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Char Dham Yatra travel guide

3 tour packages in Char Dham Yatra

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Frequently asked questions

In what order are the four temples visited?

Clockwise, which on the map runs from west to east: Yamunotri first, then Gangotri, Kedarnath and finally Badrinath. The state tourism board describes the yatra in that order, and our Char Dham Yatra — 11 days follows it. Yamunotri and Gangotri are both in Uttarkashi district, Kedarnath in Rudraprayag and Badrinath in Chamoli, so the route moves steadily east. You can visit fewer temples or change the sequence, and a specialist will show you what that does to the driving.

Can I visit only Kedarnath and Badrinath?

Yes. Many pilgrims make a Do Dham yatra to these two, and some visit a single temple. The 8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour is built around Kedarnath alone, and a specialist can plan Kedarnath with Badrinath, or Badrinath by itself, since the road runs to the town. Registration on the state portal applies whichever temples you visit, and so do the opening and closing dates.

How do Kedarnath helicopter tickets work?

The shuttle flies from helipads at Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi, and tickets are sold only on IRCTC's HeliYatra website, so register for the yatra first and book early. Flights depend on the weather and pause for the monsoon: in 2026 the first phase ended on 26 June and the second began in mid-September. Our packages leave the ticket to you, but a specialist plans your Kedarnath day around your slot.

Can the whole Char Dham be done by helicopter?

Largely, yes. Helicopter Char Dham visits the four temples mostly by air in three to five days, against well over a week by road, with licensed operators flying under rules set by the DGCA and the state's civil aviation authority. Some temples still need a short walk or pony ride from the helipad, and mountain weather can ground flights at short notice, so we build buffer days into the plan and book May, June, September and October slots well ahead.

What happens to the temples in winter?

They close, and the deities are carried down to winter seats at lower altitude, where worship continues: Ganga to Mukhba, Yamuna to Kharsali, Kedarnath to the Omkareshwar temple at Ukhimath, and Badrinath to Pandukeshwar and Jyotirmath. The state promotes these as a winter Char Dham circuit for pilgrims who come between November and April, and a specialist can plan one for you.

Where do pilgrims sleep on the yatra?

Simple, near the temples. On the eleven-day circuit you sleep in valley towns such as Barkot, Uttarkashi and Guptkashi and at Kedarnath and Badrinath themselves, mostly in guesthouses rather than hotels, with more comfort in Haridwar and Rishikesh. Nights are cold at altitude even in the travel season, so pack warm layers. Each stay is confirmed in your written quote before you pay anything.

About Char Dham Yatra Tour Packages

Our private Char Dham trips are for pilgrims and fit travellers bound for Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Choose a road yatra built to your pace, the eleven-day circuit, a helicopter yatra for anyone short of time or unable to walk far, or Kedarnath with Mathura, Vrindavan and Haridwar in eight days. Every yatra is private, tailor-made around your dates, budget and group, and quoted in writing before you pay.

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team

Why go to the Char Dham

The four temples of the Char Dham stand in the Garhwal Himalaya, days apart by road. Yamunotri, at about 3,233 metres, honours the goddess Yamuna and is reached on foot, by pony or by palanquin from Janki Chatti, about 5 to 6 km below. Gangotri, at about 3,415 metres, is the goddess Ganga's temple; the road reaches it, and Gaumukh, the river's glacial source, lies 19 km further on foot. Kedarnath, one of Shiva's 12 jyotirlingas, stands at 3,586 metres, 17 km uphill from Gaurikund. Badrinath, Vishnu's temple at about 3,100 metres, has the hot springs of Tapt Kund, and the border village of Mana is about 4 km away. More in our Char Dham travel guide.

How many days to give the Char Dham

By road, all four temples take eleven days on the Char Dham Yatra — 11 days: a night at Barkot, two at Uttarkashi for Yamunotri and Gangotri, two around Guptkashi, one at Kedarnath and two at Badrinath, between a first night in Haridwar or Rishikesh and a last one in Rishikesh. The Char Dham Yatra tour has no set length; it is planned to your pace. Helicopter Char Dham usually takes three to five days. Kedarnath alone fits into a week: the 8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour spends three nights around Kedarnath, one of them at the temple.

When to go

The temples keep the Hindu calendar. Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya and Kedarnath and Badrinath a few days later; Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath close for winter just after Diwali, Badrinath later in November. In 2026 the season opened on 19 April; Kedarnath and Yamunotri close on 11 November and Badrinath on 16 November. The weeks after opening, through May and June, are the busiest. The monsoon brings landslide risk and a break for the helicopters: in 2026 they flew until 26 June and resumed in mid-September. After the rains, September and October are usually calmer.

How to reach the Char Dham

Our road yatras head into the mountains from Haridwar or Rishikesh, the nearest railheads and the towns where the hill roads start; Delhi to Rishikesh is about 224 km by road. The airport for the yatra is Dehradun's Jolly Grant, still a long way from the temples: the state tourism board puts it about 238 km from Kedarnath and 317 km from Badrinath. Before you set out, register on the state's free yatra portal or app, or at one of its registration points in Haridwar and Rishikesh. The helicopter yatra ends back in Dehradun or Haridwar.

What our Char Dham tour packages include

What is arranged varies by yatra, as each package lists. On the road yatras a private vehicle and driver stay with you from start to finish, with local support on the Char Dham Yatra tour. The eleven-day circuit also books hotel and guesthouse rooms, simple ones near the temples, with breakfast each morning, and handles the registration and biometric formalities where required. The helicopter yatra includes coordination with licensed operators, transfers between helipads and temples, and a guide; the fare itself is set by the operator. Budget separately for ponies, palanquins, Kedarnath helicopter tickets, lunches and dinners.

How to choose your Char Dham tour package

Three questions settle it. Can everyone in your group manage the climbs, roughly 5 to 6 km up to Yamunotri and 17 km up to Kedarnath, on foot or by pony? If not, Helicopter Char Dham removes most of the road and the long walks. Do you have eleven days? Then the Char Dham Yatra — 11 days is the full circuit by road; for another length or a slower pace, the Char Dham Yatra tour is planned around your dates. Is Kedarnath the temple that matters most? The 8-day Kedarnath tour pairs it with Mathura, Vrindavan and Haridwar.

Plan a trip

Tailor-made quote from a specialist