Tapovan-Kedartal

debashis

Hi,

I have a plan to trek to Tapovan next year.Preferably in May-June. Now what iw onder is that can Kedartal be included with Tapovan. I have been to gaumukh twice. I planned it like this.

Day 1. Kolkata - train
Day 2. hardwar-night stay
Day 3. uttarkashi-night stay
Day 4. gangotri-night stay
Day 5. bhujbasa-night stay
Day 6. tapovan-night stay
Day 7. tapovan/gaumukh/bhujbasa-night stay
Day 8. gangotri-night stay
Day 9. gangotri-night stay
Day 10. bhujkharak- kedarkharak-night stay
Day 11. kedartal-night stay
Day 12. bhujkharak-night stay
Day 13. gangotri-night stay
Day 14. hardwar-night stay
Day 15. hardwar/train
Day 16. train
Day 17. Kolkata

Can someone pls advise if this ok .

spicetrekker

Looks fine; I always tell people to reserve days, but I guess in your case 2 nights on Gangotri Day8/9 are probably with that intent. On return ae you planning to get from Gangotri to Haridwar in the same day - Day 14, if so looks a long day. Do you want to consider after desecending from Bhujkharak proceeding the same night (Day 13) to uttarkashi.

shephherd

Debashis:

I did Gaumukh-Tapovan in June'03 and Kedartal in June'04. So, here goes:

Suggest you do Kedartal first, rerturn to Gangotri(rest) and then do Tapovan...as K'tal is comparitively more challenging and it may be a good idea to start on this when you are still fresh.

Its quite possible that others may advice to finish Tapovan first (for loosening up) and then do K'tal.

I'd go with Option 1. Good luck!

shephherd

......unless there's a route from Tapovan to Kedartal and someone has done it. Quite unlikely.

debashis

Thnx for the promt reply . Yes ofcourse i would love to save a day - if its feasible to reach Uttarkashi straightaway after descending from Bhujkharak. If that is possible, then I would love to spend one more night in Tapovan. Can you also give a rough idea on costing.

spicetrekker

Not sure which element of costing you are looking at: Since you have been to Tapovan earlier I guess you would know the scene pretty well. The Ashram at Bhojbasa was charging rs 160 per person per day last year. At Tapovan I stayed with Bengaali Mai - no fixed charges but since the charge was 160 at Bhujbassa I paid her 200 per night - bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and innumerable cups of tea and above all a lot of care she took of all of us. Porter fixed at rs 200 per day, including his food but I did pay for his food etc throughout

roy_supratim05

Hi Debasish,

I did the same program in Oct '07. We did Kedartal first and then Tapovan. If you do Tapovan first, you better acclimatize and if you do Kedartal first, you should have sufficient energy as being fresh. So do it your way, no probs. I have some opinions. Gangotri->Kedar Kharak is a long and tough day. Better you break it up like -
Gangotri->Akhri Bhujkharak
Akhri Bhujkharak->Kedartal
Kedartal->Bhujkharak
Bhujkharak->Gangotri->Uttarkashi

Must visit Pandu Gufa near Gangotri and Neel Tal at Tapovan.

Are you trekking solo?? If yes, you should finish it up within 5500-6000 including Train Ticket, Food, Guide & Porter cost, Lodging etc..

Happy Trekking.

__________________
Supratim

Please visit my Homepage

ashutosh69

I have tried to put down my experience along the same route in the following articles. You might find the details relevant

http://snowscapes.blogspot.com/2008/...r-trek-to.html

http://snowscapes.blogspot.com/2008/...e-tapovan.html

as can be seen...I had done these routes in 2 different treks but both were planned around the October-November period. That small window of good weather after the rains and before the winter snows

kiranrawat

my itinary is as follows, i have done it in late oct 04

Day 1- Gangotri- Bhojbasa,
15 km easy trek, from here Goumukh is 4 km, you have to pay entry fees to Nanda Devi National Park for individual @ Rs.45, tent @ Rs.100, professional camera @ Rs.150, professional video camera @ Rs.250 which is 2km from Gangotri (on the trek). The early u will start- early u will reach Bhojbasa or u can see Goumukh & reach back to Bhojbasa for night halt. For stay there is one guesthouse or one can stay in temple, which also provide dinner & breakfast with @ Rs.175. You can acclimatize also

There is ample space for camping also. If you are planning for camping go 2km towards Goumukh there is a beautiful place for camping, ask the locals for that place.

If you take guide/ porter they will be cheaper from Gangotri (more cheaper in Uttarkashi). Porter also can do the work of guide.

Day 2- Bhojbasa- Goumukh- Tapovan
After breakfast move towards Gaumukh, and then move to Tapovan, which is 4-5 km from Goumukh & is quite tough trek specially the last 1 km. You will reach Tapovan by 1300-1400 hrs. You can visit hut of Moni Baba & Shimla baba. You can go to the base of Shivling peak as well as can visit a Neel taal, which is hardly an hour, or two trek. Ask the guide/ porter.

If you have time you can also camp in Nandanban, which is left of Goumukh from where you can see whole Tapovan in the shape of Shivling.

Day 3- If you want to stay in Tapovan if not- read on
If you start from Tapovan by 1000 hrs you can easily reach Bhojbasa by lunchtime & have a hot lunch free of cost & you will reach Gangotri by 1900 hrs.

Day 4- If you want to stay a day in Gangotri or you want to proceed to Kedar Tal. But I prefer to stay a day in Gangotri to arrange things for Kedar tal. Contact the guide/ porter in the evening only to save morning time in searching & bargaining with them.

Day 5- Gangotri- Bhoj Kharak
Start early, you have to pay fee to NNP, but people hardy pay any fees b’cos there is no checkpoint. BK is 6-7 km but due to high assent trek it will take 4-5 hrs to reach. If you have good stamina and you have already acclimatize you can direct reach Kedar Kharak which is further 6-7 km from BK. & the trek is little easy then BK but the last .5 km is tough.

Day 6- Bhoj Kharak- Kedar Kharak

Day 7- Kedar Khark – Kedar Tal
KT is just 4 km from KK but the trek is very tiring b’cos of high altitude. I think in Aug. you can camp in KT & trek 3-4 km inside the near by pass toward Thilaysagar peak.

Day 8- Kedar Tal- Gangotri
You can reach direct Gangotri in one day. That I love the most.

__________________
www.rawat.fotopic.net

debashis

thnx to all of you fantastic guyz i think now i have a fair idea of what all to expect. my only concern whether i can do it in the monthh of may-june ( possible or not ??thats most suitable for me). lts see how things go. . if i am successful in this one , next on the cards Satopanth thnx again

ayan2saheb

As per my knowledge after leaving Gangotri the first place is Gaumukh then Tapovan. Am i Right????????

debashis

Yes, After Gangotri, you reach Gaumukh via Cheerbasa & Bhujbasa. Tapovan is further up.

kaustabh

Hi,

I am relatively new in trekking. I visited Basukital from kedarnath and Basudhara Falls before. Both in the same day. Will it be advisable for me to take Kedar Tal or Nandanban this time? I know a some middle edged people with much less physical ability did Tapovan as first ever trek.

I do not have any group, move alone usually. Boaring, risky and no doubt more costly. Friends here please let me contact you. Surely we will make a good team.

praks

Going alone to Kedar Tal or Nandanvan is definitely not advisable, looking at your stated experience. Going to Nandanvan involves walking on a glacier which should be done as part of a group or with a guide who knows the route. The route to Kedartal does not involve glaciated terrain but steep exposed pathways make it a tad risky. Best to take a guide and porter from Uttarkashi.

kaustabh

Thanks praks,
I am in fact looking for company. But until I got that are there routes that can be taken up alone (or as you said with a guide).