Mini Switzerland of India - Chopta

2022 started with a resolution to travel more and after spending two months hiding in the blankets I decided it was time to bring my resolution to reality. The trip to Chopta was as unplanned as it could get. Tired from the daily 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM struggle which some days became a 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM struggle, me and a friend of mine decided to take a break and booked the tickets for Rishikesh. We were meeting after a decade and were unsure about everything so much so that we decided if the vibes do not match at the meeting, we would enjoy the trip on our own or maybe board a bus to different destinations from Rishikesh. Well, thankfully nothing like that happened and we instantly clicked.

We took the 11:00 PM bus from Kashmiri Gate - ISBT to Rishikesh which cost us approx ₹800/-. We reached Rishikesh around 5:00 AM from where we boarded another bus at 6:00 AM towards Ukimath which cost us ₹200/-. We booked a place in Ukimath on our way and we reached there around 12:30 PM. After having breakfast and some brainstorming, we decided it was best for us to ditch Ukimath altogether and travel to Chopta on the same day because we were two people who were excited to see snow. We booked a taxi; which is easily available there towards Chopta which cost us ₹400/-.

The route is scenic and for someone who is going to see snow for the first time, it was magical. We reached Chopta around 4:00 PM where we booked a room. They charged us ₹1200 for the room. You will find few options there and rooms are costly compared to the facilities they give. They use Solar Panel for electricity hence the lights would start working only after sunset. The power is less hence it is advisable to carry power adapters there or avoid staying in Chopta altogether. The food options are limited. The sunset from there is worth watching with all the snow around. We took a walk around, had chai and parantha, and then went back to our rooms and slept. The next day started a little early as we had to complete the trek before sundown so we could leave the same day.

We started the trek after finishing our breakfast. You can get the required shoes, and trekking sticks on rent from the small shops located there and they also have snickers which is the chocolate one should carry while trekking. We foolishly rented only the shoes but made sure to keep some chocolates and a water bottle for refueling. We started at around 8:30 AM. There were many travel groups with us hence it was not difficult to locate the way from where we had to start. In the first hour, the trek was steep but easy. We encountered little snow but then it all started getting tricky. Since it was my first time I was excited but scared at the same time. I remember clearly that there was a point where we had to climb through a steep and small passage. On the right side, there was a railing that was covered to the top with snow and if our feet slid for even a millimeter we would straightaway fall with a 10% chance of survival. For someone who had not informed anyone about this trip, these rates felt very low. Most of the people kept asking us where our trekking gears were without knowing that we are two fools who just decided to do this. Well, another banger is that my periods started the same day and I was doing this with the cramps. Halfway to the trek, we spotted a lot of people climbing down since they couldn't muster the courage to complete the trek. The speaker in me motivated two of them to accompany us to the top.

No matter how difficult it was, the view from the top made it worth it. It felt like I have been dropped into heaven. Snow is truly a remarkable site. After catching our breaths there we started climbing down to the base but the journey back was difficult compared to climbing to the top. Luckily we met some school girls who were from nearby villages and they guided us beautifully. They even located some nature-made slides from where we slid down saving our time and chances of falling from the top.

We reached the base at around 2:00 PM after which we quickly vacated our room as afternoon the manager was charging us on ₹100/hour basis. We had our lunch and then took a jeep from there to Ukimath. There were in total 8 people in there and we all collectively convinced the driver bhaiya to drop us off directly at Rishikesh. That cost us around ₹600/- which was reasonable and also negotiation is the key. We reached Rishikesh around 7:00 PM and after chilling at a local cafe for an hour I took a Volvo back to Delhi which dropped me at ISBT Kashmiri Gate at 6:00 AM and cost me ₹800/-.

The whole trip was for ₹4000/- which could have been less had we planned a few things. Overall, Unplanned trips are also required to experience what you do not want to do ever again no matter how fun it is.