Uttarkashi Lodge
Lodge
Day 1
Gaumukh Tapovan — full - 7 Days (Rishikesh, Uttarkashi, Gangotri, Chirbasa & Bhojbasa)
Seven days to the source of the Ganga and the meadow above it. Seven days with the park permit secured, a technical guide for the moraine crossing and two nights at Tapovan.
Kestrel High Routes
Runs this trip
Trekking
Seven days to the source of the Ganga and the meadow above it
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Tehri lakeGangotri National Park caps entry at a hundred and fifty people a day and the permit names you. Gangotri templeGangotri is at 3,100 m and the afternoon is deliberately empty — you sleep here before walking anywhere. ChirbasaThe Bhagirathi peaks appear about an hour before Bhojbasa and dominate everything from then on. GaumukhGaumukh — the cow's mouth — is the snout of the Gangotri glacier and the source of the Bhagirathi.
Itinerary
Gangotri National Park caps entry at a hundred and fifty people a day and the permit names you. It is arranged at Uttarkashi.
Rishikesh, UttarkashiHow the day runs
- 7 hrs6:00 AM — north up the river
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationUttarkashi Lodge
Included Activities
- Shared transport
- Guesthouse night
- Permit paperwork
LANDMARKS Tehri lake Uttarkashi Bhagirathi Start point Rishikesh, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 05:00 - 07:00Gangotri is at 3,100 m and the afternoon is deliberately empty — you sleep here before walking anywhere.
Uttarkashi, GangotriHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — up the gorge to the temple town
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationGangotri Inn
Included Activities
- Transport
- Guesthouse night at Gangotri
- Park permit issued
LANDMARKS Gangotri temple Bhagirathi gorge Surya Kund The Bhagirathi peaks appear about an hour before Bhojbasa and dominate everything from then on.
Gangotri, Chirbasa, BhojbasaHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:30 AM — the trail cut into the gorge wall
- 2 hrs12:30 PM — the last stretch to the ashram
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationBhojbasa Inn
Included Activities
- Ashram or tented camp at Bhojbasa
- All meals
LANDMARKS Chirbasa Bhojbasa Bhagirathi peaks Gaumukh — the cow's mouth — is the snout of the Gangotri glacier and the source of the Bhagirathi. The climb to Tapovan above it is loose, steep and the crux of the trek.
Bhojbasa, Gaumukh, TapovanHow the day runs
- 2 hrs6:00 AM — 4 km to where the Ganga comes out of the ice
- 4 hrs9:00 AM — across the moraine and up the steep side to the meadow
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationTapovan Retreat
Included Activities
- Tented camp at Tapovan
- All meals
- A guide on the moraine crossing
LANDMARKS Gaumukh Gangotri glacier Tapovan meadow Shivling Shivling rises 2,000 m straight off the meadow. Sadhus overwinter in caves here, at 4,463 m, which is difficult to believe until you meet one.
TapovanHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — the meadow, the sadhu caves and the glacier edge
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationTapovan Retreat
Included Activities
- Tented camp
- All meals
LANDMARKS Shivling Meru Bhagirathi I-III Sadhu caves Eighteen kilometres down, and the descent off Tapovan is where people slip. Poles help more today than on any other day.
Tapovan, Gaumukh, GangotriHow the day runs
- 3 hrs7:00 AM — the loose descent back across the moraine
- 6 hrs10:30 AM — the long walk out to the road head
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationGangotri Inn
Included Activities
- Guesthouse night at Gangotri
- All meals
LANDMARKS Gangotri glacier Chirbasa Gangotri Eleven hours. You reach Rishikesh late; do not book a same-night connection.
Gangotri, RishikeshHow the day runs
- 11 hrs6:00 AM — the long road to the plains
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Transport to Rishikesh
- Day 1Shared transport
- Day 1Guesthouse night
- Day 1Permit paperwork
- Day 2Transport
- Day 2Guesthouse night at Gangotri
- Day 2Park permit issued
- Day 3Ashram or tented camp at Bhojbasa
- Day 3All meals
- Day 4Tented camp at Tapovan
- Day 4A guide on the moraine crossing
- Day 5Tented camp
- Day 7Transport to Rishikesh
- Day 1 · 1 nightUttarkashi Lodge
- Day 2 · 1 nightGangotri Inn
- Day 3 · 1 nightBhojbasa Inn
- Day 4 · 2 nightsTapovan Retreat
- Day 6 · 1 nightGangotri Inn
- Day 1Rishikesh to Uttarkashi6:00 AM — north up the river
- Day 2Uttarkashi to Gangotri8:00 AM — up the gorge to the temple town
- Day 7Gangotri to Rishikesh6:00 AM — the long road to the plains
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Gangotri Inn
Hotel
Days 2, 6
Bhojbasa Inn
Hotel
Day 3
Tapovan Retreat
Hotel
Days 4, 5
What you'll eat
6 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 6 dinners across 7 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 7.
- DinnerServed on days 1–6
- BreakfastServed on days 2–7
- LunchServed on days 3–6
16 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.5/5
Based on 13 reviews
Review summary
Food4.5/5
Guide4.5/5
Itinerary4.0/5
Transport4.3/5
Accommodation4.2/5
Tour operator4.1/5
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2
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Tom Bergman – Dubai2025-11-22 · Verified booking
The trek itself is good but the group was too large for the trail on the summit day.
Reply from Kestrel High Routes
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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4
O
Owen Clarke – Melbourne2025-11-22 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Worth every rupee.
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5
H
Hannah Lindqvist – Toronto2025-11-22 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down. No hesitation recommending them.
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4
E
Elena Petrova – Berlin2025-11-22 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. No hesitation recommending them.
Reply from Kestrel High Routes
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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5
R
Rahul Menon – Pune2025-04-10 · Verified booking
Did this over 7 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. The teahouses were warm and the beds were fine after eight hours walking.
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5
S
Sneha Kulkarni – Bengaluru2025-04-10 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. The teahouses were warm and the beds were fine after eight hours walking. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it. Would send friends their way.
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5
I
Ishita Ghosh – Delhi2025-04-10 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Rooms were basic in the best way — dry, warm, and right where we needed them. Solid operator.
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4
A
Aditi Rao – Chandigarh2025-04-10 · Verified booking
Did this over 7 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. Recommended.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →