Gangotri Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

Day 1: Drive from Rishikesh to Gangotri (~ 3100 m/10170 ft) – 260 kms – 10 to 11 hours drive
Our journey begins at 6:30 AM. Then we drive to Gangotri along the river bank of river Ganga (Bhagirathi) and in the mid-way visit Hot spring and take a sulphur bath in Gangnani. On the way to our base camp, we will see the beautiful view of the Greater Himalayas, Harshil and green forest.
On arrival check in the homestay/ hotel in the evening as we visit the holy city Gangotri. By 7 pm we will see a nice Ceremony (Arti) of Goddess GANGA. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Trek to Bhojbasa (~ 3780/12400 ft)– 14 kms – 7 to 8 hours. Camp for the night.
Morning, you fill yourself with food needed for the trek to Bhojbasa that will take about 8 hours to cover. The scenery is just magnificent, and you cannot stop to admire the beauty of the forests and the valleys down below, especially Chirbasa or the abode of pine trees. The entire trek today is along the roaring Bhagirathi River.
Trek above the Bhagirathi River is on a relatively groomed path to Chirbasa.
Above Chirbasa, the valley widens and offers views of snow-clad peaks in the south. It is a gentle walk to Bhojbasa (3,780m). Running virtually due south-east along the river, the Bhagirathi peaks over a beacon to the source of the river.
Bhojbasa is the widest point in the upper valley, and camping here at night offers magnificent moonlit views of the Bhagirathi peaks. The trek further to Bhojbasa is along the path that slowly flattens out and dips suddenly to reveal Bhojbasa with a small temple and a potential campsite near the river. The camp is set up near the river.
Dinner and overnight stay in tents. Enjoy incredible scenery and sight of Bhagirathi and ShivLing Mountain, dinner and rest under the tent.

Day 3: Trek to Gaumukh (~ 4050 m/12280 ft) is 4 Kms – trek from Gaumukh to Tapovan (~4350 m/14270 ft) around 5 Kms and to camping ground Near Mauni Baba Ashram – 7 to 8 hours walk. Camp for the night
We will cross the river with a manual cable car first. The first four kilometres upstream from Bhojbasa are surprising though the narrow valley. The path runs smoothly above the river and is fringed by a grassy meadow.
With about a kilometer to go, the terrain turns rocky, and one has to pick one’s way through the rocks and boulders, down to a sandy beach sheltered by enormous piles of granite. Incidentally, the beach is an excellent place to camp. Scour the water’s edge for shards of ice, or follow the broken path along the river’s edge to the very foot of Gaumukh (3,969m), and look up at the Shivling Peak (6543m) almost vertically above.
Once you have reached the southern (left) bank of the river valley, the path is marked with a steep climb of nearly a thousand feet to the meadows at the base of Shivling Peak. This is Tapovan, an exquisitely watered spot from which the fabled peak of Shivling appears to sweep up in a wave of screen, granite, and snow. It is an idyllic camping spot; alternatively, a couple of Babas have establishments.

Day 4: Early morning explore Tapovan meadows and around. After breakfast descent to Bhojbasa – 6 to 7 hours. Camp for the night
Tapovan is a high-altitude alpine meadow below Mt. Shivling, which dominates the landscape. Tapovan is over 2 km in length. The area close to Mt. Shivling is wet during early summer due to melting snow and glacial water.
These grounds have been used by many sages to meditate over the centuries. Descent down to Bhojbasa through Zero point at Gaumukh, The Source of the Ganges.

Day 5: Trek back to Gangotri – 14 kms – 6 to 7 hours , drive from Gangotri to Gangnani – 50 kms – 2 to 3 hours drive, overnight stay
It’s time to trace the trail back. It’s downhill all the way till Gangotri, allowing time for a drive to Gangnani.

Day 6: Trek concludes, drive back to Rishikesh – 200 kms – 8 to 9 hours Drive
Our gangotri gaumukh tapovan trek concludes as we drive from tapovan from Gangnani to Uttarkashi at lunch and then drive to Rishikesh 200kms. At evening trip and services concludes with sweet memories.