Gaumukh

Gaumukh is the snout of the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, located at about 4,023 metres in the Garhwal Himalaya within Gangotri National Park. Revered as the source of the Bhagirathi River, the principal headstream of the Ganga, it resembles a cow's mouth. Reached by an 18-kilometre trek from Gangotri via Chirbasa and Bhojbasa, it offers views of Bhagirathi peaks and the glacier.

Visitors can expect a high-altitude Himalayan trek from Gangotri to the glacier snout through Gangotri National Park. The route passes Chirbasa and Bhojbasa with rocky trails, moraine and alpine meadows. At Gaumukh, visitors see the ice cave-like snout of Gangotri Glacier, the emergence of the Bhagirathi River, and surrounding peaks of the Bhagirathi massif. There are no permanent structures at the snout; viewing is from a designated point with forest check posts en route.

Gaumukh has been documented as the traditional source of the Bhagirathi and Ganga for centuries and is referenced in ancient texts. The Gangotri Glacier has been studied for its retreat and is an important site for Himalayan glaciology. The area lies within Gangotri National Park, established in 1989.

Revered in Hindu tradition as the mouth of a cow (Gau-mukh) and the origin of the sacred Bhagirathi River which becomes the Ganga downstream at Devprayag. Pilgrims and trekkers visit for religious merit and the site is closely associated with Gangotri Temple downstream. The broader Gangotri region is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.