The Gaumukh Tapovan Trek derives its name from Cow’s Mouth as earlier it used to look like a Cow’s mouth and the river Bhagirathi emerging out of it. The trek begins at Gagotri and follows through the rich forest diversity which gradually decreases as we climb higher to our destination. While on Gaumukh Tapovan Trek, you will be able to get clear views of the magnificent Mount Shivling & Bhagirathi Mastiff.
The Journey of Gaumukh Tapovan Trek begins from Rishikesh. The trekkers will travel from Rishikesh to Gangotri via road. Gangotri is located on the banks of river Bhagirathi.
The trek begins with walking on a marked trail that goes through the Gangotri National Park. You will see many pine trees that grow in this area and will be able to camp near the holy Bhagirathi river that will accompany you for the entire trek.
The beautiful sunrise in the morning will surely take your breath away, you will be able to view the beautiful illuminated mountain peaks when the sunlight hits them for the first time in the morning.
The magnificent Mount Manda which has an altitude of 6,200 m is one of the major attraction of the Gaumukh Tapovan Trek. As you will inch forward towards the destination, the tree line gradually starts decreasing and the trek starts to get a bit difficult.
You will be able catch the glimpse of Bhairathi 1, 2 & 3 mountains. When pushing towards the highest point of the trek at 14,600 ft, the trail gradually becomes smaller and smaller before it finally disappears.
Your final steps towards the highest point of the Gaumukh Tapovan trek will take you on a thrilling experience. You will have to walk on huge mountain boulders and small loose rocks and therefore it is very important to have a good quality of shoes on you.
Climbing to Tapovan is the most difficult part of the trek with loose rocks and a high chance of rockfall so make sure to move quickly and carefully. After you cross the rocky surface, you will be able to get your first breathtaking view of the massive Mount Shivling.
The first day of the Gaumukh Tapovan Trek starts with a 241 Km drive from Dehradun to Gangotri which takes around 8 hours, the drive will be full of the beautiful scenic beauty of the Himalayas as we cross Mussoorie, Dhanauti and Chamba to finally arrive at Uttarkashi.
Uttarkashi is also known as the land of gods, it lies on the banks of the holy Bhagirathi river and you will find my temples in this area. Upon your arrival at Gangotri, you can explore the local market which remains full of pilgrims. Overnight stay will be at a guest house.
Brief Overview of the Day
This day of the Gaumukh Tapovan Trek will be reserved for acclimatization as you are now at 10,100 feet above sea level and it will take your body a little time to adjust to the weather conditions at higher altitudes.
You can explore the local area and also visit one of the Char Dhams - The Gangotri Temple which was built in the 18th century. You can also visit the famous Bhagirathshila, the place where King Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva or the Pandava Gufa where the Pandavas from Mahabharata are believed to have rested. The night will be spent in the rest house as we prepare to begin our trek the next morning.
Brief Overview of the Day
Today we will start our trek. As we walk into the Gangotri National Park you will find yourself surrounded by the pine forest with the Bhagirathi river & the majestic Sudarshan Parbat (around 21,350 ft.) as your accomplice throughout the trek. There will be gradual ascents during the trek but overall it will be an easy 4 to 5 hours of trek.
The campsite for today is a scenic location, camping under the pine trees with the Bhagirathi river flowing nearby. From here you will be able to catch the first glimpse of Bhagirathi I, II and III. Overnight stay at camps.
Brief Overview of the Day
Today is probably the easiest day of the trek, after you wake up to the stunning view of the sun rays hitting the mountain peaks, we will get ready to walk again.
There will be gradual assents as we trek for a short distance of about 5 km which will take around 2-3 hours of time. As we keep walking further on the trail, you will be able to catch better views of the Bhagirathi sister peaks.
Soon you will see a lot of Birch trees, this is a sign that we have reached Bhojwasa which will be our campsite for today. This wide part of the valley will give your first view of Mount Shivling. You can spend your day exploring the area around you. Night stay at tents.
Brief Overview of the Day
Eat well, fill water bottles, carry energy bars.. Today is the longest day of the trek. Gaumukh is located at the end of the Gangotri Glacier from where the Holy Ganges originate. Gaumukh gets its name because the river seemed to originate from a cave that looked like a cow’s mouth in the past.
The trail will start to get difficult as we start to push towards Gaumukh. The rocky mountains make it difficult to walk on so watch your step carefully. The female trail is full of rocks that are loose and difficult to walk on but once you cross it, you will realize that it was totally worth it. You will be pleased to view the majestic Mount Shiviling standing tall in front of you along with Mount Meru & Bhagirathi sister peaks. Overnight stay at tents.
When you wake up in the morning, your eyes will be treated with a beautiful sunrise. With the sun rays hitting Mount Shivling and the nearby peaks, this mesmerizing view will remain with you for a lifetime. Make sure to fill your water bottles as there are no water sources on the way.
Again we walk over the same rocky path and descending down a rocky trail is more difficult than climbing up. Move slowly and watch your step. After the rocky trail, we will be trekking for another 6-7 hours along the Bhagirathi river till we reach Chirbassa and back to the same pine forests. We will be spending the night in tents.
Today is the last day of the trek, we will be walking for about 4 to 5 hours to trace our steps back to Gangotri. As we once again enter the Gangotri National Park you will find the same pine trees and streams that we saw at the start of the Gaumukh Tapovan Trek. Lunch, Dinner and stay at Guest House.
Today we will be departing back to Dehradun along with the great memories of Gaumukh, Mount Shivling and the Bhagirathi sister peaks. The 241 Km ride along the same Bhagirathi river that accompanied us on the trek will take about 8 hours and we will reach Dehradun by evening.
By Air :-
Jolly Grant Airport is the airport serving Dehradun, located about 25 km from the city. There is a daily flight from Delhi to Dehradun
By Train :-
Take the overnight train to Dehradun from Delhi
By Bus:-
There is regular bus service from Delhi to Dehradun, from Delhi?s ISBT Kashmere Gate.
We would suggest you to take only government buses from ISBT Kashmere Gate. Private buses ply from outside ISBT and they are not trust worthiness.
Usually buses drop you at Dehradun ISBT. From there you have to come to Dehradun Railway Station
Inclusions :-
Exclusions :-
Note : Normally THE CRAZY MOUNTAINEERS expect to carry your personal luggage on your own, if you wish to offload your backpack, you can give it to Mule.
Charges of offloading backpack:-
INR 1200/- if you make an online payment, 10 days in advance
INR 1500/- if you inform us after reaching Sankri
The backpack cannot weigh more than 11 kgs. Backpack should have waterproof cover. Suitcases/strolleys/ bags will not be allowed.
| Basics Gear | |
| Back pack & rain cover | (50 - 60 ltr) with comfortable shoulder straps |
| Day pack + rain cover | 20 - 30 ltr (If hire a mule or porter) |
| Walking stick | Advisable (At least one) |
| Head torch | 1 Nos. |
| Water bottle/Hydration pack | 2 bottles of one litre each |
| People who use hydration pack | |
| 1 hydration pack and 1 bottle of one liter | |
| Carry at least one thermos flask | |
| Snacks | Energy bars, dry fruits, electral/ors |
| Personal Medical Kit | Consult your doctor |
| Be comfy at the Kedar Kantha Trek | |
| T-shirts | 2 Full sleeves (Non-cotton) |
| Fleece T-shirts | 1 Nos. |
| Fleece jacket | 1 Nos. (Alternative: a woollen sweater) |
| Down feather / Hollofil jacket | 1 Nos. |
| Wind & waterproof (jacket & pant) | 1 Pair |
| Thermal inners (upper and lower) | 1 Pair |
| Trek pants | 2 Synthetic (avoid shorts, fitting denims, capris) |
| Poncho | 1 Nos. |
| Think about your head | |
| Sun cap | 1 Nos. (One that covers the neck as well) |
| Woolen cap | 1 Nos. |
| Balaclava | 1 Nos. |
| Neck-gaiters | 1 Nos. |
| Sunglasses | Dark with side cover, it should be U/V protected. |
| People who wear spectacles- | |
| (A)- Use contact lenses. (Not for Chadar trek) | |
| (B)- Photo chromatic glasses. | |
| Mind your step | |
| Trekking shoes | 1 Pair (Waterproof, high ankle with good grip) |
| Floaters/flip-flops | 1 Pair (Optional) |
| Cotton socks | 5 pairs |
| Woollen socks | 3 pairs |
| Gaiters | 1 Pair (The Crazy Mountaineers team will notify you if required) |
| Keep these handy | |
| Waterproof gloves | 1 Pair |
| Fleece/woollen gloves | 1 Pair |
| Personal Utilities | |
| Sunscreen cream | Hand sanitizer |
| Moisturiser | Antibacterial powder |
| Toilet Paper & wipes | Toothbrush and toothpaste |
| Lip balm | Quick dry towe |
In the event of cancellation of trek/adventure activity services due to any avoidable / unavoidable reasons we must be notified of the same in writing. Cancellation charges will be effective from the date we receive advice in writing, and cancellation charges would be as follows: -
Cancellations prior to 24 days from the start of the trek
Book any other trek till one year or get 95% refund (Note: If the trek charges are more, the balance needs to be paid by the trekker)
Cancellation between 24 days and 14 days to the start of the trek
Choose to go for the same trek, with any other batch, till year or get 70% refund
Cancellation between 14 days and 10 days to the start of the trek
Choose to go on the same trek, in the same season, with any other batch or get 50% refund.
Cancellation less than 10 days to the start of the trek
Transfer your trek (same trek, same batch) to your friend. No cash refund.
Note:-
Q1. Is Gaumukh trek difficult?
A1. This trek falls in the category of moderate to difficult and therefore you need to be mentally as well as physically fit to do this trek.
Q2. Best Time to do Gaumukh Tapovan?
A2. Pre monsoons - May & June and post monsoon from August - October is the best time to visit Gaumukh Tapovan Trek
Q3. How is the network connectivity on Gaumukh Tapovan Trek?
A3. No networks will be available throughout the trek and therefore you are advised to attend all important calls in Gangotri
Q4. Can beginners join this trek?
A4. This trek can be a little difficult for beginners and therefore not recommended.
Q5. How to reach Gaumukh Trek from Delhi?
A5.Gaumukh trek starts from Gangotri, to reach gangotri from Delhi, you can hire a taxi or board a bus which are easily available at the national capital.
