Tungnath- highest Shiva temple in the world

Tungnath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain ranges of Uttarakhand.  Located at an altitude of 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and just below the peak of Chandrashila, The temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is the second in the pecking order of the Panch Kedars.It has a rich legend linked to the Pandavas, heroes of theMahabharata epic.

Other than being a religious destination, Tungnath is also a well known trekking destination. The 4 km trek starts from Chopta (2,926 m), the nearest place on the NH 58. Chopta is 63 km from Rudraprayag towards Karnaprayag and is reached from Rishikesh via Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag.

The route to Tungnath is only 4 km from Chopta  that can be covered in approximately 3–4 hours (depending on one's physical ability). Trek is a moderate (and sometimes steep) climb, the path is stone paved with benches provided en route at intervals to rest and enjoy the beautiful views of the Chowkhamba, Nanda Devi, Neelkanth and Kedarnath peaks. We undertook this trekking  to the shrine in summer months (end April or early May to October) and the temple was snow bound and unapproachable. During this period even Chopta, the nearest road head remains deserted. Ahead to Tungnath is the Chandrashila peak. It offers 270 degree views of the Himalayan range and is located 2 KMs further upwards from Tungnath temple.

The place is extremely rich in Flora and Fauna and you can find lots of species of birds around Chopta and Tungnath region.