Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

• Altitude: 3,100 m/ 10,200 ft
• Gangotri Temple - Gangotri is one of the Char Dhams of Uttarakhand
• After breakfast visit Pandav Gufa, Bhagirath Shila, Surya, and Gauri Kund
• Post lunch can visit Gangotri Temple or go shopping
• Acclimatization walk around Gangotri town
• Stay in the guesthouse

Good morning in the holy land of Gangotri!

Have breakfast and enjoy the entire day just being alive in the religious vibes. The entire region brims with spiritual fervor and Gangotri is a haven not just for spiritual seekers but also for adventure enthusiasts as well.

Now that you are at 10171 ft height, today is the day for acclimatization. Acclimatization is like a health supplement for your body to get used to the environment and low temperature. At TTH, we take acclimatization very seriously as it is one of the key contributors to the success of a trek. Take acclimatization walks around Gangotri in the evening and while doing that, you can take the advantage of being in Gangotri, one of the four Char Dhams. The Gangotri temple is the biggest temple that was built in the 18th century. Apart from that, you can visit the BhagirathShila, a holy rock where King Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva, and Pandava Gufa where Pandavas were rested. Surya Kund and Gaurikund are two hot water springs that you can visit as well, Surya and Gauri Kund are both located on either side of an iron bridge near the temple.

You will see many foreigners meditating and roaming around. Spend the night in the guest house and get ready for the upcoming trek.

• Altitude: 3,550 m/ 11,700 ft
• Trek Distance: 9 km | 5 to 6 hrs
• Altitude Gain: 450 m/ 1,500 ft
• Entire trek in Gangotri National Park
• Accommodation in tent
• Hot lunch is served at the campsite
• Campsite under the pine forest
• Moderate level of gradual ascent
• Spring and manmade water points are available
• Evening acclimatization walk

Have a full breakfast and take steps ahead to embark on the trek through the mountains. We start early from Gangotri and head towards the Chirbasa campsite. The trek starts from a forest check post and after getting your permits checked proceed on the trekking trail on the left side of the mountain. You will be walking through the pine forests alongside the gurgling Bhagirathi river. There will be gradual ascents but it will be an easy 4-5 hours trek. You will come across many waterfalls and natural streams where you can refill your bottles. Throughout the route beautiful Sudarshan Parbat (21,345ft) will accompany you. The entire walk will be in the Gangotri National Park. Once you cross the third ridge on your trek, you will be greeted with a mesmerizing view of the valley. The fragrance of the blue pine and fir trees is enough to soothe your senses.

Towards the end of the trek you will be welcomed by boulders of the Sudarshan peak, just cross them and you will reach the campsite.

This will be the most scenic campsite, with the Bhagirathi river gushing on the right, lying in between the mountains under the pine trees. The campsite offers the first views of the Bhagirathi Sister peaks, Bhagirathi I, II, and III ( 6856 m, 6512 m, & 6454 m respectively) sharing space with Manda Peak, Bhrigu Parbat, etc. Far away you can also make out the Gaumukh Glacier.

Revive yourself by having lunch. Enjoy the blissful evening by the side of the Bhagirathi river, you can also take an acclimatization walk to explore the area. To make the day more adventurous you will be spending the night in tents. Of course, besides the flowing river, between the mountain peaks, under the pine trees…!!!

• Altitude: 3,800 m/ 12,500 ft
• Trek Distance: 5 km | Duration: 2 to 3 hrs
• Altitude Gain: 250 m/ 800 ft
• Accommodation in tent
• Reach campsite for lunch
• Easiest day of the trek
• Moderate level gradual ascent
• Birch (Bhojpatra) forests in the area
• Ashram, police post (SRDF), and rest house available
• Bhagirathi massif view from the camp area
• After lunch, acclimatization walk in the surrounding areas.

Wake up with the stunning fluorescent views of sun rays on the mountain peaks, and get refreshed to trudge again. This will be the easiest 2-3 hours trek having a gradual ascent. The trail widens now with closer views of the Bhagirathi peaks. You will cross some landslide sections easier to walk upon. About 45 minutes into the walk and you will reach the first ridge section and as you keep walking, the Bhagirathi group of peaks comes closer and closer. Soon you will reach a landslide-prone area filled with boulders and a stream running across your path. There will be another ridge after this point with about 8 to 9 landslide-prone bends, be mindful of falling rocks in this area. After the trek, you will see a bridge over a stream and a plain terrain where tents will be laid for you, this is Bhojwassa.

The name Bhojwasa came from Bhopatra trees or the Birch trees, which are in abundance there. This is the widest part of the valley serving you the first view of Mount Shivling. You will find an ashram, police post, and a rest house, also some igloo-like houses. You can opt to stay in those houses but that requires permission.

Chill around in the noon after having lunch at the campsite. You can capture the splendid camping area, or you can walk 300 m above the Bhojwasa campsite from where you can get a striking view of the valley. Spend the cozy cold night in the tents.

• Altitude: Tapovan - 4,450 m/ 14,600 ft
• Trek Distance: 9 km| Duration:  hr
• Altitude Gain: 650 m/ 2,100 ft
• Accommodation in tent
• Hot lunch/ packed lunch
• No water points, it is advisable to carry at least 2 liters of water
• A challenging day on the trek
• Carry energy bars, ors, and water
• Trek begins over rocky boulders and becomes noticeably steep gradually over the rocky terrain
• Cross the river by means of a trolley.
• You might see mountain goat/ Ibex near your campsite
• Tapovan camp is surrounded by giants - Mt. Shivling, Meru, Manda, the Bhagirathi group, Kedar Dome, Kharchakund, and many more

Today we will trek from Bhojwasa to Tapovan. It is a 9 km long trek so eat full, get packed lunch, fill water bottles (there are no water sources on the route), carry energy bars, and lots of excitement.

We will set off early in the morning and after walking for bout half a kilometer, we will arrive at the Bhagirathi River. To reach the Tapovan, we need to cross the river by means of a manually pulled trolley over the bridge. It is a unique experience and this method is often used as a method of river crossing in the mountains where there are no bridges in place. It takes about an hour for the entire batch to cross the river via a trolley so don’t be impatient.

After crossing the river, you will walk for about 2 km with rocks and stones on either side, this is also a potential rockfall-prone zone, so we will try to cross the area before lunchtime to avoid any potential rockfalls. After crossing this zone, you have to cross the Akash Ganga River. Look for spots from where you can cross the river and if the water flow is high then you will have to take your shoes off to cross the stream.

We will have lunch after crossing the river. Tapovan is a steep climb from here. After lunch, we will set out for the Tapovan campsite. It takes about 1.5 hr to reach Tapovan from this point. Once we reach the Tapovan meadows, we will find a suitable spot to pitch our camp for an overnight stay.

Tapovan is famous for the Sadhus who come here for meditation. It is also the base camp for the expeditions going to Mt. Shivling. It offers the direct, bigger sight of Mt. Shivling which is considered one of the most sacred and beautiful mountains. Do not miss the sight of Mt. Meru and Bhagirathi peaks. Pilgrims are not allowed to camp in Tapovan unless they have a permit.

After a grueling trek, Tapovan serves as the perfect place for solitude. Here you will find mountain goats roaming around, just as you are, and a great view of the Gaumukh Glacier. End your strained yet memorable day by resting peacefully in tents.

• Altitude: Bhojwasa - 3,800 m/ 12, 500 ft
• Trek Distance: 10 km | Duration: 5 to 6 hrs
• Descend through moraine and glacier till Gaumukh
• Accommodation in tent
• Packed lunch
• Carry energy bars, ors, and water

Rise early to cherish the few last moments in front of legendary mountains that are shining in the bright suns rays and get ready to visit the Gaumukh Glacier. Mt. Shivling looks prettier as never before, passing its beauty to the adjacent peaks. Together they all make a spectacular sight. It is time to take these memories back after having breakfast. Carry packed lunch and enough water as you did earlier because there are no water sources.

Yes, again you have to cross the rocky terrain and moraines of the glacier. Descending is more difficult than ascending they say, you will realize this now as you make your way around the boulders. Watch your steps and move gradually. Try to relive the moments while you retrace the steps. Enjoy the forested sections of Bhojwasa once again with its flora and fauna.

It is quite a steep descent to Gaumkuh and today you will get to see the behemoth glacier from up close. Gaumukh is the end of the Gangotri glacier and hence the source of the divine Ganges river. Gaumukh means cow’s mouth, it is believed the snout looked like a cows mouth in past. Most religious people consider it a blessing to visit the Ganges. Even if you are not religious you will be astonished to see how huge the snout is and how small you are in front of it.

The legend has it that once there was a powerful king named Sagar, who wished to perform the Ashwamedh Yajna with a ceremonial sacrifice horse. Fearing that Sagar will complete the Yajna, Lord Indra took the horse and tied it to the ashram of Lord Kapila where he used to meditate. Sagar sent out 60,000 of his sons to bring back the horse and when they were creating chaos in Kapila Muni’s ashram, his meditation got disrupted and he turned all of the 60000 sons to ashes and cursed that they will attain Moksha only if their ashes are washed in the water of the holy River Ganga, who then resided in heaven. All of Sagars ancestors failed to please Brahma to bring Ganga on Earth, however, King Bhagirath was able to please Brahma and he ordered Ganga to flow down Earth. Goddess Ganga was not pleased with this and flowed with such intensity that she was about to drown the entire world. Bhagirath then prayed to Lord Shiva and Shiva agreed to capture Ganga in his locks to control the force and this is how Ganga arrived on Earth. To date, it is believed that a dip in the Ganga is enough to resolve all sins of an individual.

After a steep descent to Gaumukh, walk down the terrain alongside the Bhagirathi river. It will be a 5 to 6 hrs trek to Bhojwasa and you will be back to the same pine forests. Tonight we will camp here again before returning to Gangotri the following day.

• Altitude: 3,200 m/ 10,200 ft
• Trek Distance: 14 km | Duration: 6 to 7 hr
• Altitude Loss: 600 m/ 1,968 ft
• Accommodation in the guest house
• Moderate level of gradual descent
• Spring and manmade water points are available

Wake up to realize that this will be the last day of the trek. Trek for around 6 to 7 hours covering 14 km to reach Gangotri. You will enter again in the Gangotri National Park, with the valley slowly closing behind you. Watch out for the rockfall section once again and you can catch upstreams and waterfalls to refill your water bottle. Say goodbye to the Bhagirathi and other mountain peaks as their sight now disappears.

Have hot lunch and dinner in the guest house. Pack to return to Dehradun and thereby to your lovely homes.

• Distance: 265km |7hrs
• After morning tea travel towards Rishikesh (breakfast and lunch on the way)
• Reach Rishikesh by 6:00 pm 
• For the safer side book on Word Journey after 8:30 pm

Have a final cup of morning tea in the mighty land of Gangotri. Say a final goodbye to your fellow trekkers and take back lots of memories. Take a wonderful group picture and get into the cab that will ride you back to Rishikesh. This will be an 8 hours ride, between the mountains, valleys, and Bhagirathi river. The river guided us throughout the trek.

You will reach Rishikesh by 6 PM, and from here you can lead your return journey as you have planned. We hope you take back loads of adventure-filled memories and take a pledge to come back to the mountains.

(Transportation is not included in the trek cost)