A quiet space to find yourself again.
The Aipan Retreat
Sharing the slow rhythm of the mountains with travelers who seek a deeper connection. Welcome to your peaceful mountain getaway in Chopta, Uttarakhand.
The Aipan Retreat is a small, couple-run home in Chopta — close to Tungnath, near the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.
Named after Aipan, one of the folk arts of Uttarakhand, we grew up with. The walls here are painted by hand. The forest starts at the doorstep. "By staying here, guests contribute to the revival of Aipan art, a beautiful local tradition that is gradually losing its significance."
A small place
There are only a handful of rooms. Guests are few. It is quiet most mornings.
A real place
The hosts live here. The food is home-cooked. The Aipan on the walls is not a print.
A particular place
If you are looking for luxury amenities, this is probably not the right fit. If you are looking for the mountains — it might be exactly right.
Real photo coming soon
Adi & Kajal
Run by us, not a company
Adi handles the stay, the treks, and everything logistical. Kajal is a traditional Aipan artist — the art you'll see across the property, and the one you can learn yourself, is hers.
Meet us properly → About
A look inside
Where you'll sleep, eat, and sit when there's nowhere else to be.
Real photo coming soon
A room
Real photo coming soon
The dining space
Real photo coming soon
Where people sit out in the evening
Aipan, woven into this place
Aipan: the red-clay-and-rice-paste art of Kumaon, woven into everything here — walls, textiles, even the sessions you can sit in on. It's not a display piece. It's alive at this property because Kajal keeps it that way.
The story behind the art → About
A few ways to spend the day
- The trek to Tungnath and Chandrashila — it starts right outside your room.
- Sit with Kajal and paint your own Aipan piece, when she's on the property.
- Or don't do any of it. Quiet, a view, and nowhere to be is a completely valid plan here.
See all experiences → Experiences
Good to know
No WiFi — mobile signal works well (Airtel best)
Cash or UPI on arrival
Open year-round, closed for monsoon (July–mid-September)
2,680m, with a real walk-in — worth knowing before you book
Full details on Stay · Plan your visit
Ready to come up?
Message us on WhatsApp, or send an inquiry and we'll get back to you.
The art
The art of Aipan
Aipan is the traditional folk art of the Kumaon hills—hand-painted geometric motifs crafted using geru (a deep brick-red clay) and white rice paste. More than just decoration, these sacred patterns are woven into the emotional fabric of local life, gracing thresholds, temples, and weddings. Today, as this beautiful practice slowly fades from daily routines, preserving it becomes a labor of love
— Kajal
A glimpse
Moments in the mist
01
Walk to Tungnath
The highest Shiva temple in the world is 16 km from the retreat.
02
Learn Aipan
Informal morning sessions, when an artist is on the property.
03
Walk in the forest
Oak, rhododendron, pine. The Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary begins here.
04
Do very little
That is also a legitimate reason to come.
Read more → Experiences
From our home to yours
We didn't set out to build this exact place — just a life back in the mountains we're from, after COVID sent us home and the move stuck. We found this spot after a 500-metre hike up from the road, and knew right away.
If you come, we'll try to make the climb worth it.
Adi & Kajal
Chopta, Uttarakhand
Their story → About the hosts