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Kalindi Khal Pass Badrinath Trek |
| Kalindi Khal Pass Trek |
Day 02:
Haridwar, (Train)
Haridwar Uttarkashi (1550 Mts.) (Drive 185 Kms, 5-6
Hours) |
Early in the morning you will be at
Haridwar Railway station and drive to Uttarkashi, considered as
the Northern Kashi or Varanasi. The town is situated at an
elevation of 1,550 m on the right banks of river Bhagirathi. It
is a district located in the northern Himalayan state of
Uttaranchal. Its boundaries also mark the Chinese precincts.
Uttarkashi is known for its temples dedicated to Rishi
Parasurama, Datatryea, Goddess Annapurna Devi, Goddess Kali, and
Bhairon. At one time, there were 365 temples in this town. The
town is also known for its various ashrams, which are the homes
of the sanyasis and hermits.
Overnight at Hotel / Guest House / Deluxe Camps |
| Day 03:
Uttarkashi Gangotri (3140 Mts.) Drive 5 Hours
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In the hinterlands of the Himalayas is
Gangotri where, it is believed, Ganga, the stream of life,
touched earth for the first time. According to the Hindu
religious scriptures, the heavenly goddess Ganga manifested
herself in the form of a river to absolve the sins of King
Sagar's sons. After three generations of severe penance,
performed over several centuries, Ganga conceded to descend to
the Earth. At the legendary source of the river, Goddess Ganga
is worshipped in the form of deity. The Gangotri temple was
built in the early 18th century by a Gorkha commander, Amar
Singh Thapa and later rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur. By
November, Gangotri is snowbound, and so the deity is taken 25
kms downstream to Mukhba, so that her devotees are not thwarted.
Despite the severe cold, however, several "SADHUS" remain at
Gangotri year round, even through the very severe winter. Gomukh,
the identified source of the river Ganga, is 18 Kms. further
uphill. The trek to Gomukh is gradual, and several pilgrims
undertake the journey to pay homage to the river at its known
source.
Overnight at Camps/Guest House |
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| Day 04:
Gangotri Bhojbasa (3658 Mts.) Trek 6 Hours |
Begin trekking, easy
walk, the broad trail initially passes through dense deodar
forests, carries on to a small isolated forest of pine at
Chirbasa, before emerging above the tree line at Bhojbasa.
Overnight in Tents |
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Day 05: Bhojbasa Tapo Van
(4463 Mts.) Trek
4-5 Hours |
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Continuing along the
pilgrim grassy hillsides. A couple of hours walk, reveals
mighty Mt. Shivling (6543 Mts.), a breathtaking view of wild
flowers studded meadows crowned by the Bhagirathi group of
peaks. Halt at Gaumukh, where the holy Ganga gushes out of
the snout of the Gangotri glacier, is set in a wide
moraine-studded valley, Mt. Shivling stands tall, raising to
touch the skies above, while the Bhagirathi I, II and III
tower above. Enter the moraine and cross the glacier to
reach the meadow of Tapovan, the Mountains all around making
it a great Himalayan amphitheatre.
Overnight in Tents |
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Day 06: Tapo Van Nandan Van (4450 Mts.)
(Trek 4-5 Hours) |
| Wake early as, the top
of Mt. Shivling lights up with golden rays of the morning
sun, perfect photo opportunity slowly the tower becomes
bright and shiningas the sun goes high in the sky. After
breakfast |
set off for
trek to Nandan Van, across the Gangotri glacier, cutting
across the glacial moraine, you shall reach the spaciouos
alpine meadow of Nandan Van, at the juncture of Chatrungi
Glacier and Gangotri Glacier and the base of Baghirathi I
(6856 Mts.), II (6512 Mts.) and III (6454 Mts.). You should
also have views of Mt. Kedar Dome (6831 Mts.), Karcha Kund
(6617 Mts.), Kedarnath (6940 Mts.) & Mt. Meru (6672 Mts.)
across the Gangotri Glacier. You shall camp at the meadow of
Nandan Van for two nights.
Overnight in Tents |
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| Day 07: Nandan
Van (Acclimatization Day) |
| This free day brings you another
photo opportunity to film & shoot the mighty, majestic north
face of Mt. Shivling, this time across the Gangotri Glacier.
Day will be utilized for acclimatization, you shall set off
for a day hike at higher altitude and shall return back to
the camps after spending at least a couple of hours at
higher altitude, Hot lunch shall await for you at the camps.
Afternoon shall be free for independent activities.
Overnight in Tents |
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| Day 08:
Nandan Van - Vasuki Tal (4600 Mts.) |
Today we shall leave
the meadow of Nandan Van, today you shall have opportunity
to view Bharal (Mountain Goat) walking through high ridges &
Lammergeyer, arrive at the Vasuki Tal not so big glacial
lake in the serene surroundings of Chaturangi Bhamak. Left
of the lake is Bhagirathi Bhamak, leading to the Bhagirathi
group of the peaks.
Overnight in Tents |
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| Day 09:
Vasuki Tal Sweta Bhamak (4900 Mts.) |
| As you start trekking in morning, you
shall leave the alpine vegetation, which will not be visible for
next few days, from now onwards you shall be in mountain
country, pass through the Sunalaya Bhamak, which leads to
Satopanth (7075 Mts.), one of the two seven thousand meter
mountains of Gangotri Glacier. Overnight in Tents |
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| Day 10:
Sweta Bhamak Kalindi Bhamak (5450 Mts.)
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Its scree, moraine and
boulders as we cross Sweta Bhamak, above which rise Chandra
Parbat (6728 Mts.) We are now traversing Chaturangi Bhamak,
which is a major tributary to the Gangotri glacier.
Chaturangi Bhamak is approximately 13-15 Kms long, which
makes it approximately half the length of Gangotri Glacier.
Chaturangi literally means a glacier of four colours and the
moraines over the glacier range from pink, yellow to brown.
Arrive at Kalindi Bhamak camp, which is just next to the
Kalindi Glaciers snout. Up ahead lies the Kalindi Khal (5940
Meters), meaning pass, its a deep gap between Avalanche
Peak (6413 Meters) and Kalindi Peak (6102 Meters).
Overnight in Tents |
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Day 11: Kalindi Bhamak Kalindi Khal
(5940 Meters) Avalanche Bhamak
(5500 Meters)
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| Today we start early as
we slowly climb the Kalindi Khal pass, from the pass The
summit of Kalindi peak is only 150 Meters higher, in fact
the summit camp for Kalindi peak lies below the pass. (You
shall not attempt the summit in any condition, as all
climbing expeditions have to take prior permission from
Indian Mountaineering Foundation IMF and involves climbing
fee). Once on the pass, you shall have most panoramic views
of Mt. Kamet (7756 Meters), Mt. Mana (7272 Meters), Abi
Gamin (7355 Meters) and Mana Parbat (6797 Meters), on a very
clear day one can also see the Tibetan plateau across the
Mana Pass (6728 Meters), also seen are the mountains of
Gangotri Glacier; Chandra parbat (6728 Meters), Vasuki
Parbat (6792 Meters), Bhagirathi Parbat (6512 Meters). You
shall then descend and cross the glacial terrain before
reaching the camp of Avalanche Bhamak, (we can however,
continue till next camp). |
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Day 12: Avalanche Bhamak Arwa Tal (4800 Meters) |
| Trek to Arwa Tal,
surrounded by the moraine fields of the Arwa Glacier,
exactly northwards from Arwa Tal is Mana Pass (5600 Meters),
which was sought by the first Jesuit explorers to Tibet. It
was in 1624 when Antonio de Andrade and Manuel Marques went
to Tibet by this route, two centuries before any other
explorer can reach Tibet, to our west is Mana Parbat I
(6797 Meters), Mana Parbat II & III (6771 & 6730 Meters).
Overnight in Tents |
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Day 13: Arwa Tal Arwa Camp (4200 Meters) |
Leave the snout of the
glacier and follow the Arwa stream, a steep descend will be
followed by a gradual descend till you reach the Arwa camp.
Overnight in Tents |
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Day 14: Arwa Camp Ghastoli (3600 Meters)
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Today the terrain
changes dramatically, glacial moraines gives way to the
glacial streams, also todays day is full of river
crossing you shall be crossing rivers including the
Saraswati river at times, also the vegetation also
starts to appear.
Overnights in Tents |
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| Day 15:
Ghastoli Mana Badrinath |
| Start trekking with a gradual
descend, the route follows the river Saraswati to down
streams, we cross the river just after leaving our camps
through out eh walk we follow the true right bank of the
river, the river has its origin from the slopes of Mana
pass (5600 meters) leading to Tsaparang in Tibet. Also
visible are the peaks of Mt. Kamet (7756 Meters) & Mt.
Mana (7272 Meters), former being third highest in Indian
Himalayas. You shall be met by the vehicles at Mana and
shall be transferred to Badrinath, one of the holiest
shrines for Hindus, at Badrinath we shall experience an
atmosphere of devoted spiritual pilgrimages, for many
Hindus this |
is an emotional experience,
above Badrinath is the spectacular conical Mt. Nilkantha
(6596 Meters), literally meaning Blue Throat one of
the 1008 names of Lord Shiva.
Overnight in Guest House / Tents |
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| Day 16:
Badrinath Joshimath Auli |
Drive through the
narrow and swinging journey to the alpine meadow of Auli, a
ski resort in winters with slopes to cater all needs.
Overnight at Hotel |
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Day 17: Auli (Day Hike to Gorson Top)
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Morning proceed for a
day hike to Gorson Top, on a clear day views of Mt. Nanda
Devi (7817 Meters) are great. Return to Auli.
Overnight at Hotel |
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Day 18: Auli Srinagar (Garwhal) Rishikesh
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We shall drive
Rishikesh, known for Ashrams or religious retreat centres
Hub of various religious activities including lessons in
meditation, and treatment for a variety of stress-induced
ailments using the ancient medical techniques. In the
evening visit to one of the ghats at Rishikesh to witness
Aarti on the banks of River Ganges, an important Hindu
ritual.
Overnight at Hotel |
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Day 19: Rishikesh Delhi Drive 6-7 Hours
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| AM: sight seeing of
Rishikesh, afternoon proceed for a half day drive to Delhi.
Arrive Delhi and check into. International Airport
Outbound |
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