We stayed in Raithal, a scenic village of Garhwal in the Uttarakhand state of India. Our plan for today was to visit Nelang Valley and Gangotri and stay back in the night at Harsil. Harsil is usually well-known, but Nelang is off the radar for most travelers.
Itinerary
This itinerary was planned with my friend for a pleasure journey to only one Dham, Gangotri. We followed this route and added some overnight stays to off-the-beaten-path spots like Chamba, New Tehri, Maneri, Raithal, and Harsil.
Where to stay
The big question is where to stay in these places. I personally always prefer to stay in GVMN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) guest houses, which can be booked online. Staff is good, though not all GMVNs are maintained so well, but their surroundings and campus are beautiful everywhere. I blindly book state-run hotels everywhere. I recommend it for average and budget hotels. For the Kumaon region, the KVMN (Kumaon Vikas Mandal Nigam) rest houses can be booked.
Travel expenses
We rented a taxi in Haridwar for a week at Rs. 2500 a day. We wrapped up our trip in seven days. We covered the driver’s meal costs, even though it wasn’t part of the deal. Overall, the taxi cost us Rs. 18000, hotels were Rs. 13500, food came to Rs. 12000, and other random expenses added up to Rs. 5000. In total, we spent Rs. 48,500 for two people.
We kicked off our journey from Raithal at 8:30 AM, grabbed some breakfast along the way, and made it to Nelang Valley around 1 PM. We already got our Nelang pass from the SDM office in Uttarkashi. It took roughly two hours, and we need to submit a simple application, a copy of the Aadhaar card, a driving license, and an Aadhaar card for the driver So we checked in at the valley’s entry checkpoint, which is conveniently located on the route to Gangotri, just 10 km away. The entry fee is Rs. 300 per person, with a vehicle fee of Rs. 500, if commercial vehicle, drivers don’t have to pay anything. Nelang Valley and Gartang Gali are part of Gangotri National Park.
Sure, it’s definitely chilly here, but a cozy sweater does the trick to keep warm. The road is really well-made, and this trip feels like stepping into a slice of paradise. While Nelang is often called the Ladakh of Uttarakhand, I don’t quite agree. From what I’ve seen, Ladakh has rugged and diverse landscapes, making it quite striking, whereas Nelang offers a smaller, smoother, and more picturesque terrain, which I think is simply lovely. Just like the Indus and Zanskar rivers are vital to Ladakh, the Jadh Ganga stream serves as the lifeblood of the Nelang mountains. The Jadh Ganga (also called the Jahnavi River) is a tributary of the Bhagirathi River. Specifically, the Jadh Ganga flows through the Jadhang village. The river’s confluence with the Bhagirathi is located near Bhaironghati.
The route right from Raithal to Nelang was fantastically maintained, with no potholes and an amazingly smooth road.
In April, there are still spots where the snow hasn’t melted, just like in Ladhak. These views really enhance the charm of Nelang for visitors. The abundance of snow and glaciers along the route must be super appealing to anyone making reels.
This drive was like driving into a tunnel of beautiful things all around, no one else around us, just the nature, rocks, trees, barren land, glaciers, light snowfall, and the river Jadh Ganga flowing deep down in the valley.
We could see the Gartang Gali narrow wooden bridge also on this route in Nelang Valley. If we enter into Gartang Gali, tourists walk up to the end of this narrow bridge. We did not go to Gartang Gali, but it must surely be a thrilling experience peeping down on to the valley of Jadh Ganga.
The Jadh Ganga River flows through Nelang Valley. It is a tributary of the Bhagirathi River. Within the valley, the Jadh Ganga is known as “Pagal Nala” due to its tendency to flash flood. After leaving Nelang Valley, the Jadh Ganga is also referred to as the Jahanvi River.
Right at the end of our 8 km drive, we hit another checkpoint. It was still lightly snowing, and the wind was blowing. The guards wouldn’t let us pass because of the rough weather. They mentioned that a few kilometers ahead is Jadung village, which used to be home to the Bhotia people but is now deserted. Beyond that lies Tibet.
It took about two hours on Nelang Drive, and by 3:30 PM we returned to catch the main road to Gangotri. Nelang to Gangotri is about 10 km.
Gangotri was the last stop on our week-long trip. After spending a night in Raithal, we set off for Gangotri, which is roughly 43 km away. The road was in great shape, and it was impressive to see how well they handled landslides. The Gangotri temple doors are shut until they reopen around April 30 to a day or two after Deepavali.
We spent an hour soaking in the holiness of Gangotri, collected some holy water from the Bhagirathi River, and then began our journey back, planning to stay the night in Harsil.
Harsil is a small town located just 26 km before Gangotri, and it’s a popular pit stop for pilgrims on their way to or from Gangotri. There are plenty of guest houses and hotels in Harsil, but I opted for GMVN, Harsil as usual.
This hotel is right by the Bhagirathi River, offering a stunning view of the area. The deodar trees and the river basin are truly captivating. As dusk falls, I find myself in the hotel’s backyard, admiring the grandeur of the Bhagirathi. It’s freezing, around 6 degrees, and I notice some guys gathering sand from the riverbank to load onto ponies. I ordered some tea from the restaurant next to the yard, settled into a chair despite the cold, and enjoyed my tea while watching the river flow. The evening brings a light fog that
starts to envelop the river. I head to my room, which is small but pricey at Rs. 2500 due to high demand. I wake up my friend, who is bundled up in a heavy quilt, and invite him to dinner. The meal is served with care and looks great. The restaurant is spacious, clean, and hygienic, and we enjoy a nice dinner of daal, rice, chapati, and a vegetable dish. However, the cold drives us to bed early to prepare for the next day.
We wake up at 7 AM, the geyser is on, and we get ready to explore Bagori village, just 2 km from GMVN. Bagori has around 400 houses and is home to the Bhotia community, who have lived here since the time of Raja Tehri. This village is located between the Jalandhari River and the Bhagirathi River. Jalandhar is a tributary of the Bhagirathi River, which flows through Harsil. The river is fed by the Jalandhari Glacier in the upper reaches of Harsil Valley.
After the 1962 war, the nearby Jadung village (56 km) was evacuated for security, and many Bhotias from Jadung moved to Bagori. According to a local I spoke with, during the off-season, the Bhotias leave their homes to go to places like Uttarkashi and Dehradun, leaving many houses locked up. Even in April, I can see that many homes remain shut.
This place has a bunch of apple orchards, three temples including Lal Devta (a Bhotia deity) and a Buddhist temple, and at the end of the village, there’s a Shiva temple.
Lots of houses have been turned into stay homes, and it was great to see so many tourists here. It’s a nice way for locals to earn some money, with rooms going for about Rs. 1000-1500 a night. Plus, there are even some camping options in one part of the village.
In winter, you can spot Bhotias in nearly every city and town, and visiting their village is a way to learn about the Bhotia community. We took a leisurely 2 KM walk through the village before heading back to Haridwar to wrap up our tour of Gangotri and some beautiful spots along the way.
Epilogue
It was such a refreshing trip, filled with countless sweet memories. Our stay at the GVMN rest houses was super comfortable and welcoming, and I appreciate the Uttarakhand government for providing such facilities to tourists in these challenging and remote areas. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fit the Gartang Valley trek into this trip. Similar to Nelang Valley, Gartang Valley is located within Gangotri National Park. I really think the Gartang Valley trek is a must-do for travelers. There are other beautiful treks like Saat Taal, but to explore all the treks and spots, you’ll need to spend a week in Harsil. Visiting Bagori village was a fresh experience for me since I missed out on seeing the last village of Ladakh during my trip there in 2019.
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