Hemkund Sahib Trek
Chamoli, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 4,329 m
- Satellite terrain suggests about 4,141 m
- Days
- 4 days
- Distance
- 30 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
The whole route is a stone-paved pilgrim path with ponies and palkis available, but the Hemkund day climbs about 1,100–1,300 m in 6 km from Ghangaria and comes straight back down, and many pilgrims arriving from the plains get altitude sickness.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Rishikesh → Govindghat (drive, about 273 km)
340 m → 1,830 m
Day 2
Pulna (shared jeep from Govindghat) → Ghangaria
2,100 m → 3,050 m
Day 3 · highest point
Ghangaria → Hemkund Sahib and back to Ghangaria
3,050 m → 4,329 m → 3,050 m
Day 4
Ghangaria → Pulna, then drive via Govindghat to Rishikesh
3,050 m → 340 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Govindghat / Pulna
at 2,100 mLoading forecast…
High point · Hemkund Sahib (Hemkund / Lokpal lake)
at 4,329 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Govindghat / Pulna (nearest town: Joshimath (Jyotirmath))
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh (about 273 km before Govindghat)
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant, Dehradun
- By road
- Rishikesh (about 273–280 km to Govindghat on the Badrinath highway); Joshimath (about 20 km to Govindghat); Badrinath (about 25 km to Govindghat); Govindghat to Pulna by local shared jeep (about 4 km)
- Drive
- About 10 h from Rishikesh
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹3,500–9,000
With an operator
₹8,500–21,000
Per person, ex-Rishikesh. Guided: Himalayan Hikers' 4-day Rishikesh-to-Rishikesh trip is Rs 8,500 + 5% GST + Rs 210 insurance (2026 page); Thrillophilia quotes Rs 17,000–21,000 for 7 days ex-Haridwar (page labelled 2025). Self-guided is an estimate: bus or shared taxi Rishikesh–Govindghat and back, the Pulna jeep, two nights at Ghangaria (lodges, or the gurdwara's sarai) and food. Ponies, palkis and the Govindghat–Ghangaria helicopter cost extra; check current rates locally.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 32
Nights near 4,329 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Usable at Govindghat; weak and patchy at Ghangaria; expect none on the climb or at Hemkund Sahib.
- Last ATM
- Joshimath; carry enough cash for Ghangaria lodges, food and ponies.
- Nearest hospital
- Government hospital at Joshimath (about 20 km from Govindghat); only basic first aid at Ghangaria.
- Water
- Tea stalls and dhabas line the path to Ghangaria; between Ghangaria and Hemkund there are only a few seasonal stalls, so carry water and snacks. Langar is served at the gurdwara.
Highlights
- Gurudwara Shri Hemkunt Sahib beside the glacial Hemkund lake, ringed by seven snow peaks; in Sikh tradition the tapasthan where Guru Gobind Singh Ji meditated in a former life, as told in the Dasam Granth
- Shri Lokpal Lakshman Mandir on the same lakeshore, where Bhagwan Lakshman's tapasya is remembered; locals knew the lake as Lokpal long before the gurdwara was built
- Pushpawati river, waterfalls and forest along the Pulna–Ghangaria path
- Brahma Kamal and blue poppies around the lake in July–August, and a side trip from Ghangaria into the Valley of Flowers
Risks
- Steep 6 km climb of about 1,100 m from Ghangaria; a study cited by Wikipedia found almost a third of pilgrims had acute mountain sickness. Ascend slowly and descend at once if symptoms worsen.
- No overnight stay is allowed at Hemkund Sahib; start early from Ghangaria and leave the lake by early afternoon (Wikipedia says by 2 pm).
- Early in the season (late May–June) the upper path runs between walls of snow and may cross snow bridges; it is slippery and cold.
- Monsoon (July–August) brings slippery stone paths and landslides on the Rishikesh–Badrinath highway; keep a buffer day.
- Opening and closing dates change every year and the yatra can stop early for snow; check the Trust's announcement and register on the Uttarakhand pilgrimage portal before you go.
Know before you go
Questions
When is Hemkund Sahib open in 2026?
The portals opened on 23 May 2026 and the Gurudwara Shri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust announced that the yatra would close on 10 October 2026. Dates are set each year, so check the Trust's announcement for next season.
Do I need to register for the Hemkund Sahib yatra?
Yes. Outlook Traveller reports that all pilgrims register through the Uttarakhand pilgrimage registration system, the same one used for the Char Dham. The official portal is registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in (also the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app). No fee is listed there.
How long is the trek to Hemkund Sahib?
From Govindghat it is about 19 km one way: 13 km to Ghangaria (about 4 km of this can be done by shared jeep to Pulna, leaving about 9 km on foot) and then a steep 6 km to the lake. Most people stay at Ghangaria and do Hemkund as a day climb and return.
Can I stay overnight at Hemkund Sahib?
No. Overnight stays are not allowed at the lake. Pilgrims sleep at Ghangaria, climb in the morning and come back down the same day.
Is there a helicopter or pony to Hemkund Sahib?
A helicopter flies only between Govindghat and Ghangaria, depending on the weather. From Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib you walk or hire a pony, mule or palki at the designated points.
Can I visit the Valley of Flowers on the same trip?
Yes. The Valley of Flowers starts about 3 km from Ghangaria. Add a day at Ghangaria for it (the park has its own entry fee); see our Valley of Flowers page for that route.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: ChamoliUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Government hospital at Joshimath (about 20 km from Govindghat); only basic first aid at Ghangaria.
- Last ATM
- Joshimath; carry enough cash for Ghangaria lodges, food and ponies.
- Phone network
- Usable at Govindghat; weak and patchy at Ghangaria; expect none on the climb or at Hemkund Sahib.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Hemkund Sahib
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara — Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (registration and tourist care portal) (official)
- Hemkund Sahib Trek — Himalayan Hikers
- Hemkund Sahib Yatra 2026: A Complete Travel And Pilgrimage Guide — Outlook Traveller
- Hemkund — Wikipedia
- Hemkunt Sahib Yatra to Conclude on October 10; Over 2.38 Lakh Devotees Visit Shrine — Republic World
- Hemkund Sahib Trek, Uttarakhand — Thrillophilia
- Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara — Himalayan Dream Treks
Photos: Harshit SR, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Rajat7878, via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Wiki maddymadhavan, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Panesar00888, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
