A snout in retreat
The Gangotri glacier retreated 1,147 m between 1936 and 1996. Recent surveys put the snout's retreat at over 30 m a year.
After the trail · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Gaumukh is a pilgrim trail and a glacier walk in one, capped at 150 people a day.
4,023m
Gaumukh, the snout
4,460m
Tapovan
40km
Walking, over 5 days
150a day
Permit cap
💪 Moderate🌸 Apr–Jun🍂 Sep–Oct🎫 Permit needed
Day by day
Eight days, step by step
This is Bikat Adventures' plan. Its day figures add up to 48 km; Wikipedia and Vargis Khan give 18 km to the snout.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Dehradun → GangotriVia Uttarkashi245 km · 8–9 h🛏️ Gangotri · 3,415 m
- Day 2Gangotri → ChirbasaUp the Bhagirathi9 km · about 4 h🛏️ Tents · 3,600 m
- Day 3Chirbasa → BhojbasaOver Gila Pahar5 km🛏️ Tents · 3,775 m
- Day 4Bhojbasa → Gaumukh → TapovanThe snout, then the moraineBikat: 14 km🛏️ Tents · 4,460 m
- Day 5Tapovan → BhojbasaBack past the snout6 km🛏️ Tents at Bhojbasa
- Day 6Bhojbasa → GangotriDown the valley14 km🛏️ Gangotri
- Day 7Gangotri → DehradunThe drive home245 km
- Day 8Spare dayFor weather
Stories and nature
Where the Ganga begins
The first map
John Hodgson and James Herbert made the first recorded European visit in 1817. J. B. Auden published the first scientific map of the glacier in 1937.
Ganga water abroad
In 1972 Mauritius's prime minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam poured water from Gaumukh into Grand Bassin, now also called Ganga Talao.
When to go
Spring and autumn
Gangotri National Park is open from 1 April to 30 November; checkposts open at 6 a.m.
April–June
Early in the season the Gaumukh stretch can still be under snow.
Monsoon
Landslide risk makes the trail unsafe.
Sep–Oct
Clear skies after the rain.
Dec–March
The park is closed for winter.
Plan your trip
Getting to Gangotri
The motor road ends at Gangotri, a long day from Dehradun.
- Dehradun🚌 245 km via Uttarkashi, 8–9 h
- Gangotri
Nearest airport: Jolly Grant, Dehradun. Nearest railheads: Rishikesh and Haridwar.
Cost
Bikat Adventures charges ₹17,500 + 5% GST, Gangotri to Gangotri. Transport from Dehradun is extra.
Permits
A Gangotri National Park permit (about ₹150 for Indians) from the Pathik portal or the forest offices in Uttarkashi or Gangotri. Only 150 a day.
Guide
A registered guide is mandatory beyond Gaumukh to Tapovan.
Altitude sickness
Tapovan is at 4,460 m. Tell your guide about any symptoms, and go down if they get worse.
Good to know
The small things
Cash, signal, water, permits and help on the way. Checked October 2026; confirm with your operator.
Bring cash
Uttarkashi is the last town with several ATMs, and cash can run short there. Draw cash in Dehradun. Himalayan Dream Treks
Signal ends at Gangotri
Jio, Airtel and BSNL work in Gangotri. There is no network after it; guides use walkie-talkies. Himalayan Dream Treks
Charge in Gangotri
Gangotri is the last place to charge. Carry spare batteries and a power bank of 20,000 mAh or more. Himalayan Dream Treks
Water on the way
There are many streams up to Bhojbasa; let the silt settle before you drink. Carry 2 litres from Gaumukh to Tapovan, where there may be none. Himalayan Dream Treks
Food on the trail
Only vegetarian food: rice, dal, roti, vegetables, paratha. Ask ahead for Jain meals. Himalayan Dream Treks
Toilets
Every campsite has a dry pit toilet. Carry your own toilet paper. Himalayan Dream Treks
Weather
In Sep–Oct, Gangotri is 10 to 20 °C by day and 0 to 5 °C at night. Tapovan nights fall to −5 °C. Bikat Adventures
Nearest hospital
The nearest hospital is the District Hospital in Uttarkashi, near Vishwanath Chowk. Himalayan Dream Treks
Offloading
A porter for your bag costs ₹3,000 with Himalayan Dream Treks, ₹4,000 with Bikat and ₹2,400 with Trekkaro. Himalayan Dream Treks
Getting to Gangotri
A Bikat Sumo from Dehradun for 5–6 people costs ₹9,000 each way. Himalayan Dream Treks charges ₹3,000 per person, return. Bikat Adventures
What to pack
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device. Items with a red price can be rented.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
List from Bikat Adventures: Gaumukh Tapovan packing list.
Rent or buy
Where to get gear
Many operators lend tents, sleeping bags and spikes. Ask yours before you rent.
Dehradun before you leave
DecathlonBuy · thermals, socks, fleece, gloves, torch, polesPlot 1591, Haridwar Bypass Road · Website
Himalayan Dream TreksRent · shoes, jackets, bags, poles, gaiters, power banks10 B Mothorowala Road, Dharampur · +91 80896 93825 · Website
Gangotri at the start of the trek
Himalayan Dream Treks storeRent · per day: shoes ₹200, jacket ₹100, bag ₹100, pole ₹50, power bank ₹100+91 80896 93825 · Website
Shop details are from each shop's own page. Phone to confirm prices and stock.
Who runs it
Choose an operator
We found 9 operators with a Gaumukh Tapovan page in October 2026. Prices run from ₹15,000 to ₹45,000; some start in Dehradun and others in Gangotri, so compare what each covers.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page (October 2026); most add 5% GST. Ratings are what each operator shows, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one seen only in a search snippet.