General Information
Altitude: 4320 m above sea level.
Season: July-October.
Clothing: Woollens .
Language: Kumaoni, Garhwali, Hindi.
Festivals: Guru Nannak's birthday, Guru Govind Singh's Jayanti.
Accessibility
Air : The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun.
Rail : Nearest railhead is Haridwar / Rishikesh.
Road : Hemkund, off Badrinath, is 514 km away from Delhi, the last 15 km of which is a trekking route. DTC and UP Roadways buses ply regularly upto Haridwar / Rishikesh from ISBT, Delhi. Govindghat is 20 km beyond Joshimath on the motor road to Badrinath and 4 km before Pandukeshwar, the point at which there is a diversion for Lokpal Hemkund and the Valley Of Flowers. Hemkund is 20 km from Govindghat. After crossing the Vishnu Ganga, one has to trek 9 km to reach the Bhiyundar valley. At Ghangharia, the Pushpavati river meets the Lakshman Ganga coming from Hemkund. The 7 km trek from Ghangharia to Hemkund entails a steep climb. From Rishikesh, also buses are available for Badrinath via Govind Ghat although tourist taxies are more convenient and quicker.
Local Transport: Dandies / Ponies.
Accommodation
Hemkund.
The Govind Ghat Gurudwara at Ghangharia privides facilities.
Excursions
Ghangharia
5 km situated in the mid of a pine grove. Ghangharia serves as a base for visiting Hemkund Shaib. It is the last human habitation in the valley. A tourist lodge, log huts, tents and a Gurudwara provide comfortable accommadition.
Govind Ghat
15 km. The confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhyundar or Lakshman Ganga. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Govind Singh.
Info Centre
Tourist Office, Bus Station,
Gopeshwar.
Tel. 01372-252468.
Rishikesh (Yatra Office), AGM (Tourism), Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd., Tourist Information Centre, (Advance Reservation Centre), Shail Vihar, Haridwar Bye Pass Road, Rishikesh - 249201.
Tel.: 0135-2431793, 2431783, 2435174, 2432648, 2430799, 2430357(R).
Fax: 0135-2430372.
Email: yatra@gmvnl.com, yatraoffice@sancharnet.in .