Char Dham Yatra 2023: In Search Of Tapovan, Near Gangotri, Uttarakhand

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Located beyond 14,640 ft above the sea, Tapovan is the forest of penance, composed of a rocky terrain, huge mountains and small streams. The Gangotri-Tapovan trek, is a pulse racing adventure. From Gaumukh, Tapovan is at a trekking distance of 5 km.

Gomukh Glacier

This place where the sadhus stay is at the foot of Shivling peak, is a barren area located 18 km from Gangotri, at a height of 13200 ft above sea level, in Uttarkashi district. Gaumukh Tapovan Trek takes you to the Gaumukh glacier, which is the source for the holy river Ganges.

Gomukh which is 19 km away from Gangotri, is actually the place from where Bhagirathi River originates. Gomukh is at the base of Shivling in between which, lies the Tapovan meadow. Tapovan lies at 4460 m above the sea in Garhwal Himalayas beyond Gomukh.

More About Tapovan

Tapovan means forest of penance and it is a cold barren dry land which is ideally suitable for the austerities. The surrounding area which is full of meadows, streams and flowers, happens to be one of the most visited trails in Uttarakhand. Tapovan is an alpine meadow and requires you to climb vertically and cross the Akash Ganga stream to reach it. Tapovan is indeed a place that is home to many ascetics.

These meadows are at a high-altitude and one of the best meadows of this type. Tapovan area is base camp for several mountaineering expeditions including Shivling peak, Bhagirathi peak etc.

Trek To Tapovan

The trek to Tapovan begins from Gangotri which ranges between moderate to difficult. It is a 4-day round trip from Gangotri to Tapovan and back. After reaching Gaumukh Glacier, one has to cross the glacier and climb a really tough track to reach Tapovan. It is a four-day trek from Gangotri.

The Tapovan campsite is situated at the foot of the Mount Shivling. There is also a place called Nandanvan which is a large meadow at the base of Bhagirathi and this is visited by plenty of trekkers and pilgrims.

Every year Tapovan is visited by thousands of pilgrims. May to October is the time the Tapovan trek is open for trekkers and pilgrims.

When Should You Visit Tapovan And Who Should Not Visit It?

You can visit Tapovan between May to June and September to November. Do not visit Tapovan if you have hada history of heart issues like hypertension, asthma, and epilepsy. You should not even have had a treatment done for these health conditions previously.

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