At Gangotri most pilgrims stop where the temple stands. This yatra goes 18 km further, to the ice cave of Gaumukh where the Bhagirathi is born, and then continues to Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Gangotri temple honours the spot where Goddess Ganga is said to have descended to earth, but the river itself emerges much higher up the valley. About 18 km upstream, the Gangotri glacier ends in a dark, ice-walled snout shaped, the old texts say, like a cow's mouth: Gaumukh. For centuries sadhus and pilgrims have walked there to touch the newborn Bhagirathi and carry its water home.
This package keeps the full Char Dham Yatra and inserts a three-day Gangotri stay with a night at Bhojbasa, the last camping ground before the glacier. It is designed for pilgrims of reasonable fitness who want something deeper than a road darshan, and it helps that Gaumukh comes early in the trip, after the Yamunotri walk has warmed up your legs and before the long Kedarnath climb.
Duration11 nights / 12 days
Start & endHaridwar or Rishikesh
Gaumukh walk18 km each way from Gangotri
Highest pointGaumukh, around 3,900 m
PermitForest permit needed beyond Gangotri
Best monthsMay–June, mid-Sep–Oct
Image space images/gangotri.jpg 800 × 600 pxGangotriImage space images/gaumukh.jpg 800 × 600 pxGaumukhImage space images/yamunotri.jpg 800 × 600 pxYamunotriImage space images/badrinath.jpg 800 × 600 pxBadrinath
Char Dham with Gaumukh: package price
The estimate is per person for a group of four on twin or triple sharing, budget category, with one private vehicle from Haridwar. At Bhojbasa the stay is in the simple guest houses or camps that operate there; the price includes it.
Package
Duration
From, per person
Char Dham + Gaumukh from Haridwar
11N / 12D
₹26,500
Char Dham only from Haridwar
9N / 10D
₹21,500
Gangotri only from Haridwar
3N / 4D
₹8,500
Estimated 2027 prices. Final cost depends on dates, hotel category and group size. Gaumukh permit fees, porters, ponies and helicopter tickets are extra.
Starting in Delhi? Add a night in Haridwar and a return day, as on the Char Dham package from Delhi. If you want more time on the trail itself, read the trek-focused version of this trip, Char Dham yatra with Gaumukh trek, which spends two nights at Bhojbasa.
Itinerary: 11 nights / 12 days from Haridwar
Day 1
Haridwar to Barkot
210 km7–8 hoursNight: Barkot
Morning departure from Haridwar via Dehradun and the Mussoorie ridge, where the first snow peaks appear on a clear day. Drop into the Yamuna valley through Nainbagh and Damta. Reach Barkot by evening and rest before tomorrow's walk.
Day 2
Yamunotri darshan
45 km + 6 km trek each wayFull dayNight: Barkot
From Janki Chatti, walk the 6 km path to the temple of Goddess Yamuna; ponies and palkis are on hand. Cook rice in the Surya Kund as prasad and pray at the Divya Shila. The walk is good practice for the days ahead.
Day 3
Barkot to Gangotri
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Gangotri
Drive via Uttarkashi up the Bhagirathi gorge, past the hot spring at Gangnani and the apple country of Harsil. Arrive in Gangotri by late afternoon for evening darshan and aarti. Sleeping at 3,100 m tonight helps you adjust before the glacier walk.
Day 4
Gangotri to Bhojbasa
14 km trek6–7 hoursNight: Bhojbasa
Collect your forest permit at the checkpost and set off up the valley through deodar and birch, passing Chirbasa at about the halfway mark. The forest thins into rock and scree as you approach Bhojbasa, where the Bhagirathi peaks fill the view. Rest early; the air is thin.
Image space images/gaumukh.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 5
Gaumukh and back to Gangotri
4 km to Gaumukh + 18 km down8–10 hoursNight: Gangotri
Leave at first light for the final 4 km over boulders to the glacier snout. Stand at a safe distance from the ice face, which can calve without warning, and collect the river's water. Walk back past Bhojbasa and Chirbasa to Gangotri for a hot meal and a long sleep.
Day 6
Gangotri to Uttarkashi
100 km4 hoursNight: Uttarkashi
A short, easy drive down the valley after two hard trekking days. Stop at Gangnani for a dip in the hot spring if your legs need it. In Uttarkashi, visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple and rest for the afternoon.
Day 7
Uttarkashi to Guptkashi
220 km8–9 hoursNight: Guptkashi
Cross via Chamba and Tehri lake to the Mandakini valley, a long but scenic road day. Your legs recover while you watch the scenery change. Arrive in Guptkashi by evening and pack a small bag for Kedarnath.
Day 8
Kedarnath trek
30 km + 16 km trek7–9 hoursNight: Kedarnath
Sonprayag, the shared jeep to Gaurikund and the climb along the Mandakini. After Gaumukh, the paved Kedarnath path will feel familiar. IRCTC shuttle ticket holders fly from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi.
Day 9
Kedarnath to Guptkashi
16 km + 30 kmFull dayNight: Guptkashi
Join the darshan queue before dawn, then visit the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi and the Bhairavnath temple on the ridge. Descend to Gaurikund by early afternoon. Take the jeep to Sonprayag and drive back to Guptkashi.
Day 10
Guptkashi to Badrinath
200 km8–9 hoursNight: Badrinath
Drive via Ukhimath and Chopta to Joshimath and up to Badrinath, crossing from one great river valley to another. The day is long but has fine forest and mountain views. Bathe in the Tapt Kund and attend the evening aarti.
Day 11
Badrinath, Mana and Rudraprayag
160 km6–7 hoursNight: Rudraprayag / Srinagar
Morning darshan of Badri Narayan, then Mana village where the Saraswati thunders under Bhim Pul. Pilgrims who wish can offer pind daan at Brahma Kapal. Descend the Alaknanda to Rudraprayag or Srinagar for the night.
Day 12
Return to Haridwar
165 km6–7 hoursNight: Tour ends
Drive past Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi you saw at its source joins the Alaknanda to become the Ganga. It is a fitting final stop for this particular yatra. Continue through Rishikesh to Haridwar, where the tour ends by afternoon.
Gaumukh walking is weather-dependent. If the forest department closes the trail or the weather turns, we use the spare day for Harsil and the Gangnani hot spring instead.
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
11 nights' stay on twin or triple sharing, including Bhojbasa
Breakfast and dinner daily
Private vehicle with hill driver, Haridwar to Haridwar
Fuel, tolls, parking, permits and driver allowance
Help with the Char Dham registration and Gaumukh permit
Phone and WhatsApp support
Not included
Gaumukh forest permit fee
Porters, guides or ponies on the Gaumukh trail
Pony, palki or helicopter at Yamunotri and Kedarnath
Sonprayag – Gaurikund jeep
Lunch, puja and VIP darshan
Extra nights due to weather or landslides
Insurance and personal expenses
Stop
Nights
Stay
Barkot
2
Town hotel
Gangotri
2
Simple hotel near the temple
Bhojbasa
1
Basic guest house or camp
Uttarkashi
1
Town hotel
Guptkashi
2
Hotel with valley views
Kedarnath
1
Basic rooms, tents or dorms
Badrinath
1
Hotel near the temple
Rudraprayag / Srinagar
1
Riverside hotel
Is the Gaumukh add-on right for you?
Choose this trip if you can walk 6–8 hours on uneven ground and have no heart or lung condition that limits exertion at altitude. The path is not technical, but it is rocky, exposed in places to rockfall, and has no road access, so help is hours away. Children under about 12 and elderly pilgrims are usually better served by the standard Char Dham package with a Gangotri darshan.
Permits for Gaumukh are issued by the forest department in limited numbers; we help with the process.
Carry water, snacks, a warm layer and a rain jacket on the trail.
Plastic is restricted in the Gangotri National Park area; carry your waste back.
Do not climb onto the glacier or stand under the ice face.
Plan your stays with our Gangotri hotel guide, and check the best time to visit before fixing dates, because the Gaumukh trail is more sensitive to weather than the temple roads.
Booking this yatra
Call or WhatsApp +91-99111 77951 with your dates and group details.
Tell us about fitness and age so we can advise on Gaumukh and the Kedarnath trek.
Receive the itinerary and estimate with hotel options.
Pay the advance and share ID details for the permit and registration.
Travel from Haridwar with the same driver throughout.
Char Dham with Gaumukh: FAQ
How far is Gaumukh from Gangotri?
About 18 km on foot. The trail passes Chirbasa and Bhojbasa; Gaumukh is roughly 4 km beyond Bhojbasa.
Do I need a permit for Gaumukh?
Yes. A forest permit is required to go beyond Gangotri into the national park, and numbers are limited. We help you apply with your ID documents.
What does Char Dham with Gaumukh cost?
From about ₹26,500 per person for a group of four on budget hotels from Haridwar. The permit fee and porters are extra. This is a 2027 estimate.
Can I touch the glacier at Gaumukh?
Pilgrims collect water from the stream below the snout, but you should keep a safe distance from the ice face, which can collapse.
Is there a pony to Gaumukh?
Ponies and porters are sometimes available from Gangotri for part of the route, depending on the season and local rules. Most pilgrims walk.
Is Tapovan included?
No. Tapovan lies beyond Gaumukh across the glacier and needs a guide and extra days. We can quote it separately.
How is this different from the Gaumukh trek package?
This version returns to Gangotri on the Gaumukh day. The trek-focused plan keeps a second night at Bhojbasa for a slower pace.
