Plan your trip · Chopta

What's on in Chopta

Chopta's calendar is set by the temple and the weather. The two days that matter most are when Tungnath opens and when it closes.

Nothing dated is confirmed for Chopta right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.

The year in Chopta

Chopta's calendar runs through most of the year, with the busiest weeks in the clear, comfortable months and a quieter stretch in the heaviest rain. Broadly, Apr – Jun and Oct – Mar is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.

Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.

Nationwide

Diwali

🗓️ October–November

The biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.

Holi

🗓️ March

Coloured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.

Navratri and Dussehra

🗓️ September–October

Nine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.

Eid al-Fitr

🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each year

The end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.

Makar Sankranti and Pongal

🗓️ mid-January

The harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Tungnath opening (late April or early May)

The temple's opening date is announced each spring, usually on Baisakhi. Before it, the movable idol leaves Makkumath in a decorated doli and travels up over two or three days, stopping at the Bhootnath temple and spending a night at Chopta. In 2026 the doli left Makkumath on 20 April, and the doors opened on 22 April. Villagers walk with the procession, with drums and hill songs. If you want to see it, arrive at Chopta a day before the opening and expect the path to be full.

Tungnath closing (early November)

The doors close for winter in early November, usually a couple of weeks after Diwali. In 2025 they closed on 6 November, and the doli reached Makkumath two days later. It is a colder, quieter version of the spring procession, with the first snow often not far away.

Rhododendron season (March to April)

The buransh, the Himalayan rhododendron, flowers across the forests around Chopta in spring. There is no festival, but it is the most colourful time on the Tungnath path and around Deoria Tal.

The October clear spell

After the monsoon, the air is at its clearest. This is when photographers and walkers come for the long view of snow peaks from Chandrashila. Weekends around Dussehra and Diwali are busy, and rooms in Chopta and Sari fill early.

Winter snow (December to March)

The snow season draws trekkers for the winter walk to Chandrashila. It is not an organised event, but it has become Chopta's second peak season. Go with a guide and check the road before driving up.

Across the region

The Kedarnath and Badrinath season runs from late April or May to October or November, and the roads through Rudraprayag get busy with pilgrims, especially in May and June. Kedarnath needs online registration; Tungnath does not in the same way, but it shares the traffic.

Checking dates

Temple dates are fixed by the temple committee each year, and weather decides everything else. Confirm close to your trip. See the best time to visit for season-by-season detail.

Questions

Chopta — FAQ

When is the Tungnath opening date announced?

Usually on Baisakhi in April, at the winter seat in Makkumath. The doors then open a week or two later.

Can visitors join the Tungnath doli procession?

Yes. The procession is public, and many people walk part of the way with it. Keep to the side of the path and follow the organisers' instructions.

Is Chopta busy at Diwali?

Yes. The long weekend and the last weeks before the temple closes bring crowds. Book rooms in Chopta or Sari well ahead.