Gaumukh Travel Essentials
Ideal duration: 1 day
Best Time: February to September Read More
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"Trekking to the Ganges Glacier"
Gaumukh Tourism
One of the holiest lands in Uttarakhand, Gaumukh, or Gomukh, is the source of the holy Bhagirathi River. It is located 18km from Gangotri and is the second-largest glacier in India. It is thronged by devotees mainly for its serenity and pious mythological history. Gaumukh opens only between May to October and remains close for the rest of the year.
The name Gaumukh itself can be broken down to Gau- meaning cow, and Mukh - meaning mouth. The end of the Gangotri glacier is in the shape of a cow's mouth, and hence the name Gaumukh.
The trek route from Gangotri to Gaumukh is Gangotri - Chirbasa - Gila Pahar - Bhujbasa - Gomukh. The 18km trek is usually covered in 2 days. There is no place to stay at Gaumukh. Bhojbasa is the only night-halting place on the way, having some stay options. The best time to visit Gaumukh is Mid August to September. May and October are cold. Avoid Monsoon time between June to July.
Must Know Before You Travel to Gaumukh
- Gaumukh National Park checkpoint is 2km from Gangotri. The bags are checked here and the items being carried are noted down.
- Chirbasa pitstop is 7 km from the checkpoint. Maggi, tea, etc available here. There is a camping site near the river in Chirbasa which is a staying point for people doing Tapovan Trek.
- The first 9km can be covered in 2.5 hours. The next 5km takes around 2-3 hours. And the last leg of the 4 km also takes around 2 hours.
- Start the trek early (around 6 AM) to reach Gaumukh the same day. Stay at Bhojbasa on return. If leaving late, then stay at Bhojbasa on the first day and finish the onward journey on the next day
- To complete the entire trek on the same day, leave Gangotri at 5:15 AM - 5:30 AM
- Pony is available at Gangotri Forest Checkpoint till Bhojbasa for INR 1800 two-way. It usually goes up to INR 2500 as they charge extra for luggage.
- Permit: Only about 150 travellers are allowed and permits have to be obtained in advance from District forest officer, Uttarkashi. The permit slip needs to be stamped at Uttarkashi or Gangotri, a few days before the journey for confirmation. The payment of INR 150 has to be made on reaching the forest office entry gate at Gangotri.
- Accommodation: Book Garhwal Mandal Guesthouse (GMVN) at Bhojbasa. It has 32 beds in room and has to be booked online. Walk-ins are also available with 16 beds in tents. This costs INR 350/night. Only two toilets are there for the entire facility
- There is no electricity in Bhojbasa. The GMVN guest house has a generator that is run in the evening for 1.5 hours.
- Food: Canteen available at GMVN guest house. However, it is strictly vegetarian. Costs around INR 200 p/p for a meal
- There is also an ashram in Bhojbasa where you can sleep on the floor with a quilt and mattress. Costs around INR 350/night along with langar food.
- Guide/Porter: You can take a guide from Gangotri to understand rough patches better. It will cost around INR 2500. Boarding and lodging will also have to be paid for (INR 1000 more). If you want only porter service, it is available at INR 2000 for the return journey. The guides on this route also help as a porter, but it is best to clarify this beforehand.
- Network: There is no network connectivity after 3km of the trek, including BSNL
- Things to Carry: Carry warm clothes, raincoat and oxygen cylinder. You can get an oxygen cylinder from Gangotri medical shop by paying INR 600 and if it is not used they will deduct INR 100 or 200 and return the balance money. It is not mandatory but advisable to carry
- Spend a night in Gangotri for acclimatization
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