India · Spiritual · Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Hemkund Sahib
Chamoli, Uttarakhand · 4,329 m (Gurudwara/lake); base Ghangaria 3,050 m
Step inside the world's highest Gurudwara — ringed by seven snowpeaks above a glacier-fed lake — then descend the same trail into a valley UNESCO calls one of earth's finest natural flower gardens.
Hemkund Sahib fuses Sikh pilgrimage with extreme Himalayan wilderness — the glacial lake at 4,329 m reflecting seven snowpeaks is one of the most serene spiritual settings in Asia. The trailhead from Ghangaria doubles as the gateway to Valley of Flowers, making this the only itinerary in India that pairs a high-altitude Gurudwara darshan with a UNESCO World Heritage wildflower sanctuary on the same trip.
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Go in
In season, days sit around 14° and nights near 5°.
What you'll see & do
The sights worth the trip, and how to spend the days around them.
To see
- Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara (4,329 m, on the glacial lake — one of the highest Gurudwaras in the world)
- Hemkund glacial lake (sacred, ringed by seven Himalayan peaks)
- Valley of Flowers National Park (UNESCO WHC; 87 sq km; 500+ wildflower species in bloom Jul-Aug)
- Ghangaria village (sole base camp at 3,050 m; trekking hub for both destinations)
To do
- Trek Govindghat to Ghangaria (13 km, 1,000 m gain, 5-6 hrs) or take the GMVN helicopter (20 min, ~3,500 one way)
- Hemkund Sahib darshan — steep 6 km ascent from Ghangaria gaining 1,300 m; attend sunrise Asa di Var prayers at the lake
- Valley of Flowers day walk (3.5 km from Ghangaria along Pushpawati River; no overnight stay permitted)
- Birdwatching along the Pushpawati River corridor — Himalayan monal, snow partridge, lammergeier overhead
Before you go
- Shrine dates are announced annually by the Shri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust (not SGPC); late snow can delay opening 1–2 weeks beyond late May, and closing falls around October 10–11 rather than a vague mid-October — always confirm current-season dates at hemkunt.in before booking flights.
- The Gurdwara sits at 4,572 m (15,000 ft) — higher than the commonly cited lake-surface figure of 4,329 m — making altitude sickness a real risk; plan at least one acclimatization night at Ghangaria (3,050 m) before ascending and carry Diamox.
- The road to the trailhead is now NH-7 (renumbered from NH-58 in 2010) and the Joshimath–Govindghat stretch is landslide-prone during the July–August monsoon; build 1–2 buffer days into any monsoon itinerary.
Days, already shaped
3-day plan
- Day 1: Govindghat to Ghangaria — 13 km trek (5-6 hrs, 1,000 m gain); check in, rest, acclimatize
- Day 2: Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and back — 12 km round trip (4-5 hrs up, 3 hrs down); attend morning ardas at lake; return to Ghangaria
- Day 3: Valley of Flowers day walk (7 km round trip, 3 hrs); return to Govindghat by afternoon
5-day plan
- Day 1: Rishikesh to Joshimath (250 km, ~7 hrs road via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Chamoli); overnight Joshimath
- Day 2: Joshimath to Govindghat (13 km) then trek or fly to Ghangaria; afternoon rest and acclimatization
- Day 3: Hemkund Sahib darshan — full day, 12 km round trip; evening prayers at Gurudwara
- Day 4: Valley of Flowers full day walk; optional afternoon of Ghangaria village exploration
- Day 5: Ghangaria to Govindghat (trek or heli); drive back to Rishikesh, arrive late evening
7-day plan
- Day 1: Delhi to Rishikesh (overnight train Nanda Devi Express or 6-hr drive); overnight Rishikesh
- Day 2: Rishikesh to Joshimath (250 km, 7 hrs); visit Shankaracharya Math and Narsingh Temple; overnight
- Day 3: Joshimath to Govindghat; trek or helicopter to Ghangaria (3,050 m); rest and acclimatize
- Day 4: Hemkund Sahib — 6 km ascent (3-4 hrs), morning darshan at glacial lake, descent to Ghangaria
- Day 5: Valley of Flowers full day — 3.5 km in, 3.5 km out; photograph Brahmakamal, Blue Poppy, alpine meadows
- Day 6: Ghangaria to Govindghat; drive 23 km to Badrinath; evening aarti at Badrinarayan Temple
- Day 7: Badrinath Mana village walk (last Indian village, 3 km); drive back toward Rishikesh; overnight en route
Getting there, permits & day trips
By air — Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun (DED) — closest airport, 280 km to Govindghat; taxi or GMOU bus via Rishikesh-Joshimath-Badrinath highway takes 8-9 hrs; Delhi flights are 1 hr
By rail — Haridwar Junction (HW) or Rishikesh station — 260 km to Govindghat; shared jeeps and Tempo Travellers available from both towns; 8-9 hrs road. Delhi to Haridwar on Nanda Devi Express is 4.5 hrs overnight
By road — From Rishikesh: NH-58 via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath to Govindghat (~250 km, 7-8 hrs); Govindghat to Ghangaria = 13 km trek (5-6 hrs) or GMVN helicopter (20 min, book ahead at gmvnl.com)
On a Driftibo trip we handle the transfers.
Permits & entry — Valley of Flowers requires a 3-day entry permit costing ₹200 per person for Indian nationals (children under 12 free), with ₹50 per additional day beyond the base three days; it is not a daily recurring charge. Since 2025, online pre-registration at valleyofflower.uk.gov.in is mandatory — download and carry the permit, as the walk-in counter at Ghangaria is no longer the primary purchase method. Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara has no entry fee and requires no permit of any kind. No inner-line or restricted-area permit is required for Indian nationals or any other nationality at either site (ILP requirements apply to other Uttarakhand border zones such as Adi Kailash, not here). Annual shrine opening and closing dates are set by the Shri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust; in 2026, opening was announced for 23–25 May and closing for 10 October. Valley of Flowers is open June 1 to October 31.
Day trips nearby
- Badrinath Dham — 23 km from Govindghat; one of the Char Dham; naturally added on Day 6-7 of a longer itinerary
- Mana Village — 3 km beyond Badrinath; last inhabited Indian village before the Tibet border; Vyas Gufa and Saraswati River source
- Joshimath — 13 km from Govindghat; Shankaracharya Math, winter seat of Badrinath deity, and cable car to Auli ski meadows
- Auli — 14 km from Joshimath by road or cable car; panoramic Nanda Devi and Kamet views; skiing Nov-Mar, meadow walks Jun-Sep
Seasons and access shift — we reconfirm every detail before we quote.