Gangotri in October first week

Hi all, pls suggest a schedule for trek in first week of October. Will this be fine for a not-so-experienced trekker:

First day - Dun to Gangotri. First nighthalt at Gangotri.
Second day - Gangotri-Gomukh, halt for night in Gomukh.
Third day- Gomukh to Ganotri, halt for night in Gangotri.
Fourth day - Back to Dun

What is the approximate distance point to point from Gangotri to Chirbasa, Chirbasa to Bhojbasa, Bhojbasa to Gomukh, and Gomukh to Tapovan?
How much time will it take for a person with not much trekking, to traverse from Gangotri to Gomukh? Also if we decide to bypass Gomukh, how much time will it take to traverse from Gangotri to Tapovan??

Is is possible to start the trek from Gangotri/Chirbasa in the morning and go right upto Gomukh and return back the same day itself? Or is it necessary to halt at Gomukh on first night?

What could be the estimated costs (porter, tent, guide, food) for 3 persons?

Does it usually rain in that area around the first week of October? How is the weather generally.

Regards.

Hi, I went to Gangotri in late October once and it was cold (upto zero degree celcius at night). Although you are going in the beginning of October, pack well.

your plans or itinerary don't seems ok to me. I did this trek in October 2007. Standard schedule is:

Gangotri -> Chidbasa -> Bhujbasa (stay)
Bhujbasa -> Gaumukh -> Tapovan (stay)
Tapovan -> Neel Tal -> Tapovan -> Bhujbasa (stay)
Bhujbasa -> Chidbasa -> Gangotri (stay)

plus you should keep at least 1 reserve day for any emergency. October is a cold month there, I would prefer 1 acclimatization day at Gangotri. Also you need to stay at Uttarkashi to complete the permission formalities, this takes some time, you can't go to Tapovan without DM's permission.

The point to point distances are thus

Gangotri- 5- Devgad- 4 - Cheerbasa-5-Bhojwasa-5 -Gaumukh- 5 - Tapovan- 5- Nandanvan

or

Gangotri- 5- Devgad- 4 - Cheerbasa-5-Bhojwasa-5 -Gaumukh- 5 - Nandanvan- 5- Tapovan

essentially Tapovan- Nandanvan- Gaumukh form an almost equilateral triangle with a side of 5 Kms each

Gangotri -Gaumukh is doable in one day... but its like pushing hard unnecessarily cause it would take about 8-10 hrs and its sure to cause some symptoms of AMS cause u reach 4000 mtrs from 3000 mtrs at Gangotri.

Gangotri- Gaumukh- Gangotri is a 40 Kms trek in one day...again theoritically durable something like a 15/16 hrs gruel with mountains of stamina to do 40 kms trek in one day.... then why would one visit that divine amphitheatre? to rush back to reach a milestone? Absolutely not recommended for a trekker ... in spirit and passion :-)

Guides charge about Rs 500 and porters about 350. A Porter would typically carry a load of 15- 20 kgs. If you are planning it yourself...depends on you as to what you want to carry.

Second or third week of October typially sees a round of precipitation. It means soft snow in Bhojwasa Gaumukh and Tapovan... rest of the places it would probably few rounds of shower

Otherwise...from Late September till spring and summer...except for a solid bout of precipitation in mid- late winter.... the skies are gloriously blue and the sun shines bright all around till May

dear roy, thnx for ur inputs. As such i wish to go upto Gomukh only, and only if the mind, body, and spirits are okay, will i think of Tapovan or Neeltal. kindly suggest a schedule with only gomukh and back. Also, for the permits, etc., i think we can obtain those from D'Dun, Forest Department. What say?

Wow, what an eyeopener

I think, I will break the onward journey as:
Day 1: Gangotri-Chidbasa-Bhojbasa (first nighthalt).
Day 2: Bhojbasa-Gomukh (no nighthalt, return the same day)
Return journey
Gomukh-Bhojbasa(second nighthalt).
Day 3: Bhojbasa-Gangotri-ride back to Uttarkashi (3rd nighthalt).

My querries are:
1. Is the above schedule okay, in terms of fatigue, tiredness, cold, and 'mountain sickness'??
2. How many hours will it take from
a. Bhojbasa to Gomukh on the second day trek?
b. Back from Gomukh-Bhojbasa on the same second day?
Thnx

From what I know... u get it at Uttarkashi only.

So then it becomes
Day 1 - Dun- Uttarkashi (7/8 Hrs drive in any case)
Day 2- Uttarkashi- Gangotri (Starting late ion afternoon after arranging permit
Day 3- Gangotri- Bhojwasa
Day 4- Bhojwasa- Gaumukh- Bhojwasa
Day 5- Bhojwasa- Gangotri
Day 6- Gangotri- DDun
Day 7 - Spare (if u are feeling ok at Gomukh..can use this for going and seeing Tapovan...assuming prior permissin is taken)

In any case last one week has seen heavy snow in upper reaches.. tapovan should have a white cover right now

3 trekkers and 6 porters lost their lives in Kalindikhal trek just about 3 days back becaus of heavy snow

Looks like I answered in advance

Anyways
regarding your queries
1. Is the above schedule okay, in terms of fatigue, tiredness, cold, and 'mountain sickness'??
The above schedule is okay depending on whether you have an AMS hit at Bhojwasa on day 1. Night temperatures would be sub-zero from Gangotri onwards

2. How many hours will it take from
a. Bhojbasa to Gomukh on the second day trek?

Bhojwasa to Gaumukh would be about 3 hrs max assuming you are nursing tired limbs from the previous day's long trek

2. How many hours will it take from
b. Back from Gomukh-Bhojbasa on the same second day?

Would take slightly lesser on your way back...say about 2 hrs or 2.5 hrs

dear ashutosh, thnx a lot!! u just made my planning easier
Now assume that I put up for night on day 0 at Gangotri, to acclimatise. My next logical question is, what precautions do I take to make sure i do not take AMS hit on Day 1 or for that matter night 1(Gangotri-Chirbasa-Bhojbasa)?? .

bless u.

If you are not averse to or not allergic to taking medicines

Take half a pill of DIAMOX in the morning and another half pill in the evening after crossing Uttarkashi till you reach Gaumukh

that should take care of it
Check from your personal doctor if you are allergic to DIAMOX (Acetozolamide)

its a drug taken for accelarating acclimatisation

Also carry some Dispirin in case you get mild headache

You can get the Gaumukh permit at Dehradun. Not sure for treks beyond.

New Govt Regulation: Restricted Permits at Gangotri National Park

Dear ashutosh69,

The incident in Kalindikhal in unfortunate to say the least. I assume that such accidents are part and parcel of the game. As for my trip, as I have indicated previously, we have planned only till Gomukh and back, which I suppose is safe enough.

Thnx.

hi, thnx for the reply. Even assuming there are hotels in Gangotri which provide sufficient accomodation, including GMVNL, could you specify what exactly should we keep in mind with regards to clothing, blankets, etc.?




Hi everyone, somebody please tell me the altitude of Netala, Maneri, Bhaironghati, Gangotri, and Chirbasa. Blessya.

Hi.. I, with a couple of friends, was wanting to trek to Gaumukh or still further to Tapovan, this Dushera weekend. Plan was to leave Delhi by bus for Uttarkashi on 8thOct evening so as to arrive there by 9th morning and get the permits from the forest department, Uttarkashi.

The problem is that 9th of Oct would be a Dushera holiday, and the forest office would remain closed, how then can we get the permits..can the same be secured through a travel agent at Uttarkashi..?

pls guide.. thanks

dear papaji, tussi great ho!!There is a link on this same thread posted by Dilliwala. Anyway here it goes, http://uttarkashi.nic.in/Dept/tourism/goumukh.PDF. In short, my guess is you can get it in advance from Chief Wildlife Warden in D'Dun. Hope that serves ur purpose. Enjoy

Navin, you know what! ...Thanks

Can I get the permits made through an agent in Uttarkashi and collect them on our way up, on the 9th?