info on Nandanvan trek in October

arjunm

I am planning to trek to Tapovan - Nandanvan - Vasuki Tal this October. Is the route from Tapovan - Nandanvan feasable? Where do I hire guides and porters? Gangotri or Uttarkashi? Any info about costs would help.

dooms

Its better if you do it early october or end september. I did Tapovan last year in first week of october. We had clear skies but it was damn cold (-10 i think). Nandanvan is definitely feasible (And much more colder) but i dont know about Vasuki tal.

I hired guide and porters from Uttarkashi. Costs would be Rs300-400 per day for Guide and Rs200 per day for porters. you can also get equipment for hire from there. If you need contact nos PM me.

My Tapovan pics

arjunm

Thanks man for the information. Gave me some confidence to go upto Nandanvan. Most threads I read give a negative picture of the hike. Is the trek to Nandanvan difficult in terms of terrain?

What about tents and sleeping bags. Where did you pick them up? Also, those contact numbers of guides and porters would help. Did they give you good service?

dooms

Yes ofcourse! Nandanvan stretch should be the tougher part of the trek. I guess you can evaluate yourself after reaching Tapovan. But be prepared with food etc. Because after going there, if you want to do it, it would be sad to turn back just because you didnt have food for one day. Thats what happened to us.

On the other side, even though i havent been to Nandanvan, there isnt much enhancement in views is what i heard. But crossing Gangotri glacier to reach Nandanvan from Tapovan is a challenge. If you are upto it, you wouldnt want to miss out

May be others here who have been to Nandanvan can give you an accurate picture.

Regarding my guide and porters, they were good. Totally happy with the service. You can contact Karan from Peaks and Pines Adventure Club, Batwari Road, Uttarkashi Ph:9412077967. You can also get sleeping bags, tents, etc for hire from him.

Happy trekking

travel joy

Nandanvan from Tapovan is definitely feasible.Its a tough one but challenging.So better take a good guide.Keep in mind that there are a few places that can be visited from Tapovan( Neel tal etc.), so you need to spend at least one day (two if possible) to enjoy the place fully.But the view of Shivling from Nandanvan is more majestic than that from Tapovan.
Haven't been to Vasuki Tal from Nandanvan but heard that the route involves traversing the confluence of the Chaturangi & the Vasuki glaciers.Quiet challenging considering the crevasses.The last phase also involves rope fixing to cross over a ridge before decending to Vasuki Tal.Maybe some other member can give you a first hand account.

arjunm

Some folks who have been to Vasuki Tal say technically there aren't any ropes to be fixed. Somesay, you need to. What's the real story? Can anyone who has been to Vasuki Tal help?

Zudats

Hi Arjunm
Friend of mine and I tried Vasuki Tal in June 05- went upto upt a place called Kana Tal - which was a depression filled with snow. Started from Kedarnath at 5.00 am and reached this place at about Noon . Could see a the Vasuki Top , which would be about a KM from Kana Tal. Since we did not have snow boots decided to turn back. Our Guide told us that from Vasuki Top you have to descend to the Vasuki Tal -In Fact You can see it from Vasuki Top. Turned Back because the Snow patches had been slowing us down and we did not have a tent. White outs are a problem.
You dont need and Fixed Ropes . In fact the route is pretty well marked - stone path made by the forestry department. Mid to End Sept is the right time to go.
I will be doing the Guttu Panwali Trigukinaryan Route which I had earlier done in 1990 and then the Kedrantah Vasukital 3rd week of Sept this year.
You can check out a few photographs I took at http://sudatto.fotopic.net under the gallery Kedarnath.

Hope this helps.

Regards and all the best

Zudats

Zudats

Ooops ! Sorry Arjunm

I realised now that you are talking about Vasuki Tal (?) which is near Vasuki Parbat near the Bhagirathi Peaks and not the Vasuki Tal near Kedarnath . Sorry for the Boob.
You are planning to do this OCt- should be pretty cold up at Nandan Van at that time.
Had gone to Tapovan many years ago (june 92 ), didnt like the look of the glacier enough to cross from Tapovan to Nandanvan -my Guide seemed a little inexperienced and somehow I wasnt convinced that he had actually done the route , so instead went to Kedar Tal instead .

Most people I think use th Chatrangi side to get into Nandan Van. Havent done it myself. If you do it please post . Would love to hear about it


Regards

Zudats

guidedeba

Early October No problem for going to Vasuki Tal. It will be less snow if No fresh snow fal is there. But you should take someone from a travel (trekking) agency in Uttarkashi not from Gongotri. Tehy willl arrange for all other things. your tent / sleeping bag etc. better you go for a [package. that is easier and safe. you should stay one night in Tapovan for better acclimatisation and then proceed to cross the Gongotri glacier again to reach nandanvan. 4 yrs. back it was easy to cross by the true right lateral moraine of the Gongotri glacier straight to Nandanvan from Bhujbasa. But due to terrible change in the face of Gongotri galcier nowadays all the trekking / Expedition teams are crossing from tapovan. It won't be any problem to go to Basukital from Upper Nandanban. As th trek path is kind of well marked by trekkers going to Kalindikhal. one group just back from crossing that route and another group is leaving from Kolkata on 2nd october. it is just normal boulder walk no climbing required. Just you need a little balance and endurance. I suggest to have another camp at Upper nandanban. Adn if you can have a day walk to Basukital & back in oneday. Uttarkashi they have many trekking agency. you can go to Bahndari Hotel and can arrange from Pitambar. or can go to Crecent trekking agency after the market on gongotri road. Don't worry. nowadays the rates are like with food low altitude porters are 180 - 200 Rs. Guide 350 - 400 Rs. per day. TAke a Guid ewho can helpyou in cooking. I suggest to take porters with food. becasue if you take without foood theywill carry less and also might steel from your ration. Have a happy trekking. (For the safety you can just keep a Rope with you).
Deba.

arjunm

Dear Deba

Thanks for the reply. I am planing to trek around 2nd week of October. Actually Oct 15-21. Is that a good time to go to Nandanvan?

Do you have any phone numbers of agents in Uttarkashi who I can get in touch earlier? That would be a mighty help.

Do you think I should camp at Nandanvan or Upper Nandanvan after my trek from Tapovan? Or should I keep an extra day for that? Please let me know. I am taking some girls with me on the trek. Will it be ok for them to do it?

Arjun

guidedeba

15 - 21 could be a little too late. If the snowfall starts after Goumukh don't hesitate to abandon the trek and come down to Bhujbasa as soon as possible.
Not trying to underestimate the lady members (My experience is sometime much better with them than the men) but depend on the stregth & stamina of all the members (especially if there is any new member) I suggest like that.
D - 01 Bhujbasa
D - 02 Tapovan
D - 03 Tapovan
D - 04 Nandanvan
D - 05 Upper Nandanvan.
D - 06 Basuki tal & back to Nandanban
D - 07 Goumukh / Bhujbasa.
D - 08 Gongotri.

You can easily get the guide that time of the year. all the teams will be back. so try to contact the guy (Pitambar) in Bhandari Hotel opp. Petrol Pum near Bus stand. In fact I am busy in getting ready for the Pre Everest Expedition to M - 4 (Mulkilla) from 23rd Sept. Still I am trying to find out the phone number. If I come across it I will post it here.

dooms

Recently one of my porters informed me that a few weeks back the lower part of the last Tapovan-climb stretch has had some land slide and its become even more tricky to climb, though not impossible.

Take care.

guidedeba

One of my friend is just coming back after crossing Kalindi Khal. he called me yesterday from Badrinath. He told me that there is no problem on the route at east till Basuki. ( They had a good weather too). He will back to Kolkata by next week. I will give you the porters details from him.

arjunm

Dear Deba

Very keen to hear report from your friend who's got back from Vasuki. Especially about the route.

Arjun

jyotipg

Arjun,

My sincere advice.. Dont think of Nandanvan in 3rd week of October. But if you are hell bent on it, be well prepared and have a very good guide with you who has been to that area several times and is very much acquainted with the glacier. Dont take any of those porters who double up as a guide till Tapovan.

Be well prepared in terms ration, good quality tents and sleeping bags, nice warm clothings. Take adequate (rather surplus) kerosene.

If you just want to be in NandanVan- Vasuki Tal, then better go straightaway from Gaumukh to Nandanvan rather than going from Tapovan side. I am sure there would be fresh snowfall by mid of october and climbing down some 400m down from Tapovan to gangotri glacier and then finding a crevass free path on fresh snow and then the final climb to Nandanvan is something which most people wont like to do and its its not risk free either.

My friend went to Tapovan in mid of October 2 years back and the amount of snow that time and the difficulty that they had descending from Tapovan to Gaumukh is enough to discourage from doing something similar in October.

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