Kedarnath & Badrinath Dham, 7 Nights | 8 Days Uttarakhand

Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, Kedarnath Dham, Joshimath, Badrinath Dham

Published on 2021-10-16

Shri Kedarnath Dham

Shri Kedarnath Dham

Destination

pilgrimage

Airport

Jolly Grant Airport,

Railhead

Haridwar Railway Station Road

Best time to visit

September to October

  • Char Dham of Uttarakhand is also called Chhota Char Dham of India. This includes four cardinal spots of Hindu pilgrimage, namely, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. All four places are located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.
  • Besides ancient shrines and exclusive temples, the trip also offers spectacular views of the snow-capped Himalayan ranges and trekking trails.
  • Most travellers start the journey from Haridwar which serves as the gateway to the places at higher altitudes.
  • Since covering all four abodes involve physical exertion and many days, many pilgrims travel to two Dham at a time. Here we discuss an itinerary for Shri Kedarnath Dham and Shri Badrinath Dham together.
  • The temples of Char Dham remain closed during the winter months. Ukhimath and Joshimath are the villages at lower altitudes that serve as the winter abodes of Kedarnath and Badrinath respectively.
  • Opening & Closing dates of the temples of Char Dham Yatra are predetermined as per the Hindu calendar. This must be accounted for when planning the trip. Generally, the gates of Kedarnath and Badrinath are opened around Akshay Tritiya (mid-April). The shrines are closed for pilgrims around the day of Bhai Dooj (after Diwali).
  • The Peak Season of Char Dham Yatra is between May and mid-June. Roads are filled with hired vehicles and hotels run to packed capacity. The rush subsides only during the monsoons when travelling in the mountains becomes challenging.
  • BEST TIME TO VISIT - September to October may be considered as the best time to travel when the crowd is thin and the monsoon is also passed.
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How to Reach Haridwar?

  • Railhead – Haridwar Junction Railway Station is connected to major cities like Delhi.
  • Airport – Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun is 55 km from Haridwar
  • Bus Service – Haridwar is well connected to Delhi (240 km) via NH334. Regular buses are available on this route.
    Taxi may be reserved on a per-day basis. Charges for a regular four-seater car could be between Rs.2500 and Rs.2800 per day.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Shri Kedarnath Dham – Amidst the magnificent mountains of Kedarnath range, stands one of the 12 Jyotirlinga, at an altitude of 11750 ft above sea level.
  • Shri Badrinath Dham – Shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu at an altitude of 10170 ft above sea level is also one of the holy Char Dham of India.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Haridwar to Rudraprayag - It is a distance of 165 km, It will take around five hours’ time.
  • Day 2: Reach Guptkashi. Visit the temples here and reach Sonprayag/ Gaurikund for an overnight stay. 35 km Journey.
  • Day 3: It takes a tiresome trek of 22 km to reach Shri Kedarnath Dham. Alternatively, travel in helicopter/pony/palki carried by porters. Visit the shrine and stay overnight in Kedarnath.
  • Day 4: Reach Sonprayag by afternoon and travel 150 km to Pipalkoti. The journey takes around five hours.
  • Day 5: Travel 35 km to reach Joshimath in around an hour. Visit the Narsingh temple, and proceed to Badrinath (which is another 40 km from Joshimath).
  • Day 6: Offer reverence to the deity in Shri Badrinath Dham. This completes the four cardinal destinations of the Yatra. Visit Mana, popularly called the Last Indian Village. Head back and reach Rudraprayag. This 155 km journey would take more than 5 hours to complete.
  • Day 7: On the final day of the journey, travel about 165 km to reach Haridwar. Halt at the temple of Dhari Devi and Devprayag on the way. Proceed to your hometown from Haridwar.

Itinerary

Day 1 Haridwar to Rudraprayag (165 km)

Travel 165 km to Rudraprayag, via Rishikesh. It takes around five hours’ time.

  • Devprayag is the first of the Panch-Prayag (Holy Confluence) that you will encounter on this journey. Devprayag is the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda Rivers.
  • Rudraprayag, the destination for an overnight stay is the confluence of Mandakini and Alakananda Rivers. Experience the evening aarti at the confluence.

Overnight stay at Rudraprayag, GMVN is a good option for a night stay at Rudraprayag.

Day 2 Rudraprayag to Sonprayag (80 km) via Guptkashi

Guptkashi is a religiously important town of Uttarakhand as it houses ancient temples like Vishwanath temple and Ardhnareshwar temple. Visit the Manikarnika Kund where two streams of Ganga and Yamuna meet.

People take bath at Manikarnika Kund at Guptkashi
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People take bath at Manikarnika Kund at Guptkashi

Sonprayag is a major junction, 30 km from Guptkashi. In peak Yatra season, accommodation runs scarce in Sonprayag. Hence, tourists may stay the night in Gaurikund (4 km) towards Kedarnath.

The trek to Shri Kedarnath Dham begins from Gaurikund. Another place of mythological importance is the Triyuginarayan Temple, which is 13 km from Sonprayag. Lord Shiva and Parvati are believed to have married at this spot.

More of Private buses and less of Government buses here
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More of Private buses and less of Government buses here

Overnight stay at Sonprayag / Gaurikund.  
Explore hotel options nearby

Day 3 Sonprayag to Kedarnath Dham

Start off early in the morning for the yatra to Shri Kedarnath Dham. Shared jeeps are available from Sonprayag to Gaurikund. During the peak season, it could take up to 2 hours to get a turn in the jeep.

Shared Jeep from Sonprayag to Gaurikund
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Shared Jeep from Sonprayag to Gaurikund

It takes around 7-8 hours of trekking along a 22 km route to reach Shri Kedarnath Dham.

  • Ponies and mules are also available on this route. For Children & senior citizens, porters carry tourists in palki too.
  • Book your stay at Shri Kedarnath Dham. In peak season tourists must pre-book as lodging facilities are limited. Rooms with even basic facilities could cost over Rs.3000 per night.
  • Pilgrims may visit the temple for evening aarti. There are basic dhabas offering vegetarian food, where pilgrims may have dinner.
  • Overnight stay in Kedarnath.
On way to Kedarnath
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On way to Kedarnath

Day 4 Kedarnath Dham to Sonprayag and Pipalkoti

Visit the shrine of Kedarnath Ji for morning darshan. Kedarnath is the highest of the 12 Jyotirlinga dedicated to Lord Shiva, at 11750 ft.
Have breakfast and walk down towards Sonprayag. Tourists should reach Sonprayag by the Afternoon.

Shri Kedarnath Dham
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Shri Kedarnath Dham

Travel 45 km to reach Ukhimath, The Omkareshwar Temple is the winter abode of Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar. The wedding of Usha (daughter of Bansaru) and Anirudhha (grandson of Lord Krishna) was also solemnized at this place.

  • Chopta, popularly referred to as the Mini Switzerland of India, is around 34 km from Ukhimath. Enjoy scenic views of the valley and have refreshments at any of the streetside eateries. This is also the gateway to Tungnath Temple, one of the Panch Kedar, perched at over 11300 ft above sea level.
  • Reach Pipalkoti and stay overnight.

Day 5 Pipalkoti to Joshimath and Shri Badrinath Dham (180 km)

Start off early in the morning from Pipalkoti and reach Joshimath (35 km).
Visit the Narsingh Temple, dedicated to Narsimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu. This temple is the winter abode of Lord Badrinath.

Shri Narsingh Temple
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Shri Narsingh Temple

Kalpavriksha – The temple compound has a century-old wish-fulfilling tree. Adi Guru Shankaracharya had meditated for several years in this place.

  • Travel to Shri Badrinath Dham (40 km from Joshimath), It is one of the four Dhams of Hindu religion.
  • Overnight stay at Badrinath.
Shri Badrinath Dham
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Shri Badrinath Dham

Day 6 Badrinath Dham to Rudraprayag (200 km)

Devotees bathe in the Tapta Kund (a hot water spring) and then proceed to the main temple.
Shri Badrinath Dham is the final site in the circuit of Char Dham of Uttarakhand. Lord Badri Narayan is worshipped as an idol made of black stone.

Shri Badrinath Dham
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Shri Badrinath Dham

Have breakfast in any of the restaurants near the temple or in the GMVN Guest House.
You can also visit the Mana Village - which is popularly called the Last Village of India. Vyas Gufa and Bheem Pul are a few of the places linking legends of Mahabharata with the place.

Last Indian Village, Mana Village
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Last Indian Village, Mana Village

Return from Badrinath to reach Rudraprayag – this route would cover the remaining three of the five Prayag (confluence of holy rivers) in this sequence:

  • Vishnu Prayag - confluence of Dhauliganga & Alaknanda – 40 km
  • Nandprayag - confluence of Nandakani & Alaknanda – 70 km
  • Karnprayag - the confluence of Alaknanda & Pindar River – 20 km

Overnight stay at Rudraprayag.

Day 7 Rudraprayag to Haridwar and back

Prepare for the final day of the pilgrimage. Get ready & proceed towards Haridwar.
Halt at Shri Dhari Devi Temple (20 km away). The presiding deity is considered the guardian of the Char Dham. Located in the middle of the Alaknanda River, this requires an easy trek of about a km downhill from the NH7.

  • Devprayag is the fifth Prayag that you will come across around 47 km from Dhari Devi Temple. This is the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda Rivers.
  • Haridwar is another 95 km from Devprayag.
  • Return to your home location from Haridwar.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • If you need to return from Shri Kedarnath Dham the same day, it would be better to hire Helicopter service.
  • However, there is no certainty of service. It depends on climate conditions and bad weather could postpone flights beyond a day.
  • Helicopter services, available from Phata, cost around 6000 per person for to-and-fro journey. The duration of flight from Sonprayag to Kedarnath is less than 8 minutes.
  • Things to carry: You can carry dry-food, water bottle and things essential as things are expensive on the yatra route.

General Suggestions & Recommendations

  • Assuming that the tourist reaches Haridwar a day earlier, he / she may decide to have a dip in the Holy water of Ganga. Har Ki Pauri ghat is the most famous and religiously revered place where lakhs of pilgrims assemble during the Kumbh Snan. Tourists may also attend the grand Ganga Aarti in the evening.
  • Tourists may experience extreme weather on this route. Hence, be prepared with an umbrella / raincoat at all times. Also carry enough woolen clothes.
  • Try to avoid travelling in the mountains past evening. Since most days require travel of over 200 km, it is advisable to begin the day's journey by 6:00 am so the traveler is able to reach the destination by 5 pm.
  • Travellers must carry dry food and avoid oily food, while travelling in Mountains. Altitude sickness must also be considered before undertaking the journey. Carry emergency medicines too.
  • In the Char Dham Route, there are Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Accommodations at several locations. These are reasonable options for lodging. Visit https://gmvnonline.com/ to book stays in these properties.
  • Char Dham Yatra requires Biometric identification of all tourists. This needs to be managed at the entry to Dham destinations or in mobile vans that one may find enroute.
  • If you want to do this Yatra economically, you can take a bus from Haridwar or Rishikesh. But this will cost you time efficiency and you would require more days to suit the public transport schedule
  • If you hire a private taxi for the entire trip, it could cost you around Rs. 3500 per day for a Swift Dzire and Rs. 5000 or more for Innova. It is advisable to prebook if you are travelling in the peak season as prices go sky-high.

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