. The Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust gives the same height, 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and puts the temple "just below the peak of Chandrashila". Chandrashila, at 3,962 m (13,000 ft) on our trek page, is about 1 km further up the same trail.
The temple also stands inside the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. The Wildlife Institute of India's page on the sanctuary places it in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts and captions one of its photos "Timberline at Tungnath inside KWS".
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Temple altitude | 3,680 m (12,073 ft) | BKTC; Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust |
| Location | Chandranath parbat, Rudraprayag district | BKTC |
| Place in the Panch Kedar | Third (Tritiya Kedar), highest of the five | Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust |
| Road head | Chopta, 2,679 m (8,790 ft) | Trek page |
| Chopta to the temple on foot | About 3 to 3.5 km (the temple committee gives 3 km) | BKTC; Trekkaro |
| Temple to Chandrashila summit | About 1 km, to 3,962 m (13,000 ft) | Trek page |
| Rishikesh to Chopta by road | About 212 km | BKTC |
| Winter seat of the deity | Makkumath, about 45 km from Ukhimath | BKTC |
| Opening and closing | Announced each year by the committee | BKTC |
When does Tungnath temple open and close?
There is no fixed calendar date. The BKTC sets the opening and the closing for each season and announces them. In a past season the committee listed the temple as open from May to October, so treat May to October as a guide and check the committee's announcement before you plan a darshan.
Winter is clearer on the official pages. The Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust says that "during the winter season, the temple is closed", and that the symbolic image of the deity and the priests move to Mukkumath, "19 km from the main temple". The BKTC says "Winter puja of Tungnath is performed at Makkumath" and places Makkumath about 45 km from Ukhimath.
For darshan and aarti timings and the doli (palanquin) procession on the days the doors open and close, ask the committee through the contact details on the BKTC page on Tungnath and its other temples.
What is the history and legend of Tungnath?
Tungnath is one of the Panch Kedar, five temples of Shiva in Garhwal. The BKTC names the group in its Madmaheshwar entry: Madmaheshwar, with "the other temples being Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath and Kalpeshwar." The Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust calls Tungnath the Tritiya Kedar, the third of the five, and "the highest of the five PanchKedar temples".
On its age, the trust says only that the temple "is believed to be more than 3000 years old". On the legend, it says Tungnath "has a rich legend linked to the Pandavas, heroes of the Mahabharata epic", and goes no further. This guide keeps to what the official pages say.
The trek page describes the shrine as an "ancient stone temple" that "stands against the mountains".
How do you reach Tungnath temple?
The BKTC gives the route: by the Kund–Gopeshwar road "up to Chopta about 212 km from Rishikesh", then "the short 3 km trek route to reach the Tungnath temple." For roads via Ukhimath or Gopeshwar, buses and taxis, see how to reach Tungnath and Chopta.
On foot it is about 3 to 3.5 km from Chopta, with about 1,000 m of height gain to the temple and a steep final 1 km beyond it to Chandrashila. Stage-by-stage distances and times are in the Tungnath trek distance and route guide.
Which months suit a visit to Tungnath?
It depends on whether you want darshan, snow or easy walking, because those fall in different months.
- For darshan, go between the committee's opening and closing dates; in the one season the BKTC lists, that was May to October.
- For snow, our trek page says to come from December to April. The temple is closed for winter in those months, so the walk is a snow walk, not a darshan.
- For pleasant weather and clear trails, the trek page points to May–June and October–November. May, June and October also fall inside the past open season.
How does the Trekkaro trek visit Tungnath?
Tungnath is on Day 4 of our 5-day Deoriatal–Chandrashila (Chopta Chandrashila) trek, which starts at Sari, camps about 200 m from Deoriatal and at Baniyakund, and ends at Baniyakund. On Day 4 a short drive takes you to Chopta; you walk to Tungnath (3,680 m) and Chandrashila (3,962 m) and back to Baniyakund, 11 km in 8–9 hours.
The trek runs from October to June, so some batches reach Tungnath while the doors are shut for winter. If darshan matters to you, pick a trek date between that season's opening and closing dates.
The fee is ₹8,250 + 5% GST (₹8,662.50) per person. The minimum age is 8, and trekkers under 18 come with a parent or guardian. Every trekker brings a doctor-signed medical certificate; the form is in My Bookings. Meals are pure vegetarian. Transport is not included: we help the group book shared cabs, about ₹6,500 one way per 5–6 seat vehicle, paid directly to the driver and split among trekkers. See the trek page for live batch dates.
See Chopta Chandrashila trek dates and book | Tungnath trek distance | Chopta travel guide
Frequently asked questions
Who decides the Tungnath temple opening date?
The Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, which manages Tungnath, announces the opening and closing for each season. The one past season shown on its page ran from May to October, so check the committee's announcement before you plan a darshan.
Where is Lord Tungnath worshipped when the temple is closed?
The winter puja of Tungnath is performed at Makkumath, which the temple committee places about 45 km from Ukhimath. The symbolic image of the deity and the priests move there for the winter.
Is Tungnath the highest Shiva temple?
Yes. The temple committee calls Tungnath the highest temple of Lord Shiva, at 3,680 m (12,073 ft). It is also the highest of the five Panch Kedar temples.
How far is Tungnath temple from Chopta?
It is a walk of about 3 to 3.5 km from Chopta, and the temple committee gives 3 km. Chandrashila summit is about 1 km further up the same trail.
Why do two official pages spell the winter seat differently?
The temple committee writes Makkumath and places it about 45 km from Ukhimath. The Shri Kedarnath Charitable Trust writes Mukkumath and places it 19 km from the main temple. Both name the place where the winter puja of Tungnath is held.
