Hotel Accommodation: Neat & clean
Sightseeing: Uttarakhand Panch Prayag, Do Dham, Dhari Devi Temple, Kashivishwanath Temple etc.
Meal: MAP (Breakfast, & Dinner)
Yatra by: Swift D-zire, Innova, Tempo Traveler and Bus
Driver: Hill driver (well mannered)
Group size: 4, 6, 12, 25 & 35 Yatri (maximum)
Pickup / Drop: Haridwar – Haridwar
CHAR DHAM YATRA 2024 REGISTRATION – It will open around 15 April 2024. Wait for the update……
Uttarakhand is referred to as ‘Land of the Gods’ as it has been a place of worship and pilgrimage from time immemorial. Lord Shiva is the most revered deity in Uttarakhand and one can find many temples and shrines dedicated to him. Many local deities of Uttarakhand allude to Lord Shiva in some form or other.
The Chota Char Dham (Devanagari: छोटा चार धाम) (literally translated as ‘the small four abodes/seats’, meaning ‘the small circuit of four abodes/seats’), is an important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas. While each of these sites is unique in its own fashion, inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, caused them be viewed together in popular imagination and in pilgrimage practice. The Annual Char Dham Yatra restarted in May 2014, after remaining suspended since the outbreak of 2013 Uttarakhand floods. The footfall has now improved due to proactive measures taken by the government of Uttarakhand.
Located in the Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand (formerly the northwestern section of Uttar Pradesh), the circuit consists of four sites —
Yamunotri (Hindi: यमनोत्री) at an altitude of 10,804 ft.
Gangotri (Hindi: गंगोत्री) at an altitude of 10,200 ft.
Kedarnath (Hindi: केदारनाथ) at an altitude of 11,755 ft.
Badrinath (Hindi: बद्रीनाथ) at an altitude of 10,800 ft.
Badrinath is also one of the four destinations (with each destination being in different corners of the country) of the longer Char Dham from which the Chota Char Dham likely draws its name.
Char Dham of Uttarakhand or Chota Char Dham (small four abodes) is one of the most important Hindu Pilgrimages in India. It comprises of four most holy sites of Uttarakhand, namely – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. When and how these places got linked in a pilgrimage circuit together is not known. Each of the places has its own individual and legendary history. But perhaps it is the greatness and mysticism of each site that has qualified them to form a sacred pilgrimage tour. Till 1950s going to the four most sacred sites of Uttarakhand meant embarking on a strenuous journey on foot through the hilly trails. People, like wandering sadhus, and those who could afford to travel with an entourage, were the most likely and regular pilgrims of Chota Char Dham. After the 1962 Indo-China war, India put massive efforts in building means of better connectivity to and infrastructure at border areas. Now the roads could take one till the nearest points of the holy abodes. This encouraged people from other backgrounds (economic or social) to initiate a tour of Char Dham circuit in Himalayas.
Since the 1950, the importance of the Chota Char Dham as both an actual destination and an object of the national Hindu religious imagination has grown considerably. Buoyed by “religious tourism” and by the rise of a conservative Hindu population compelled by sites that speak to the existence of an all-India Hindu culture, the Chota Char Dham has become an important destination for pilgrims from throughout South Asia and the diaspora, particularly Bengalis, Marwaris, Odias, Marathis, Gujaratis, Delhites and people from Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Today, the circuit receives hundreds of thousands of visitors in an average pilgrimage season, which lasts from approximately April 15 until Diwali (sometime in November). The season is heaviest in the two-month period before the monsoon, which normally comes in late July. After the rains begin, travel to the sites becomes extremely dangerous. Even before the rains begin, safety is a major concern, as extensive road building and heavy traffic have critically destabilized the rocks, making fatal landslides and bus/jeep accidents a regular occurrence. Mortality rates for a season often surpass 200. Some pilgrims also visit the sites after the rains ends and before the sites become impassable due to snow. Although temperatures at the shrines in the early winter months of October and November are inhospitable, it is said that the mountain scenery surrounding the sites is most vivid after the rains have had a chance to moisten the dust of the plains below. The Chota Char Dham was washed away in the recent 2012 Himalayan flash floods. One of the worst flash floods happened in June 2013 and it heavily devastated many parts of the Chota Char Dham, particularly the town of Kedarnath was almost destroyed and with only the Kedarnath ji Temple and a few buildings around remaining intact, albeit partially submerged by rocks and slurry.
Day 1st & 2nd (206 km drive): Haridwar city – Guptkashi town – Kedarnath Dham (16 km hike)
Day 3rd & 4th (155 km drive): Kedarnath Dham – Guptkashi town – Joshimath town
Day 5th & 6th (291 km drive): Joshimath town – Badrinath Dham – Joshimath town – Rishikesh / Haridwar city
Day 1:- Haridwar city to Guptkashi town (206 km / 7 hrs. approx.)
Guptkashi, Gupt Kashi or Guptkashi is a fairly large town located at an elevation of 1,319 meters in the Kedar-khanda, in Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand, India. It is known for its ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 – 8 a.m.
• Today we move early for Guptkashi town because of bad road traffic.
• After reach Guptkashi check into the hotel & later have short walk around the hotel market area.
• Dinner around 8 p.m. (Only pure veg)
• Next morning we move on around 3 – 4 am or 6 – 7 a.m. (according to road & human traffic)
Day 2:- Guptkashi town to Gaurikund village to Kedarnath Dham (16 km Yatra)
Today’s journey to Kedarnath Dham will be done by 16 km trek. You can go by walk or by mule or Palki, so that there is no problem during the journey.
Kedarnath Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, at an height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft.).It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November). During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months. Lord Shiva is worshiped as Kedarnath, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’, the historical name of the region.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 a.m. or give you a packed breakfast.
• Today we move for Kedarnath Dham on time according to road & human traffic.
• After reach Kedarnath Dham check into the hotel & later go for a short walk around the area.
• Darshan time 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the morning & 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the evening.
• Dinner by your own (Only pure veg)
• Night stay at booked hotel (on quad, hexa and eight sharing.
• Next morning we move on around 8 – 9 a.m.
Day 3:- Kedarnath Dham to Gaurikund village to Guptkashi town (16 km down trek and 30 km drive)
Guptkashi town is a fairly large town located at an elevation of 1,319 meters (4,327 ft.) in the Kedar-khanda (‘khanda’ means “sector”), in Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand, India. It is known for its ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi (Kashi). The other well-known temple here is dedicated to Ardhanareshvara, a half man half woman form of Shiva and Parvati. The name Guptkashi has legendary significance linked to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Its religious importance is considered next to that of Varanasi, believed to be the most pious of all Hindu pilgrimage places.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast on your own.
• Darshan time 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the morning. & 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the evening.
• Dinner at hotel (Only pure veg)
• Night stay at hotel
• Next morning we move on around 10 – 11 a.m.
Day 4: Guptkashi town to Joshimath town (156 km / 5 hrs approx.)
Jyotirmath, also known as Joshimath is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Located at a height of 6,150 feet, it is gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails and pilgrim centres like Badrinath.
Early morning leave for Shri Badrinath Ji next day. On arrival take the holy Darshan. (If time permit). Evening visit, Vyas Gufa, Bheem pul, Saraswati River.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 8 a.m.
• Today we will move to Joshimath town. You can see during journey Rudraprayag, Karanprayag and Nandprayag (Three Prayag out of Uttarakhand Panch Prayag)
• Dinner at hotel (Only pure veg)
• Next morning we move on around 7 – 8 a.m.
Day 5:- Joshimath town to Badrinath Dham to Joshimath town (45 km drive / 2 hrs. approx.)
Badrinath Dham is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India and it’s at elevation of 10,800 ft. asl. It is the most important of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the temple of Badrinath.
At Morning we move to explore the area of Badrinath:
Tapt Kund: Natural thermal springs on the bank of the river Alaknanda, where it is customary to bathe before entering the Badrinath temple.
Narad Kund: A recess in the river, near Tapt Kund, forming a pool from where the Badrinath idol was recovered.
Mata Murty Temple: Devoted to the mother of Sri Badrinathji. Other important temples include Sesh Netra Temple, Urvashi Temple and Charanpaduka.
Mana Village: Inhabited by an Indo-Mongolian tribe, it is the last Indian village before Tibet.
Bhim Pul: On the other side of Mana village, a massive rock forming a natural bridge lies over the roaring Saraswati River. It presents a spectacular view of water thundering down through the narrow passage under the rock and is believed to have been placed there by Bhim, the second eldest among the five Pandava brothers.
Vyas Gufa (cave): Near Mana Village, this is a rock-cave where Ved Vyas is believed to have composed the Mahabharata and the pauranic commentaries.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 a.m.
• Temple darshan time is 4:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Today after darshan we will visit Mana village area & later get back to Joshimath town in evening.
• Dinner at hotel (Only Pure Veg).
• Next morning we move on around 10 – 11 a.m.
Day 6:- Joshimath town to Rishikesh / Haridwar city (251 km / 9 km approx.)
After a beautiful yatra of Dham Dham we will reach Rishikesh or Dehradun and then we all goes to their own way or can also stay that night at Hotel (as per your concern).
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 8 a.m.
• Today we will go back to the dropping point Haridwar / Rishikesh city. Our holy Do Dham Yatra will complete here with happy memories and blessings of God.
Day 1st & 2nd (206 km drive): Haridwar city – Guptkashi town – Kedarnath Dham (by helicopter)
Day 3rd & 4th (155 km drive): Kedarnath Dham – Guptkashi town – Joshimath town
Day 5th & 6th (291 km drive): Joshimath town – Badrinath Dham – Joshimath town – Rishikesh / Haridwar city
Day 1:- Haridwar city to Guptkashi town (206 km / 7 hrs. approx.)
Guptkashi, Gupt Kashi or Guptkashi is a fairly large town located at an elevation of 1,319 meters in the Kedar-khanda, in Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand, India. It is known for its ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 – 8 a.m.
• Today we move early for Guptkashi town because of bad road traffic.
• After reach Guptkashi check into the hotel & later have short walk around the hotel market area.
• Dinner around 8 p.m. (Only pure veg)
• Next morning we move on around 3 – 4 am or 6 – 7 a.m. (according to road & human traffic)
Day 2:- Guptkashi town to Phata / Sirsi village helipad to Kedarnath Dham by helicopter 15 min. ride)
Today’s journey to Kedarnath temple will be done by helicopter. In which all the passengers will be in Kedarnath only in less than 1 hour. The time of departure by helicopter is fixed and its tickets are booked 1 week before the journey, so that there is no problem during the journey.
Kēdārnāth Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, at an height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft).It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November). During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months. Lord Shiva is worshiped as Kedarnath, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’, the historical name of the region.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 a.m. or give you a packed breakfast. according to flight timing.
• Today we move for Kedarnath Dham on time according to booked helicopter ticket timing.
• After reach Kedarnath Dham. go for Mahadev Dharshan & later we will go back to Phata / Sirsi village helipads or stay there and come back early morning around 8 a.m.
• Darshan time 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the morning & 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the evening.
• Dinner by your own (Only pure veg)
• Night stay at booked hotel (on quad, hexa and eight sharing.
• Next morning we move on around 8 – 9 a.m.
Day 3:- Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi town to Joshimath town (return Helicopter ride and 155 km drive / 6 hrs. approx.)
Jyotirmath, also known as Joshimath is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Located at a height of 6,150 feet, it is gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails and pilgrim centre like Badrinath.
Early morning leave for Shri Badrinath Ji. On arrival take the holy Darshan. (If time permit). Evening visit, Vyas Gufa, Bheem pul, Saraswati River.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 8 a.m.
• Today we will move to Joshimath town. You can see during journey Rudraprayag, Karanprayag and Nandprayag (Three Prayag out of Uttarakhand Panch Prayag)
• Dinner at hotel (Only pure veg)
• Next morning we move on around 7 – 8 a.m.
Day 4:- Joshimath to Badrinath Temple to Joshimath (45 km drive / 2 hrs. approx.)
Badrinath dham is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India and it’s at elevation of 10,800 ft. asl. It is the most important of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the temple of Badrinath.
At Morning we move to explore the area of Badrinath:
Tapt Kund: Natural thermal springs on the bank of the river Alaknanda, where it is customary to bathe before entering the Badrinath temple.
Narad Kund: A recess in the river, near Tapt Kund, forming a pool from where the Badrinath idol was recovered.
Mata Murty Temple: Devoted to the mother of Sri Badrinathji. Other important temples include Sesh Netra Temple, Urvashi Temple and Charanpaduka.
Mana Village: Inhabited by an Indo-Mongolian tribe, it is the last Indian village before Tibet.
Bhim Pul: On the other side of Mana village, a massive rock forming a natural bridge lies over the roaring Saraswati River. It presents a spectacular view of water thundering down through the narrow passage under the rock and is believed to have been placed there by Bhim, the second eldest among the five Pandava brothers.
Vyas Gufa (cave): Near Mana Village, this is a rock-cave where Ved Vyas is believed to have composed the Mahabharata and the pauranic commentaries.
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 7 a.m.
• Temple darshan time is 4:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Today after darshan we will visit Mana village area & later get back to Joshimath town in evening.
• Dinner at hotel (Only Pure Veg).
• Next morning we move on around 10 – 11 a.m.
Day 5:- Joshimath town to Rishikesh / Haridwar city (251 km / 9 km approx.)
After a beautiful yatra of Do Dham we will reach Rishikesh or Dehradun and then we all goes to their own way or can also stay that night at Hotel (as per your concern).
Today’s schedule:
• Morning breakfast start around 8 a.m.
• Today we will go back to the dropping point Haridwar / Rishikesh city. Our holy Do Dham Yatra will complete here with happy memories and blessings of God.
Chardham yatra ideal time or peak season to go for a Chardham yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because all the four sacred sites are perched in Garhwal Himalayas, which is prone to heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked. Moreover, during the monsoon season, there is undue threat of having landslides, which can further disrupt the journey. For safety reasons, the gates of the temples are also closed for this period of time and the idols are shifted to nearby pilgrim points.
| Destination | Yatra stay | Stay category | Meal Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
GUPTKASHI TOWN |
Hotel (double, triple & quad sharing) |
Standard / Deluxe Room |
MAPAI (Breakfast & Dinner) |
KEDARNATH DHAM |
Camping & Hotel (quad, hexa and eight sharing) |
Standard / Deluxe Rooms & Eco camps |
CP (with breakfast only) |
JOSHIMATH / BADRINATH DHAM |
Hotel (double, triple & quad sharing) |
Standard / Deluxe Room |
MAPAI (Breakfast & Dinner) |
