Gangotri is the Char Dham’s origin story made stone – the temple of the Ganga at about 3,100 m on the banks of the Bhagirathi, the river’s first name. It is the circuit’s easiest shrine after Badrinath: motorable to the door, with the true glacier snout – Gaumukh – lying a storied 18-19 km trek upstream. In 2026 it opened on 20 April (Akshaya Tritiya) and closes around 10-11 November (Diwali).
Quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deity | Ganga (the goddess in her Bhagirathi form) |
| Altitude | ~3,100 m |
| Season 2026 | 20 April – ~10-11 November |
| Access | Motorable to the temple; Gaumukh glacier trek beyond |
| Winter seat | Mukhba village, near Harsil – the deity moves there for winter |
| Registration | Mandatory, free (how to register) |
The legend
King Bhagirath’s penance brought the Ganga down from heaven; Shiva received her in his locks to break the fall, and the river flowed to earth here to revive the ashes of Bhagirath’s ancestors. The temple, an 18th-century commission of the Gurkha general Amar Singh Thapa, stands at the spot pilgrims treat as the river’s birth.
Beyond darshan: the Gaumukh trek
The actual glacier snout, Gaumukh, is an 18-19 km trek up the Bhagirathi valley through Chirbasa and Bhojbasa, inside Gangotri National Park. Daily permits are capped – arrange through the forest department in advance, and treat it as a 2-day outing with a night at Bhojbasa. The May-June and September windows serve it best.
Practical notes
The road in runs via Uttarkashi; Harsil’s deodar valley is the prettiest stretch. Evening aarti at the temple is quiet and beautiful. Dates and the winter abode: opening and closing dates.
