Char Dham Yatra
Chaar Dham Yatra – Overview
10D – 9N | Haridwar to Haridwar · Altitude 11,600 ft · Price ₹24,500 / person
Because Uttarakhand is home to a significant number of Hindu religious sites, it is also referred to as “Devbhoomi” – the Land of the Gods. Among the many sacred circuits here, the Char Dham Yatra is the most famous. This pilgrimage takes devotees to four holy shrines in the Himalayas: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. In Hindi, “char” means four and “dham” means sacred abodes.
The Char Dham shrines remain accessible only for a short window in the year, during the summer and autumn months. Traditionally, the yatra is done in an anti-clockwise direction: starting from Yamunotri, then Gangotri, Kedarnath and finally Badrinath. The journey combines road travel with short treks, and can also be supported by helicopter services on certain sectors for those who need it.
Itinerary
Arrive at Haridwar Railway Station in the morning, meet our representative and drive towards Barkot via Mussoorie. Enjoy views of the “Queen of Hills” with snow-clad peaks to the north and east, and the Doon Valley and Shivaliks to the south and west.
En route, stop at Lakhamandal, associated with the Mahabharata era and the legendary Lakshagriha (Wax House). Continue to the quaint town of Barkot (1,280 m) on the Mussoorie–Yamunotri route. On arrival, check into the hotel and overnight at Barkot.
Start early and drive to Janki Chatti, then begin the ascent to Yamunotri (on foot / mule / palanquin – at own cost). Yamunotri is the source of the sacred Yamuna River, originating from Saptarishi Kund at 4,421 m.
Visit the ancient Yamunotri Temple dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. After darshan and exploring the surroundings, trek back to Janki Chatti and drive to Barkot. Overnight at Barkot.
After breakfast, drive to Uttarkashi with a stop at Shiv Gufa near Mehargaon on the Yamunotri–Uttarkashi road. Inside this cave, a self-formed Shivling is continuously bathed by dripping water, with natural formations resembling Shiva, Ganesha, Trishul, Lotus and Om.
Continue to Uttarkashi, check into the hotel and later visit Vishwanath Temple in the town. Overnight at Uttarkashi.
Drive to Gangotri after an early breakfast, stopping at Gangnani to take a holy dip in the hot spring of Rishikund. Gangnani is famed for its thermal springs and a temple dedicated to Sage Parasara.
Continue to Gangotri and visit the iconic Gangotri Temple, the epicentre of Ganga worship. From here, trekkers can access the Gaumukh glacier (source of Bhagirathi) via a separate trek. Enjoy the sacred ambience, views of the Bhagirathi River and snow-clad peaks, then return to Uttarkashi. Overnight at Uttarkashi.
After breakfast, drive to Guptkashi. En route, visit the Dhari Devi Temple on the banks of the Alaknanda, dedicated to Goddess Kali and revered as a protector deity of Uttarakhand.
Continue to Guptkashi, whose importance is considered on par with Kashi, known for Vishwanath and Ardhnareshwar temples and the sacred Manikarnik Kund (confluence of Ganga and Yamuna). Check into the hotel and overnight at Guptkashi.
Post breakfast, drive to Sonprayag and take a local jeep to Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, begin the trek to Kedarnath Temple (mule / palanquin options available at own cost).
Kedarnath, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, is set against a dramatic mountain backdrop. As per legend, Lord Shiva took the form of a bull here to evade the Pandavas after the Kurukshetra war. Check into your guesthouse / camp in Kedarnath. Overnight at Kedarnath.
Attend early morning aarti / darshan at Kedarnath Temple, then trek down to Gaurikund and drive back to Guptkashi. Check into the hotel. Overnight at Guptkashi.
Drive to Badrinath after breakfast. Sitting at 3,133 m, Badrinath is one of India’s most revered shrines, flanked by the Nar and Narayan ranges with Neelkanth Peak as a stunning backdrop. The region was once carpeted with wild berries, giving it the name “Badri van” or berry forest.
In the evening, visit Mana Village (last village before the Indo–China border), Bhimpul, Saraswati River, Vyas Gufa and Ganesh Gufa. Overnight at Badrinath.
After darshan at Badrinath Temple, drive to Joshimath and then onwards to Rudraprayag. Joshimath overlooks the confluence of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers and houses one of the four Maths established by Adi Shankaracharya.
Continue to Rudraprayag, located at the sacred confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. Check into the hotel. Overnight at Rudraprayag.
After breakfast, drive back to Haridwar via Srinagar Garhwal. En route, stop at Devprayag to witness the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, where the holy Ganga officially begins.
Continue to Haridwar and drop at the railway station or your onward point. Your Char Dham Yatra with The Mountain Spirit concludes with blessings from all four dhams.
Inclusions
Transportation to Char Dham from Haridwar / Rishikesh / Dehradun and back, including pickup and drop.
Comfortable hotel accommodation at key halts along the yatra route.
Breakfast and dinner included as per itinerary.
Driver TA/DA, fuel charges, state taxes, tolls and parking fees.
Exclusions
Any domestic or international flights to / from the starting point.
Lunch, tea-time snacks and any food items not mentioned in inclusions.
Phone calls, laundry, tips and other personal expenses.
Travel / medical insurance is not included in the package.
Any claim due to natural calamities (landslides, road blockage, etc.).
Anything else not specifically mentioned under “Inclusions”.