Kalindi Khal Pass Trek in India Garhwal Himalayas at 5950 mtrs.: Klaindikhal Pass Trek In Indian Garhwal Himalyas

The Kalindi Khal Pass treks connects two of Hinduism's holiest sites, the temples of Gangotri (near the source of Bhagirathi river) and Badrinath (near the sources of Alaknanda river); the two rivers eventually join at Devprayag to form Mother Ganga, the holy Ganges. The trek crosses the central mountain ranges of Garhwal Himalaya, following the huge glacier streams of Gangotri Glacier and Chaturangi Glacier all the way up to the nearly 6000 m high Kalindi Pass, then descending through the valleys of Arwa and Saraswati rivers near the Tibetan border. You pass by an impressive range of six-thousands and a few seven-thousands, among them such famous peaks as Shivling and Satopanth. The bureaucratic obstacles are nearly as impressive as the topographic ones, the country being India - and it seems India's most popular pastime to fill out forms, or have others fill them out. Fortunately much of this is handled for us by the agency, which also provides two virtual Frenchmen to join us, in order to complete the minimum number of four tourists (as required by yet another of those bureaucratic regulations). On the same trail there is also a group of very real Frenchmen, as well as an Indian one. The route follows Bhagirathi river all the way to its source Gaumukh, a day's march from Gangotri. From there we reach the grassy shoulder of Tapovan over the scree-covered Gangotri Glacier, and on the following day a similar spot called Nandanban on its other side. Then we walk up Chaturangi Glacier, on moraines at first, halting at Satopant Base Camp at Vasuki Tal and at a similar site a few hundred metres further up. From there on the route-finding becomes trickier as the glacier is crossed directly. A turn towards Sweta Glacier and a final day's march on its central moraine lead to Kalindi Base Camp at 5540 m. Kalindi Khal paas is crossed on the following morning in excellent weather. The ensuing march over a wide snow-covered glacier is quite tiring, especially at this altitude, but offers great views into the mountains of Kumaon. Two more camps and we are at the military checkpost at Ghastoli, from where a dirt road leads down to Badrinath in another day's march.