Best Places to visit in Gangotri for a Religious Trip

Gangotri is a sacred place in Uttarkashi and it is famous for the Chardham destinations. Ganga river originates from Gangotri and it is also believed that Ganga River was formed when Goddess Ganga transformed herself into a river. There are various sacred places and such as temples, hills, rivers and many more. You must visit Gangotri if you want to travel to a religious place. Here, I have arranged the best Tourist places to visit in Gangori.

A Complete Travel Guide of Gangotri Yatra

• Gangotri Temple
• Ganges Glacier
• Gangotri National Park
• Harsil
• Dodi Tal
• Kedar Tal
• Dayara Bugyal
• Gaumukh Tapivan
• Auden’s col
• Jogin Advanced Base Camp
• Khalidi Khal trek

1. Gangotri Temple

This is one of the most sacred temples in India and an important place among Hindus. Gangotri temple is a part of Chardham and the temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and thousands of tourists come here to seek blessings. Gangotri temple is 300 years old and is surrounded by lush green landscapes. 

Don’t travel the place in monsoon or winter season and make sure not to carry any polluting item. If you are planning to spend more time at the Gangotri temple then you can stay near the temple at ashrams or hotels.       

Visiting hours = 6:00AM – 9:00PM

Entry Fee = Free 

Trip Duration = Around 1 day

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2. Explore Ganges Glacier

Gange’s glacier starts from Chaukhamba and merges into Gaumukh. The water of Gange’s glacier is said to be therapeutic and extremely pure because the water contains several minerals. The Ganges glacier flows through the terrain that has medicinal plants and these plants add more minerals to the water. 

Visit timings = 6:00AM – 6:00PM  

Charges = Free

Ideal Duration = Around 1 hour 

3. Gangotri National Park

This park is situated near the Bhagirathi River and is spread over 2300 sq. km. The National Park was established in 1989 and since then the beauty of the park is maintained. Within the park, you can see a wide range of wild animals and beautiful ecosystems. In Gangotri National Park you can see rarest species of snow leopards, 150 species of birds and 15 species of mammals. 

Within the National Park, you can do many adventure activities like paragliding, hand gliding, mountaineering, river rafting and lots more.  

Visiting hours = 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Best time to visit = Summer season

Entry Fee = INR150 – INR600 & INR500 for camera

For Tent = INR50 – INR100

Suggested Read = Best Activities to enjoy at Yamunotri Dham

4. Harsil

This is a small village situated at an elevation of 2600 meters. In the village, you can see apple orchards all around the village. According to experts, the orchards are spread over 75 km in the village. You must visit the place to see those stunning apple orchards. 

Visiting hours = 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Entry fee = Free 

Trip Duration = Around 1-2 Hour

5. Dodi Taal

It’s a beautiful lake famous for its cold-water fish species. Tourists often visit here for a picnic because the place is a good spot to spend time with family and friends. You can do fishing here but for that, you need to take permission from Department officers. People who come here for trekking need to carry their own food, water, and tent. Make sure you carry all-important stuff for trekking and permit from department officers. 

Visiting hours = 9:00AM – 6:00PM

Entry fee = Free, charges for trekking may vary 

Trip Duration = Around 1 hour

6. Kedar Tal

This is a beautiful lake and is surrounded by majestic hills. The water of the lake remains cool throughout the year and the surrounded hills are the perfect spots for trekking. The trek trail is around 18 km through the beauty mesmerizing hills. You must hire a guide to go for trekking and the guide will arrange everything needed for trekking. 

Visiting hours = 24*7 open

Charges = Charges vary with available packages

Trip Duration = Around 1 day

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7. Dayara Bugyal

This place is far away from the modern look because here you will be seeing gardens, lush green landscapes, cows grazing, and non-polluted air. The place is famous among nature enthusiasts and trekkers. The trek is 7 km, starts from Barsu and ends at Dayara Bugyal. The place is packed with adventure activities like trekking, camping, and skiing in the winter season.

The best time to visit the place is in the summer season for trekkers and in the winter season, the mountains get covered with snow, which makes the place ideal for skiing.  

Visiting hours = 24*7 open

Entry fee = Approx. 7000 onwards

Trip Duration = Around 1 day

Famous Trek Near Gangotri Dham

8. Gaumukh Tapovan

This is famous for its trek trail that passes through the pine trees and birch of Bhojbasa. When you will be trekking to the top, there are chances that you might see Bharal – blue mountain goat. The climb to the peak is steep and while trekking to peak you can see surrounding beautiful peaks. Here at Gaumukh, you can enjoy other adventure activities too, like rock climbing, mountain climbing, and glacier traverse. For a better experience, you must hire a guide.  

Visiting Timings = 8:00AM – 6:00PM

Entry fee = Free

Trip Duration = 1-2 day 

9. Auden’s col

The place was discovered in 1935 by John Bicknell Auden and this high-altitude place is famous for trekking. You can see many professional trekkers here because the trek may get difficult for beginners. The place is surrounded by various glaciers and peaks. Auden’s Col is a pass that connects two places, Jogin and Gangotri.

Visiting hours = 8:00AM – 7:00PM

Trip Duration = Around 2-3 Hours

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10. Jogin Advanced Base Camp

This base camp is situated at a height of 16,000 feet and the place is famous for trekking and camping. Many tourists have visited the place for trekking purpose, and they claimed that the trek is quite challenging. The trekking starts from Gangotri and ends at Kedar Tal. Beginners may find the trekking more difficult.    

Hire a guide for comfort because that instructor will tell you about the items to carry and he will also schedule the trek timings. You can stay near Jogin ABC and carry your food for trekking. 

Visiting hours = 24*7

Trip Duration = Around 3 days

Entry Fee = Free

11. Kalindi Khal Trek

This trek is one of the challenging treks in Uttarakhand and those who dare to trek to top they get a splendid view of sky-touching peaks. The trek starts from Gangotri and ends at Badrinath temple. If you want to do camping, then the tents will be nestled at the Shivling peak. 

Hire a guide for trekking and the guide will arrange tents, food, and water for you. There are no stalls in between trek so you must carry your own food. As there is no electricity available at peaks you must carry extra batteries for the camera and phone. For trekking, you need to have a permit that can be obtained by department officers.

Visiting hours = 24*7 open

Entry fee = Charges vary with packages  

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