Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Route · Garhwal
The Bhagirathi road: about 255 km from Rishikesh to Gangotri via Chamba, Tehri dam, Dharasu, Uttarkashi and Harsil. It takes 9–10 hours; most travellers break the journey at Uttarkashi or Harsil and reach Gangotri fresh the next morning.
Photo: gbSk at Flickr · CC BY 2.0 · CommonsEvery way to go
| How | Time | Cost, indicative 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| UTC or GMOU bus to Uttarkashi, then bus or jeep | 6 h plus 4 h | ₹300–450 plus ₹200–350 |
| Private car | 9–10 h, better over 2 days | ₹8,000–11,000 one way |
| Helicopter charter | About 1 h from Dehradun to Harsil | Package rates; high |
Buses run from Rishikesh and Dehradun to Uttarkashi through the day, the best ones early morning. From Uttarkashi, a few buses and shared jeeps continue to Gangotri in season. Spending a night in Uttarkashi or Harsil splits the trip and helps you adjust before 3,100 m.
Leave Rishikesh by 6 am to clear Chamba before traffic. The road passes the Tehri reservoir and follows the Bhagirathi past Uttarkashi. After Gangnani, the gorge has slide zones and a narrow stretch to Harsil. A night in Harsil's orchards is the most pleasant break.
Char Dham helicopter charters from Dehradun land at Harsil, and a car covers the last 25 km to Gangotri. Seats are sold as multi-shrine packages and depend on weather. Book only with operators on the official lists and check current status before you travel.
At each end
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Where the Ganga leaves the hills and the yatra begins
Photo: gbSk at Flickr · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
The Ganga's temple town, and the trail to its glacier source
Questions
About 255 km by road, 9–10 hours via Chamba, Uttarkashi and Harsil. Most travellers break the trip at Uttarkashi or Harsil.
A few UTC and GMOU buses run direct in season, leaving early morning. More frequent buses go to Uttarkashi, with buses and shared jeeps on to Gangotri.
There is no direct road. You return to Uttarkashi and drive via Ghansali or Tehri to Rudraprayag and Guptkashi, a full day of about 10–11 hours. Plan a night in between.
It is open but slide-prone in July and August, and you can be held for hours. Drive in daylight only, keep a spare day and check current status before you travel.
More in Garhwal
Plan with a local planner
We reply within one working day with a route, a sleeping-altitude profile and an itemised price in your tier. Change anything. Pay nothing until you are sure.