May 2011: On family pilgrimage trip for "Char Dham Yatra" I was
attracted by the shrine and pristine beauty of Gangotri and walked for a
kilometer on the way to Gwamukh from Gangotri. Few drops of tear mixed with a
silent prayer "Oh my God perhaps I could return and walk on this path and reach
to Gwamukh" made it possible to initiate the plan Gangotri to
Tapovan trek.
Planning:We planned this trek
during the 2nd week of June 2012 for 10 days. We hired a guide who arranged the
entire trek including obtaining the forest department permission. Total charges
were based on Dehradun to Dehradun. This included charges towards food,
accommodation, transportation, trekking and porters. The name of our guide
was Mr. Gyanchand Rana. We were total 8 people including my Aunt, sister
Tannushree and friends Prosenjit, Ankita, Kavitha, Duytiman and Ravi.
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| Form your right side - our Guide, myself, my aunt and sister, Ankita, Kavitha, Dutyman (behind), Ravi and our guide's brother Manoj (this photo was in front of the hotel @ Harshil on the last day when we were leaving for Dehradun |
June 2012
The journey from Bangalore started on 7th June 2012. We reached Delhi by
8:30 PM and left for Dehradun @ 10:30 PM by Mussourie exp.
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| Dehradun station - one of the oldest railway station in India, built during Britishraj,1890 |
We achieved the first
milestone when we reached Dehradun by 10 AM on 8th June. Our train was delayed
by 2 hours. After finishing off morning activities and breakfast we left for
Gangotri (via Uttarkashi) @ 11 AM by Mahindra Max, which was waiting for us
since morning. It was almost 11-12 hours journey. We took breaks had lunch on
the way. The route was picturesque.
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| On the way to Gangotri via Uttarkashi |
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| We reached Uttarkashi by 5 PM |
After a short break we
continued our journey. As of now the weather was hot, warm and then cool. But
as we left Uttarkashi and headed towards Gangotri it started becoming chilly
and it also started drizzling.
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| We halted for covering up our luggage on the top of the Max... |
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| ..and a very quick tea break |
After almost a non-stop journey (with very short another 2 breaks) we reached Gangotri @ 11PM on 8th June 2012. And it was very very cold. We had completely packed ourselves by woolen clothes. The first time I was our guide Mr. Gyanchand Rana. By then I had spoken to him many times over phone to decide upon various staffs. After finishing the dinner quickly we crashed to the bed @ the hotel near Gangotri temple.
Saturday, 9th June 2012
Somehow we managed to get up by 7:30/8 AM.After finishing breakfast we headed
for acclimatization walk towards Kedartal. Kedartal is
a tough trek for 3-5 days.
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| On the way to acclimatization walk |
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| spotted on the way |
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| On the way to Kedartal |
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| We climbed till this point and then descended as Mr. Rana suggested. |
We climbed for 1.5 Kms and then descended and started roaming around. We spent the entire day with relaxed walk around Gangotri temple and the Ganga river bank. We roamed around Gangotri temple for couple of hours for more acclimatization and had lunch prepared by our Guide Ranaji's cook. Lunch was really great with roti, dal and nice sabji. After lunch plan was to again roam around but it started raining and decided to take a nap for a while. And then went to the temple in the evening.
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| Evening Arati at Gangotri temple. |
Soon we finished our dinner and retied to the bed.
Sunday, 10th June 2012
And finally the day I have been waiting for eagerly, arrived. We got up early in the morning but due to some or the other issue at the hotel we got little late to start the trek. Our destination for the day was Bhojbasa via Chirbasa. And finally we started the 14km trek towards Bhojbasa by 9:30.
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| The gang, although 2 persons missing |
My photographs will describe next cause no words can explain the beauty of this path.
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| Sudarshan peak |
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| And we reached the Gangotri National Park |
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| On the way to Chirbasa |
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| Valleys... |
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| Crossed a small stream....great experience |
And the trek continued.......We continued passing through many a beautiful landscapes....treelines and the Ganga river always on our right side sometime visible from far and sometimes near...
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| This type of garbage pots were there many a places, BUT PLEASE DO NOT DUMP YOUR GARBAGE HERE IF YOUR A ECO AND SENSIBLE TOURIST OR A TREKKER. BECAUSE THEY BURN ALL THE GARBAGE THEN AND THERE. |
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| AND WE REACHED CHIRBASA BY 2PM AND HAD OUR PACKED LUNCH PROVIDED BY RANAJI |
From Chirbasa to Bhojbasa its 4 kms trek. Its passes through beautiful landscape full with Bhojpata tree. In ancient times people used to write on the skin of this tree. These trees are only available at certain high altitude. Find more photographs at
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| A fully grown Bhojpatra tree |
Finally by 5PM we reached Bhojbasa, first day campsite for Gwamukh Tapovan trek.
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| Bhojbasa, as visible from the top |
At Bhojbasa you will find Lalbaba Ashram where you can take shelter and get food if you don't have any camping equipment. The other only option there is the GMVN guest house which you need to book in advance. All the porter and the cooking staff of Ranaji reached long back. They put up the camp with Kitchen tent, sleeping tent, dining tent and toilet tent (good for those who does not want to explore out). After finishing the dinner we retired for the day.
Monday, 11th June 2012
The next part of the trek was about to start. From here the plan got little changed as my sister fell sick last night, high altitude sickness. My sister and aunt chose to stay back and we moved on towards Gwamukh-Tapovan. Frankly when we started this day I was little doubtful to reach Tapovan, seeing my sister's condition. The initial climb from Bhojbasa to get onto the path towards Gwamukh was little steep. But slowly it became more or less flat with paved stones everywhere. Here landscapes change drastically. Once you reach Bhojbasa and keep moving further you could see huge rocks, beautiful mountain ranges, landscapes without any trees. The treelines disappear once you approach Bhojbasa.
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| Early morning @ Bhojbasa |
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| Himlayan Ibex on the way to Gwamukh |
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| the Bhagirathi group of peaks - Bhagirathi II to the left and Bhagirathi III to the right, and the little peak visible between them is Bhagirathi I |
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| Shivling peak lurking behind the cloud cover |
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| And we reached Gwamukh, 4 kms from Bhojbasa.... |
We rested here for a while and moved one. Trek till this place was easy. But now on the route goes up, up and up through loose rocks, boulder and Gangotri Glacial system which is spread across kilometers after kilometer. Gangotri glacier is one of largest glacier in the world.
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| We moved on from Gwamukh towards Tapovam another 5-6 kms steep climb |
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| Quick munch.... |
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| Gangotri Glacier from the behind |
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| The final steep climb about to start |
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| This was the final steep climb to Tapovan....we crossed the stream twice...continued full steep up hill climb and then.... (refer next photograph) |
Here it started little snowfall. We never expected, lovely experience. We continued the trek. It was very windy too.
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| we reached the top....all the pain got automatically relieved |
We reached Tapovan by 3:30PM. All of us were dead tired, but the beauty of the place stimulates you enormously. I was feeling little giddy, took little rest and by God's grace finally was up. We roamed around the place. It really gives you a feeling of great achievement. We reached the height of 14600 ft. in the Himalaya. Snowfall was still on with heavy wind and some clear opening in the sky with Sunlight.
Next photographs describe the Tapovan meadows and landscapes.
I never imagined that one day I would be so close to the place I used to dream about. Thanks a lot to God. But its quite depressing to see this melting glacier. They say it had receded by 20 kms since past few years and has been receding. We reached back Bhojbasa by 5:30-6 PM. We camped there for the day. Meanwhile got know that my aunt and sister finished their visit to Gwamukh and came back safely.
Wednesday, 13th June 2012
Got up by 8 am and after finishing breakfast left for Chirbasa, 5 kms from there. Now we were completely acclimatized. Last day while camping at Tapovan we used to get tired very soon due to low level of Oxygen.
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| Waiting for breakfast inside the tent |
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| Left for Bhojbasa |
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| Back to treeline zone and reached Chirbasa |
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| Around Chirbasa |
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| Camping @ Chirbasa |
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| One more baba @ Chirbasa, He stays here round the year and has been staying here for past 30 years. |
Thursday, 14th June 2012
We relaxed a lot. Got up by 7:30 AM and after finishing the breakfast left for Gangotri (9 kms from Chirbasa)
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| And we reached Gangotri |
After reaching Gangotri we left for Harshil which is 15 kms from Gangotri. Once we reached Harshil first thing we did was taking proper bath after 3-4 days. Had lunch. Few went for sleep. Me and Prosenjit went for exploreing Harshil. Find below few glimpse of those moments.
Friday, 15th June, 2012
Destination Sattal Lake. Trek for 4-5 kms uphill though a village. Only myself and Projenjti made to the final taal. It was awesome experience. Mountain ranges covered with thick forest greets you well. Everyone in the village have Apple tree and Rajma cultivation.
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| Kids Apple, by September they grow up full |
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| On the way to Sattal Trek |
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| The temple where Ganga devi idon comes down during winter when all the places get fully covered with ice. |
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| Rajma cultivation |
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| The final taal |
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| Our Sattal Trek guide and one of the villager |
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| The trek ended |
We reached Harshil by 3:30. After a quick lunch we headed towards the Harshil village. Harshil is one of the lovely and very beautiful villages. Houses in the village are 200-300 years old, made of Devdaru wood. People live by Apple cultivation and woolen garments. Harshil has one Monastery and a Lakshmi Narayan temple. We visited all these place and shopped few woolen cap, gloves and muffler.
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| Harshil village |
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| Our guide Gyanchand Rana and his wife |
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| Lakshmi Narayan temple |
After this all turn into memory.
Saturday, 16th June we left from Harshil to Dehradun. Took train for New Delhi. 17th June flew from Delhi to Bangalore.
Few tips:
1.Do not drink water directly from these glacier melt streams. keep it in the bottle for sometime and then drink.
2.Acclimatization is very very important. check out this: http://www.indiamike.com/india/trekking-and-mountaineering-in-india-f89/tapovan-nandanvan-trek-in-detail-and-explained-t92358
3.Carry camphor. It helps to get relief from breathlessness during the trek.
4. High altitude sickness: You can take medicine. http://www.basecampmd.com/expguide/diamox.shtml
5. While starting do not stay in Dehradun or Uttarkashi. Better stay either at Harshil or Gangotri. It gives you right environment for acclimatization.
6. Keep breathing through your noses but not mouth.
7. Make your mind to dominate your body. That all.
8. Follow the guide, do not push him beyond limits for anything. Because they are the masters of mountains, know the terrains much better than us.
Important no.
Guide Gyanchand Rana, 09412140999. You can take my reference. He is from Harshil village. He can arrange the vehicle from Dehradun to Gangotri and back, entry permit to Gangotri national Park.
For any further info, you can reach out to me @ 9972596272.
ONE MUST VISIT THIS PLACE AT LEAST ONCE IN A LIFETIME.
FIND MORE PHOTOGRAPHS @
https://picasaweb.google.com/117144221978749494916/GangotriGwaumukhTapovanTrek
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.465851206776411.114431.100000546068950&type=3
