The Chardham of Uttrakhand constitutes of the divine pilgrimage sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Every year thousands of devotees come to seek blessings to these dreams that are revered as highly sacred in the Hindu culture.
Yamunotri Dham is dedicated to the River Goddess Yamuna who is said to be the sister of Yama, the God of death. It is known for its glacier and hot springs. A dip in the Yamuna is said to protect the devotees from untimely death.
Gangotri, as the name suggests is the Dham dedicated to the mighty Ganga. It is believed to be the place where Ganga descended on the Earth. Gangotri glacier is visible from here. The serene landscape and crystal clear water of the Ganga makes it one of the most important Dham.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kedarnath is the northernmost Jyotirlinga in India. It is said that the Pandavas desired Lord Shiva’s blessings to atone their sins after the war of Mahabharata. Lord Shiva was trying to avoid them but they followed him anyway. At last, Shiva dived into the surface and left his hump behind, the point where the temple is said to have been built.
Located between the Nar and Narayana mountains, Badrinath Dham is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It said that while Lord Vishnu meditated here, his wife, Goddess Lakshmi took the form of a berry tree to provide him with shade.
HARIDWAR (1N) – BARKOT (2N) – UTTARKASHI (2N) – GUPTAKASHI (1N) – KEDARNATH (1N) – SITAPUR/GUPTAKASHI (1N) – BADRINATH (1N) – SRINAGAR (1N) – HARIDWAR (1N)
By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. From there taxi and bus services are available.
By Road: Buses are available from Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Dehradun to the four dhams or their nearby stops. Cars and taxis follow the same routes.
By Train: Nearest railway stations are in Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Dehradun.
The Chardham Yatra is open from April to mid-November. It is closed in the winter due to heavy snowfall in the region. It is advisable to go for the yatra before or after the monsoon months to avoid obstacles such as landslides. The monsoon lasts from June end to September.
You arrive in the holy land of Haridwar. The day is free for leisure. You can enjoy local sightseeing such as Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, and numerous temples. Take a dip in the Ganga and spend some peaceful time at the ghats.
Overnight stay will be in Rishikesh.
The next morning after breakfast, you leave for Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanumanchatti/Jankichatti. After a 5 to 7 hours drive, you will arrive in Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanumanchatti/Jankichatti. With magnificent landscapes, Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanumanchatti/Jankichatti makes for a perfect stop for the devotees.
Overnight stay will be in Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanumanchatti/Jankichatti.
Post breakfast, you collect at Jankichatti. Jankichatti is the place from where the trek for Yamunotri Dham begins. After an 8 km trek, you will reach the Yamunotri Dham. Visit the temple and take a bath in the holy Kund. After all these rituals, get ready to trek down to Jankichatti for another 8 km. Reach Jankichatti by evening. Drive back to Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanuman Chatti.
Overnight stay will be at Barkot/Syanachatti/Hanumanchatti/Jankichatti.
After early morning breakfast, drive to Uttarkashi. Reach Uttarkashi by lunch. The rest of the day will be for relaxation. Enjoy the beautiful town situated on the bank of river Bhagirathi. You can visit the popular temple of Kashi Vishwanath.
Overnight stay will be in Uttarkashi.
After breakfast, we proceed to visit the second Dham, Gangotri. After a 3 hours drive, you will arrive at Gangotri. Visit the temple of the mighty river Goddess. After the darshan, drive back to Uttarkashi.
Overnight stay will be at Uttarkashi.
In the morning drive to Guptakashi/Sitapur. It will be your halt before finally visiting Kedarnath Dham. The rest of the day will be free for relaxation. You can visit the nearby temples.
Overnight stay will be at Guptakashi/Sitapur.
After breakfast, drive to Gaurikund. From here the trek to Kedarnath Dham will begin. After a 16 km trek, you will reach Kedarnath. The rest of the day will be free. Visit the temple and attend the aarti in the evening. Explore the valley.
Overnight stay will be at Kedarnath.
After breakfast, visit the temple for morning aarti. After the darshan, begin your 16 km trek back to Gaurikund. From there drive to Guptakashi/Sitapur. The evening will be for relaxation.
Overnight stay will be at Guptakashi/Sitapur.
After breakfast, drive to Badrinath Dham. This area has a lot to offer. Visit the temple and attend the aarti. Bathe in the kund or thermal springs near the temple. You can visit the Mana village, the last Indian village before Tibet. See the Bhim Pul laid across the Saraswati river.
Overnight stay will be at Badrinath.
In the morning have the darshan of Badrivishal. Explore Badrinath and the places around it. Later drive to Srinagar.
Overnight stay will be at Srinagar.
After breakfast, you can visit the Narsingh Temple and Shankracharya math. Later drive back to where you started, Rishikesh. The rest of the day will be free for relaxation. You may explore Rishikesh and cover the places you missed on Day 1.
Overnight stay will be in Rishikesh.
The divine Chardham yatra comes to an end. After breakfast, you will be assisted with your departure.
The Chardham yatra begins in April/May and is closed down in November.
The timings are as follows:
Yamunotri- 6 am to 8 pm
Gangotri- 6 am to 9:30 pm
Kedarnath- 5 am to 3 pm
Badrinath- 4:30 am to 3 pm
The yatra is open for all age groups. But, due to health concerns, the yatra should be taken up only by people aged between 7-65 years.
Helicopter services are available for all the four dhams to and from these helipads:
YAMUNOTRI- Sahastradhara road helipad to Kharsil helipad, Yamunotri
GANGOTRI- Kharsali helipad, Yamunotri to Harsil helipad, Gangotri
KEDARNATH- Harsil helipad, Gangotri to Kedarnath helipad
BADRINATH- Sersi helipad, Guptakashi to Badrinath Helipad
The weather in the 4 dhams is cold throughout the year. Therefore, it is advisable to carry your woolens and warm clothes for the journey. Keep your necessary medicines as well. Since the journey involves a lot of traveling, therefore, carry minimal luggage.
ATMs are available but in a few numbers. Therefore, withdraw cash before the yatra itself.