An Ideal Guide To Char Dham Yatra: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath

Read this ideal Char Dham Yatra blog and plan your trip better. How to travel Kedarnath to Badrinath. How to reach Gangotri from Yamunotri. Gangotri to Gaurikund distance. Get all your answers to a self-planned trip, here!

It is said in Hinduism, that no act can be more righteous and religiously pious than taking your parents on a pilgrimage to Char Dham. And I ended up living that statement, earlier this year when I finally took my mother for the Char Dham Yatra — the four holy sites for Hindus: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

It happened when my mother kept requesting me to a point where any repeated denial felt like a hopeless try. Also, since I didn’t take her to Kamakhya temple, last year, I couldn’t deny her now. It was moreover a good opportunity for me to write a detailed Char Dham Yatra travel blog.

The deal was, however, we were not going to book any of those lame Char Dham yatra tours that cover every experience possible — from fighting for the front seat in the tour bus to sightseeing tourist places on the way — but nothing spiritually uplifting.

So taking no risk of that sort and regretting it in the end, we agreed upon following my way — backpacking to all the four sites of Char Dham Yatra so that I could write a detailed travel blog on it.

For nearly 10 days, we experienced uncountable rickety public buses, waited for shared taxis, worked and reworked our itinerary (though still following the agenda of starting the pilgrimage with Yumnotri and ending at Badrinath) and booked our hotels, while on the go.

And if you’re planning something similar — completing the Char Dham Yatra in one go, without booking a special tour, this travel guide, this blog, is for you.

Char Dham Yatra Travel Blog

Not many people are privy to the fact that the Char Dham Yatra follows a pattern and end up visiting the four holy places the way they fancy. From what is believed, the pilgrims should first visit Yumnotri, then Yamunotri to Gangotri, Gangotri to Kedarnath, and in the end, Kedarnath to Badrinath.

Please note that the temples at four Char Dham sites are open only for a limited period of April to October/November, with every year having a different opening and closing date based on the Hindu tradition of parikrama or clockwise circumambulation.

One can check the exact date of the opening of the Char Dham Yatra on the official Uttarakhand Tourism website.

Though people are allowed to visit the four pilgrimage sites throughout the year (if the roads are not blocked already due to heavy snowfall in winter) the temples remain locked from the outside. It is moreover quite impossible to find public bus connections once the Yatra has been officially announced as discontinued for the season!

A self-planned trip may take a few days extra, as you may end up spending a little more time finding accommodation or waiting for public transport, but rest assured, there’s going to be much more freedom and peace of mind throughout the journey. The entire trip may also just feel a lot cheaper than booking a per-pax, all paid for the tour — particularly if you’re two or more people and hence sharing hotel rooms.

There will be enough regular buses and shared taxis moving along the route between the official opening time of the yatra. When the yatra is officially discontinued, finding transport can be a problem. So plan accordingly.

Char Dham Yatra Routemap

Despite the four sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath being located pretty close to each other, the higher mountain regions here make it pretty impossible to have any direct road connection between them — forcing travellers to take longer detours and thus travelling longer distances. Consider a full-day drive (7-14 hours) from one destination to the other.

Day 1: Rishikesh to Yamunotri

It is not possible to go from Rishikesh to Yamunotri in a day, as you need to trek to get there. So the first day includes getting to the base camp of the Yamunotri trek.

Morning buses from Rishikesh leave around 4 am and take nearly 10 or 11 hours to reach Janki Chatti. Buses can be booked in advance at the bus station in Rishikesh or right on time. Those who have missed the bus should have no problem finding shared taxis. Shared taxis charge a little more than buses. The route takes you from less than 500m to a whopping 2,800m altitude above sea level.

Please note that the road concludes at Janki Chatti from where you need to trek to Yamunotri. And since the trek may take around 4-5 hours and then another hour to enter the temple (if it’s crowded) it’s a good idea not to do it the same day. There are enough budget hotels to stay at Janki Chatti. A few guest houses can also be found at Yamunotri, but in peak season, it may be possible that they’re all fully booked.

Also, read this Rishikesh travel blog guide if you are planning to stay there or explore it in a day.

Day 2: Yamunotri Trek

Yamunotri is the source of the river Yamuna, which, according to Hindu belief, is considered pure and bathing in its waters is believed to absolve people of their sins.

The Janki Chatti to Yamunotri trek is pretty much a wide concrete path, with almost no chance of someone losing it. A GMVN rest house lies a kilometre from the starting point to the left. As soon as you leave Janki Chatti, the trek gets slightly steeper.

There are three temples along the route and the first (Ram temple) lies to your right just after the town ends. You will be treated to a hot spring at Yamunotri.

Depending on how fast you walk and how busy the temple at Yamunotri is, it can take 4 to 5 (or even) hours to complete the Yamunotri trek. Relax at Janki Chatti.

Day 3: Yamunotri to Gangotri

If you’re Google searching for Yamunotri to Gangotri distance, you are doing it wrong, because it should rather be Janki Chatti to Gangotri.

Reaching Gangotri can feel like another long journey, though still not as brutal as coming from Rishikesh. Even if you catch a bus at 6 or 7 in the morning, you should reach the town of Gangotri before it gets dark.

Now, the Gangotri temple is located in the town of Gangotri itself, confusing many about whether or not to trek to Gomukh (the source of river Ganga) and pay tribute there. You don’t ideally need to visit Gomukh, from Gangotri if you don’t want to. It’s an extended part of the journey. You can visit the Gangotri temple and leave. The Gangotri to Gomukh trek takes at least two days and requires completing an 18+18 km trail.

If you wish to skip the trek, skip Day 4 & Day 5 below.

Day 4: Gangotri to Bhojbasa

The Gangotri to Gomukh trek takes two days, with the first destination being a place called Bhojbasa. The trek to Bhojbasa — 14 km from Gangotri, starts at the front courtyard of the Gangotri temple — following a steep climb of around 100 steps which leaves you pretty much exhausted before you even start. But once you’re done with it, there’s only a gentle uphill climb throughout.

It may take 6 to 8 hours to complete the trek, depending upon the fitness level. Regular ongoing pilgrims will keep you on track. However, if you’re visiting Char Dham when the chances of finding regular pilgrims are less, it’s advised to hire a guide or walk in a group.

Bhojbasa has a GMVN government guesthouse or a much cheaper Lal Baba Ashram where you can stay for 250 Rupees a night, including your food and stay.

Day 5: Bhojbasa to Gomukh to Gangotri

Since Bhojbasa is located 4 km from Gomukh, continue your journey early the next day and reach Gomukh in an hour and a half. Gomukh is the source of the river Ganga (or the Ganges) that completes your pilgrim to Gangotri.

Spend some time at Gomukh and walk back to Bhojbasa. Have another cup of tea at Bhojbasa if you fancy or continue your walk back to Gangotri. Since Bhojbasa to Gangotri is pretty much a gentle downhill walk, there should be no problem in completing it in nearly 4 hours. Find a place in Gangotri and stay for the night.

Day 6: Gangotri to Kedarnath

Just like I mentioned above, if you’re searching for Gangotri to Kedarnath, you’re doing the wrong search. Rather, search for Gangotri to Guri Kund. The journey to your Kedarnath tour starts from there.

Now, Gangotri to Gauri Kund is the longest journey during your entire Char Dham trip — a whopping 310 km and can take as long as 14 hours to complete it. Buses leave between 4 am to 7 am after which there are no direct buses, and you may have to break the journey (Gangotri to Uttarkashi to Gauri Kund).

Gauri Kund is where the road concludes itself. From here, you need to trek to Kedarnath. The trek is very similar to the Valley of Flowers trek if you have done it or heard of it.

For the Kedarnath yatra, you need to obtain a medical fitness certificate. This certificate can be obtained from the medical centres at Sonprayag. They check your blood pressure and your medical history. If you can’t prove yourself fit to walk, you won’t be allowed to do Kedarnath by trek. In this case, you will have to go to Kedarnath by helicopter.

Your bus will drop you at Sonprayag, from where you’ll get the medical certificate and take a shared taxi to Gauri Kund (a 10-minute journey).

Day 7: Gaurikund To Rambara

After the June’13 flood in Uttarakhand, people think that the trekking route from Gauri Kund to the Kedarnath route is very risky and unsafe. But this is not true. The trek has become safer now, perhaps as safe as the trek to Vaishno Devi — with around 8 ft to 10 ft wide trail and a temporary iron railing on the edges.

Some people complete the Gauri Kund to Kedarnath trek and return in one day. But if you don’t mind sparing an extra day, two days make for an easy and enjoyable walk to Kedarnath. Located around 11 km from Gauri Kund, Rambara has a GMVN tent accommodation, with fresh food and a hot shower.

Day 8: Rambara to Kedarnath to Gauri Kund

From Rambara, the famous Kedarnath temple is only a 3 km or an hour’s walk away. As you reach Kedarnath, the first thing you notice is the big commercial helipad. Next, to the helipad, there are camps and cottages made by NIM for the overnight stay of tourists, but since they go full during the season time, it’s always a good idea to stay at Rambara, unless you have a booking.

It may moreover take up to two or three hours to get into the temple at Kedarnath, so start early.

Once done, walk back to Gauri Kund and stay there for the night. If you’ve time, you can also consider taking the shared taxi to Sonprayag (the town where you got off earlier to obtain the medical certificate) and staying in Sonprayag. This may make it easier for you to catch the morning bus to Badrinath the next day.

Day 9: Yamunotri to Badrinath

Gauri Kund or Sonprayag to Badrinath is a 300km long stretch and can take 10-12 hours to complete the journey. Buses leave from the same point in Sonprayag where you got off earlier to obtain the medical certificate and can be booked in advance to confirm a seat.

If you’re planning to leave for Rishikesh and take the early morning bus, visit the temple at night and book a bus ticket for the next day. Buses leave as early as 4 Am.

Char Dham Yatra Bus Accommodation Hotel Price

• Consider paying 500-800 Rupees per person for every bus journey. A shared taxi, which is quicker, may charge 200-300 Rs extra than a bus.
• You can find a twin-sharing room for 500 or 600 Rupees at most places, except for the GMVN tent accommodation on the way to Kedarnath. They’re quite expensive for the price of 800 Rupees per person in a 6-8 mixed-dorm tent.
• Make sure to carry at least one photo ID card with you.
• Avoid visiting Char Dham between May and June because of the peak tourist season.

If you’re looking for a reason to travel and need motivation, read these Travel Quotes I’ve handpicked for you.

If you have more tips to add to this Char Dham Yatra blog or travel guide, please leave a comment below.