Deoria Tal & Tungnath – A Walk to the Highest Shiva Temple in the World

Stairway to Heaven

Humans have always been wired to chase heights, some strive for the top rank in class, others for the corner office, and some for literal peaks that touch the sky. For me, happiness has often been found somewhere between ambition and altitude.

Years ago, I set myself a simple yet soul-stirring goal, to trek to the highest Shiva temple in the world. And when I finally caught the first glimpse of the sacred Tungnath Temple, my heartbeat skipped in awe.
The ancient stone trail curling upward through snow-clad ridges, framed by the mighty Himalayas, looked nothing short of a stairway to heaven.

A Glimpse into the History of Tungnath

Perched at an altitude of 12,073 ft, Tungnath Temple stands as a timeless sentinel amidst the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district. Believed to be over a thousand years old, this shrine is one of the revered Panch Kedar temples, discovered by Adi Shankaracharya himself.

Even if you aren’t particularly religious, Tungnath’s spellbinding blend of faith, architecture, and altitude makes it worth every breathless step. Its stone structure sits quietly beneath towering peaks, radiating peace that seeps deep into your soul.

In recent years, this route, stretching from Sari to Chandrashila via Deoria Tal, Rohini Bugyal, and Tungnath, has become a favourite among trekkers. It’s short, scenic, and spiritually stirring. I first stumbled upon it in 2015 while searching for quick weekend treks from Delhi. Back then, I had no trekking experience, just curiosity and a restless heart.

Booking the Deoria Tal–Tungnath–Chandrashila Trek: A Long-Awaited Plan

That plan, like many first adventures, got shelved.
Two years later, after experiencing the thrill of trekking through Kheerganga, Triund, Roopkund, and the Kashmir Great Lakes, I finally decided to wrap up 2018 by completing what I had once started — the Deoria Tal–Tungnath–Chandrashila trek.

While researching, I came across a lesser-known company called “Tantra Adventurez.” They offered a Delhi-to-Delhi package for ₹ 7,000, including transportation, food, and accommodation. I didn’t think twice. The name felt a bit mysterious, but the offer was too tempting to refuse.

The Uttarakhand High Court Ban

Just when everything seemed set, a twist arrived.
The Uttarakhand High Court, in August 2018, banned overnight stays in the state’s high-altitude meadows to preserve their fragile ecology. Rohini Bugyal, part of our planned route, fell under the restriction.

So instead of trekking through meadows, our route shifted, we’d now drive from Sari to Chopta before beginning the Tungnath ascent.

Day 1: The Long Ride from Delhi

We began our journey on a chilly Friday evening from Ghaziabad. By the time I reached the pickup point, most of the seats in the minibus were occupied. The only spot left? The notorious back seat — which, I soon realised, wasn’t even properly fixed.

With every bump, it swung like a seesaw, jolting me forward and backwards as if testing my endurance before the trek even began. After a few failed attempts to fix it, I accepted my fate — a 15-hour rollercoaster ride through the night.

Day 2: When the Real Adventure Began

Reaching Sari

Sleep came in patches. By dawn, we were past Devprayag, the rivers merging beneath us in shimmering silver streaks. Our driver, though, seemed to be on his first Himalayan assignment — a wrong turn extended our journey and postponed breakfast indefinitely.

By the time we reached Sari village around 2 PM, I was famished enough to eat the trek guide.

Sari, nestled in the Rudraprayag district near Ukhimath, is a postcard-perfect Himalayan village — quiet, quaint, and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos of the journey. It serves as the base for the Deoria Tal trek. Getting there involves a bus or train to Rishikesh/Haridwar, followed by a local jeep ride. The journey may test your patience, but the reward is serenity that soothes every nerve.

Trek to Deoria Tal

After a quick lunch of hot rotis and local sabzi, we began our climb around 4 PM — two hours later than planned. The ascent, though short, was steep, and the heavy post-lunch drowsiness wasn’t helping.

Yet, every turn offered a distraction too beautiful to complain — Chandrashila Peak gleaming across the valley, the Sari village shrinking below like a patchwork quilt. The golden sunlit path guided us upward, one laboured breath at a time.

We reached Deoria Tal just as the sun kissed the horizon. The reflection of the glowing Himalayan peaks on the still lake water was a painting come alive. As darkness descended and the temperature dipped below freezing, we tucked ourselves into our tents after a simple dinner, ready for the -4°C night ahead.

Day 3: The Penultimate Day

Sunrise at Deoria Tal

It’s said that mornings at Deoria Tal are nothing short of divine, and now I know why.
We woke up at 5 AM, the chill biting through layers of clothing. As dawn crept in, the first rays of sunlight painted the peaks in shades of amber and gold.

Then it happened, the mighty Chaukhamba revealed itself in all its grandeur. The sun’s golden halo touched its snowy crown, and for a moment, everything went silent. Cameras clicked frantically, but no photo could capture what the eyes saw and the soul felt.

Even my Nikon gave up, its battery died as if overwhelmed by the beauty before it.

After breakfast, we descended back to Sari to drive toward Chopta, the gateway to Tungnath.

The Tungnath Trail – Walking to the Highest Shiva Temple

Our drive from Sari to Chopta took about an hour. Before starting the hike, I asked our trek lead, Vikas, if we needed trekking poles. “Not necessary,” he smiled.
But since I’d carried one all the way from Delhi, I decided to take it, just in case.

Within minutes of starting, the trail turned icy. The ground beneath crunched, then slipped. The snow patches grew thicker with every step, turning the path into a frozen slide. That trekking pole? My best decision ever.

As the climb steepened, the snow-dusted pine trees framed breathtaking views of distant peaks. My lungs burned, but my spirit soared, each turn revealing a new slice of Himalayan paradise.

After nearly two hours, I finally stood before the holy Tungnath Temple, perched against a backdrop of endless white peaks. The air was thin, the wind fierce, and my heart full. I’m not deeply religious, but standing before this 1000-year-old shrine, at the highest Shiva temple on Earth, I felt something sacred stir within me.

The Failed Attempt to Summit Chandrashila

While waiting for the rest of the group, I devoured my packed lunch amid freezing gusts that numbed my fingers. Once everyone arrived, we decided to push for Chandrashila Peak.

But destiny had other plans. The narrow trail was jam-packed with trekkers, and by 3:30 PM we were still far from the top. With daylight fading and the path turning dangerously slippery, our trek leader made the wise call to turn back.

Disappointing? Yes. But the mountains have their way of teaching patience and humility.

The Way Back to Chopta

The descent was a comedy of slips and falls — a live version of “Who Slips Next?” echoed with laughter and yelps. By 5:30 PM, I reached Chopta just in time to witness another glorious sunset melting behind the peaks.

Later, back at Sari, we celebrated New Year’s Eve under a sky full of stars — bonfire crackling, speakers humming, spirits high. It was the perfect ending to a trek that tested, thrilled, and blessed us all at once.

Day 4: The Journey Home

After a short night’s rest, we began our journey back to Delhi at dawn. Thankfully, this time I wasn’t in the backseat of the minibus! The roads were long, the jams were endless, and our bodies were sore, but our hearts were full.

By the time we rolled into Delhi at 3 AM, we were too tired to talk. With sleepy smiles and heartfelt hugs, we parted ways — carrying memories of the trek that truly felt like a stairway to heaven.