Gangotri National Park : An Overview of the Tourist Attractions

Gangotri National Park: “Gangotri”, meaning “sacred river of India,  the Ganges”, is India’s first national park lying in Uttarakhand. It has been established in 1989 and is spread over an area of 1,553 square kilometers – that’s the size of nearly 3000 soccer fields combined! Scaled up to an altitude of 7,073 meters above sea level, Gangotri National Park is home to many endangered species.

Gartang Gali

Close by, the historic Gartang Gali has reopened its doors, welcoming visitors with alpine meadows amidst the backdrop of the snowy Himalayas. With the Gangotri National Park now open for visitation once again, both are very popular tourist attractions and are sure to keep any traveler busy for a good stretch of time!

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Gomukh Tapovan Trek

It is home to one of the most popular trekking tracks – Gaumukh-Tapovan Trek, which will offer trekkers a natural experience like none other. Additionally, its unique location makes it suitable for rich flora and fauna to thrive. Bharal or blue sheep, black bear brown bear, Himalayan Monal, Himalayan snowcock, Himalayan Thar, Musk deer, and snow leopard are some of the several endangered species that are found in the park.

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Not only does Gangotri National Park house about 150 bird species and 15 species of mammals, but it also boasts an impressive variety of trees that visitors can appreciate as they walk through the forest trails, including Pine, Deodar, Fir, Spruce, Oak, and Rhododendron. The short-term season for visiting this location is April to October.

Gartang Gali History

Located near the Indo-China border, Gartang Gali is a 500-meter long stairway with many buildings located underneath it. The famed stairway is believed to have been built by Peshawari Pathans. Historically, they used the stairway as a route between India and Tibet by trading Tibetan merchants, commonly known as Dorjis, who reached Uttarakashi via Sumla and Mandi in order to trade salt, sugar, spices, and wool among other articles.

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No one should miss out on witnessing the beautiful Nelong Valley, a 2.5-kilometer trek from Gartang Gali! It’s an arduous journey, but the breathtaking view will make it worth every struggle you take on. The valley was closed to visitors after the Indo-China War of 1961, and that’s when it fell into ruin. It wasn’t until last year that it was repaired and restored and opened to visitors, making this a great place to visit since not many are aware of its existence.