Trekking In Garhwal » Central Himalayas Trek

Duration : 16 Days Grade : Strenuous Max.Altd. : 14294 ft/ 4463 metres Best Time : September to November Minimum : 2 Persons Route Chart New Delhi - Haridwar- Rishikesh -Srinagar - Gultir- Kothki Sam - Ishala - Aagar - Gimtoli - Sodi - Gangotri - Chirbasa - Gomukh - Tapovan - Rishikesh - New Delhi

The Garhwal region has some of the finest mountains in the Himalayas and is easily accessible. This spectacular trek takes you deep into the Central Himalayas. It is a "Sadhu" or "Monk" trail which the devotees use to cross over from Gangotri to Kedarnath, two of the holiest places of pilgrimage in India. This is one of the very few Sadhu trails left in the Himalayas. The trail passes through spectacular mountain scenery with canyons, mountains, cascading waterfalls, pine and birch forests and views of snow capped peaks. The views of Mount Shivling and the Bhagirathi range in the Garhwal Himalaya are unforgettable experiences on this trail.

You start with an acclimatization trek before arriving at Gangotri to embark on this trek which ascends to 14,294 ft/ 4463 metres at Tapovan. This acclimatization walk is a short Himalayan trek with the interesting objective of passing through the foothills and actual hill villages where the world-famous legend written by the naturalist-hunter, Jim Corbett's story of the 'Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag' is based. The scenery here is unparalleled giving commanding views of the main peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas and taking you through lush terraced hills, pristine forests and tiny hill villages. The weather at this time of year is warm and sunny with clear blue skies.

This tour has been designed to give you a comprehensive Indian experience -from an Indian train journey across the plains, driving on twisting mountain roads through the Garhwal foothills, visiting holy Ghats, ashrams and temples in two of India's holiest places, Rishikesh and Haridwar and trekking to a height of 14,294 ft/ 4463 metres and get a chance to see some of the Himalayan giant peaks such as Shivling (20,956 ft/ 6543 metres) and Bhagirathi I, II and III (21,958 ft/ 6856 metres, 20,857 ft/ 6512 metres, and 20,671 ft/ 6454 metres respectively).

Itinerary

Day 01: London - Delhi
Meet on arrival and transfer to your hotel. After an overnight flight, recovering from jet lag by the swimming pool is enticing and if you have the energy to sample India, Delhi has a lot to offer. Overnight in hotel.

Day 02: Delhi - Haridwar - Rishikesh (Train and Drive)
Transfer to the station to board the Shatabdi Express to Haridwar, one of the seven holy cities of Hinduism. The train journey takes about 51/2 hours. Legend has it that Vishnu's footprint was found on the bank of the holy river Ganges, giving it it's sanctity. Situated at the base of the Shivalik Hills, Haridwar is where the River Ganga (Ganges) passes through its last gorge and begins a 2,000 km journey across the plains of India to the Bay of Bengal. On arrival at Haridwar we will visit the town's 'steps' or 'Ghats' on the banks of the Ganges. Haridwar is the gateway for pilgrims to the Hindu shrines at Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri further up in the mountains.

Every twelve years, when Venus and Jupiter coincide with Aquarius and the Sun and Moon are in Aries and Sagittarius respectively, there takes place an event unlike any other in the world. This is the 'Kumbh' Mela, when more than a million Hindu pilgrims gather on the banks of the Ganges to bathe in its holy waters. Even in normal times there is a great deal of activity and you will see Sadhus, pilgrims, hawkers, snake charmers and people bathing in the river Ganges? Incense pervades the air and you are suddenly immersed in the experience that is India.

Drive on to Rishikesh (25 kms) and cross the Laxman Jhoola (a large suspension bridge) to visit the 13-storey temple on the other side of the river and visit Triveni Ghat, Bharat Temple and the place where Lord Rama bathed at Rishi Kund. This small town is the ancient roadhead for all pilgrims and in season people from all over India come here to board buses leaving for the four hill shrines. The northern part of the town is called Muni-ki-Reti and refers to the shores of the river where the rishis or sages in ancient times meditated. Across the Ganges large, well-maintained ashrams teach yoga and publish books on the Hindu scriptures. Overnight in hotel.

Day 03: Drive via Srinagar to Gholtir (2,116 ft/ 645 metres) and trek to Kothki Sam (2083 ft/ 635 metres) (2 hours' drive time, 1 hour trekking).

About an hour's drive from Srinagar looks out for Gulabrai, just before Rudraprayag. This is the place where Jim Corbett made his famous 'Shot in the dark' and killed the Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. Here there is a commemorative plaque on the exact spot below the tree where he had his platform. Accounts differ but it is believed the leopard had killed upwards of 125 people before Jim Corbett's single shot put paid to its reign of terror. He stayed on his tree platform until it was light for fear he had only wounded the animal that locals believed was an 'evil spirit'. Nearby is the 'Pundit's House' and if he is at home you may meet Totaram, the grandson of the pundit, who was Corbett's friend. He will show you a photo of his grandfather and Corbett, and a copy of Corbett's book describing the hunt.

The road through Rudraprayag itself is noisy and congested and the staff will probably stop to buy fresh vegetables. Further down the road you will see your first views of snow-capped peaks framed in the distance. We are not far from Gholtir.

Gholtir village is situated on the left bank of the Alaknanda River. You cross the river over a suspension bridge and commence the trek from the right bank. The trail is flat and easy along the banks of the Alaknanda River. There is a small Hindu temple above the campsite. Time permitting, you can walk up to the village of Kothki and then descend to the river camp. This is where village festivals are occasionally held. There is a small pumping station nearby which gives water supply to the village. Overnight in tents.

Day 04: Kothki Sam - Ishala (4593 ft/ 1400 metres/ 6 hours Trek)
The trail is fairly level by the river then it climbs through terraced fields and forests to Chimka. From here there are two options - the 'short cut' is a very steep climb up to Ishala. However, the longer route is much more interesting. This route begins by a short descent to a hamlet in the valley and then climbs gradually to Kodadkhal (2,960 ft/ 925 metres).Here we see a tree which is hundreds of years old and a living sculpture with a tangle of creepers and roots dropping from its branches.

At Kodadkhal there is a red stone memorial to some 'Freedom Fighters' in a walled enclosure. There is a post office here. After Kodadkhal the path climbs steadily through a fir forest to reach a ridge from where you can see down into the next valley. Going along the ridge you finally see Ishala. Bare dun-coloured mountain tops rise beyond and you can see the 'pass' with a village on the west. We stop at Ishala for the night. Overnight in tents.

Day 05: Ishala - Aagar (6555 ft/ 1998 metres/ 5 hours Trek)
Initially the climb is stiff for about an hour to reach the 'pass'. The trail passes through forests with an abundance of birdlife. From the crest of the ridge there are views of giant peaks to the north, Chaukhamba (23,418 ft/ 7,138 metres), just peeping over the ridge in front of us. You are now at the village of Kandi (5,508 ft/ 1,679 metres).The next village, Jagtoli (5,310ft/1,771metres). Is clearly seen on the next ridge and it does not look too far. We contour around past terraced fields to come up to this village astride the ridge.

There are great views from here of two other giant peaks. To the west is Trisul (23,389 ft/ 7,066 metres) and Dunagiri (23,182 ft/ 7,066 metres). Locals say the big massif beyond is Nanda Devi but it is really hidden behind Trisul. As you enter the village there is a silver smith with a small shop. A small Hindu shrine occupies a hillock behind the houses and from here the views are spectacular. There is a school in this village with about 400 students. The trail passes this school to the ground below where we will camp for the night. You are now so high that you can see range after range of foothills in the distance with their terraced fields and forests. You will see a lot of of eagles around here which this area is famous for. Overnight in tents.

Day 06: Aagar - Gimtoli (6391 ft / 1948 metres) and continue trek to Forest Camp (5249 ft/ 1600 metres)
It is a 5 hour trek to Aagar Pass (6,624 ft/ 2,019 metres) from where there are great views of Kedarnath (22,769 ft/ 6,940 metres), Kedar Dome and Chaukhamba. Looking down into the valley is the village of Gimtoli (6,503 ft/ 1,982 metres) and below that a school ground.

At Gimtoli there is a motorable road to Kanak Chauri (7,109 ft/ 2,167 metres), a small village on the road. From the village the walk up to Kartik Swami Temple (8,163 ft/ 2,488 metres) takes about an hour. This is a lovely walk through wooded hillsides to the top of the ridge. We pass several houses occupied by Sadhus (holy men). The Temple itself was destroyed on 25 April, 1999 by an earthquake with its epicentre some 60 kms from here. The Temple has now been re-built. It sits right on top of the ridge and is the highest for miles around. Here we have the company of lammergeyers (Gypaetus barbatus) the huge mountain vultures circling above the ridge. Returning to the road we take one of the buses back to Gimtoli from where it is a long descent through terraced fields to the bottom of the valley and the village of Suwarri (5,335 ft/ 1,626 metres). Looking at the opposite hillside you can see the path zigzagging up to the ridge. Descend now for half an hour to a clearing in the forest where we pitch camp for the night. Two years ago on this campsite we were kept awake by the sounds of a leopard nearby! Overnight in tents.

Note - it is possible to trek directly to Kartik Swami Temple from Aagar and to the forest camp without using the bus from Gimtoli. This does make a much longer day and this option can be examined with the leader at the time. The bus ride though is quite an interesting Indian experience!

Day 07: Trek from Forest Camp to Sodi (2677 ft/ 816 metres) and drive to Rudraprayag
Today the trail is downhill passing through beautiful countryside and the villages of Mangu and Bathwari. The next village is Deodar where there is a government school. From here the road to Kedarnath with the Mandakani River flowing beside it can be seen. Our vehicles will pick us up at Sodi from where we drive to Rudraprayag to spend the night.
Overnight in tents.

Day 08 : Drive from Rudraprayag to Gangotri ( 10170 ft/ 3100 metres )
From Rudraprayag we drive to Gangotri. Here you will see a lot Rishis, Sadhus and other holy men with a sprinkling of foreigners. Legend has it that Gangotri's spectacular waterfall marks the spot where the Goddess Ganga descended from heaven in ancient times. Here the god Shiva received the shattering impact of the celestial torrent upon his head and the Ganges split into four sacred rivers - Bhagirathi, Yamanu, Mandakini and Alaknanda.
Overnight in guest house.

Day 09: Trek from Gangotri to Chirbasa (11549 ft/ 3606 metres/ 4 hours)
The walk begins with a gradual ascent through pine forests alongside the roaring Bhagirathi River with towering cliffs on the left. We pass a check post for the Gangotri Conservation Project. The money collected here from our guide on behalf of the group goes towards projects such as collection of litter, re-planting trees and an awareness campaign for trekkers on eco-sensitive tourism. Today's walk is quite short to help us acclimatise to the altitude. We have reached Chirbasa where we will camp for the night. Chirbasa means home of pine trees! From here you get superb views of Manda peak (20,853 ft/ 6511 metres), Hanuman Tibba (17,186 ft/ 5366 metres), Bhrigu Parbat (19,217 ft/ 6000 metres), Bhagirathi I, II and III (21,958 ft/ 6856 metres, 20,857 ft/ 6512 metres, and 20,671 ft/ 6454 metres respectively). These are some of the giant peaks of the Himalayan region.
Overnight in tents.

Day 10: Trek from Chirbasa to Gaumaukh (12769 ft/ 3892 metres/ 4 hours)
It is a two hour trek to Bhojbasa (12,145 ft/ 3792 metres) which has an ashram, a tourist guest house and a police outpost. Here the soaring peak of Shivling (20,956 ft/ 6543 metres) comes into view. The trail from Bhojbasa to Gaumukh is a fairly gradual ascent. It is interesting to know the meaning of Gaumukh - "Gau" means cow, and "Mukh" means mouth. Here you can take a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges. Gangotri used to be the source of this river but the glacier has receded now to just beyond Gaumukh.
Overnight in tents.

Day 11: Trek from Gaumauk to Tapovan (14294 ft/ 4463 metres/ 3 hours)
Although relatively short in distance, today's walk will feel strenuous with the combined effects of the altitude, the glacier crossing and the steep and rocky terrain on the final climb to Tapovan. The trek begins over rocky boulders and becomes noticeably steep gradually over the rocky terrain. The glacier is covered by moraine so you do not need any technical equipment, although a steadying trekking pole is definitely handy. Take the last step up the steep rocky path to enter the Tapovan meadow and view the spectacular sight all around you. You are surrounded by the giants - Shivling, Meru, Manda, the Bhagirathi and its two sister peaks and the Gangotri glacier. Overnight in tents.

Day 12: Trek from Tapovan to Chirbasa (6 hours)
Rise early to see the spectacular sight of the sunrise on the surrounding 6000 metre peaks. Shivling is undoubtedly the star of the show, commanding instant attention as it soars dramatically into the sky, dwarfing its neighbours.

Today we will retrace our steps to Chirbasa. A steep descent down to the glacier is followed by a rocky traverse of the glacier and a gradual descent to Chirbasa. Overnight in tents.

Day 13: Trek from Chirbasa to Gangotri and drive to Uttarkashi
It is a 3 hour trek from Chirbasa to Malla from where we have a 6 hour drive to Uttarkashi. This is an attractive little town situated on the right bank of the river Bhagirathi at an altitude of about 4,964 ft/ 1,550 metres. The temples and Ghats have names almost identical to those in Varanasi, the historical holy city in the Indian plains. The most important temple here dedicated to Shiva is known as Vishwanath Mandir. Here stands a magnificent Trishul (trident) one meter in circumference and made of copper and supports a trident four meters long. Each prong is about two meters in length. Uttarkashi is known for its temples dedicated to Parhsuram, Datatryea, Annapurna, Devi, Kali Bhairon and other gods and goddesses. At one time, there were 365 temples in this town.

Uttarkashi is also known as Barahat, literally meaning "a big market place". In the olden days Kedarnath was a 12 days' trek, Gangotri 7 days, Yamunotri 5 days and Srinagar 6 days away. However, now motorable roads go to most of these places.

Uttarkashi also has a number of ashrams for the sanyasis and mendicants who occupy the banks of the holy river for penance and prayers. It is a modern town with all facilities. The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is located here. It is situated at a spur at Ladari, dominating the beautiful town and overlooking the entire valley. This national institute imparts mountaineering training to young people to inculcate the spirit of adventure among the youth. The institute at Uttarkashi is the second Nehru Mountaineering Institute which conducts basic and advanced mountaineering courses. Uttarkashi has developed rapidly due to the construction of the Maneri Valley Hydroelectric Project. Overnight in tents.

Day 14: Drive from Uttarkashi to Rishikesh
The drive to Rishikesh takes about 6 hours. There will be plenty of time in the late afternoon and evening to visit the bazaars and ashrams of Rishikesh. Rishikesh is essentially a pilgrim town and the bulk of the pilgrims are simple villagers whose intense devotion give both Haridwar and Rishikesh a special atmosphere, a taste of the old India that continues to flow in modern times. At sundown each evening there is a service or "Aarti" at the side of the river, at the bathing Ghat where tiny candle rafts are lit and let out into the waters of the Ganga as an offering to the gods. Overnight in hotel.

Day 15: Drive from Rishikesh to Delhi
Today we drive back to Delhi and check in to our hotel on arrival.
Overnight in hotel.

Day 16: Delhi - Departure
You will be dropped off at the airport for your flight home.