Char Dham Yatra 2026: Complete Guide to Route, Dates, Registration & Cost

The Char Dham Yatra is the Himalayan journey to four sacred shrines in the Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. For millions of Hindu families this char dham pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime vow, done from west to east, starting at Yamunotri and ending at Badrinath. This complete guide brings together everything you need for 2026 – opening dates, registration, route, a 9-day itinerary, cost, best time, packing and the helicopter option – written by our Haridwar team, who run the Char Dham Yatra every season.

What is the Char Dham Yatra? The char dham pilgrimage explained

"Char" means four and "dham" means abode of God. In Uttarakhand the phrase refers to the Chota Char Dham circuit of two goddess shrines at the sources of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the Shiva Jyotirlinga at Kedarnath and the Vishnu temple at Badrinath. Adi Shankaracharya's original char dham pilgrimage covered Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram in the four corners of India; the Himalayan circuit grew around Badrinath, its northern seat. Our guide to the Char Dham explains the legends and the difference between the two circuits in detail.

Today the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand is a char dham pilgrimage by road and on foot: a journey of about 1,250 km from Haridwar, with two treks (Yamunotri and Kedarnath) and two temples you can reach by vehicle (Gangotri and Badrinath). Many people also call it the 4 Dham Yatra; it is the same char dham pilgrimage under another name.

The four dhams of the Char Dham Yatra

At Yamunotri, the first stop of the char dham pilgrimage, pilgrims cook rice and potatoes in the Surya Kund hot spring as prasad and pray at the Divya Shila. At Gangotri they take a dip in the Bhagirathi and attend the evening Ganga aarti. Kedarnath is known for the Rudrabhishek and the Bhairavnath temple above the town, and at Badrinath families bathe in the Tapt Kund, offer pind daan at Brahma Kapal and visit Mana village. Deeper temple guides: Yamunotri Gangotri yatra, Kedarnath Yatra guide and Badrinath Yatra guide. For photos of every shrine, see our Char Dham images.

Char Dham Yatra 2026 opening and closing dates

Closing dates are announced by the temple committees around Vijayadashami. As of late September 2026 the char dham pilgrimage season is still running, and October is one of the nicest months for the Char Dham Yatra. The month-by-month picture for this season is in our Chardham Yatra 2026 update.

Char Dham Yatra registration

Char Dham Yatra registration is free and compulsory for every pilgrim, including children, and no char dham pilgrimage can start without it. You can register in any of these ways:

• Online on the official Uttarakhand registration and tourist care portal.
• On the "Tourist Care Uttarakhand" mobile app.
• By sending "YATRA" on WhatsApp to 8394833833.
• Through the toll-free number 0135-1364.
• At offline counters in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Barkot, Hina, Sonprayag and Pandukeshwar.

Carry the QR pass and a photo ID for every member; police check them at several points on the Char Dham Yatra route. When you travel with us, our team completes the registration for your whole char dham pilgrimage group. Step-by-step screenshots are in the Char Dham Yatra registration guide.

Char Dham Yatra route and distances

Haridwar → Barkot → Janki Chatti (Yamunotri) → Uttarkashi → Gangotri → Guptkashi → Sonprayag/Gaurikund (Kedarnath) → Badrinath → Haridwar.

Every char dham pilgrimage by road follows this loop because it keeps the traditional west-to-east order and avoids backtracking. Night stops, altitudes and road conditions are covered in the Char Dham Yatra route map. Starting from the capital? See the Char Dham Yatra from Delhi.

9-day Char Dham Yatra itinerary from Haridwar

Allow 9–10 days from Haridwar or 11–12 days from Delhi and Noida. Keep one spare day for landslide delays, especially in the monsoon, and do not plan a char dham pilgrimage with same-day return flights or trains. If you have only five or six days, the Do Dham Yatra covers Kedarnath and Badrinath. Our 9-day Char Dham Yatra trip follows exactly this plan with hotels, meals and a dedicated vehicle.

Char Dham Yatra cost in 2026

The Char Dham Yatra cost depends on distance, days, vehicle, hotel category and season. Taxi and tempo rentals are billed per km on a minimum of 250 km per day, plus a daily driver allowance; tolls, parking and state tax are extra. Call or WhatsApp +91 85888 34222 for a quote. Pony, palki, helicopter and puja fees are paid separately on any char dham pilgrimage. For big families a tempo traveller on rent in Noida keeps everyone in one vehicle. The full budget is in our Char Dham Yatra cost guide, and you can estimate any route with the taxi fare calculator.

Best time for the char dham pilgrimage

• May–June: peak Char Dham Yatra season with school holidays; warm days but big crowds and long queues.
• July–August: monsoon; landslides and road blocks are common, so plan a monsoon char dham pilgrimage only with spare days.
• Late September–October: clear skies, sharp mountain views and fewer people – our favourite window for the Char Dham Yatra.
• April and November: cold at the temples, with snow possible at the start and end of the season, so a char dham pilgrimage then needs heavy woollens.

Check the IMD weather forecast before your Char Dham Yatra. Month-by-month advice is in the best time for Char Dham Yatra guide.

Char dham pilgrimage for families and senior citizens

A char dham pilgrimage is not a race. Seniors, children and first-time travellers in the hills do best on a slower Char Dham Yatra with a spare day, early starts and short drives after lunch. On a family char dham pilgrimage we suggest:

• Book a pony or palki at Yamunotri and Kedarnath for anyone who cannot walk 6–16 km at altitude.
• Consider the helicopter char dham pilgrimage if a parent has heart or knee problems.
• Carry snacks, a thermos and oxygen-friendly habits: walk slowly, rest often and avoid alcohol and smoking.
• Keep the Char Dham Yatra registration QR pass of every family member on one phone and a printout.
• Tell your driver and our Haridwar team before changing any plan on the char dham pilgrimage route.

Our hill drivers know where to stop for clean food, washrooms and medical help on the char dham pilgrimage.

How to reach the Char Dham Yatra starting point for your char dham pilgrimage

Haridwar is the usual base for the char dham pilgrimage, and many families start with a dip and the evening aarti at Har Ki Pauri. From Noida or Delhi it is 200–230 km (5–6 hours) by road; trains also run to Haridwar. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun. We pick up from home in Noida, Greater Noida, Delhi or Ghaziabad, or from Haridwar station – see our Haridwar page and the Char Dham Yatra taxi service for cars with hill drivers.

Kedarnath trek and the helicopter option

The Kedarnath trek on the Char Dham Yatra is about 16 km one way from Gaurikund; ponies, palkis and pithoos run at government-fixed rates. Shuttle helicopters fly from Phata, Sersi and the Guptkashi area, and tickets are sold only on IRCTC HeliYatra. Fake websites promising "confirmed" tickets are the most common fraud on the char dham pilgrimage.

If trekking is not possible, you can do the whole char dham pilgrimage by air. Our 4 Dham Yatra by helicopter guide explains the 5 nights / 6 days plan from Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun, flown by DGCA-approved private operators; we book the seats and arrange hotels and transfers. There is a passenger weight limit of about 75 kg and one soft bag per person; call us for a quote for your dates.

Packing list and health tips for the Char Dham Yatra

A safe char dham pilgrimage depends more on preparation than on fitness. Pack for four seasons in one trip:

• Warm jacket, thermals, cap and gloves – nights on the Char Dham Yatra are cold even in May.
• Raincoat, good walking shoes and spare socks.
• Personal medicines and a copy of prescriptions.
• Photo ID, your registration QR pass and enough cash for the char dham pilgrimage – UPI signal is weak in the hills.
• A medical check-up before the Char Dham Yatra if you are older or have heart, lung or blood-pressure problems.
• Walk slowly above 3,000 m on the Char Dham Yatra, drink water and never drive in the hills after dark.

For temple news and puja bookings on the Char Dham Yatra, visit the Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, and for general travel information the Uttarakhand Tourism website.

Char Dham Yatra packages with Mithila Travels

Most families choose one of three ways to do the char dham pilgrimage with us, and each Char Dham Yatra plan can be tailored to your dates:

• Group package: 9 days from Haridwar with hotels and meals – see our Char Dham Yatra package options.
• Private vehicle: your own car or tempo traveller on a flexible schedule – see our Char Dham taxi options.
• Helicopter: all four temples in six days for seniors and busy travellers.

Every Char Dham Yatra package usually includes the vehicle for the whole route, hotel or camp stays on twin or triple sharing, breakfast and dinner, an experienced hill driver, help with registration and 24x7 support from our Haridwar team. Pony, palki, helicopter, puja fees, lunch and personal expenses are not included. We are a travel agency in Greater Noida with a branch and a hotel in Haridwar, so we handle the whole Char Dham Yatra end to end. Call or WhatsApp +91 85888 34222, write to us via the contact page, or use the form below.

Related char dham pilgrimage guides

• Char Dham – the four sacred dhams explained
• Char Dham pilgrimage – rituals and meaning
• Char Dham Yatra package (4 Dham Yatra package)
• 4 Dham Yatra by helicopter
• Chardham Yatra 2026 updates
• चार धाम यात्रा हिंदी में