12 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Gangotri

At a distance of 250 m from Gangotri Bus Station, Gangotri Temple is an ancient temple situated on the left bank of Bhagirathi River. The temple is nestled amidst the beautiful surroundings of deodar and pine trees.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and was built by a Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa in early 18th century. In 20th century, Maharaja of Jaipur rebuilt the temple. It is the highest and the most important temple of River Ganga. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda.

Gangotri is the origin of the River Ganges and one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. River Ganges originates at Gaumukh in Gangotri Glacier, which is located about 19 km away from Gangotri town. As per legends, Goddess Ganges took the form of a river in order to absolve the sins of King Bhagiratha's ancestors, after his severe penance. Lord Shiva received River Ganges in his thick .....

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At a distance of 1.5 km from Gangotri, Pandava Gufa is an ancient natural cave situated on Uttarkashi - Gangotri Road. It is said to be the site where the five Pandavas during the period of Mahabharata mediated while they were going to Kailash. One has to trek 1.5 km from Gangotri to reach this place. The way to reach the Pandava Gufa is quite scenic and captivating and is enveloped with lush greenery, hilly terrains and endless natural bounties.

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At a distance of 500 m from Gangotri Temple, Gauri Kund and Surya Kund lie on either side of an iron bridge near GMVN Tourist Bungalow in Gangotri.

Surya Kund is known for the Surya Kund waterfalls and is the most spectacular part of Gangotri. The Bhagirathi River falls spectacularly through deep gorges into downstream here. One has to cross an iron bridge to have a clear view of the magnificent falls. The waterfall with vibrant sounds at Surya Kund is a spectacular sight. Visitors could reach the waterfalls by taking the walkway past the Dandi Kshetra and Tapovan Kuti ashrams.

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At a distance of 19 km from Gangotri, Gomukh or Gaumukh is the source of Bhagirathi River situated in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The word Gomukh literally means Face of a Cow because earlier the snout exactly looked like face of a cow. It is one of the popular pilgrimage and trekking site near Gangotri.

Gomukh is one of the primary sources of the Ganges River. The sight of Gaumukh is incredible with Bhagirathi emerging out of an enormous cavern. The place is situated at a height of 13,200 feet and is the second largest glacier of India with 30 km in length and 4 km in width, first one being Siachen. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. From Devprayag, the river flows 2,480 km to meet Bay of Bengal.

Gaumukh is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site as well as trekking destination. The Gomukh snout, due to the excessive visits of the tourists is rapidly moving backwards. According to the .....

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At a distance of 23 km from Gangotri, 9 km from Bhojbasa and 5 km from Gaumukh, Tapovan is an area consisting of beautiful meadows at the feet of Mt. Shivling in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It lies at an altitude of 4460 m in Garhwal Himalayas beyond Gomukh.

Tapovan means forest of penance and as the name suggests it is actually a cold barren dry land suitable for offering penance. Tapovan area is full of meadows, streams and flowers. It is one of the most visited trails in Uttarakhand trekking. These meadows are considered as one of the best high altitude meadow in India. Tapovan area is base camp for several mountaineering expeditions including Shivling peak, Bhagirathi peak etc.

The trek to Tapovan begins from Gangotri and the trek is considered as moderate to difficult. It is a 4 day trek from Gangotri to Tapovan and back. Tapovan can be reached by two routes; the first one is the classic route which goes via Gaumukh Glacier. One has to trek 15 km to reach Bhojbasa .....

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At a distance of 27 km from Gangotri, 12 km from Bhojbasa and 8 km from Gaumukh, Nandanvan is a small meadow located on the base of Bhagirathi Glacier at an altitude of 4330 m past Tapovan in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

Nandanvan offers the astounding view of famous peaks like Shivling, Bhagirathi, Sudarshana, Thalay Sagar, and Kedar dome. From Gaumukh to Nandanvan, one has to trek along the Gangotri and Chaturangi glaciers. The trek is not a very tough one but needs good physical fitness. The scenic Nandanvan is the base camp for the Bhagirathi peaks that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding Shivaling peak.

The trek to Nandanvan begins from Gangotri. This is a long trek over terminal glacial moraine and steep ascents and descents. One has to trek 14 km to reach Bhojbasa from Gangotri. Gaumukh Glacier is 5 km from Bhojbasa and Nandanvan is 8 km from Gaumukh. Most of the terrain is with loose rocks that are prone to fall. The trek is considered difficult and it .....

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At a distance of 9 km from Gangotri and 16.5 km from Harsil, Bhaironghati or Bhairon Ghati is a small settlement in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand State.

Bhairon Ghati is situated close to the confluence of Jadh Ganga and Bhagirathi River. The colorful Bhagirathi (Ganga) is seen at the Bhairon Ghati where it is joined by a blue river Jahnavi or Jadh Ganga coming from Neelong range. There is a Bhairav Nath Temple surrounded by dense forests at Bhairon Ghati which is worth visiting. This place is easily accessible by road.

According to mythology, Ganga left the matted hair of Lord Shiva and followed King Bhagiratha. On the way to Gangotri, it disturbed the sage Jahnu who was at the middle of the penance. Due to this, the sage was annoyed and took in the water flow with his thighs. On request of King Bhagiratha, he allowed to leave Ganga through his ears. It is also believed that Lord Shiva appointed Bhairon to safeguard this place and hence Bhairon temple exists nearby and .....

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At a distance of 24 km from Gangotri, Harsil is a small beautiful village and a cantonment area on the way to Gangotri in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is situated on the banks of Bhagirathi River at an elevation of 2,620 m above sea level in Garhwal Himalayas.

This beautiful village is surrounded by snowcapped mountains, dense deodar and coniferous forests. Harsil is inhabited by a small number of Jadhs, an ethnic group of the Bhutiyas whose language bares a close resemblance to Tibetan.

Harsil has become popular in recent years with travel enthusiasts and nature lovers. It is a trekker's paradise, known to offer spectacular views of the Himalayan peaks and for its local apple orchards. Gangotri, Mukhba, Gangotri National Park and the Defense Agricultural Research Laboratory (DARL) are the important tourist attractions near Harsil. The idol of Goddess Ganga is brought down from Gangotri after Diwali and kept at Mukhba village near Harsil. It remains there throughout .....

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At a distance of 30 km from Harsil, 45 km from Uttarkashi and 52 km from Gangotri, Gangnani is a small town situated on the way to Gangotri in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

Gangnani is noted for its thermal springs and magnificent views of the Himalayas. The thermal water spring at Gangnani is called Rishikund. Most of the devotees take holy dip in this natural hot water spring before heading towards Gangotri. There are separate kunds for both men and women. A temple dedicated to sage Parasara, father of Veda Vyas situated close to the Kund. Being a perfect spot for meditation, Gangnani acts as an ideal retreat for the nature lovers and affords stunning mountain views.

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At a distance of 17 km from Gangotri, Kedartal, also known as Shiva's Lake, is a glacial lake situated in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is one of the highest lakes in Uttarakhand, situated at an astounding altitude of 4,912 m. It is also one of the beautiful trekking routes in Uttarakhand.

The picturesque Kedartal is situated at the base of the Thalay Sagar and Bhrigupanth Peak. The lake is fed by the water from snow over Thalay Sagar (6,904 m), Meru (6,672 m) and Bhrigupanth (6,772m), and is the source of Kedar Ganga, an important tributary of Bhagirathi River, considered as Lord Shiva's contribution to Bhagirathi River.

Kedartal is a popular trekking destination and the trek commences from Gangotri. The Kedartal trek, being one of the moderate treks in the Garhwal Himalayan region, is recommended for trekkers having prior trekking experience. The route involves a steep rocky climb along the narrow Kedar Ganga gorge en route to Bhoj Kharak, which is 8 km from Gangotri. .....

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At a distance of 1.5 km by trek from Gangotri, Gangotri National Park is a national park situated in the upper catchment of Bhagirathi River in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The Park falls under the bio-geographical zone and is situated at an altitude of 1800 m to 7083 m. It is one of the most beautiful high-altitude wildlife sanctuaries in India apart from being one of the best areas for trekking in Uttarakhand.

Gangotri National Park was established in 1989 and it covers an area of 2390 sq. km. The northeastern boundary of Gangotri National Park is along the international boundary with China and has various springs, waterfalls and snowy mountain peaks. The river Bhagirathi flows through the valleys inside the park, providing it the nourishment for sustaining the innumerable bird and animal species in this region. The landscape of the park is mainly dominated by alpine scrub, oak and betula.

The origin of Ganga River, known .....

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At a distance of 25 km from Bhaironghati and 34 km from Gangotri, the Nelong valley is a valley situated inside the Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The unexplored Nelong valley, situated at an altitude of around 11,000 feet, has a mountain desert landscape similar like Lahaul-Spiti and Leh-Ladakh.

The valley was reopened for tourists in May 2015 after a gap of 53 years. The valley had been closed to civilians since the 1962 Indo-China war, but before the war, it was the major corridor for Indo -Tibetan trade. The valley still contains some of the earlier infrastructure such as the Gartang Galion wooden bridge and the Lal Devta temple. The valley offers a panoramic view of the Tibetan plateau. Apart from the charming landscapes, Nelong Valley is also home to some of the important wildlife species like snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep and musk deer.

The valley can be approached from Bhaironghati, located about 90 km away from Uttarkashi town. From .....

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