Unlike most other treks I have been on, if one accidentally falls of the trail here, it could prove to be fatal.
BHPian sachinayak recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
A trek blog, typically starts with a teaser of some amazing and surreal views that one comes across on the trail. But thought of doing something different. Starting off with a tribute to the backbone of any trek – the support crew. The cooks, kitchen staff, helpers, guides and on this particular trek – the porters. To the unsung heroes who made this (and every other) trek possible. Salut !!!
Notes: I clicked and edited all pics on my mobile (Google Pixel 7 and Snapseed – my trusted combo) and in my eagerness over processed them. Realized it a bit too late and now too lazy to reprocess them on my laptop.
BHPian sachinayak recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
The Prelude
My trekking journey started late (but better than never). In 2019, starting with the Tarsar Marsar trek, the lure of trekking in the Himalayas has been impossible to resist. I have tried to do a couple of high-altitude treks every year. Beyond recharging the mind and soul, it is a great motivator to stay physically fit. Over the following years, I did Kedarkantha (2019), Sandakphu (2021), Buran Ghati (2021 & 2022), Har-ki-Dun (2022), Mardi Himal (2023) and Kashmir Great Lakes (2023). Each trek was beautiful and offered something unique.
I have always been passionate about photography, and the choice of my trekking destinations have also been driven by this. Some mountains are amazingly photogenic – very unique from the rest. Some of these include – Ama Dablam (on the EBC trail), Matterhorn (Swiss-Italy border), Machhapuchhare (in the Annapurna region of Nepal) and Mt. Shivling (as seen from Tapovan). There is something mystical and alluring about these mountains, that’s hard to describe.
I have been planning to do the Gaumukh Tapovan trek for a few years now. The thought was triggered by an amazing video that I came across. The window for this trek is rather small. This trail is a riot of colors towards the end of September. Any earlier, and monsoon could play spoilsport. Any later, and the greens quickly make way for the browns. The spring season is longer and has more snow, but the colors are slightly muted and the skies not so clear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9Ji05EEdY
It started as a casual discussion with friends (a plan that never took off) but this was always at the top in my bucket list. I almost booked this trek in Sept 2023, but a last-minute change of plans had me opt for the Kashmir Great Lakes trek instead. And I rued the missed opportunity. Come Sept 2024, I wasn’t going to miss it this time around.
Or so I thought.
The “revised” Plan
Since my original trek booking was cancelled just a week prior to departure, I immediately booked with Trek The Himalayas (TTH). Their dates were perfectly in sync with my flight bookings (flight tickets are costlier than the trek itself) and TTH had an additional acclimatization day at Gangotri (acclimatization is of paramount importance for any high-altitude trek).
The plan was as follows –
- Day 0: Fly to Dehradun (1350 ft)
- Day 1: Drive (arranged by TTH) from Dehradun to Gangotri (10200 ft)
- Day 2: Acclimatization day at Gangotri (10200 ft)
- Day 3: Trek from Gangotri to Chirbasa (11700 ft)
- Day 4: Trek from Chirbasa to Bhojbasa (12500 ft)
- Day 5: Ascend from Bhojbasa to Tapovan (14600 ft)
- Day 6: Descend from Tapovan to Bhojbasa via Gaumukh (13200 ft)
- Day 7: Descend from Bhojbasa to Gangotri
- Day 8: Drive from Gangotri to Dehradun (followed by overnight train to New Delhi)
- Day 9: Fly from New Delhi to Bangalore
The actual trekking days are only 5, but getting there takes a long time, especially in Uttarakhand. But then, trekking is best enjoyed slow and steady.
BHPian sachinayak recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Days 0, 1 & 2
These were quite uneventful, thankfully.
Quote:
For folks flying into Dehradun (Jolly Grant Airport), please note that the airport is quite away from the city (probably closer to Rishikesh than Dehradun). The cabs to the city are quite expensive and the cab union does not let Ola/Uber operate to the airport. However, there is an electric bus that ferries passengers to the city (costs around 200 bucks) that very few people know about. Alternately, if you are looking for an even cheaper option, walk till the main gate of the airport, take a shared auto (also called sitara) to the main highway and catch any bus that will drop you to ISBT, Dehradun.
TTH had scheduled a pickup from Prince Chowk, Dehradun and that’s when I realized there were 2 batches of 20 trekkers each heading on the same trek
The traffic on the trail plays a very big role, especially on this trek (more on that later). Thankfully there weren’t any trekking batches of other big operators.
The drive to Gangotri takes you via Mussoorie, New Tehri, Chinyalisaur, Uttarkashi and Harsil. The route is extremely scenic. The road from Uttarkashi to Harsil and then to Gangotri is extremely narrow, but insanely beautiful. The Bhagirathi River, here, flows through an extremely deep gorge. As you pass Harsil, you will also see a lot of apple orchards.
This was not the peak Char-dham season. Thus, the traffic wasn’t as crazy. We reached Gangotri by 5pm. This gave us ample time to settle down into our rooms (basic but good accommodation just across the Gangotri temple) and then to witness the Ganga Aarti (done at a much smaller scale but was a very peaceful experience).
On the acclimatization day entire group got to explore Gangotri and basically chill. We did a short hike to the Pandav Gufa. Enroute, we also visited the Suraj Kund and the Tapovanam Hiranygarbha Art Gallery. Afternoon was free, so I spent time in and around the temple. There was no crowd at this hour, so I had a peaceful darshan.
Later that evening, we did all the paperwork, preliminary health checks (Blood Pressure and SPO2) and we were all set to start our trek. I was slightly nervous but also very excited.
Continue reading BHPian sachinayak’s report for more insights and information.
