Hemkund Sahib itinerary

Plan 01

1 day at Hemkund Sahib

1. 01

   Day 1: Ghangaria to the gurdwara and back

   This assumes you are already sleeping at Ghangaria, since there is no practical way to do the whole route from Govindghat in a day. Start at first light with breakfast and water, and climb the 6 km paved path at a slow, steady pace, resting at the tea stops. Pilgrims are expected to be back down by dusk and overnight stay at the shrine is not allowed, so aim to start the descent by about 2 pm. Spend the time at the top at the gurdwara and the lake, sit through some kirtan, take langar if offered, and look in at the Lakshman Lokpal temple on the shore.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October
   Govindghat	Overnight or a few hours	Easy	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

Plan 02

2 days at Hemkund Sahib

1. 01

   Day 1: Govindghat to Ghangaria

   After registration and security checks, reach Govindghat and cover the 13 km to Ghangaria. Take a shared taxi for the first stretch to Pulna, then walk, ride a pony or hire a palanquin; a helicopter is the fastest option when it is running. Check in early, drink plenty of water and rest. The altitude at Ghangaria is about 3,050 m, high enough to feel on the first night.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Govindghat	Overnight or a few hours	Easy	June to October
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

2. 02

   Day 2: Hemkund Sahib and return to Ghangaria

   Leave at first light for the 6 km climb. Pace yourself, rest often and turn back if headaches, nausea or breathlessness worsen. Spend time in the gurdwara, by the lake and at the Lakshman Lokpal temple, then start down by early afternoon. You can walk on to Govindghat the next morning.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October
   Govindghat	Overnight or a few hours	Easy	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

Plan 03

3 days at Hemkund Sahib

1. 01

   Day 1: Govindghat to Ghangaria

   Travel to Govindghat, then walk, ride or fly to Ghangaria. Settle in, keep the afternoon free and sleep early. The point of this day is to let your body begin acclimatising before the climb.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Govindghat	Overnight or a few hours	Easy	June to October
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

2. 02

   Day 2: Rest or the Valley of Flowers

   If you are fit and the Valley of Flowers is open, its entrance is roughly 3 km from Ghangaria and makes a gentler, lower-altitude day than Hemkund Sahib; it has its own guide. Otherwise rest, walk the village lanes, and prepare layers and medicines for the climb.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

3. 03

   Day 3: Hemkund Sahib and descent

   Climb early to the gurdwara, spend your time there unhurried, and begin the descent by early afternoon. Walk or ride back to Ghangaria, and continue to Govindghat the following morning, leaving a spare day in your onward plans for weather and road closures.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ghangaria	Overnight	Moderate	June to October
   Govindghat	Overnight or a few hours	Easy	June to October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ghangaria: Lanes are sloping and shared with ponies. Rooms are basic and mostly unheated, and some are up stairs. Ask for a ground-floor room, carry medicines and a torch, and expect no medical facilities beyond a basic point.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Hemkund Sahib trip for parents and children

• See a doctor before you travel. Hemkund Sahib is above 4,000 m, and the road and trail are far from hospitals. Carry regular medicines and tell your group about any heart or lung conditions.
• Do not go up on your first day at Ghangaria. Arrive, rest, drink water and let your body adjust before climbing the next morning.
• Hire a pony or palanquin for the climb if you are unsure of the 6 km ascent, and book through the registered operators at Ghangaria rather than negotiating on the trail.
• Start at first light and plan to be heading down by early afternoon. Overnight stay at the shrine is not allowed and weather turns quickly in the afternoon.
• Treat headache, nausea, dizziness or unusual breathlessness as a reason to stop and descend. Walking slowly and drinking water are the main protections.
• Carry layers, a rain poncho, sturdy shoes with good grip, a torch and warm socks. Rooms at Ghangaria are cold and mostly unheated.

Hemkund Sahib with elderly parents: the full guide →