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Surrounded by the seven snow covered peaks, Hemkunt is a holy lake for Hindus and Sikhs at 4,160 m. The pilgrimage site consists of Hemkunt lake and the associated Gurudwara. While in the latter you cannot stay over night, they still surprisingly serve chai and lunch (free) until around 2PM when they will start pushing you to hike down again. Many pilgrims take a dip in the lake, but the water here is freezing.
Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib is a Sikh place of worship (gurdwara) and pilgrimage site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. It is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth Sikh Guru, and finds mention in Dasam Granth. With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, it is according to the Survey of India located in the Garhwal Himalaya at an elevation of 4,572 metres. It is approached from Govindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The main town near Gobindghat is Joshimath. The elevation of the lake at Hemkund is approximately 15,000 feet.
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A small temple behind the Hemkunt Gurudwara, dedicated to Lord Lakshman (brother of Lord Rama).