Uttarakhand, 04 April 2024: Every year during winter, the gates of Gangotri National Park are closed for tourists on 30 November and are opened on 1 April.
The gates of Gangotri National Park were opened for tourists, trekkers and mountaineers on Monday. However, due to damage to the Gomukh Tapovan track, presence of large icebergs on the route and bad weather, the movement of tourists and mountaineers on this track will be restricted for the time being.
Park officials say that movement will be allowed only after the track is fine and the weather is favorable. In the presence of Park Deputy Director Ranganath Pandey, the lock on the gate of Kankhu barrier of Gomukh-Tapovan track was opened with puja. This park is the natural home of the snow leopard. Along with snow leopards, rare wildlife like Bharal, Black Bear, Brown Bear, Himalayan Thar, Musk Deer etc. also reside here.
A large number of tourists are expected to arrive
Apart from the peaks ranging from four to seven thousand meters high in the Gangotri Himalayas located here, there is also the Nelang Valley and the Gartang Gully which gives a skywalk like experience. Every year during winter, on 30th November, the gates of Gangotri National Park are closed for tourists. Which are opened on 1st April. Pandey said, all four gates of the park have been opened for tourists for the next eight months. This time a large number of tourists are expected to arrive.
With the Gomukh-Tapovan track being damaged at many places, the movement of tourists and mountaineers is not safe at present due to the presence of huge icebergs on the Kedartal track. Movement will be allowed only after the track is repaired and the weather becomes favourable. However, tourists can visit the Gartang Gully along the Nelong Valley.