Hike
Tungnath & Chandrashila
The classic Garhwal summit day — the world's highest Shiva temple at Tungnath, then a final kilometre to the Chandrashila peak for a 360-degree panorama from Nanda Devi to Bandarpunch.
The day
A 45-minute drive from Mandal brings you to Chopta (2,700 m), the trailhead. From there it’s a paved trek of about 4 kilometres to Tungnath (3,680 m) — the world’s highest Shiva temple, one of the Panch Kedar. The path is steep but well-engineered: a fit walker takes around two hours.
From Tungnath, the Chandrashila summit (4,000 m) is another 1.5 km of steeper, rockier walking — about 45 minutes if you’re moving and the weather is clear. Stop here and the world opens up: Nanda Devi to the east, Trishul beside it, Chaukhamba behind you, Bandarpunch to the west. On a perfect October morning you can see the entire Garhwal Himalaya in one sweep.
When to go
October–November and April–May are the best windows. In winter the upper section gets snow and crampons become useful; we don’t recommend the summit attempt then unless you have hill experience. In monsoon (July–August) the temple stays open but the views close down.
Difficulty
Moderate. The trek is short by Himalayan standards but the altitude (3,680 m at the temple, 4,000 m at the summit) is significant. Some guests feel light-headed at the top; we plan a slow ascent, a long break at Tungnath, and turn back at the temple if anyone wants to.
How we run it
Pickup from Mandal by 5am to be at Chopta by sunrise; we eat parathas in the car. Local guide for the trail. Hot lunch waiting back at Mandal when you return — usually by 2pm. The bonfire on this evening is non-negotiable.
On the map
Stay base
From our stay in Mandal
Nestled beside a crystal-clear blue river, beneath the sacred heights of Tungnath and bordered by the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. A place of forests, ancient trails, birdsongs and quiet corners. To explore, slow down, or simply be.