“Rudraprayag or Chopta which is better” might be a question concerning you are in a dilemma to choose between the two. And I completely understand
Therefore, based on my experience and travels to Rudraprayag I am curating this blog based on aspects like ease of reach, stay options, internet connectivity, budget travel to help you decide between Rudraprayag vs Chopta.
Rudraprayag Or Chopta Which is Better
Before we start let me clear out some confusion. Rudrparayag is a town which acts as administrative capital of Rudraprayag district. Yes both the district and its administrative town have the same name.
While Chopta on the other hand is a part of Rudraprayag district situated at much higher altitude than in its administrative.
So here I am going to pit Chopta against both its town and the district as a whole for better. Now that these things are out of the way lets start.
Rudraprayag Or Chopta Which is Better – Ease Of Reach
Rudraprayag town is fairly simple to reach and very accessible from. I have also made a detailed blog about the same. There are certain places in Rudraprayag district which are farther away from the main town but are accessible.
Chopta on the other hand is a 3 hour drive from main Rudraprayag town. Even though it is accessible but public transport is of course not as widespread as public transport to Rudraprayag. Road conditions are also decent for both Chopta and Rudraprayag town.
My Opinion – Rudraprayag town has easy an access since located before Chopta, but Chopta is just another 3 hours with decent roads. But public transport to Rudraprayag town is better than chopta. Road to Chopta receives heavy snow in winters.
Rudraprayag Vs Chopta – Which Is More Beautiful
I always advocate that landscapes or beauty should not be compared, but in this case the geography and terrain is such that there is a clear winner.
Rudrparayag town is located at a comfortable altitude of 690 m. When a place is perched at such relatively altitude one has to be really naive to expect surreal views to be honest.
Chopta on the other hand is located perched at around 2600m surrounded by lofty peaks, undulating meadows, towering pines.
My opinion – Chopta is the clear winner when it comes to beauty with scenic landscapes. Rudraprayag is just a town with too many concrete which is expected since its administrative capita of the district. Certain places in the district like Kedarnath, Deoriatal, Madhmaheshwar are certainly very very scenic with insane views of Himalayas.
Rudraprayag Or Chopta Which Is Better – Stay Options
As mentioned earlier Rudraprayag is a major town. Basic Hotels & guesthouses are widely available but varied accommodation like homestays or luxury properties are not available in Rudraprayag.
On the other hand Chopta is a settlement with no villages nearby. Basic guesthouses, Luxury camps are the most widespread accommodation options.
Plus no backpacker hostels are available in Chopta as well as Rudraprayag. I personally ended up staying at Sari village as it had decent accommodation options and great internet connectivity.
In case you were looking on how to plan a trip to Rudraprayag, here is a detailed blog that will be of great help.
My opinion – I personally found the stay options at both Rudraprayag & Chopta to be average and there is no clear winner. Chopta though might have an edge just because of its scenic setting. Sari village near Chopta has decent stay options.
Rudraprayag Or Chopta Which Is Better – Budget Travel
Rudraprayag being the main town has no dearth of inexpensive basic hotels and guesthouses available as low as INR 300 during the off seasons.
While Chopta market has basic homestays which are economical only during off-season. Within 5 km stretch of Chopta market there are plenty of camps which start at least from INR 1500 including breakfast and Dinner.
I personally stayed in a basic room at such a camp and it cost me INR 1000 including food. Also, public transport to Rudraprayag is way frequent when compared.
To reach Chopta from Ukhimath you are the mercy of shared cabs which can sometime take forever to fill during the off-season, Private cab to Chopta from Ukhimath costs INR 1500.
My opinion – So you can easily restrict your expenses to around INR 700 while in Rudraprayag, But Chopta might cost you at least INR 800 to INR 1000 that too during the off season.
Rudraprayag Versus Chopta – In Terms Of Cafes
If you were looking for hippie-cafes or cafe like food in Rudraprayag or Chopta, you are certainly in for a disappointment. There are almost no such cafes that cater towards Millennials and Gen Z travelers.
Basic north indian cuisine is widely available in small Dhabas and Restaurants in both Chopta and Rudraprayag. Momos, Chowmein are also widely available in most of the Pahadi areas.
Since camps are popular in Chopta, the meals will be included with your stay. I happen to stay in a basic room of one such campsite, the food was basic but it was decent.
Here are 9 noteworthy reasons why Rudrparayag district is famous and worth it. I am sure it will compel you to take the next trip to Rudraprayag.
My Opinion – Just forget about the cafes and be prepared to eat the basic food. Both Chopta and Rudraprayag will let you down in this department.
Is Rudraprayag Better Or Chopta – As A Family Destination
Although I traveled solo but Rudraprayag having tons of pilgrim site is usually frequented by families a lot.
Rudraprayag being a major pilgrim town can be a great destinations for families planning for a trip.
While Chopta with its surreal landscapes can be a perfect place for families to spend some quality time together. And even go on a pilgrimage to Tugnath blessed with impeccable views of the Himalayas.
In fact, during my trip to Chopta valley, I saw a lot of families and couples embarking on a journey to Tugnath while it seemed that I was the lone solo traveler.
By the way, here is a super handy itinerary for Rudraprayag that I am sure will be very helpful for you as a first time traveler.
My Opinion – Both Rudraprayag and Chopta are family friendly destinations. In fact, I saw a lot of families during my trip. Just because how scenic Chopta is, I would give Chopta an edge over Rudraprayag. Other places like Sari village, Madhmaheswar, Triyugi Narayan are also great family friendly destinations.
Rudraprayag Vs Chopta – In Terms of Safety
I traveled across to both Rudraprayag and Chopta as a solo traveler and I had no issues whatsoever. Locals are amiable and welcoming.
Therefore, be it families, couples, solo travelers you should not have any problems whatsoever. If you are solo traveler make sure that you are alert and travel by public transport to ensure your safety.
Also, don’t get into any kind of altercation with the locals to ensure that you are completely safe as a traveler. Although people are extremely friendly.
My opinion – Both Rudraprayag and Chopta are safe.
Rudraprayag OR Chopta Which is Better – In Terms Of Internet Connectivity & Mobile Network
Airtel and Jio 4g work fine in the main town of Rudraprayag without any issues as such. In Chopta though Jio has a very patchy connectivity while Airtel does not work at all.
BSNL works in chopta. But internet is very weak even if you were to get the intermittent connectivity. The mobile network usually work way better on the trail to Tugnath.
So in case you need work remotely, I would you suggest you to work from village like Sari which is near to Chopta and has way better connectivity.
By the way, here is a detailed blog on which network works best in Uttarakhand. I am sure this will be helpful.
My opinion – Chopta has very poor reception. Mobile network & internet connectivity works fine in Rudraprayag. In case you want to remotely work from Chopta, that would not be possible. Work from Sari or Ukhimath instead.
To sum it up, I hope this comparison blog helps you decide “Rudraprayag or Chopta which is better”. In my opinion Chopta beats Rudraprayag due to extremely scenic setting and the things it offers.
In case if you have any queries regarding rudrprayag vs chopta, please drop them in the comments below.
