Quick answer: The Tungnath trek is about 4.5 km one way from Chopta (2,679 m) to Tungnath temple at 3,680 m; Chandrashila summit (3,962 m) is about 1 km further up the same trail. On our Deoriatal–Chandrashila trek the whole Chopta–Tungnath–Chandrashila day is about 11 km and 8–9 hours. The temple committee gives 3 km.
This guide is for anyone planning the walk from Chopta to Tungnath: as a temple visit, as a winter snow walk, or as the summit day of a longer trek. We run Tungnath as Day 4 of our Deoriatal–Chandrashila trek, so the figures come from that itinerary and the temple committee's page.
How many km is the Tungnath trek?
The walk is short; the climb, about 1,000 m in 4.5 km, is what makes it a trek.
| Stretch | Distance | Altitude | Height gained | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chopta to Tungnath temple | about 4.5 km | 2,679 m → 3,680 m | about 1,001 m | Trek page itinerary (11 km round trip); temple committee says 3 km |
| Tungnath to Chandrashila summit | about 1 km | 3,680 m → 3,962 m | about 282 m | Trek page |
| Chopta to Chandrashila and back (our Day 4 on foot; Baniyakund to Chopta is by road) | about 11 km | 2,679 m → 3,962 m → 2,679 m | about 1,283 m up and down | Trek page itinerary |
Two figures exist for Chopta to Tungnath. The temple committee's page says 3 km; our Day 4 itinerary, measured on the trail from the Chopta road-head to the summit and back, comes to about 11 km, which puts the temple about 4.5 km from Chopta. The difference is where you start counting: the road-head is some way below the trail gate. Plan your water, food and energy for the itinerary figure: about 11 km and 8–9 hours.
Tungnath trek route and map: Chopta to the temple and Chandrashila
The Tungnath trek starts at Chopta, on the Kund–Gopeshwar road. The temple committee puts Chopta about 212 km from Rishikesh via Chamoli and Gopeshwar; our cab goes via Rudraprayag to Sari instead, and on Day 4 you reach Chopta by a short drive from the Baniyakund camp.
- Chopta, 2,679 m. The walk starts here, and summit day is the longest climb of the trek, so the group leaves camp early.
- Forest, then meadows. The trail climbs gradually through rhododendron and oak forest and opens into alpine meadows. In spring the rhododendrons are in bloom; in winter the slopes are white with snow.
- Tungnath temple, 3,680 m. The temple stands on the path, about 4.5 km from Chopta. Take a proper break here.
- Chandrashila, 3,962 m. The last kilometre from the temple is the hardest part of the day. On a clear day the top gives a 360° view of Chaukhamba, Kedarnath, Trishul, Bandarpoonch and Nanda Devi.
- Down the same way. Take the steep upper section slowly.
The route map on our trek page marks Chopta as reached by road on Day 4, then Tungnath (3,680 m) and Chandrashila (3,962 m). Its note says the trail is drawn from mapped footpaths and the Trekkaro route, for orientation, not navigation. Carry two 1 litre bottles, one of them insulated in the snow months, and eat something small at each stop.
Tungnath height and what 1,000 m in one day means
Tungnath stands at 3,680 m (12,073 ft) and Chandrashila at 3,962 m (13,000 ft). From Chopta you gain about 1,001 m to the temple and about 1,283 m to the summit, all on the same day.
The Uttarakhand Health Department's advisory for travellers above 3,000 m asks for no more than 800–1,000 m of elevation gain a day, 5–10 minutes of rest for each hour of trekking, and a descent if you feel unwell. Summit day goes past that gain. You do not sleep high: you return to the Baniyakund camp at 2,610 m the same day. If you get chest pain, breathlessness, a cough that won't stop, dizziness or vomiting on the climb, stop climbing, tell the trek leader and go down, as the advisory says.
Tungnath temple and its opening dates
Tungnath is one of the Panch Kedar shrines and the highest temple of Lord Shiva. The Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee's page on Tungnath places it on the Chandranath parbat in Rudraprayag district, at 3,680 m, and says the winter puja of Tungnath is performed at Makkumath.
The committee's page still shows the 2019 season: opened 10 May, closed 29 October. It gives no dates for 2026. Check the committee's announcement for the current year before you plan a darshan.
Is the Tungnath trek open in winter?
The trail is walked in winter: our Deoriatal–Chandrashila batches cross Tungnath through December, January and February. Snow can reach the higher sections from December. From January to March it covers the meadows, the forest and the summit trail, and patches can stay on the summit into April. For December to February the trek page gives days of 8°C to 14°C and nights of -10°C to -6°C. Since the winter puja is held at Makkumath, plan a winter Tungnath walk as a snow trek, not a darshan.
Free Trekking Gear on this trek covers the snow: Decathlon trekking shoes, a -10°C jacket, trekking poles, gaiters and microspikes. In snow, plant your poles and follow the guide's line. January to March is the coldest and most demanding time on this route.
Best time for the Tungnath trek
It depends on what you want. For the temple, the committee's last published season (2019) ran from May to October. For the views, the trek page calls October to December the most dependable time for the summit panorama. For snow underfoot, it is January to March; for rhododendrons, April and May. For a first Himalayan trek, the trek page recommends April to June; those dates are not listed yet. Of the months on sale now, October and November come before the snow.
The batches on the trek page run from October 2026 to February 2027: 24, 25 and 31 October, 9 in November, 17 in December (weekends to 13 December, then daily from 19 to 31 December), 11 in January and 8 in February.
Doing Tungnath as part of our 5-day trek
A day visit is a drive to Chopta, the walk to Tungnath and the drive back. Our trek takes the longer way: from Rishikesh to Sari by road, then two days on foot past Deoriatal and Rohini Bugyal to Baniyakund, and summit day comes after two days of walking at lower height. The trek page warns that the steep descents on the Day 3 forest stretch test your endurance. On Day 5 the cab leaves Baniyakund at 06:30 AM and reaches Rishikesh by about 05:00 PM, so book a late-evening or next-day journey home.
Who should not pick this trek: anyone who wants only the temple in summer (a day walk from Chopta does that), anyone under 8 (our minimum age), and anyone not ready for two long days back to back. The trek is graded Moderate.
Safety notes for the Tungnath stretch
Rudraprayag is the last reliable ATM before Sari, and cards are not accepted on the trail, so carry small notes. Sari is the last stable signal; beyond it the network is patchy to non-existent. Water at camp is boiled or treated with chlorine tablets; check with the trek leader before refilling anywhere else.
Carry a headlamp and a power bank; cold drains phone batteries fast. Bring an original government photo ID with a photocopy and a medical certificate signed by a doctor. Travel insurance is mandatory and not included, and it must cover high-altitude trekking and emergency evacuation. Carry any altitude medicine your doctor advises. Each camp has a first-aid kit, oxygen cylinders and a stretcher.
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trek fee (5 days, Sari to Baniyakund) | ₹8,250 + 5% GST = ₹8,662.50 |
| EMI | The trek page shows EMI from ₹425 a month |
| Free Trekking Gear | ₹3,000 refundable deposit + ₹200 washing charge (+ GST) |
| Backpack offloading (optional) | ₹1,000 + GST |
| Single tent (optional) | ₹2,000 + GST per tent |
| Shared cab | About ₹6,500 per 5–6 seat vehicle one way, split among trekkers |
Transport is not included in the trek fee: we help the group book shared cabs, paid directly to the driver and split among trekkers. The fee covers stays, meals from Day 1 dinner to Day 4 dinner, permits and forest camping fees, tents, -20°C sleeping bags and the trek team. Tents are shared by 3, with men and women in separate tents. A batch has at most 20 trekkers, with 1 trek leader or guide for every 8, and booking closes at 5 PM (India time) the day before the trek.
If you cancel 30 or more days before departure, you get a 70% refund; at 15–29 days, 50%; at 8–14 days, no cash refund; at 7 days or less, or for a no-show, nothing (no voucher, reschedule or transfer). At any point up to 8 days before departure you can take a 100% TrekCash voucher (valid 1 year), a free reschedule (once per booking) or a transfer to another trekker instead of the cash refund.
See Deoriatal–Chandrashila dates and book | Chandrashila distance and height | Chandrashila best time | Where is Chandrashila?
Frequently asked questions
What are the nearest railway station and airport to Tungnath?
The temple committee gives Rishikesh railway station as the nearest, about 205 km from Tungnath, and Jolly Grant airport as the closest, about 223 km away. Our trek's cab leaves Jumping Heights, Tapovan in Rishikesh at 07:00 AM on Day 1.
Is the Tungnath trek difficult for a beginner?
Fit beginners can do it, but the trek page says it is more than a gentle walk. It is graded Moderate, and the trek page says the steep gradient and high altitude make the summit climb moderately challenging.
Is the Tungnath trek open now, in late October?
Our trek page lists batches on 24, 25 and 31 October 2026, and Day 4 of each crosses Tungnath. For darshan, check the temple committee's announcement for this year's closing date before you travel; its page still shows only 2019 dates (closed 29 October).
Can I do Tungnath without going to Chandrashila?
Yes. The temple is on the way, about 4.5 km from Chopta, so a walk to the temple and back is about 9 km. On our trek, Day 4 goes on to Chandrashila, about 1 km beyond the temple.
What is the minimum age for the Tungnath trek with Trekkaro?
The minimum age is 8, and trekkers under 18 come with a parent or guardian. There is no upper age limit; above 60 we ask for good fitness and a doctor's certificate.
