Gangotri Glacier (
Sanskrit,
Nepali and ) is located in
Uttarkashi District,
Uttarakhand,
India in a region bordering
China. This glacier, one of the primary sources of the
Ganges, is one of the largest in the
Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers. The glacier is about 30 kilometres (19 miles) long and 2 to 4 km (1 to 2 mi) wide. Around the glacier are the peaks of the
Gangotri Group, including several peaks notable for extremely challenging climbing routes, such as
Shivling,
Thalay Sagar,
Meru, and Bhagirathi III. It flows roughly northwest, originating in a
cirque below
Chaukhamba, the highest peak of the group.