- Max altitude
- 4,880 m
- Days
- 9 days
- Distance
- 64 km
- Difficulty
- Challenging
Goes beyond Gaumukh-Tapovan: a crossing of the moraine-covered Gangotri Glacier to Nandanvan, then a rough walk along the Chaturangi Glacier edge to a lake near 4,880 m, with no trail facilities and several nights above 4,300 m.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Gangotri
640 m → 3,100 m
Day 2
Gangotri → Gangotri
3,100 m → 3,100 m
Day 3
Gangotri → Bhojbasa
3,100 m → 3,790 m
Day 4
Bhojbasa → Tapovan
3,790 m → 4,460 m
Day 5
Tapovan → Nandanvan
4,460 m → 4,340 m
Day 6 · highest point
Nandanvan → Nandanvan
4,340 m → 4,880 m → 4,340 m
Day 7
Nandanvan → Bhojbasa
4,340 m → 3,790 m
Day 8
Bhojbasa → Gangotri
3,790 m → 3,100 m
Day 9
Gangotri → Dehradun
3,100 m → 640 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 · Gangotri
at 3,100 mLoading forecast…
High point · Vasuki Tal
at 4,880 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
- Gangotri
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun or Rishikesh
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun; Rishikesh; Uttarkashi
- Drive
- About 9 h from Dehradun
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
₹18,000–30,000
With an operator
₹31,400–90,000
Guided: Bikat Adventures ₹29,900 + 5% GST ex-Gangotri (Dehradun transport extra); White Magic Adventure ₹86,900 ex-Dehradun; Himalayan High private trips from ₹73,000. Self-guided is an estimate ex-Gangotri: since September 2024 a licensed guide, insurance and a medical certificate are mandatory, so it means hiring a local guide/porter, renting tents and stove, food for six nights and park 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 37
Nights near 4,880 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
- Jio, Airtel and BSNL work in Gangotri; there is no signal anywhere beyond Gangotri.
- Last ATM
- Gangotri has an ATM but it is unreliable; withdraw cash in Uttarkashi or Dehradun.
- Nearest hospital
- District Hospital, Uttarkashi (about 100 km by road from Gangotri)
- Water
- Glacial streams at Bhojbasa, Tapovan and Nandanvan, and the lake at Vasuki Tal; water is silty, so filter or boil it.
Highlights
- Glacial lake at about 4,880 m beneath the Vasuki and Satopanth peaks, above the Chaturangi Glacier
- Gaumukh, the snout of the Gangotri Glacier and source of the Bhagirathi
- Tapovan meadow at the foot of Shivling, and Nandanvan facing the Bhagirathi peaks and Kedar Dome
- Crossing the moraine-covered Gangotri Glacier between Tapovan and Nandanvan
Risks
- Acute mountain sickness: several nights above 4,300 m and a high point near 4,880 m; an acclimatisation day at Gangotri is essential.
- Unmarked glacier and moraine crossings with rockfall and shifting boulders between Tapovan, Nandanvan and Vasuki Tal.
- Monsoon (July-August) brings landslides, slippery trails and road blocks; permits are not issued in bad weather.
- Early or late-season snowfall can trap camps at Vasuki Tal; snow lingers on the Gaumukh side into late April or May.
- Only 150 trekkers a day are allowed on the Gaumukh trail, so permits can run out in peak weeks.
Know before you go
Questions
How is the Vasuki Tal trek different from the Gaumukh Tapovan trek?
Both start at Gangotri and pass Bhojbasa, Gaumukh and Tapovan. Vasuki Tal goes further: you cross the Gangotri Glacier to Nandanvan and walk along the Chaturangi Glacier to a lake at about 4,880 m, which adds two to three days and roughly 25 km and makes it a harder trek.
What permits are needed for Vasuki Tal?
An entry permit for Gangotri National Park, from the forest office at Gangotri or online through the Uttarkashi single-window system. Since September 2024 a licensed guide, trek insurance and a medical certificate are mandatory. We could not confirm the current official fee, so check it at the Gangotri forest office.
When is the best time for the Vasuki Tal trek?
May-June and September-October. The national park is closed from 30 November to 31 March, snow can block the Gaumukh side into late April, and July-August brings monsoon landslides.
How long and how hard is the Vasuki Tal trek?
About 63-65 km on foot over 9-10 days from Dehradun, including an acclimatisation day at Gangotri. Operators grade it difficult because of the altitude and the glacier crossings; prior high-altitude trekking experience is recommended.
Is there mobile network on the Vasuki Tal trek?
Network works at Gangotri only. There is no signal from Bhojbasa onwards, and Gangotri is also the last charging point.
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: UttarkashiUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- District Hospital, Uttarkashi (about 100 km by road from Gangotri)
- Last ATM
- Gangotri has an ATM but it is unreliable; withdraw cash in Uttarkashi or Dehradun.
- Phone network
- Jio, Airtel and BSNL work in Gangotri; there is no signal anywhere beyond Gangotri.
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 Vasuki Tal
No questions yet. Ask something and trekkers who have done it can answer.
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Vasuki Tal Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Nandanvan Vasuki Tal Trek — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Tapovan - Nandanvan - Vasuki Taal Trek | Customized Private Trek — Himalayan High
- Nandanvan Vasukital Trek — White Magic Adventure
- Gangotri National Park Reopens For Trek: Date, Permits, And What Travellers Need To Know — Outlook Traveller
- Gangotri National Park — Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism) (official)
- How to Get Gaumukh Permit — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Gaumukh: a trekker's paradise — ETV Bharat
Photos: Atudu, CC BY-SA 4.0; Atudu, CC BY-SA 4.0; schwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0
