Itinerary -
Day 1 : Dehradun - Gangotri (240 kms / 4 - 5 hrs)
Meet your trip leader at Dehradun, board the vehicle and drive to the small temple town of Gangotri, which might take you odd 8 hrs to reach. It’s a beautiful drive along Ganges and Bhagirathi. Later check in the hotel and spend the day at leisure.
Gangotri is the place where the Goddess Ganga descended on Earth from the locks of Lord Shiva- the spot marked by a Goddess Ganga temple where millions of devotees throng to pay homage every year.
The shrine of Gangotri is situated at an elevation of 3200 m surrounded by Cedar and Pine trees. The original temple was constructed by the Gorkha General, Amar Singh Thapa. Every year people from all around the world visit this shrine. A number of ashrams and Dharamshalas are located on the far side of the river. It is believed that Raja Bhagirath used to worship Shiva on a slab of rock known as "Bhagirath Shila" situated near the temple. Submerged in the river there is a natural Shivling where, according to mythology, Lord Shiva sat when he received the Goddess Ganga in his matted locks. A days trek takes one to Gomukh, the source of the mighty Ganges.
Day 2 : Gangotri - Bhoj kharak (3415m)
Post an early breakfast, we will start the trek to Bhoj Kharak, the campsite for tonight. Climbing up against Kedar Ganga, today you will hike through a birch forest with a rough terrain. Negotiating a few rock fall zones you will reach Bhoj Kharak. Have a fresh brew at the campsite and go for an acclimatization hike nearby.
Day 3 : Bhoj kharak - Kedar kharak (4315m)
Today you will hike through beautiful alpine meadows much above the tree line. A bit steep section will land you on the smooth slopes of these golden meadows where you can spot makeshifts of the shepherds that camp there during the season. From here you will descend down through a patch with steep gradient and loose rocks, further away from where; will be your campsite for the day. With the views of giants like Patangini Dhar, Gangotri Massif, Auden’s Col and the Jogin Group of peaks, the campsite for today is just like dream. Sip some ginger lemon tea, and relax as the stars take over the sky.
Day 4 : Kedar kharak - Kedartal (4750m)
This day you will walk upto the beautiful Kedartal Lake, the hike to which is again a tough one but surely interesting. You will be walking mostly through an off beaten track of boulders and sharp rocks formed due to continuous rock fall in the area. Walking carefully through such terrains it will take you around 5 to 6 hrs to get the first view of this emerald lake along with the mighty Thalayasagar peak on the northern ridge. Spend the evening meditating or reading a book on the banks of the lake.
Day 5 : Kedartal - Kedar kharak
An extra day for rest and exploration around the lake, or can be utilized at any point and time of the trek depending on the conditions.
Day 6 : Kedar kharak - Patangini dhar (5085m) - Patangini base (4045m)
This morning you will be climbing the steep terrains of the Patangini Dhar pass; this will be the highest point till now. You might need to walk in the snow on both sides of the pass; getting down the pass you will either find snow fields or alpine meadows depending on the time of the year you make this journey. Once in the meadows, relax at the campsite and enjoy the evening with a million dollar view right outside your tent window.
Day 7 : Patangini base - Glacier camp
Post a healthy breakfast you will start the hike for the day. As you start from the meadows towards the glaciers you will need to get in and out of the moraine and on to the glacier that would require a lot of effort and patience. This is the reason why only seasoned trekkers are suggested to do this trek, moraine walks are the most adventurous as well as tricky part of the trek with no chance of error in such conditions. Negotiating the physical features the mountains are offering, you reach the campsite for the day.
Day 8 : Glacier camp - Audens base (4975m)
Today you will hike till the base camp of the Auden’s Col. The hike is again through a roughly beaten trail traversing through the glacier and the snout and into the moraines. Spend the night under the stars if the weather allows as tomorrow you climb up the famous Auden’s Col.
Day 9 : Audens base - Audens col (5495m) - Audens base
Post an early breakfast you will head out for the climb of the infamous Auden’s Col. The gradient rises gradually to a sweet 70 degrees if not more; as you approach the pass. The walk is pretty strenuous and one needs to keep themselves hydrated at all the times. Witnessing the Col you trace back your steps to the base and spend the evening talking about the achievements of the day.
Day 10 : Audens base - Nala camp
Today you will descend down towards the Nala camp, negotiating the lateral moraines and loose rocks, gradually entering the meadows. You still are above the tree line though one can spot bushes of rhododendrons and junipers in the surrounding.Overnight in tents.
Day 11 : Nala camp - Gangotri
This again is a gradual walk towards Gangotri, as you finish a round trip and reach back the temple town. The last section of the hike will be a bit steep descent but nothing in comparison to what you have been negotiating in past 10 days. Brace your selves at the temple for you have finished one of the most beautiful and tough trek in all of the Himalayas. Overnight in hotel.
Day 12 : Gangotri - Dehradun
Drive/8-9hrs -
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
List of Essentials
Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you can rent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required.
Shirts / T - shirts – 3 / 4
Jeans / Trekking Pants - 3 / 4
Windproof jacket of decent quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) preferably with a hood
Warm and thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
Woollen cap
Woollen gloves
Woollen socks & regular socks (3-4 pairs)
Scarf/muffler (optional)
Comfortable Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole are recommended)
Lightweight floaters/sandals/slippers
Raincoat / Poncho
Small light weight towel
Water bottle (sturdy ones, no empty Bisleri bottles!!)
Cap / Hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
Sun glasses
Walking stick / Trekking pole
Sunscreen Lotion
Lip Balm
Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Personal toiletries
Books, if you like reading
Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
Carry rain cover for your bags
Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)
…LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek
Transport Options (Delhi – Dehradun – Delhi)
For travel to Dehradun and back one can choose between air, rail & road. For air travel, the closest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport (at Dehradun) and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines & Spice Jet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there. For train details, you could log on to www.indianrail.gov.in and for online railway ticket bookings you could log on to www.irctc.co.in .
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dehradun that cost about Rs. 200-700 per person. These buses depart from Delhi ISBT every 30 mins. or so and take about 7 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
In the initial days of the pre monsoon season (May-Jun) there will be lots of snow on the trail. Days are going to be sunny and warm (10-18 °C) while the night temperature at the highest campsite would be in the range of -6 to 6 °C. In the post monsoon season (Sep) there is hardly any snow at the start but we will catch a lot of snow at the base of the pass and ahead. The days are sunny with temperatures hovering around (9-16 °C) and the evenings start getting cold with the onset of September and nights are comparatively colder (-10 to 5 °C). During the monsoon months (Jul-Aug) we will catch rain initially on the trail but once we are in higher reaches chances of heavy downpour are rare.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications.
Duration: 12 Days
Season: May - Sep
Grade: Strenuous
Region: Garhwal (Uttarakhand)
Description
Known for the most beautiful views of the higher Himalayas; this trek moves in the Bhagirathi valley. The idea is to cross one of the most adventurous passes in the Himalayas, via Kedartal , a simply beautiful green water glacial lake that forms the major tributary to Bhagirathi meeting at Gangotri . Over the next ten days you will walk through one of the most alien and bizarre places on this planet, with the most amazing views mountain have to offer.
Trek starts from the small temple town of Gangotri , from where you cross the Bhagirathi and walk into the valley following Kedar Ganga , one of the major tributaries of the Ganges, believed to be Shivas contribution to it. The trek till Kedartal is a gnarly one, with a few rockfall zones in between; one has to be in their wits in order to tackle the walk in the primeval moraines. Camping in the moraines near the snout, you can hear the cracking Glaciers as they move un-noticed to the eye.
Audens Col trek is one of the most extreme and beautiful trek in the Himalayas, connecting Rudurgaira valley and Bhilagna valley. This high altitude mountain pass situated at an elevation of 5490m joins Gangotri and Kaidarnath , two of the major Hindu temples, which makes it much fascinating for any seasoned trekker to walk this trail. The venture moves into beautiful forests of Rhododendrons and Birch, crossing the tree line coming across magnificent meadows, valleys, streams and waterfalls, amidst the towering peaks of Gangotri Massif.
Having a reputation to be as good as Kalindikhal (the holy grail of treks); if not more, this trek is suggested for experienced trekkers only, as there are a lot of moraine walks throughout the trek; along with the pass and the glaciers being infested with a huge no. of crevasses. Being one of the toughest and most technical treks, only a handful of professional companies carry out this venture.
