Tungnath

Tungnath is one of the highest Shiva temples in the world and is the highest of the five Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in Rudraprayag district, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Tunganath (literal meaning: Lord of the peaks) mountains form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys. It is located at an altitude of 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and just below the peak of Chandrashila.

The climate of Tungnath is generally cool throughout the year. Summers are very pleasant with the average temperature hovering around 16 degrees Celsius during the day time. Winters are very chilly and the temperature drops below the freezing point very frequently. Due to heavy snowfall, Tungnath temple remains closed for around 6 months during winter.

Other than being a religious destination, Tungnath is also a well-known trekking destination. The 4 km (2.5 mi) trek starts from Chopta (9,600 ft (2,926 m)), the nearest place on the NH 58. Chopta is 63 km (39 mi) from Rudraprayag towards Karnaprayagand is reached from Rishikesh via Devprayag, Srinagar, and Rudraprayag.

Of all the Panch Kedar trek routes, the route to Tungnath is the shortest: only 4 km (2.5 mi) from Chopta (on the UkhimathGopeshwar road) that can be covered in approximately 3–4 hours (depending on the trekker's physical ability). Trek is a moderate (and sometimes steep) climb (9,600–11,350 ft (2,926–3,459 m)), the trek 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. Generally, the pilgrimage to Tunganath is undertaken as part of the Panch Kedar trekking covering all five temples over a 170 km (105.6 mi) route (road cum trek length) starting from Rishikesh in the order of Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheswar, and Kalpeshwar. The few pilgrims who undertake this trekking pilgrimage to the shrine do so in summer months (end April or early May to October) as the temple remains snowbound and unapproachable. During this period even Chopta, the nearest road head remains deserted. But it is said that few adepts come to the area during the winter avoiding the pilgrims. The climb to Chandarshila is for 2 km (1.2 mi).

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun (258 km (160 mi)). The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh (241 km (150 mi)).