Gangotri Dham Yatra Travel Guide
About Gangotri Dham
Gangotri Dham is dedicated to Ganga Mata. Gangotri Dham located in the origin of the Ganga Maa , Gaumukh in Gangotri is the origin of Ganga which make gangotri dham to one of the most sacred
sites in India. During winter, the Ganga Ji idol moved to the Markandeya Temple in the village of Mukhwa. The present temple was built in the 18th century by a Gorkha commander in the Indian
Army named Amar Singh Thapa.
There are total 5 temples in the gangotri dham – Hanuman ji, Shiv ji, Ganesh ji, Bhagirath ji and the main Gangotri temple of Ganga ji. there is also a temple of Lakshmi Annapurna and some
small temples.
Gangotri Dham Location/How to Reach
Gangotri Dham located in Gangotri town of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. From the last motorable point Gangotri town, the temple is just a short walk of 500 Meter. the main starting point of Char Dham Yatra is Dehradun, Rishikesh, or Haridwar. From there, you need to travel towards Uttarkashi via Chamba or Mussoorie Road, and from Uttarkashi continue the journey to Gangotri town via Harsil Valley to reach Gangotri town.
Gangotri Dham Opening and Closing Dates
Gangotri Dham opens on Akshaya Tritiya and closes on Diwali every year. below are the opening and closing date for 2025.
- Gangotri Dham Opening Date 2025 – 30th April 2025
- Gangotri Dham Closing Date 2025 – Yet to be announced
Gangotri Dham Aarti Timings
The temple opens early in the morning around 4 AM and closes at 8 PM daily, here are the aarti timings.
- Mangala Aarti :- 06:00 AM
- Sandhya Aarti :- 07:45 PM
What You Must See in Gangotri Dham
Here are the must see places in Gangotri dham
- Gangotri Temple
- Gauri Kund
- Bhairon Ghati
- Pandava Gufa
- Kedar Tal
- Tapovan
- Gaumukh
Important Tips for the Gangotri Dham
- Start Early: Leave early in the morning to avoid crowd.
- Booking: make all your bookings in advance.
- Food: Many food shops and restaurants are near temple. Sabudana dish costs around ₹30–40, Samosa ₹50, Dal ₹120
- Registration: Mandatory registration for darshan with token system
- Wheelchair: Available for elderly, ₹450 for return
- Mobile Network: Mostly works well throughout the journey
Distances from Gangotri Dham to Other Char Dham Yatra Temples
Here are the approximate road distances from Gangotri Dham to the other Char Dham Yatra Temples in Uttarakhand:
- Gangotri Dham to Yamunotri Dham distance is approx. 230 km via Harsil → Uttarkashi → Barkot → Janaki Chatti, then 6 km trek to Yamunotri
- Gangotri Dham to Kedarnath Dham distance is approx. 305 km via Uttarkashi → Tilwara → Rudraprayag → Guptkashi → Gaurikund, then 16 km trek to Kedarnath
- Gangotri Dham to Badrinath Dham distance is approx. 355 km via Uttarkashi → Chamoli → Joshimath → Badrinath
