Gangotri is small village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state in India. Named after the famous river Ganga it is place where river Bhagirathi comes out from Gaumukh and goes to Devprayag where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi together is called Ganga after merging. Ganga river is world famous as holy river and millions of people take holy bath in Ganga river every year. Although its five rivers (Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Mandakini, Dhauli Ganga and Pindar Ganga) and many other small rivers are source for Ganga but Bhagirathi is considered as Ganga itself and source of the ganga. Glacier is known as Gangotri glacier near the Gaumukh. Faith of millions in holy water of Ganga brings thousands of visitors each year here at Gangotri to visit Gangotri temple and take bath at holy river here. Gangotri is part of Chardham in Uttarakhand along with Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. After Yamunotri tourist visit here before going to Kedarnath. At the height of 3100 meters Gangotri is perfect hill station with great views of Himalayas and peaceful surrounding for relaxation. Although may june might be little busy but rest of the year its great for peaceful visit. Many small hiking you can take nearby or just sit on the bank of Bhagirathi and listen to its sounds or meditate in nature.
Places to visit in and around Gangotri :
- Gangotri Temple
- Bhagirathi River
- Gaumukh
- Harsil
Things to do in Gangotri:
- Singhtseeing
- Hiking and Trekking
- Taking bath in Bhagirathi
- Meditation
- Photography
Best time to visit Gangotri :
Gangotri Temple is closed in winter so May - June - Sep - Oct is best time to visit Gangotri. Sep Oct being less crowded it will be much better experience overall.
Accommodation & Meals at Gangotri:
Accommodation at Gangotri has very limited options. There are some standard hotels but deluxe and luxury facilities are difficult. Harsil and Uttarkashi will provide more wide range of options in hotels. High season like may june makes sometime difficult to get good accommodation so advance bookings are necessary. Food options are mostly north indian and south indian. Local Garhwali options are limited but worth to try.
How to reach Gangotri :
By Road: Gangotri is connected by road to Delhi via Delhi - Meerut - Haridwar - Rishikesh - Tehri - Uttarkashi - Harsil - Gangotri. From Rishikesh it is 260 kms and takes approx 8-9 hours drive to Gangotri. Due to long drive it is best to start early in morning. Bus / Taxi is available from Haridwar / Rishikesh easily when temple is open.By Railway: Haridwar Railway Station is nearest railway station for Gangotri. Haridwar is 290 kms far and approx 09 to 10 hours drive depend on season. Haridwar has good amount of trains from Dellhi - Mumbai - Amritsar - Mumbai - Varanasi etc places regularly.
By Air: Dehradun Airport is nearest airport for Gangotri. Gangotri is 265 kms far from Dehradun Airport. It will take approx 10 hours drive to Badrinath from Dehradun Airport. It is best to start early in morning as drive in night time is difficult in hill areas. Same day visit by Helcopter is also possible from Dehradun by chartered helicopter through helipad near Gangotri.