Short answer: Chopta in winter means snow. Chopta (about 2,600–2,700 m, Rudraprayag district) usually gets its first proper snow between mid-December and January, and the slopes up to Tungnath and Chandrashila stay white from December to March. The Tungnath temple is closed for winter, but the trek is still done with a guide and microspikes. The catch is the road: heavy spells block the Ukhimath–Chopta and Mandal–Chopta roads for hours or days.
Quick answer: Chopta in winter 2026-27 (checked 8 November 2026)
- Snow season: first snow usually mid-December to January; Tungnath and Chandrashila stay snow-covered roughly December–March. Last winter the first big fall came only on 23–25 January 2026 after a dry New Year.
- Temple: Tungnath (3,680 m) is shut for winter from early November; worship moves to Makkumath until the doors reopen around late April or May.
- Trek: Chopta → Tungnath 3.5 km one way; Chandrashila (about 4,000 m) is 1–1.5 km more. Possible in winter with a guide, microspikes and an early start.
- Cold: winter days around 0–10°C; nights well below freezing, colder after fresh snow.
- Roads: machines clear the Ukhimath–Chopta–Gopeshwar road after snow, but closures of a few hours to a few days are normal. Keep one buffer day.
- Getting there: about 162 km from Rishikesh via Rudraprayag and Ukhimath; Ukhimath is about 45 km below Chopta.
Planning Chopta this winter? Tell us your dates and group size; we will send a day-by-day plan with a hill-driver car from Delhi, Haridwar or Rishikesh, and a snow-day backup.
Is Chopta worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if snow is the point of your trip and you can live with simple stays and a flexible plan. Chopta is a meadow-and-forest saddle on the road between Ukhimath and Gopeshwar, inside the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, and it is the trailhead for Tungnath (the highest Shiva temple, one of the Panch Kedar) and the Chandrashila summit. Live forecast and month-by-month guide: Chopta and Tungnath weather. In winter the oak, rhododendron and deodar forest fills with snow, the skies are usually clearer than in summer (June to August is cloudy), and on a good morning Chandrashila gives a wide view of Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi, Trisul and the Kedar peaks.
What winter takes away: the temple is closed, many of the tea stalls on the trail shut for the season, and a single heavy spell can cut the road. Families with small children or older parents usually enjoy Chopta more in late December or March, when there is snow but the cold and the road risk are lower than in a deep-January spell.
When does it snow in Chopta?
Snow can fall from November, but the reliable season starts in mid-December. The slopes up to Tungnath and Chandrashila are normally white from December to March, and by January the snow on the upper trail can be several feet deep. The heaviest falls usually come with western disturbances in January and February. Some winters start late: in 2025-26, New Year was nearly snowless across Uttarakhand, and the first major fall of 2026 came on 23 January (PTI, 23 January 2026). Two days of heavy snow then covered the Chopta–Dugalbitta belt and drew big crowds by 25 January (ETV Bharat, 25 January 2026).
Late-season snow is common too. eUttaranchal’s news log recorded fresh snow at Chopta and Tungnath on 28 February and 15 March 2025, and in March 2024 the road to Chopta was closed with 3 to 6 feet of snow on it (7 March 2024). That makes March a good, quieter alternative to the New Year rush.
| Month | Snow at Chopta | Trek to Tungnath / Chandrashila | Road risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | Rare; frost, clear skies | Dry trail, very cold mornings; temple closed | Low |
| December | Possible from mid-month | Patchy snow higher up; microspikes useful | Low to medium |
| January | Most likely; deep snow after spells | Snow trek; guide and microspikes needed | High after a spell |
| February | Likely; fresh falls continue | Snow trek; hard, icy patches in the morning | Medium to high |
| March | Old snow plus late spells | Softer snow, longer days | Medium (late spells can close it) |
Based on the snow pattern described by Wikipedia and Indiahikes plus dated news reports from 2024–2026. Snow timing varies a lot from year to year; for this week’s outlook across North India see our snow tracker.
Can you do the Tungnath and Chandrashila trek in winter?
Yes. The temple is closed, but the trail is open and the winter trek is popular. From the Chopta road head it is 3.5 km one way to Tungnath (3,680 m): roughly 1.5 km through forest to the bugyal (alpine meadow), 1.5 km of switchbacks, then the last 0.5 km to the temple (Indiahikes, August 2026). Chandrashila, at about 4,000 m, is another 1 to 1.5 km of steep climbing above the temple. In snow, allow most of a day for the round trip.
Our rules for a winter climb:
- Go with a local guide. After fresh snow the paved path disappears, and the last stretch to Chandrashila is steep and exposed.
- Wear microspikes and waterproof trekking shoes. Morning snow is hard and icy; afternoon snow is soft and wet.
- Start at first light and turn back by early afternoon. Light goes fast, and the cold after 4 pm is serious.
- Carry water, food and a flask. Most trail-side tea stalls close for the season.
- Do not go up during or right after a heavy spell or when visibility is poor. Wait a day.
If the upper trail is unsafe, two good alternatives are a short snow walk on the meadows near Chopta and the climb to Deoria Tal from Sari village, a lake with a view of Chaukhamba on a clear day.
Is the Tungnath temple open in winter?
No. Tungnath, the third of the Panch Kedar, closes every year in early November. In 2025 the doors closed on 6 November at about 11:30 am, and the doli (palanquin) of the deity travelled via Chopta and Bhankun to its winter seat at the Markateshwar temple in Makkumath, where daily worship continues through winter (ETV Bharat, 6 November 2025). For the 2026 closing dates of Tungnath, Kedarnath and Badrinath, see our Char Dham closing dates page. The doors normally reopen in late April or early May; the 2026 opening was on 2 May (Indiahikes).
So in winter you trek past a closed, snowbound temple. Many visitors find that beautiful in its own way, but if darshan matters to you, plan between May and early November, or visit the winter seat at Makkumath on the way.
How cold does Chopta get in December and January?
Very cold. Expect daytime temperatures of roughly 0–10°C in the sun and nights well below freezing; Indiahikes gives about −5°C to 10°C for the winter season, and on still nights after fresh snow it can go much lower (Wikipedia notes minimums down to about −15°C). The temple area and Chandrashila are colder and windier than the road head. Water pipes freeze, so many stays will give you hot water in buckets rather than a running geyser.
Is the road to Chopta open in winter?
Usually yes, but not every day. Chopta is reached from two sides: from Rishikesh via Rudraprayag, Kund and Ukhimath (the usual route, about 162 km from Rishikesh), or from the Badrinath highway via Gopeshwar and Mandal. Both climb above 2,500 m, and both close after heavy snow.
What happened last winter shows the pattern. On 24 January 2026 the Chamoli police temporarily closed the Mandal–Chopta road (along with the Gairsain, Gwaldam and Joshimath–Auli roads) after vehicles skidded on fresh snow (ANI, 24 January 2026). The next day, heavy snow held up traffic for hours on the Ukhimath–Chopta road while snow-clearing machines worked non-stop on the Ukhimath–Chopta–Gopeshwar–Mandal highway (ETV Bharat, 25 January 2026). In March 2024, 15 tourists were stuck at Chopta for three days before the SDRF reached them (eUttaranchal news log, 16 March 2024).
We cannot give you a live road status here. Before you leave Ukhimath, check with the Rudraprayag or Chamoli district police and with your stay at Chopta, and follow what the police tell you on the day.
How do you reach Chopta in winter?
By road. Chopta is roughly 450 km from Delhi, so most people break the journey at Rishikesh or Rudraprayag. From Rishikesh it is a full day’s drive of about 162 km through Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Kund and Ukhimath. The nearest railhead is Rishikesh (Yog Nagari) and the nearest airport is Dehradun’s Jolly Grant. Use a private car with a driver who knows the hills: after snow the last stretch to Chopta can need snow chains or a 4×4, and a self-drive car from the plains is not a good idea. Our Rishikesh taxi service runs Chopta and Tungnath trips with an overnight stay.
Where to stay in Chopta in winter?
Choose comfort over the view if you are not used to snow camping. Stays at the Chopta road head and nearby Dugalbitta and Baniyakund are mostly simple camps and small guesthouses; some close in deep winter, and electricity and water can fail after snow. Ukhimath and Sari village, lower down, have more solid hotels and homestays, warmer rooms and a better chance of the road being open, and you can drive up early for the trek. A common winter plan is to sleep in Sari or Ukhimath, climb Deoria Tal one day and Tungnath–Chandrashila the next.
How many days do you need for Chopta in winter?
Plan five days from Delhi, or four from Rishikesh, including one buffer day for snow. This is the shape we use:
| Day | Plan | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delhi to Rishikesh (5–6 hours); evening Ganga aarti | Rishikesh |
| 2 | Rishikesh to Sari or Chopta via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Ukhimath (full day) | Sari / Chopta |
| 3 | Tungnath and Chandrashila at first light, back by afternoon | Sari / Chopta |
| 4 | Buffer day: Deoria Tal, or the trek if day 3 was snowed out | Sari / Ukhimath |
| 5 | Drive back to Rishikesh or Haridwar; Delhi by night or next morning | Rishikesh / Delhi |
To add more snow, combine Chopta with Auli (via Gopeshwar and Joshimath) once the slopes have cover; our guide to Auli in December explains the ropeway and ski season. For a longer Uttarakhand loop with Rishikesh, Mussoorie or Nainital, see our Uttarakhand tour packages.
What should you pack for Chopta in winter?
- A down jacket rated for sub-zero nights, plus a fleece mid-layer.
- Thermal top and bottoms (two sets), woollen socks, a warm cap and gloves.
- Waterproof trekking shoes with good grip; microspikes (your guide can often arrange them).
- Sunglasses and sunscreen: snow glare at 3,500 m and above is strong.
- A head torch, power bank and some cash; mobile signal and ATMs are unreliable above Ukhimath.
- Personal medicines, and a flask for hot water on the trail.
What this means for your trip
For the best chance of snow, go between late December and February; for snow with less road trouble, go in March. Either way, build one buffer day into the plan, sleep a little lower (Sari or Ukhimath) if you want warm rooms, and trek with a guide. Do not plan Chopta as a quick New Year weekend from Delhi: the distances are long and a single spell can hold you up a day. If you have only a weekend, look at Mussoorie and Dhanaulti or Rishikesh in December instead.
Want us to plan Chopta for your winter dates? We are a registered travel agent with HP Tourism (Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022, see our certificates), running North India trips.
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Chopta in winter: frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see snow in Chopta?
Late December to February gives the best chance, with January usually the snowiest month. The slopes above Chopta towards Tungnath and Chandrashila normally stay white from December to March. Some winters start late; in 2025-26 the first heavy fall came only on 23–25 January 2026. March is a quieter option with old snow and occasional fresh spells.
Is Chopta open in December?
Yes. Chopta itself is open all winter and the road from Ukhimath is normally kept clear, though it can close for hours or days after heavy snow. The Tungnath temple is closed for winter from early November, but you can still trek to it and to Chandrashila with a local guide and microspikes. Keep one buffer day in your plan.
Can beginners do the Chandrashila trek in winter?
Fit beginners can, with a guide. Chopta to Tungnath is 3.5 km one way and Chandrashila is another 1 to 1.5 km, reaching about 4,000 m. In snow the path is hidden and icy in the morning, so microspikes, waterproof shoes and an early start are essential. If you have heart or breathing problems, or it has just snowed heavily, stop at Tungnath or wait a day.
Where does Lord Tungnath stay in winter?
When the doors close in early November, the deity’s doli is carried down via Chopta and Bhankun to the Markateshwar temple at Makkumath, the winter seat, where worship continues until the summer reopening. In 2025 the doors closed on 6 November and the doli reached Makkumath on 8 November (ETV Bharat). The temple at Tungnath normally reopens in late April or May.
How cold is Chopta in January?
January is the coldest month. Daytime temperatures hover around freezing to about 10°C in the sun, and nights fall well below zero, commonly −5 to −10°C and colder after fresh snow. Pipes can freeze and power cuts are common after a spell, so carry a sub-zero down jacket, thermals, gloves and a power bank, and choose a stay with heavy quilts.
Can we drive our own car to Chopta in winter?
We do not recommend it unless you are experienced on snow and ice. The last stretch to Chopta is narrow, shaded and freezes in the morning, and in January 2026 police temporarily closed the Mandal–Chopta road after vehicles skidded. A local driver with chains or a 4×4 is safer, knows where to stop, and can turn back early when the police advise it.
How far is Chopta from Rishikesh and Delhi?
Chopta is about 162 km from Rishikesh by road via Rudraprayag and Ukhimath, a full day’s drive in the hills, and roughly 450 km from Delhi. Most travellers stop one night in Rishikesh on the way up. Ukhimath, the nearest town, is about 45 km below Chopta, and Sari village, the base for Deoria Tal, is on the same side.
