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Gangotri

Gangotri

2 daysBest: May–Jun, Sep–OctPilgrimage#char dham#glacier#trek
2 days May–Jun, Sep–Oct

Source of the Ganga, glacier views upriver

Why this weekend?

Gangotri templeGomukh glacier trekBhagirathi river
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The day-by-day plan

Day 1Day 1 · The river's head
  1. Uttarkashi drive
  2. Temple darshan
  3. Ghat hour
  4. Town night

Geography & terrain

Gangotri lies in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand at about 3,100 m, 100 km from Uttarkashi and 250 km from Rishikesh — the Char Dham town of the Ganga's source, its temple and the glacier's river set at the foot of the Bhagirathi's high country.

History & culture

The town's sanctity runs with the Ganga's descent — the source of the Bhagirathi at the Gangotri glacier, with the temple's tradition of the 18th-century Gorkha-era founding and the goddess's shrine; the town's role as the gateway of the Char Dham's northern circuit, with the glacier's trekking to the source and the river's holy course, gives Gangotri its place at the river's head.

Where to stay

Budget

₹800–2,000/night

Mid-range

₹2,000–4,000/night

Comfort

₹4,000+/night

Things to do

River's source
🌟

River's source

Goddess temple
🛕

Goddess temple

Glacier country
🌟

Glacier country

Cedar slopes
🌟

Cedar slopes

Snow peaks
🌟

Snow peaks

Eat & drink

  • Kafuli (spinach curry)
  • Bhatt ki dal (black soybean)
  • Aloo ke gutke
  • Bal mithai (Almora sweet)

Getting there

Fly
Dehradun (DED)
Train
Haridwar, Kathgodam, Dehradun stations
Road from Delhi
250–450 km depending on valley
Getting around
Shared taxis and buses on hill roads

Budget snapshot

Total
₹4,000–9,500 (2 days)
Per day · Stay
₹800–4,000/night
Per day · Food
₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport
₹500–900
Per day · Activities
₹400–800

Month by month

Jan—
Feb—
Mar—
Apr—
May—
Jun—
Jul—
Aug—
Sep—
Oct—
Nov—
Dec—

Practical info

  • Language: Hindi (English understood in tourist spots)
  • Best window: May–Jun, Sep–Oct
  • Connectivity: Patchy in high valleys — offline maps essential
  • UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

  • The Char Dham season (May–Oct) opens the town — the winter's closure
  • The temple's queues peak at the noon — the early arrival
  • The altitude asks the warm layers and the steady pace

Frequently asked questions

The Char Dham town at the source of the Ganga's headwaters.

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The temple, the river's ghat and the glacier's approach.

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Two days of the Char Dham's north.

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Source of the Ganga, glacier views upriver

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