Kedarnath and Badrinath are the two most visited of the Char Dham and many families do them together. The temples open in late April or May and close for winter around Diwali. Kedarnath is a steep walk (or a pony, palki or helicopter ride) from Gaurikund; Badrinath is reached by road. Plan rest days: these are high places, and the roads are long.
Highlights
- Kedarnath temple and the walk from Gaurikund
- Badrinath temple and the Tapt Kund hot spring
- Mana, the last village before Tibet
- Joshimath and the Auli ropeway
- Devprayag, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet to form the Ganga
What to eat
- Simple vegetarian thalis on the yatra route
- Mandua (finger millet) roti
- Aloo ke gutke
Where to stay
Government GMVN guesthouses and private hotels at Guptkashi, Sitapur and Sonprayag for Kedarnath, and at Badrinath and Joshimath.
Getting there
Rishikesh is the start of the road. From there it is two days to Kedarnath (via Sonprayag and Gaurikund) or Badrinath. Helicopter seats to Kedarnath are sold only through the official IRCTC heli-yatra site.
Tips
- Registration is compulsory for every pilgrim on the Uttarakhand Tourist Care portal, registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in.
- Book Kedarnath helicopters only on the official site; fake helicopter booking sites are common.
- Carry warm clothes even in June: nights are close to freezing.
- Opening and closing dates are announced each year; check before you plan.
Best time to visit
Sep-Oct, May-Jun. See what else is good in September and our best time to visit India guide.
Temples and shrines near Kedarnath and Badrinath
- Hemkund Sahib A high-altitude gurdwara by a glacial lake
- Kedarnath Shiva; one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and the Char Dham
- Badrinath Vishnu as Badrinarayan; one of the Char Dham
- Tungnath Shiva; one of the Panch Kedar
Places to see in and around Kedarnath and Badrinath
17 places within 40 km. Tap I’ve been to add them to your India passport.
- Gangotri Temple, 31 km
- Kedarnath Temple Temple, 0 km
- Tungnath Temple, 30 km
- Triyuginarayan Temple Temple, 12 km
- Rudranath Temple, 33 km
- Chandrashila and Tungnath trek Trek, 31 km
- Gaumukh (Gangotri Glacier) trek Trek, 29 km
- Gauri Kund Temple, 9 km
- Vasudhara Falls Waterfall, 37 km
- Madhyamaheshwar Temple, 17 km
- Deoria Tal Lake, 24 km
- Sapta Badri Temple, 34 km
- Kedartal Lake, 23 km
- Satopanth Tal Lake, 27 km
- Chorabari Lake Lake, 2 km
- Auden's Col Mountain pass, 23 km
- Chopta Valley Valley, 30 km
Food to try in and around Kedarnath and Badrinath
Uttarakhand favourites to look out for.
- Kapa
- Chudkani
- Dubuk
- Jholi
- Bal mithai
- Singodi
- Malai laddu
- Daarim ki khatai
- Munsyari Rajma GI: rice or grain
The full food passport, state by state.
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