Char Dham Yatra
Uttarakhand is often referred to as the “Devbhumi” i.e., ‘the land of the Gods’ because to its religious significance. The State is home to numerous temples, religious sites and circuits that devotees visit throughout the year. One of the most prominent religious tour is the Char Dham Yatra (‘Char’ means ‘Four’ and ‘Dham’ means ‘religious sites’) which covers four holy sites situated in the Himalayas viz. Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. These sites open up for six months every year from April/ May to October/ November. Devotees complete this pilgrimage in clockwise direction by starting from Yamunotri to Gangotri, then Kedarnath, and finally to Badrinath. Sometimes devotees prefer two destinations only, then do pilgrimage to two shrines – Kedarnath and Badrinath.
Deities of these religious sites:
- The Yamunotri is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and is located very close to the source of River Yamuna in Uttarkashi district. A dip in the River Yamuna is said to protect one from untimely death. The temple is located at around 3,233 m above sea level. (Part-I)
- The Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess Ganga, the most sacred of all Indian rivers. (Part-II)
- The Kedarnath is located in the Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district and the deity is Lord Shiva. (Part-III)
- The Badrinarayan Temple is located in Badrinath, Chamoli District and the deity is Lord Vishnu. (Part-IV)
Best Time To Visit:
April to June and September to November are the best months to visit these religious sites.
By Flight
Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport. Hire a cab or get a bus to reach any of the site. Part of the journey can also be completed by helicopter service.
By Train
Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun are nearest railways stations and regular trains are available from major cities of the country, across the year. Rest of the journey can be performed by cab or bus and partly by helicopter.
By Road
Journey by road may be a good option that can take a time to reach your destination but you will enjoy the journey once you starts climbing in the mountain. From New Delhi, Yamunotri is 420 KM (10.15 Hrs), Gangotri – 501 KM (12 Hrs), Kedarnath – 448 KM (10.30 Hrs) and Badrinath 526 KM (13Hrs, approx.).
Part-II: Journey from Yamunotri to Gangotri:
From Janaki Chatti (Yamunotri) to Gangotri is around 221 KM that can be covered in 7 H 30 Min, approx. via Barkot, Dharasu, Uttarkashi, Harsil. From Rishikesh, it is 260 Km and can be reached here in 8 hours, appx. The roads are good but get busy during the Char Dham Yatra Season.
Gangotri
Gangotri, dedicated to Goddess Ganga, is one of the main religious places among the four Char Dham. It is situated at an altitude of 3,415 m and is surrounded by lofty Himalayan peaks, glaciers and dense forests. Other than its divine atmosphere, it offers stunning landscapes all around.
Hindu legends say that it is the most sacred of all rivers and it descended from heaven to earth at Gangotri, when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from his hair locks. It originates from Gaumukh i.e., the Gangotri glacier, and is known as Bhagirathi. It merges into the river Alaknanda in Devprayag and gets its name Ganga. Gangotri glacier / Gaumukh can be reached in 8 hours on foot/ by trekking, as it is 18 KM away from Gangotri.
Gangotri to Tapovan via Bhojbasa & Gaumukh:
From Gangotri To Bhojbasa:
If you want to visit Gaumukh then you have to note some main points before starting your trek from Gangotri. The Gaumukh Trek is a moderate trek in terms of difficulty level; but it has been kept under ‘difficult trek’, temporarily. Since, the Gaumukh route passes through the Gangotri National Park, you have to take permission from Uttarakhand Government by paying nominal fee of Rs.200 for Indian National and Rs.800 for foreign nationals. For taking permission, you have to visit the Single Window System website of Govt. of Uttarakhand and follow the steps to fill the details at https://www.swstourismuki.com/registrations. You have to keep some documents handy before starting filling up of the form like Aadhar/ Passport, Gaumukh Trek Insurance details (usually, it will cost around Rs.400-700 for 7-10 days trek) , Affidavit (to be made on Rs.100/- stamp paper) for filling the form and uploading them. Also, you have to hire a trekking agency whose details are given in the website at https://www.swstourismuki.com/registered-agencies. Your permit will be sent to you or your trekking guide at the e-mail or can print from the website. Alternatively, you may contact the trekking agency and take their help in completing all the paper work.
Start early, around 5 am for your trek to Gaumukh. The path started with staircases from Gangotri, then some path is flat but most of the path is full of moraine and boulders but you will enjoy the scenic beauty across the trail. Once you reach the Gangotri National Park area, your permit will be checked and they will count the disposable polythene bags/ items, too. You have to take back them along with you in return. Stop for a tea break at Chirbasa after covering a distance of 9 KMs in 3 hours. Chirbasa gets its name because of this place is full of pine trees. Some travellers may camp here but it is better to take a break and have Maggie or Paratha from the only shop or eat which you have carried with you. Move ahead for Bhojbasa is around 5 kms which will take another 1:30-2 hours.
From Bhojbasa to Gaumukh:
Bhojbasa gets its name after Bhojpatra Trees or Himalayan birch. Camp here for night stay. The trail from Bhojbasa is well marked; the path is rocky and full of moraines. So, start from here and cross Bhagirathi River with the help of Pulli Trolley, which starts at 8.00 am in the morning. Enjoy the route and scenic beauty because the valley is full of variety of grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees. You have to cross some fresh water streams which originates from nearby glaciers. After 3 KM from Bhojbasa, you may have the first sight of Shivlinga mountain.
Next 4 KMs may be challenging one and quite tricky. Last 200 meters path to Gaumukh is full of big stones, which you have to climb and descent to cross them. Earlier, the Gaumukh was looks like cow’s mouth hence it was named as Gaumukh. Stories tells that the King Bhagirathi prayed to Mother Ganga for the peace of the souls of his ancestors. After that, Mother Ganga descended on earth and named as Bhagirathi River.
On the entire trek, you will witness excellent panoramic views of the Great Himalayas. The dramatic landscape spellbound you so sit calm and enjoy the views before starting back to Gangotri or moving ahead to Tapovan.
Please keep a bag for garbage/ plastic bottles/ wrappers etc. and bring back as you can’t leave any behind.
From Gaumukh to Tapovan
The trail from the Gaumukh to Tapovan is just 5 km but it is very difficult as loose stones, moraines and heavy boulders. Since, it is on very high altitude you have to take rest at frequent intervals because of low oxygen level. A scenic meadow of Tapovan is located at an altitude of around 4,463 m. It is the base camp for climbing several peaks like Shivlinga and Bhagirathi Peaks and it is one of the most beautiful high-altitude meadows.
Here, one Mauni Baba is having his residence where he stays throughout the year. After starting snowfall, treks are closed from November to April and living in such situation, alone, is a difficult task.
If you want to move further to Nanadanvan, it is better to take proper rest for a day, walk around and gets acclimatized and enjoy your day in Tapovan.
From Tapovan to Nandanvan
The route from Tapovan to Nandanvan is quite similar but more difficult trek. The distance from Tapovan to Nandanvan is 6 KM but it will take around 4 hours to reach there, if everything goes as per plan. Descending and crossing the Gangotri glacier is adventurous and dangerous too, at the same time. You have to cross boulders, crevasses, mud and moraines, so at some places, you need the help of rope to climb or descent.
Nandanvan meadow is very beautiful at the base of the Bhagirathi massif. You can camp for a night for proceeding towards Vasukital. Nandanvan is famous for magnificent views of the majestic Shivlinga peak, Meru, Kedardome & Kedarnath peaks.
From Nandanvan to Vasukital:
Vasukital is the last destination of this trek at a distance of about 6 km from the Nandanvan. It will take around 3-4 hours to reach the Vasukital and the same on return, so you have to start your trek early in the morning. Walk along a stream having view of the Meru and Bhagirathi Mountains. Soon, you will see the Chaturangi Glacier on the right and get a sight of Vasuki Glacier. Vasuki Tal is a glacial lake and it was named after serpent god Vasuki Naag. It is a campsite for scaling Vasuki Mountain and Satopanth Mountain.
Return from Nandanvan to Gangotri
Return from Nandanvan to Gangotri is around 30 KM, so you have to spend a night in Bhojbasa. So, wake up early & enjoy the beautiful Mountains like Shivlinga, Meru, Kirti Glacier, Kedar Dome, Karchakund etc. before proceeding from Nandanvan. Start walking towards the Gaumukh then Bhojbasa and further to Gangotri & Dehradun/ Rishikesh/ your home.
Things to Carry for the Trek:
45-60 Ltr bagpack with rain cover & comfortable straps, Hot & Cold water bottles, Energy Bar, Dry fruits, ORS, Personal Medical Kit, UV protected Sunglasses, Tiffin box, 2-3 full sleeve T-shirts/ Shirts, Woolen Jacket, Hollofil jacket, 1 Waterproof Jacket/ Poncho, Thermal inners (upper & Lower), 2 Trek Pants, 1 pair of Woollen Gloves, Sun Cap/ Hat, Woollen Cap, 4 pairs of Cotton socks & 1 Woollen socks, 1 Waterproof & High ankle trekking shoes, 1 pair floaters/ sleepers, Hand sanitiser, Sunscreen lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, towel, lip balm & antibacterial powder, moisturizer etc.
Best time for Trekking to Nandanvan and Vasukital:
Best time for Trekking to Nandanvan and Vasukital is from May to mid-June and September to October. November to April the trek is closed.
Part-I: Details of journey from Delhi to Rishikesh to Yamunotri i.e., 1st place to be visited on Char Dham Yatra, may be read at: https://www.singhontrek.in/yamunotri
Part-III: Details of journey from Gangotri to Kedar Nath i.e., 3rd place to be visited on Char Dham Yatra, may be read at: https://www.singhontrek.in/kedarnath
Part-IV: Details of journey from Kedar Nath to Badrinath i.e., 4th place to be visited on Char Dham Yatra, may be read at: https://www.singhontrek.in/badrinath
