Mt Satopanth Expedition
Satopanth in local dialect literally means ‘true path’. It is the second highest mountain in the Gangotri group in Uttarakhand and is quite a formidable undertaking. It is one of the classic 7000 m test piece in the Indian Himalaya for amateur mountaineers. The route includes a complex glacier approach, high angled snow slopes and a technical knife edge ridge, before the final section to the summit. Mt. Satopanth serves as a good introduction to technical climbing, with climbers being exposed to the use of crampons, fixed ropes and jumar climbing. Many of the Indian expeditions to climb Mt. Everest or other 8,000m+ peaks climb Mt. Satopanth as a preparatory trip.
Mt. Sathopanth Expedition is made only for trekkers with previous mountaineering experience and wants to test their limits. The challenges faced in the expedition should not be underestimated. You should attempt this expedition only If you have already done climbs over 6000 m and have completed a Basic Mountaineering Course. It is recommended not to opt this trek if you cannot get acclimatized in the high altitudes. The climb required expeditionary tactics, experience with glacier trek, high angled snow slopes, and technical ridge all of which is a strenuous endeavor. Besides you need to have a strong physical endurance to complete this trek. For details on trek difficulty level, please read on Bikat Rating Scale
A basic mountaineering course is recommended though not mandatory in case of people who have previously been on an expedition to a technical 6000 m peak. At least 4-5 challenging treks along with 30+ total trekking days in the Himalayas. Experience with glacier trekking and high altitude mountaineering are essential for Mt. Sathopanth. Medical fitness certificate from CMO of a recognized hospital.
If you are not meeting these benchmarks, please use the preparation schedule to improve your fitness till you achieve the above benchmarks.
How to use an Ice Axe
How to use Climbing boots & Crampons
How to rope up & follow queued climbing/descending
How to self-arrest using an ice axe
Knowledge of Basic First aid
Mt. Sathopanth is one of the most accessible 7000 m peaks in India. It is the second highest mountain in the Gangotri group in Uttarakhand and is quite a formidable undertaking. Conquering this peak is a supreme accomplishment since it includes a complex glacier approach, high angled snow slopes, and a technical knife-edge ridge, before the final section to the summit. Sign up for this expedition if you have previously climbed a 6000 m peak and are looking to push your limits to train for any 8000 m mountains.
The best months for this expedition are May, June, September, and October. Heavy snowfall and extreme cold make this expedition impossible in winters.
Click here for packing list.
The base for Mt. Sathopanth expedition is Gangotri, around 500 km from Delhi.
Reach Gangotri By Air:
At a distance of around 226 km from Gangotri is located the closest airport named Jolly Grant Airport. Situated in Dehradun, the airport has regular flights from India's capital city of Delhi. So, you can catch a flight to the airport and then you can hire a cab from there to reach the sacred town of Gangotri. Taxi or cab charges will cost you around Rs 4,000.
Reach Gangotri By Train:
If you like traveling by train, you'll need to reach the Rishikesh railway station which is also the closest at 250 km from Gangotri. After arriving at the railway station, you'll see plenty of cabs ready to take you to your destination. You'll need to pay anywhere between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 as cab charges.
Reach Gangotri By Road:
The holy town of Gangotri is also well connected by road with all the popular tourist places in the state of Uttarakhand and outside the state. From places like Yamunotri, Mussoorie, and Tehri, you can easily catch tourist buses to reach Gangotri. There are both private deluxe buses and state buses to reach the town.
Gangotri has coverage for all major networks. There is no cellular network beyond Gangotri.
Gangotri Temple: Gangotri, the origin of the River Ganges and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The original Gangotri Temple was built by the Nepalese general Amar Singh Thapa. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda.
Places to visit near the Gangotri Temple
Bhagirath Shila is believed to be the holy rock where King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva.
Pandava Gufa, located 1.5 km from Gangotri, is the place where the Pandavas are believed to have meditated and rested en route Kailash. Pilgrims will have to trek up to the Pandava Gufa.
The minimum age limit is 16 years. However, minors aged 16 and 17 years should be accompanied by their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking and mountaineering.
Guesthouse/Hotel accommodation in Delhi, Uttarkashi, and Gangotri on Days 1, 2, 3, 21, and 22 will be provided as per our itinerary. During the expedition, accommodation will be in 4 season tents on twin sharing basis.
We provide 4 seasons tents by Gipfel for higher altitudes which can easily withstand heavy snowfall and storms. They are spacious enough to accommodate 3 people at once with a vestibule to place the backpacks. Our sleeping bags are made up of Heatseeker Pro synthetic insulation that can provide you comfort in -10 degrees Celsius. We also use additional fleece liners to have thermal efficiency even in the extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius. If you carry your own sleeping bag, you will get a cashback reward provided that you inform us as soon as you have booked your trek.
Toilet tents will be provided to you on the trek. These are portable toilets tents where a deep pit will be dug. A shovel will be provided inside the tent to cover the waste after you have made your business. You can take a toilet roll inside. Make sure you dig used toilet paper along with the waste. Though water is recommended in place of toilet paper. Please refrain from using wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable. There will be no facility for bathing on the trek. Go through our blog section for tips on how to maintain personal hygiene on treks.
Since this is a technical climb at extremely high altitudes on snow and ice, all required technical equipment such as Ropes, Helmet, Ice Axe, Crampons, Mountaineering Boots, Jumar, Descender, Harness will be provided. You can refer to the inclusions section for more details.
Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. The only non-vegetarian item served on our treks are eggs. Our kitchen staff follows a proper menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which has been designed in order to fulfill the nutritional requirements of the participants. There will be milk, poha, eggs, muesli/corn flakes, bread, and butter served for breakfast. Rice or simple roti sabzi will be packed for lunch. In dinner, you will have dal, egg curry or any other vegetarian dish along with rice, roti, and a dessert item. Packed lunch will be provided to you on the days you are trekking. You are requested to carry your own tiffin box and a mug to consume food. The meals consumed on the journey and arrival day are not included in our cost.
You can rent the following items from us- Trekking Pole, Trekking Shoes, Fleece Jacket, Rucksack.
Since this is a technical climb at 7000 m, you can expect snow and ice on the expedition.
You can expect temperatures to drop to as low as -15°C to -25°C at higher camps on the climb. The more altitude we gain the colder it gets. However, the weather is always unpredictable so be prepared with all the essential layers required to keep yourself warm and dry.
If you want to offload your rucksack, you will have to make a request for offloading a few days prior to the trek through an email so that arrangement can be made in advance. You will be charged per day for offloading your rucksack. In case you decide to offload on the spot, you may have to pay a higher price than usual. However, offloading your rucksack is not recommended since it is not a safe practice.
A team of participants will be led by an IMF certified mountaineering guide. All participants are requested to abide by what their leader says. There will also be a team of kitchen staff and porters on the trek. We maintain a 1:8 ratio of trek leader and participants. All our trek leaders and staff have certified training in first-aid and rescue operation.
Yes, the trekking pole is necessary. If you don’t want to buy one, you can rent it from us on minimal daily basis charges. You can request the renting link from us.
Yes, there are stores/shops in Uttarkashi and Gangotri from where you can buy necessary stuff. Though it is recommended that you come prepared with all the stuff. Please do not leave anything for last minute buying.
Yes, it is absolutely safe for a solo woman to travel in fix departures. Women on the trek will be sharing a tent with each other. In case you are the only woman on the trek, you will be given a separate tent.
Yes, e-certificates will be given at the end of each trek provided that you completed it. It will bear your name, the trek, and the maximum altitude you achieved on the trek.
You will be picked from and dropped to your hotel in Delhi.
Expect to be free by the afternoon on the last day of the expedition. So plan all your journeys post 1800 hours or from the next day.
ID Proof (Soft Copy to be sent to us in Advance & original to be carried), Medical Certificate (Soft Copy to be sent to us & original to be carried) and Photocopy of ID Proof and passport size photos are the mandatory documents required for the trek.
