How to Reach Hemkund Sahib from Rishikesh

Hemkund Sahib is one of the highest gurudwaras in the world, set beside a glacial lake at around 4,329 m in the Chamoli district, and the journey there shares its first leg with our Badrinath route before splitting off entirely on foot.

The significance

The site is associated with Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru, who according to the account in the Dasam Granth meditated here in a previous life. Alongside the gurudwara stands a temple to Lakshman, and the combination of the two — Sikh and Hindu pilgrimage sharing one remote mountain lake — is part of what makes the site distinctive.

Stage one: Rishikesh to Govindghat

Govindghat sits on the Badrinath road, roughly 270 km from Rishikesh via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Chamoli and Joshimath — the same route ourChardham andDo Dham tours take toward Badrinath. By bike or car this is comfortably a full day, and most people break the journey with an overnight around Joshimath or Pipalkoti rather than pushing through in one go.

Stage two: Govindghat to Ghangaria

From Govindghat, the trek begins — around 14 km to Ghangaria, the small settlement that acts as the base for both Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers. A motorable road now runs as far as Pulna, a few kilometres short of Govindghat's old starting point, which shortens the walk considerably — shared taxis and jeeps cover that stretch, leaving a shorter trek from Pulna to Ghangaria. Mules, porters and palkis are all available along this stretch for those who'd rather not carry a full pack or walk the whole distance themselves. Most people stay overnight in Ghangaria before continuing.

Stage three: Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib

A further 6 km, and this is the steep part — a genuine high-altitude climb gaining well over 1,300 m from Ghangaria. It's a demanding half-day out and back, made harder by the altitude itself rather than technical difficulty. Ponies and palkis are available for this stretch too.

Season

Hemkund Sahib has a short window — the gurudwara typically opens in late May and closes in early October (in 2026, the season runs from 25 May to 10 October), considerably shorter than the Chardham season, because of how much snow the site holds at this altitude. Outside this window the route is simply inaccessible.

Altitude

At 4,329 m, this is genuine high-altitude trekking, and it deserves the same respect as our higher tour routes — see our altitude sickness guide. Go slowly on the Ghangaria–Hemkund stretch in particular, and don't push through symptoms that aren't clearing.

Combining it with Valley of Flowers

Since both treks share the Govindghat–Ghangaria approach, most visitors do both in the same trip — Hemkund Sahib on one day, the Valley of Flowers National Park on another. See ourValley of Flowers guide for the bloom season and what that trek involves.

Doing this as part of a bike trip

This trek isn't currently part of our standard tour itineraries, but Govindghat sits directly on our Badrinath route, so riders already booked on Chardhamor Do Dham with an extra day to spare are well placed to add it. Message us if you'd like to talk through extending your itinerary.