Gangotri

The story

Discover Gangotri

Gangotri is where the Bhagirathi — the headstream that becomes the Ganges — is worshipped at its traditional source, in a small temple town reached entirely by road via Uttarkashi and Harsil. Like Badrinath, there is no trek involved in visiting the temple itself; the drive through the Bhagirathi valley is the journey. Gaumukh, the actual glacier snout a further trek beyond the town, is a separate, regulated undertaking with its own permit requirements — it is not a casual extension of a temple visit, and this page treats it as a distinct decision, not a given. Harsil, a quieter village short of Gangotri, makes a pleasant stop or overnight base on the way in.