Khatling Glacier Trek
Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 3,900 m
- Days
- 11 days
- Distance
- 107 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Long 10-21 km days for more than a week with no villages beyond Gangi, then a day on loose moraine and scree to the glacier snout; operators recommend it only for trekkers with high-altitude experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Rishikesh → Ghuttu
340 m → 1,540 m
Day 2
Ghuttu → Reeh
1,540 m → 2,050 m
Day 3
Reeh → Gangi
2,050 m → 2,600 m
Day 4
Gangi → Kharsoli (via Deokhri and Kalyani)
2,600 m → 2,880 m
Day 5
Kharsoli → Bhedikharag (via Bhelbagi and Tamakund)
2,880 m → 3,700 m
Day 6 · highest point
Bhedikharag → Bhedikharag (via Khatling Glacier zero point)
3,700 m → 3,900 m → 3,700 m
Day 7
Bhedikharag → Gangi
3,700 m → 2,600 m
Day 8
Gangi → Panwali Kantha
2,600 m → 3,658 m
Day 9
Panwali Kantha → Maggu Chatti
3,658 m → 2,010 m
Day 10
Maggu Chatti → Triyuginarayan (drive on to Gaurikund)
2,010 m → 1,980 m
Day 11
Gaurikund → Rishikesh
1,980 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 · Ghuttu
at 1,540 mLoading forecast…
High point · Khatling Glacier zero point (glacier snout, source of the Bhilangana)
at 3,900 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
- Ghuttu (nearest town: Ghansali)
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh (Yog Nagari Rishikesh) or Dehradun
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Rishikesh (about 145-160 km to Ghuttu via Tehri and Ghansali); Return by road from Gaurikund/Sonprayag via Rudraprayag to Rishikesh
- Drive
- About 7 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
₹15,000–28,000
With an operator
₹22,000–35,000
Per person, ex-Rishikesh. Only one current guided price was found: eUttaranchal lists the 11-day Ghuttu-Gaurikund trek from ₹22,000 (guide, meals, stay). The upper guided figure is our estimate for small private groups and has not been confirmed by a second operator. Self-guided is an estimate: shared transport Rishikesh-Ghuttu and Gaurikund-Rishikesh, rest houses at Ghuttu, Reeh and Gangi, a local guide and porters from Ghuttu or Gangi for about eight days, tents, fuel and food beyond Gangi, and any forest camping fees.
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 35
Nights near 3,900 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
- Mobile signal at Ghansali and Ghuttu and patchy towards Reeh; none from Gangi until you near Triyuginarayan and Gaurikund on the way out.
- Last ATM
- Ghansali, about 30 km before Ghuttu; carry enough cash from Rishikesh or Tehri
- Nearest hospital
- Community health centre at Ghansali on the Tehri side; at the exit, medical posts at Sonprayag and Rudraprayag district hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Water
- The trail follows the Bhilangana river and its side streams up to the glacier; streams near the Panwali Kantha camps. Gangi is the last village, with no facilities of any kind beyond it. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- The snout of Khatling Glacier, source of the Bhilangana river, ringed by the Jogin group, Sphatik Pristwar, Kirti Stambh, Barte Kauter and Meru
- Gangi, the last village of the Bhilangana valley, with its wooden temples and herding families
- Dense forest of the upper Bhilangana valley through Kalyani, Kharsoli and Bhelbagi
- The high grasslands of Panwali Kantha on the way out, before descending to Triyuginarayan
Risks
- The last stretch to the glacier is over loose moraine, scree and boulders; operators warn that sure footing matters more than the climb, and only trekkers with mountaineering skills should step onto the glacier itself.
- Beyond Gangi there is no shelter, food or help of any kind; every group must carry tents, fuel and food and arrange a local guide.
- Landslide-prone sections lie on the way to the Khatling camp; July-August monsoon rain makes the trail slippery and one operator says the trek is not recommended then.
- One operator says the trek is not accessible in winter; snow closes the upper valley, so plan for May-June or September-October.
Know before you go
Questions
Where does the Khatling Glacier trek start?
At Ghuttu village in Tehri Garhwal district, about 62 km from Tehri. The trail follows the Bhilangana valley through Reeh, Gangi, Kalyani and Kharsoli. The Tehri district administration gives the walk from Ghuttu to the glacier as about 45 km one way.
How many days does the Khatling Glacier trek take?
Operators run it in 10-12 days. eUttaranchal's version takes 11 days from Rishikesh: up the Bhilangana valley to the glacier, back to Gangi, then out over Panwali Kantha to Triyuginarayan and Gaurikund. Walking back the same way to Ghuttu takes about 12-13 days in all.
When is the best time to do the Khatling Glacier trek?
May-June and September-October. Some sources also list April. Avoid July and August, when monsoon rain brings landslides. In winter the upper valley is under snow.
Is the Khatling Glacier trek suitable for beginners?
Not really. The walk to Chowki and Bhedikharag is steady forest trail, but the days are long, and the last stretch to the glacier is rough moraine and scree. Beyond Gangi you must be fully self-sufficient. Sources recommend prior high-altitude experience and a local guide.
Are there rest houses on the route?
Yes, up to Gangi. Ghuttu has a PWD inspection house and a tourist rest house, and Reeh and Gangi have tourist rest houses. Gangi is the last village. Beyond it you camp, and tents and supplies should be arranged in advance in Rishikesh, Tehri or Dehradun.
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: Tehri GarhwalUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Community health centre at Ghansali on the Tehri side; at the exit, medical posts at Sonprayag and Rudraprayag district hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Ghansali, about 30 km before Ghuttu; carry enough cash from Rishikesh or Tehri
- Phone network
- Mobile signal at Ghansali and Ghuttu and patchy towards Reeh; none from Gangi until you near Triyuginarayan and Gaurikund on the way out.
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 Khatling Glacier
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Khatling Glacier | District Tehri Garhwal, Government of Uttarakhand — District Tehri Garhwal, Government of Uttarakhand (official)
- Khatling Glacier — Wikipedia
- Khatling Glacier Trek via Ghuttu Village — eUttaranchal
- Khatling Glacier Trek — Ghumakkadd
- Khatling Glacier Trek (Saumitra Shinde) — Tripoto
- Khatling Glacier Tehri Garhwal | Uttarakhand Glacier — Devdham Yatra
- Khatling - Sahastra Tal Trek Tour (14 days) — TourTravelWorld
- Khatling Glacier Trek Itinerary | Best Time | Difficulty 2026 — Danu Adventure
- Khatling Glacier Trek — Himalayan Hikers
Photos: Vaibhav78545, CC BY-SA 4.0; Dr.IMRAN ALI VETS, CC BY-SA 4.0
