Deoriatal and Chandrashila in one route
The Deoriatal Chandrashila trek links two of the most photographed places in the Garhwal Himalaya. Deoriatal is a small lake at 2,438 metres, a short steep climb above the village of Sari, that on a still morning holds a near-perfect reflection of the Chaukhamba massif. Chandrashila, meaning moon rock, is a summit at around 3,980 metres above the Tungnath temple, from which the view runs across most of the central Garhwal skyline. Between them lies a long, high forested ridge that most day visitors never see.
This four-day route walks that ridge, approaching Chandrashila from the lake via Rohini Bugyal and the Bhrujgali forest rather than climbing straight up from Chopta. It is graded moderate and works both as a green-season trek and as a winter snow trek. It is deliberately different from our shorter Chopta Mini Switzerland trek, which goes directly up from Chopta over two days, and our Tungnath Temple trek, which stops at the temple. For the full route background see our Chopta Tungnath Chandrashila trek guide.
Why do this trek
The reason to choose this version over a quick Chopta-Chandrashila dash is the ridge. The day between Deoriatal and Chopta is one of the finest stretches of forest walking in Uttarakhand: an undulating high traverse through moss-hung oak and, in spring, rhododendron in full bloom, with the snow peaks flickering in and out of view between the trees and the meadow openings of Rohini Bugyal and Jhandidhar. You also get the Deoriatal reflection at both ends of the day, and a proper night camped by the lake rather than a rushed visit.
Adding the Tungnath temple and the Chandrashila sunrise on the third day gives the trek its high point, literally and figuratively. It suits trekkers who want more than a summit dash but less than a week-long expedition, and it is a strong second trek after a first easy one.
Best time for the Deoriatal Chandrashila trek
March to June is the classic green season: the rhododendron on the ridge peaks in April, the days are mild, the forest is alive, and the summit views are good in the clear spells. September to November brings the sharpest, haze-free mountain views of the year, golden light on the meadows, and cold nights — the best window for photography from Chandrashila. The monsoon, July to mid-September, makes the ridge trail slippery and leech-prone and keeps the peaks in cloud, and the approach roads are landslide-prone.
December to February turns the trek into a snow route: Deoriatal often freezes, the ridge holds deep snow, and the summit climb from Tungnath to Chandrashila becomes a proper snow walk needing micro-spikes. It is beautiful and much quieter, but colder and dependent on the Chopta road. Our guide to snow destinations near Dehradun covers the winter option.
How hard is it?
Moderate. There is no technical ground on the standard route in the normal seasons, and no exposure beyond a short rocky stretch near the Chandrashila summit. Three things make it a real trek: the steep initial climb to Deoriatal with full packs, the length of the ridge day between the lake and Chopta at around twelve kilometres with rolling ascent and descent, and the summit push itself, a steep climb from Chopta at 2,700 metres to Chandrashila at nearly 4,000 metres, started before dawn. Altitude is a mild factor — you sleep at 2,400 metres at the lake and around 2,700 near Chopta — so the usual advice to hydrate and pace yourself applies.
A prepared first-time trekker can do this in the green seasons. You should be able to walk uphill for five to six hours with a daypack and handle one longer day. Winter departures are harder because of the snow on the summit climb and the cold, and suit trekkers with some cold-weather walking behind them. Two to four weeks of cardio or hill walking beforehand makes a clear difference.
The legend of Deoriatal and Chandrashila
Deoriatal, the lake of the gods, appears in local tradition as the pool where the Yaksha questioned the Pandavas in the Mahabharata — the Yaksha Prashna episode, in which Yudhishthira answers a series of riddles to revive his brothers, is often placed here. Chandrashila, moon rock, carries its own stories: that the moon god Chandra did penance on the summit to be freed from a curse, and that Rama meditated on the rock after the war against Ravana. The Tungnath temple just below is part of the Panch Kedar legend, in which Shiva, fleeing the Pandavas as a bull, left his arms at Tungnath. None of this is required to enjoy the trek, but it is why the lake and the summit are treated as sacred ground, and why you will meet pilgrims as well as trekkers on the path.
Fitness and how to prepare
Two to four weeks of preparation suits a reasonably active person; give yourself longer from a low base. Focus on aerobic fitness with jogging, cycling or brisk uphill walking with a loaded daypack, three or four times a week, and add stair climbing or hill repeats to train the summit-day climb from Chopta to Chandrashila. One longer walk on hilly ground before you travel will tell you whether the ridge day is within reach. Break in your boots beforehand. For a winter departure, a couple of cold-weather walks and some practice with micro-spikes and poles are worth doing.
Photography on the trek
This trek is built around two set-piece shots. The first is the Chaukhamba reflection in Deoriatal, which needs a still, cloud-free dawn and rewards patience by the water's edge. The second is the sunrise from Chandrashila, when the whole skyline from Bandarpoonch to Nanda Devi lights up in sequence — be on the summit before the sun clears the eastern peaks. In between, the ridge forest is the quieter subject: rhododendron in April, moss and light in the oak, and framed glimpses of Chaukhamba between the trees. Carry spare batteries, keep gear dry against the afternoon weather, and use a polariser for the snow glare on the summit.
The route in detail
Sari to Deoriatal
A short but steep climb of about two and a half kilometres from Sari village at 2,000 metres to the lake at 2,438 metres, through forest, arriving in time to catch the evening or next-morning reflection of Chaukhamba in still water.
Deoriatal to Chopta
The long ridge day: the trail climbs away from the lake and traverses high through the Rohini Bugyal meadow, the viewpoint knoll of Jhandidhar, and the deep Bhrujgali forest, before descending to the Chopta or Baniyakund roadside. Intermittent views of Chaukhamba, Kedar Dome and the Kedarnath range open between the trees.
Chopta to Chandrashila
A pre-dawn start for the paved climb to the Tungnath temple at 3,680 metres, then the steeper, rougher final stretch to the Chandrashila summit at around 3,980 metres for sunrise. The panorama runs from Bandarpoonch and the Gangotri peaks across Chaukhamba and Kedar Dome to Nanda Devi, Trishul and Nanda Ghunti. Then the long descent back to Chopta and on toward Sari.
Getting to Sari from Dehradun
Sari village is about 210 kilometres from Dehradun, a drive of nine to ten hours via Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Ukhimath, following the Alaknanda and then the Mandakini. The nearest airport is Dehradun's Jolly Grant; the nearest large railheads are Rishikesh and Haridwar. The road is a Char Dham pilgrimage route as far as Rudraprayag and noticeably slower in the yatra season from May to June, and the final stretch through Ukhimath to Sari can be affected by landslides in the monsoon and snow in deep winter. Many groups break the drive with a night at Rudraprayag or Ukhimath rather than doing it in one push. If you have spare time near the plains, see our guide to adventure activities around Dehradun.
Where you stay and daily life
The first night is in tents by Deoriatal; the second is in tents or a guesthouse near Chopta or Baniyakund; the last night, if camped high, is a short descent from Sari, where there are homestays. Camp tents are two or three trekkers to a tent with sleeping bags and mats, plus a dining tent and toilet tent. Food is simple, hot and vegetarian, cooked by the crew, with home-cooked meals at the Sari homestay. Camping right at Deoriatal is subject to the forest department's current rules, which have limited lakeside camping at times, so some itineraries camp slightly back from the water. Mobile signal is patchy at Sari and Chopta and absent on the ridge.
What to pack
For the green seasons, pack waterproof, broken-in trekking boots, a 40 to 50 litre pack with a rain cover, thermal base layers, a fleece, a light down jacket, a windproof and waterproof shell and trousers, a hat, gloves and warm socks, sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm, a headtorch with spares, a one-litre bottle, a personal medical kit and trekking poles. A rain cover and quick-dry trousers matter on the ridge, where afternoon showers are common in spring. For winter departures add gaiters, heavier insulation and micro-spikes for the summit-day snow, usually available from the operator.
Birdlife and the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
The forest ridge between Deoriatal and Chopta runs through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and is one of the best stretches of birding on any Garhwal trek. The Himalayan monal, the state bird of Uttarakhand, is common in the early morning along the Rohini Bugyal and Bhrujgali sections, along with koklass and kalij pheasants, and the sanctuary is a well-known site for the rare spotted laughingthrush and the koklass. Above the treeline near the summit you may see choughs, and lammergeier and Himalayan griffon riding the ridge thermals. Musk deer live in the denser forest but are seldom seen. Walking the ridge slowly in the first two hours of daylight, rather than rushing through, is the way to make the most of it.
Combining it with other treks
This trek is the fuller version of our two-day Chopta Mini Switzerland trek, and complements the Tungnath Temple trek for those who only want the temple. For another meadow-and-forest trek in a similar style, see Dayara Bugyal, and for a first snow summit with camping, Kedarkantha. Kuari Pass is the step up to a higher pass with Nanda Devi views. The full range is on our treks page and in the Uttarakhand trekking guide.
Permits, safety and responsible trekking
Deoriatal, the ridge and Chandrashila lie within the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, so forest entry fees, camping charges and camera fees apply, arranged by a registered operator, along with a mandatory local guide on parts of the route. Carry a government photo ID for the check posts. The ridge and the ground around Deoriatal and Tungnath have all seen erosion and litter from heavy use, and there is an ongoing effort to protect them. Trek responsibly: carry out all waste including food scraps and tissue, camp only where permitted and away from the lake shore, never light open fires, do not wash or bathe in Deoriatal, stay on the trail, and keep noise down near the temple and on the summit. Choose your operator on their record — our guide on choosing a trekking operator in Uttarakhand covers the questions worth asking — and take trekking travel insurance, as in our travel insurance guide.
Who this trek suits
The Deoriatal Chandrashila trek suits trekkers who want a scenic, varied route — lake, forest ridge, temple, summit — over a long weekend or four days, who have a moderate level of fitness, and who would rather walk the high ridge than take the shortest line to the top. It is a good second trek after Nag Tibba or a first meadow trek. It is less suited to trekkers who specifically want long high-altitude days, for whom Gaumukh Tapovan or the routes in our Uttarakhand trekking guide are a better fit, and to anyone who only has two days, for whom the shorter Chopta route works better.
