Two days at Gangotri — the temple, Bhaironghati, Mukhba and Harsil
Two quiet days on the Gangotri road. The first is for the Gangotri Temple, the seat of the goddess Ganga, and the gorge at Bhaironghati just below it. The second goes down the valley to Mukhba, the village where Ganga Maiya is worshipped in the winter months, and to Harsil for the night. Gangotri sits at about 3,200 m, so a slow first day also helps you settle at altitude.
Photos: Atudu (CC BY-SA 4.0) · DipankarSen68 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Sanjeev travelgrapher (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Pilgrims and families who want darshan without rushing, and who want to see where the goddess spends the winter.
Day by day
Day 1Ganga Maiya's temple and the gorge below it
2 stops · 18 min on the road
Ganga Maiya's temple and the gorge below it
Darshan in the morning, rest at altitude, then a short drive down to the Jadh Ganga.
- 07:30Gangotri TempleThe temple of Ganga Maiya on the bank of the Bhagirathi; take darshan early, before the crowds.
- ↓ 18 min by road · 9 km11:30BhaironghatiAbout 17 minutes down the road, where the Jadh Ganga meets the Bhagirathi in a deep gorge below the highway bridge.
Day 2The goddess's winter home and Harsil
2 stops · 9 min on the road
The goddess's winter home and Harsil
Go down the valley to Mukhba, where Ganga Maiya lives through the winter, and end the day at Harsil.
- 09:00MukhbaAbout 39 minutes from Gangotri, across the Bhagirathi from Harsil. The goddess comes here at Diwali and stays until spring, and the temple's priests are from this village.
- ↓ 9 min by road · 4 km11:30HarsilAbout 9 minutes from Mukhba, the apple village and army area among deodars; walk by the river and stay the night.
Getting there
Gangotri is about 248 km from Rishikesh. See how to reach Gangotri for the arrival table, when to visit for the season and the Char Dham guide for the closing dates and the compulsory registration.
Where to stay
Night one in Gangotri, night two at Harsil. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.
Know before you go
- Register for the yatra before you set out; registration is compulsory and free.
- Harsil is an army area; carry an identity card and ask locally about restrictions.
- In heavy rain stay away from the streams and check the road each morning.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Gangotri itineraries →
More places nearby
All of Gangotri →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
Where is the Gangotri goddess worshipped in winter?
At Mukhba, a village across the Bhagirathi from Harsil. The temple closes at Diwali, and Ganga Maiya is carried down to Mukhba, where she stays until the temple reopens on Akshaya Tritiya. The temple's priests come from this village. It is about 39 minutes from Gangotri on our routing.
Is two days enough for Gangotri?
For the temple and the valley below it, yes. Day one gives you an unhurried darshan and the Bhaironghati gorge; day two goes down to Mukhba and Harsil. The trek to Gomukh, about 18 km on foot each way inside the national park, needs several more days and is not part of this plan.
How far is Harsil from Gangotri?
About 25 km, or 45 minutes, on our routing over OpenStreetMap; Mukhba is about 9 minutes beyond it across the river. The road follows the Bhagirathi down the valley and can be closed by slips in the rains, so check it in the morning before you leave Gangotri.