Char Dham Yatra Travel Guide: The Four Shrines, Registration and Planning

Uttarakhand Tourism describes the yatra as proceeding from Yamunotri to Gangotri and then to Kedarnath and Badrinath, west to east. Yamunotri and Gangotri are in Uttarkashi district, Kedarnath in Rudraprayag, and Badrinath is listed on the Chamoli district website. All four stand above 3,000 m.

Yamunotri

The temple of the goddess Yamuna stands in a narrow gorge near the source of the river, at a height of more than 3,200 m. The motorable road ends at Janki Chatti, and pilgrims walk the last stretch, a steep climb of a few kilometres, or ride a pony or a palanquin. Two hot springs, Surya Kund and Gouri Kund, flank the temple, and Uttarakhand Tourism says devotees dip rice and vegetables in them as an offering. Kharsali, a village below, is where the goddess is worshipped in winter.

Gangotri

Gangotri, at about 3,400 m, has the temple of the goddess Ganga. A motorable road runs to the town, and Uttarakhand Tourism says most devotees bathe in the Bhagirathi before walking up to the temple. The river's actual source is Gaumukh in the Gangotri glacier, 19 km away by a trek through Gangotri National Park, which the state calls moderately challenging. Our Char Dham Yatra tour notes that a further trek to the Gaumukh glacier is possible for those with the time and fitness. In winter the goddess is worshipped at Mukhba, near Harsil.

Kedarnath

Kedarnath, dedicated to Shiva, is one of the twelve jyotirlingas and stands above 3,500 m, near the Chorabari glacier. The road ends at Gaurikund, and the way on is a trek on foot, by pony or by palanquin; official pages give the distance as anything from 14 to 17 km, so ask your operator for the current figure. A helicopter shuttle runs from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi, and Kedarnath helicopter tickets are sold only on the IRCTC helicopter portal, according to the temple committee. In winter the deity is worshipped at the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath, from November to April.

Badrinath

Badrinath, dedicated to Vishnu, lies at more than 3,000 m on the Alaknanda between the Nar and Narayana ranges, and is reached by road. Uttarakhand Tourism lists three thermal springs popular with devotees, Narada Kund, Surya Kund and Tapt Kund, and Mana, about 4 km away, as the last Indian village towards the international border. The Vasudhara falls are a trek of around 10 km. The temple stays open for about six months a year, and in winter worship moves to Pandukeshwar, where the state says the Uddhava idol, the emissary of Lord Badri, is worshipped.

Registration is compulsory. The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board's portal, registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, says that under the state's travel policy you must register yourself and your vehicle before you set out for the Char Dham, and verify yourself again when you reach each shrine. The temple committee's website asks pilgrims to complete it on the same portal.

The portal gives these steps for registering on the web, and the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app does the same:

1. Click Register/Login and sign up, or log in if you already have an account.
2. Create a tour: choose the start and end dates, the number of travellers, which dhams you will visit and the date for each.
3. Enter each pilgrim's details, then download the Yatra Registration Letter, which carries a QR code, and carry it with you.

You can register yourself, your family or through a tour operator. The letter is checked at the dhams, where you also collect a darshan slot token, and the portal lists physical registration points, among them Rahi Hotel in Haridwar and the Transit Camp in Rishikesh, and checkpoints along the route. Keep a valid ID with you. The portal also covers vehicle registration, a health registration and a list of authorised travel agents, and says helicopter services can be booked only through IRCTC. Its toll-free line is 1364.

The temple committees announce the dates each year, so this guide gives none. The pattern is steady: the shrines open in April or May and close between late October and November, about six months in all. Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya, with Kedarnath and Badrinath following a few days later. When the season ends, the closing dates have been announced on Vijayadashami, with Kedarnath closing on Bhai Dooj and Badrinath staying open a little longer, into November.

Uttarakhand Tourism gives May to October as the best time for Kedarnath and Badrinath, and April to June and September to November for Yamunotri. July and August are the wettest months in Uttarakhand, with long-period averages of about 418 mm and 386 mm, according to the India Meteorological Department. The yatra has been suspended for a day during a red alert for heavy rain, and operators have paused helicopter flights in the monsoon, so build slack into any schedule.

When the high shrines close, the deities move to lower seats, and Uttarakhand Tourism runs a Winter Char Dham circuit to them: Mukhba for Ganga, Kharsali for Yamuna, Ukhimath for Kedarnath and Pandukeshwar for Badrinath.

The state's Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare warns pilgrims that they will be above 3,000 m, in cold, low humidity, strong ultraviolet radiation and thin air. Its advice for a healthy yatra is to schedule at least seven days, to book rest points and night stays ahead, to practise breathing exercises and daily walking beforehand, and to gain no more than 800 to 1,000 m of elevation in a day. The AIIMS Rishikesh handbook on the same site advises a health check-up for men over 35 and women over 45, and a doctor's advice before travel for anyone with diabetes, epilepsy, heart or lung conditions, including moderate or severe asthma.

Get help at once for chest pain, shortness of breath, a persistent cough, dizziness or disorientation, vomiting, bluish lips or fingertips, or weakness on one side of the body. The department says to descend if you feel unwell and not to ascend further. Pilgrims can register at eswasthyadham.uk.gov.in to have their health monitored during the yatra. The AIIMS handbook adds that anyone flying to Kedarnath or Badrinath should consider a night in the helipad village first, since the climb from the helipad is generally more than 1,000 m.

The health department advises at least seven days. Our Char Dham Yatra, 11 days runs from Haridwar or Rishikesh: Barkot on day two, Yamunotri on day three, a day trip to Gangotri, the trek to Kedarnath with a night at the shrine, and Badrinath with Mana if time allows, with a private car and driver. Pony, palanquin and helicopter charges are not included, and the page asks anyone with heart, lung or joint conditions to speak to a doctor first. Our Char Dham Yatra tour is planned around your dates, also by private vehicle with a driver, with Kedarnath helicopter tickets not included.

To shorten the journey, our Helicopter Char Dham takes three to five days with licensed operators, ground transfers and guide support. Some shrines still need a short walk or pony ride from the helipad, and weather can ground flights. ETV Bharat's report on the official arrangements says helicopter operations follow the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's guidelines, with the tender and fares handled by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority. For Kedarnath alone, our eight-day tour pairs it with Mathura, Vrindavan, Haridwar and Rishikesh.