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Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

The Mountain Hike, Uttarakhand  >  Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

GAUMUKH TAPOVAN TREK


Gaomukh tapovan trek

An eight day itinerary interspersing myth, spirituality, and sensational adventure, the Gaumukh Tapovan Trek takes you around the Gangotri glacier to the site traditionally believed to be mouth of the holy river Ganga.

The Gangotri glacial expanse is nearly 24 km long and 6 to 8 km wide, beginning from Gaumukh and extending as far as the Chaukhamba massif around Badrinath. Courtesy of celebrated mountaineers Shipton and Tilman, we have a trek route traversing the entire stretch of this storied land. After feasting our senses in the fleeting glacial hues and the immense backdrop of Mount Shivling, present in its entirety from the base to the serrated peak, we descend through the meadows of Tapovan back to Gangotri. The trek is verily a raging visual thrillfest with rising mountain behemoths such as the Bhagirathi twin peaks, and Mount Meru, besides the ever present Shivling.


Gaomukh tapovan trek

The realization of magnificence on watching the river that gave birth and nourished an entire civilization emerge fitfully out of the Gaumukh snout to flow a 2,525 odd kilometers before meeting with the ocean, comes at a riveting spiritual moment. Trickling from Gangotri glacier through Gaumukh, meaning “cow’s mouth”, the river has a different name- Bhagirathi, and becomes the Ganga, the life vein of the northern plains of India only after flowing in with another headstream, Alakananda at Devaprayag- the key confluence point of Ganga before it pours into the plains. This illustrious geography has emerged from myths that imagine the river as intensely sacred. She was brought to earth from her celestial heights to renew the life of men by the rigorous dedication of a mortal, Bhagirath who gives the channel its name- Bhagirathi, and the river’s devastating energy was sustained by none other than Shiva himself.


Gaomukh tapovan trek

The trek, in great parts veers beyond the tree line and passes through larger than life mountainscapes. We camp at rugged heights from where the snow transfused peaks are a stone’s throw away. Be it the surreal sight of the Bhagirathi peaks glistening in the moonlight, the mind numbing sight of the Shivling from Tapovan campsite, rising from the base to its zenith right before you, or a glimpse of the formidable Mount Meru, the bravura of visual ecstasies never seems to run out on this journey.

This trek is classified moderate-difficult for all the right reasons. You must come braced for an arduous hike along boulder ridden paths and ruthless climate. The holy men who are found living permanently in the meadows of Tapovan for sadhana under the gaze of Shivling can be the ones to draw your inspiration from!

Trek Highlight

  1. Experience a maximum altitude of 14,222 ft.- and participate in the holy ritual of taking a dip in the Bhagirathi river
  2. Catch the glimpse of magnificent Bhagirathi group of three soaring peaks during your journey
  3. Witness the short trek to Bhojwassa which is studded with trees and is mostly barren and often compared to the Arctic Tundra region
  4. The Gomukh Gangotri trek takes you through many of the significant pilgrimage spots of Hindu devotees such as Gangotri Glaciers, Gaumukh, Bhagirathi Sisters, etc.

Day 1:- Dehradun to Gangotri

Get all set to begin the journey from Dehradun at morning 6. The day will be longer as you will cover 241km to Gangotri. It will be wonderful 8 hours ride along the mighty mountains.

Located at only 35kms from Dehradun, the first major attraction will be Mussorie, the famous hill station. The Hill station offers majestic sight of Shivalik Ranges. After a break for lunch and a bit of sight-seeing through Dhanulti, Chamba, you will arrive to the land of Gods, Uttarkashi.

Uttarkashi lies on the banks of river Bhagirathi. You will see all the temples and religious people around, making you believe that you truly are in the land of Gods. The river Bhagirath takes you to the scenic Harshil village. Harshil is known for apple orchards everywhere giving a retreat to your eyes. Harshil is the best place to enjoy the serene evening amidst mountains.

Even after long ride to Gangotri, you would wish it shouldn’t end. Gangotri is on the banks of river Bhagirathi, pervaded by pilgrims. You can roam in the local market, interact will local people and share amazing pictures to your friends, because of the good network availability. In the night have great homemade dinner and rest in the guest house.

Day 2:- Acclimatization day at Gangotri

Good morning in the holy land of Gangotri! Have breakfast and enjoy the entire day just being alive in the religious vibes. Now that you are at 10171 ft height, today is the day for acclimatization. Acclimatization is like health supplement to your body to get used to the environmental and low temperatures. 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 which was built in the 18th century. Apart from that you can visit the BhagirathShila, a holy rock where King Bhagirath worshipped lord Shiva and PandavaGufa where Pandavas were rested.

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

Day 3:- Gangotri to Chirbassa

Have full breakfast and take steps ahead to embark the trek through the mountains. You will be walking through the pine forests alongside the astounding Bhagirathi river. There will be gradual ascents but it will be easy 4-5 hours trek. Throughout the route beautiful Sudarshan Parbat (21,345ft) will accompany you. You will also come across some waterfalls and streams at which you refill your water bottles. The entire walk will be in the Gangotri National Park.

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. 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 Parbatetc.

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

Day 4:- Chirbassa to Bhojwasa

Wake up with the stunning fluorescent views of sun rays on the mountain peaks, get refreshed to trudge again. This will be the easiest 2-3 hours trek having gradual ascent. The trail widens up now with more closer views of the Bhagirathi peaks. You will across some landslide sections easier to walk upon. After the trek, you will find a plain terrain where tents will be laid for you, that is Bhojwassa.

The Bhojwasa came from Bhopatra trees or the Birch trees, which are in abundant there.This is the widest part in the valley serving you the first view of Mount Shivling. You will find ashram, police post and rest house, also some igloo like houses. You can opt staying in those houses but that require permissions.

Chill around in the noon after having lunch at the campsite. You can capture the splendid camping area, as you walk into the Gaumukh, the end of the Gangotri glacier. Spend the cosy cold night in the tents.

Day 5:- Bhojwasa (12435 ft) to Khada Pathar via Gaumukh (13452 ft) & Tapovan (14600 ft)

The day has arrived when it will be the strenuous and longest day of the 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.

The trek to Gomukh is fairly easy. Gomukh is the end of the Gangotri glacier and hence the source of the divine Ganges river. Gomukh basically means cows mouth, it is believed the snout looked like cows mouth in past. Most religious people consider it as a blessing to visit 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 trail from here gets steeper and filled with rock boulders. The rock moraines on the glacier make the climb difficult, but it also means there is no need of technical equipments. You can use a trekking pole to ease the climb. The final trek to Tapovan is a rocky terrain, once you cross it you will be pleased to be in the best-known meadows with closer view of the magnificent Mt. Shivling.

apovan 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 mountain. Do not miss the sight of Mt. Meru and Bhagirathi peaks.

After gruelling trek, Tapovan serves as perfect place for solitude. Here you will find mountain goats roaming around, just as you are. End your strained yet memorable day by resting peacefully in tents

Day 6:- Tapovan to Chirbassa

Rise early to cherish the few last moments in front of legendary mountains who are shining in the bright sun rays. Mt. Shivling looks prettier as never before, passing its beauty to the adjacent peaks. Together they all make a spectacular sight. It is then 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 difficult than ascending they say, you will realise this now as you make way around the boulders.Watch your steps and move gradually. Try to relive the moments while you retrace the steps.

After steep descend to Gomukh, walk down the terrain alongside Bhagirathi river. It will be a 6-7 hours trek till Chirbassa. Then you will be back to the same pine forests. Not to your surprise, you will be camping near the river, in between the mountains, under the pine trees...!!

Day 7:- Chirbasa to Gangotri

Wake up to realize that this will be the last day of the trek. Trek for around 4-5 hours covering 9km to Gangotri. You will enter again in the Gangotri National Park. You can catch up streams and waterfalls to refills water bottles. Say good bye 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.

Day 8:- Depart for Dehradun

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

You will reach Dehradun by 5PM, from here you can lead your return journey as you have planned. Make sure to take back loads of adventure filled memories and take a pledge to come back to the mountains.

Inclusions :-

1.Accommodation. (Guest house, Home stay, Camping)

2.Meals while on trek (Veg.+ Egg)

3.Trek equipments (Sleeping bag, mattress, Kitchen & dinning tent, crampon, utensils, tent)

4.All necessary permits and entry fees.

5.First aid medical kits, stretcher and oxygen cylinder.

6.Mountaineering qualified & professional trek Leader, guide and Support staff.

Exclusions :-

1.Any kind of personal expenses.

2. Food during the transit.

3. Insurance.

4. Mules or porter to carry personal luggage.

5. Anything not specifically mentioned under the head

Cancellation and Refund Policy

A. Change/Cancellation of Booking by the participant

A.1.1. Process – The cancellation process is completely automated. Please login to you’re Mountain Hike account and find relevant instructions on your dashboard. You can choose your preferred mode of refund (Instant/Cash) as per the policy below and your refund would automatically be processed by the system.

A.1.2. Replacement of participant(s) – Our system allows you to seamlessly replace any of the participants in your booking through the Mountain Hike login account dashboard. Please note that this feature is applicable only when the status of the Booking is “Paid” and there are at least 5 days remaining prior to the departure date (departure date minus 5). If you are unable to replace a participant through your dashboard, then, drop an email to themountainhike@gmail.com the screenshot of the error. The new participant needs to print, sign, scan and send the undertaking form to themountainhike@gmail.com

Please note that the replacement would not be applicable on any Volvo/Train transport booked for the original participant. The same would be automatically cancelled. This is simply because the seats booked in such transport mediums are not transferrable.

A.1.3. Cash Refund: Cash refund is applicable only in case of bookings made without using any promotional offer code or vouchers. Also, the cash refunds would not be applicable in case of shifted batch bookings & if the status of the Booking is “Booked”.

The Refund of the amount would be processed as per deduction guidelines outlined below:

  1. Cancellations up to 30 days prior to departure date – 5% deduction
  2. Between 30 days to 15 days prior to departure – 50% deduction
  3. Less than 15 days of departure – No Cash Refund

All cancellation refunds will be processed back to the bank account or the credit card account from which the event fee has been paid. The amount for refund processing would always be calculated basis the net amount paid* for booking the event w.r.t the Base Price of the event (excluding additional components like transport, insurance, rent, portage, etc.).

A.1.4. Voucher Refund: This option is available for all types of bookings including the bookings made under promotional offers.

The Mountain Hike would offer you a short term voucher that would enable you with a flexibility to book any other The Mountain Hike event using the voucher. The option of claiming a voucher is available till 5 day prior to the departure of the event. The Refund of the amount would be processed as per deduction guidelines outlined below:

  1. Cancellations up to 5 days prior to departure date – No deduction
  2. Less than 5 days prior to departure – No Refund

The amount for refund processing would always be calculated basis the net amount paid* for booking the event w.r.t the Base Price of the event (excluding additional components like transport, insurance, rent, portage, etc.). Please note that the voucher issued would not include the service tax amount paid while making the booking. However, when you use the voucher to book again on our website, service tax would not be applicable on the voucher amount. Validity of the voucher would be 10 months from the date of issue.

*Net Amount Paid would be the amount paid to The Mountain Hike Ak at the time of booking after adjusting for all rebates provided by applying vouchers.

Please note that any additional transport bookings are completely non-refundable, be it cash or voucher refund. For e.g. If you have booked Monal Top Trek by paying a base prices of INR 6,950 along with the transportation from Dehradun to Village Wan and back, and with portage and insurance, then in case of postponement or cancellation, only the base price of INR 6,950 would be considered for calculations of refund as per the slabs defined above or for the matter of issuing a voucher (for postponement cases). The additional transport fee deposited is completely non-refundable.

A.2. In case of Cancellation or change initiated by The Mountain Hike

The Mountain Hike reserves the right to cancel your booking or change any of the facilities, services or prices described in our brochures or website. We will endeavour to advise you of any changes known at the time of booking. We plan the arrangements for your events many months in advance and may occasionally have to make minor changes..Transport timings and carriers shown or communicated on our website are for guidance only and are subject to change.

However in the field of adventure activities, there are many variables beyond our control like weather conditions, landslides, road situations and any other force majeure conditions. Circumstances amounting to “force majeure” include any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not even with all due care, foresee or forestall such as (by way of example and not by way of limitation) war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, industrial disputes, actual or threatened terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks and pandemics, ban by local authorities, acts of God, unavoidable and unforeseeable technical problems with transport for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers, closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential adverse weather conditions, and any other similar events. In such situations we might be forced to change the itinerary or even cancel an event. In case of a change /cancellation, you will have the choice of either:

Accepting a replacement event from us of equivalent or similar standard and price (at the date of the change), if we are able to offer you one; or Cancelling your event, in which case you shall receive a full refund*, including all the components paid by you (transport, base fee, taxes).

*The refund would always be in the form of a voucher (validity 6 months) if the change or cancellation arises from circumstances amounting to “force majeure” or from any other reason beyond our control. However, for cancellations made otherwise (low participation due to cancellation by other participants), the participant would have a choice between voucher of 6 month validity or cash refund. Please note that in case you have made the booking using a voucher, cash refund would only be made for the part paid in cash. However, we will reactivate your consumed voucher with an additional validity of 6 month.

A.3 In case of changes/cancellation of the event after departure

A.3.1. When the change or cancellation arise from circumstances amounting to “force majeure” or for any other reason beyond our control The Mountain Hike shall not be liable to refund the amount already deposited.

A.3.2. When the change or cancellation arising otherwise: We will, wherever possible, make suitable alternative arrangements. If we are unable to make such alternative arrangements, or you reject the same for good reason then we will return you to your point of departure and refund you for any unused services, as appropriate. The refund would be primarily made in the form of a voucher (6 month validity). However, in case the participant desires, the same amount can also be refunded in cash.

A.4. In case of drop out by the participant in between the event We shall not be liable to make any refund in such situation. The participant would also have to pay additionally for unplanned expenses on planning and executing the retreat of the participant on actual basis. In case suitable arrangements for retreat are not possible, The Mountain Hike reserves the right to deny such drop out in between the event.

A.5. In case of early return from an event In situations wherein the participant(s) return early from the event due to the event being completed earlier than estimated or wherein due to force majeur conditions, the participant(s) had to return early, in such cases, any extra service(s) availed or extra night(s) accommodation booked, etc., the participant will have to bear the expenses incurred.

A.6. In case of Emergency Evacuation While we do have first aid and experts available on all our events but still there might be situations under which an emergency evacuation might be needed. We are committed to make a safe evacuation for you in case of an emergency. We would make necessary and adequate arrangements for your evacuation till the nearest road head that is well connected by road, and would also help you in boarding a vehicle to the nearest Hospital or any other facility so required. Any additional expenses incurred, that of porters, vehicle, ambulance, hospitalization, or any other expense incurred for evacuation, would be covered by the participant

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