Vasuki Tal Trek

Hi guys,

I want to trek to Vasuki Taal using the route described below:

Gangotri - Bhujwasa
Bhujwasa - Tapovan
Tapovan - Nandanvan
Nandanvan - Vasuki Taal
Vasuki Taal - Kedarnath
Kedarnath - Gourikund

Need information about Guide, Essential Equipments and the hazards. Any advice will be helpful.

lovetrek, This is not possible. The Vasuki Taal near Nandanvan is different than the one near Kedarnath. They are far apart.
You'll have to go for some other trek

Hi,
First you need to change your plan as advised in earlier reply. Hope you have experience of glacier walking and camping. You require both of these.If you do not have the experience go upto Tapovan and return back the same route. Or go to Nandanvan and then on to Vasukital and return the same way.

Thanx, last night on reading maps I found that the route plan is a terrible mistake . Actually I was confused by the same names. Though, we are going upto Vasukital and will return the same way. We have done some high altitude trek and have the idea of multiple day camping. But walking along the glacier is new to us. We will start on October 6th. Hope it will be a good weather then. Need some information about the route conditions, itinerary and the hazards. Any tips or advice will be helpful.

October 6 is possible but will be close to cut-off time in this area (mid-october). If you can prepone it by a week, it'll be better. Plus it will be very cold there.
I was there in Tapovan in the first of week of October a couple of years back and it was -10C. But the weather was perfect. Later in October it'll get even more chilly. Plus Nandanvan and Vasuki Tal will be colder than Tapovan.

Carry very good sleeping bags/woolens/thermals. A good guide is a must to navigate through Gangotri glacier.

Spend a full day in Gangotri to acclimatize at 3000mtrs. This is very important.

If you need guide or equipment on hire contacts i can PM you.

Glacier traverse requires full concentration as you'll be hopping boulders for more than an hour.

Prepare well and Happy Trekking

Thanks, u have done the trek upto Tapovan, how much the guide and porter charge per day?? Is it a good idea to hire guide from Gangotri or it is better to get one of them from Uttarkashi?? I think upto Bhujwasa, ration will not be needed, no?? Even I hard about the khichuri meal in Munibaba's ashram at Tapovan . After then we need ration. It will be very helpful if u give me a overall idea of these. Is any ice tool needed (axe, crampon or gaiter)??

The usual costs now might be Porter - Around Rs200 per day and Guide Rs 350-500 per day.

I took Guide from Uttarkashi, so i dont know about hunting for guides at Gangotri. Anyways if you plan to go till Vasuki Tal better get a Guide from Uttarkashi which is anyway on the way. You'll find more guides availabale there.

Yeah you dont need ration till Bhojbhasa. Dont depend on the Baba at Tapovan for food. Thats the mistake we did. We had plans to go till Nandanvan. But the food that the Baba at Tapovan gave us was so bad we had to eat our Nandanvan food and still come back starving.

I dont know about Vasuki Tal but you dont need ice tools till Nandanvan atleast. But we still had one ice axe/rope with the guide just in case the weather turns bad.

There is a beautiful lake called Neel Tal near Tapovan. Dont miss it!

Hi,
Well check out the pics and story on himalayancamping.com. Take porters only for the trek and that too from Gangotri. It is not a big trek and many persons are available at Gangotri. Yes it may be cold during Oct and all depends upon rains. Oct may be fine if rains are continuing well into Sep.
VSK

One of my friends went to Tapovan in 2005. She told me that if you stay at GMVN at Bhujbasa they arrange for guides also at charges.

If I don't go upto Vasukitaal, but only upto Tapovan, is this possible to cover Kedartal in a 9 day trek only?? I'm thinking like this way:

Gangotri - Bhujwasa (day 1)
Bhujwasa - Tapovan (day 2)
Tapovan (Neel Taal) (day 3)
Tapovan - Bhujwasa (day 4)
Bhujwasa - Gangotri (day 5)
Gangotri - Bhujkharak (day 6)
Bhujkharak - Kedarkharak (day 7)
Kedarkharak - Kedartal - Bhujkharak (day 8)
Bhujkharak - Gangotri (day 9)

Is the plan ok?? I saw in some threads in this forum that there may be snow fall in October. How much equipment and experience is needed?? Please let me know your suggestions / advices / tips.

I haven't done the Kedartal trek. But i think you can keep one rest day after coming back from Tapovan or during the Kedartal trek. Heard its tougher than Tapovan. May be others here can guide you on this.

You can visit Neel Tal and return back to Bhojbhasa the same day if you are hard pressed for time. Neel Taal is just a little above Tapvan. It shouldnt take much time. Although staying at Tapovan for one day and relaxing is a good idea .

Weather can turn very bad in no time in these places. No one can guarantee anything. Especially towards the end of the season in October. Be prepared with good shoes and clothing.

This plan is hectic but if you are experienced enough its OK i guess. Otherwise you can come back from Tapovan and decide to ditch Kedartal.

And please spend a day at Gangotri acclimatizing before you start any trek.

Yes Rashmi. GMVN treks are luxury treks and are a bit expensive. The choice is yours .

Will it be ok to try Tapovan in 2nd-3rd weel August?

Yes- going beyond tapoban should be under guidance of a good guide. And whenever you are negotiating a glacier- there should be someone with you knows what you are into.

Ice axe & rope is required after Tapoban.

Treks here are done typically before and after Monsoon. Nobody ventures here during winter. And its risky going here during Monsoon. After Monsoon is usually September/October. I think August might be risky.