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Chirbatiya Weekend Trek

A birder's trek in Rudraprayag

Dates not available? Check out the Bijli Mahadev Trek instead. A trek full of legends, suitable for all age groups!View the Trek here

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TREK DIFFICULTY

Easy

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TREK DURATION

3 days

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HIGHEST ALTITUDE

8,402 ft

A birder's trek in Rudraprayag

We have been hunting for a weekend trek in Uttarakhand for long — a trek that would match our Nag Tibba, Benog Tibba or Deoban. 

Frankly, we have done quite a few explorations. But none of them sat very well with us. Something or the other was not ok with them. We eventually stopped taking people on these treks.

But sometimes, you stumble on a trek quite by accident. Then, with trepidation, you walk on it, hoping against hope that the trek will match up to its predecessors. You do the trek once. You think it is great. But perhaps it was an initial excitement. Then you do the trek again. You want to see if the trek wallops you as hard as it did the first time. And then it does. You cannot contain your excitement! You’ve hit a goldmine! 

This is what happened to us on the Chirbatiya Weekend Trek.  

It was a sheer coincidence that the Uttarakhand Forest Department invited us to explore the Chirbatiya region. 

If the name is new to you, Chirbatiya is a range of hills north of Rudraprayag. It is tucked away in a corner where very few venture. Tourists have not seen this place. It is in the heart of this region that we are going to be trekking and camping. 

‘Chir’ refers to pines, and ‘batiya’ means a path. Literally translated, it means a path through the pine trees. And sure enough, you walk through some of the loveliest forest trails on this trek. There’s not only pine but a good mix of oak and rhododendrons too. Hundreds of birds and the scent of the woods hang in the air. You will come across as many birds as you would on any week-long Himalayan trek, if not less. This is what makes Chirbatiya special among all the weekend treks.

We have been hunting for a weekend trek in Uttarakhand for long — a trek that would match our Nag Tibba, Benog Tibba or Deoban. 

Frankly, we have done quite a few explorations. But none of them sat very well with us. Something or the other was not ok with them. We eventually stopped taking people on these treks.

Chirbatiya Videos
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Chirbatiya Weekend Trek - Complete Trek Information

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a Himalayan trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Chirbatiya Weekend trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

Expert Speak

Dushyant Sharma

Ex-Senior Trek Leader

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Dushyant Sharma

Ex-Senior Trek Leader

Dushyant Sharma was working with Indiahikes as a senior trek leader. He was one of the most coveted trek leaders at Indiahikes.
Having done and led many legendary Himalayan treks, when he explored the Chirbatiya trek, he was bowled over by what two-day trek can offer. Here, he shares his experience of the Chirbatiya trek.

What I Like About The Trek

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Dushyant Sharma

Ex-Senior Trek Leader

Dushyant Sharma was working with Indiahikes as a senior trek leader. He was one of the most coveted trek leaders at Indiahikes. Having done and led many legendary Himalayan treks, when he explored the Chirbatiya trek, he was bowled over by what two-day trek can offer. Here, he shares his experience of the Chirbatiya trek.

1. 270-degree Mountain Views

Right from the basecamp, Chirbatiya, you start seeing arresting mountain views. It’s rare to have such a clear view of so many mountains right from the basecamp. And Chirbatiya Weekend trek is one of the few treks that offers this.

As the trek proceeds, and you reach the high point at Patangniya meadows you see great Himalayan Peaks starting from Mrigthuni, Trishul, Nanda Devi, Chang-Bang, Dronagiri, Neelkanth, Chaukhamba, Kedarnath to many more in between. 

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In just two days, the Chirbatiya trek offers views that are parallel to a multi-day Himalayan trek. Picture by Dushyant Sharma

2. Picturesque sunsets and sunrises

The Chirbatiya Weekend trek faces east. This orients it in a direction for some memorable sunrises and sunsets.

The trek also has ridges. Basecamp Chirbatiya is situated on a pass. From here, you can see memorable sunrises as well as sunsets. Even on the trek, a short walk from the Patangniya meadows takes you to a ridge section from where you can witness some beautiful sunrises and sunsets. 

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The Chirbatiya is a trek for sunrises and sunsets. Picture by Jothiranjan

3. Charming forest of pines and rhododendrons

The starting point of this trek is Chirbatiya. Here, ‘Chir’ refers to pines and ‘batiya’ means a path. Translated, it means a path through the pine trees. And this trail is crowded with many trees. You notice it due to the sharp scent of pine even as you are driving down from Ghansali valley to Chirbatiya.

But pines are not the only trees you find here. You also have rhododendrons. Together, this combination of pines and rhododendrons makes a charming forest to trek in.

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A lone rhododendron tree in full bloom. Picture by Jothiranjan

4. Paradise for birders

Chirbatiya Weekend trek is a quaint one. Not many have been here. It’s secluded, tucked in a quiet setting in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand, away from the hustle-bustle.

As mentioned earlier, the trail also has great forest cover. This makes it an ideal place for birds. If you’re in this region during spring, watch out for the incessant chirping of birds. 

It is an absolute paradise for birders in spring.

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Chirbatiya is a birder's trek, especially so in spring when the flowers are in full bloom. Picture by Jothiranjan

5. Perfect for spending a quiet weekend in nature

Chirbatiya Weekend Trek is a great option to trek in the quiet nature. Starting from the base camp, Chirbatiya does not receive many travellers. It is quiet and peaceful here. So, if you’re looking for a time-out from the fast-paced city life, this is an ideal basecamp to spend time in before you start your trek.

Go for a walk, sip a cup of tea, enjoy the sunset and breath the fresh air of the Himalayas. Perfect place to get away from the hustle of the city.

While you can start the trek from either Chirbatiya or Uroli village, we recommend you do it from Chirbatiya.

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Th Chirbatiya is a secluded trail, thus allows you to spend a quiet weekend in nature. Picture by Jothiranjan

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