Char Dham Yatra Travel Guide 2022 - Latest and Updated Tour Guide

About Char Dham Yatra

The idea of Char Dham Yatra of India and Uttarakhand was propounded and established by the legendary saint, sage, seer and philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya during the 6th century. He did so with an aim of reinventing and spreading the word of Hinduism across the subcontinent which was almost lost due to the innumerable reigns by the Muslim rulers as well as the rulers from other religions. Adi Shankaracharya travelled from one end of the subcontinent to the other simultaneously establishing Matths and holy shrines dedicated to wither lord Vishnu or Lord Shiva. Every Hindu individual makes it a point to travel to go either on the Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand or all India Char Dham Yatra which is believed to grant them moksha or salvation which is the freedom from the karmic cycle of birth and rebirth. The journey is undertaken by Hindus from not only in India but also by people from across the globe. Rightly named Devbhoomi, Uttarakhand presents its visitors a number of holy shrines, confluences of holy rivers and other ancient temples making these places replete with spiritual and environmental goodness. Sitting amidst the lush greenery all the Char Dham sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath offers some of the most spectacular views of the surrounding rolling hills and snow clad mountain peaks that will not make you feel tired about the journey. Not only will you have a memorable time but you will also have an incredibly fun filled time. 

Here are a few you things you should know before heading on for your Char Dham Yatra journey:

About Yamunotri Dham:

Situated in the Uttarkashi district this brightly colored temple shrine sits majestically on the flank of the Garhwal Himalayan region. Located at an elevation of 3,291 metres above sea level with a presiding deity of goddess Yamuna in the form of a black marble with the holy river Yamuna forming its outline. This Dham is the starting point for the Char Dham Yatra from where the pilgrims head in a clockwise direction to the rest of the Dhams. The temple can be reached after covering a 4 km journey on foot from Hanuman Chatti which offers stunning views of the surrounding lush green mountains. Surrounded by naturally occurring thermal and medicinal hot water springs which are believed to wash away all the mental and physical ailments, a visit to this Dham is truly a spiritual experience.

Here is a Brief Route Map of Yamunotri Dham from Delhi:
Delhi - Rishikesh - Narendranagar - Barkot - Sayana Chatti - Hanuman Chatti - Phool Chatti - Janki Chatti – Yamunotri.

Important Places to Visit Near Yamunotri Dham - Saptarishi Kund, Surya Kund, Divya Shila, Kharsali.

Opening and Closing Dates for Yamunotri Dham:
The temple opens up for Darshan once the snow melts away during the onset of the summer months during the holy eve of Akshaya Tritiya which takes place in the month of either end of April and beginning of May. The temple closes for Darshan when the weather changes and the region starts getting covered in snow. The presiding deity of goddess Yamuna is carried away in the Doli to her winter abode to the village of Kharsali during the auspicious day of Yam Dwitiya that takes place during the months of either late October or early November.

About Gangotri Dham

Situated in the district of Uttarkashi and located at an elevation of 3,100 metres above sea level, the Dham of Gangotri gleams in its complete glory by the banks of the holy river Bhagirathi. As per legend the temple is located right on the spot where the holiest river of Ganga had descended from the heavenly to the earthly realm after a long term penance that was performed by king Bhagirath for cleansing of his ancestor’s ashes. It is believed that the original temple of Ganga was built by a Nepalese general called general Amar Singh Thapa who was also known as the lion of Nepal however after its construction the temple withstood the test of time and had to be renovated by the rulers who followed his reign. Reaching this temple is an easy task since your transport service will drop you right at the doors of the temple.

Here is a Brief Route Map of Gangotri Dham Which You Will be Following During Your Yatra:
Delhi - Rishikesh - Tehri - Uttarkashi - Gangnani - Harsil - Gangotri

Important Places to Visit near Gangotri Dham - Bhojbasa, Gangnanai, Kedar Tal, Gaumukh, Tapovan.

Opening and Closing Dates of Gangotri Dham
Just like the other Dham shrines of the Char Dham Yatra, Gangotri Dham opens up for Darshan during the month of either the last week of April or the first week of May which is decided to be on the holy eve of Akshaya Tritiya. With the commencement of the winter months the idol of the presiding deity is moved to its winter abode during the auspicious day next to that of Diwali at the quaint hamlet of village Mukhba where the pilgrims continue to offer their prayers to the goddess.

About Kedarnath Dham

Dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Lord Kedar and sitting right next to the holy river of Mandakini, this ancient holy Jyotirlinga sits at an elevation of 3,583 metres above sea level making it one of the highest destination among the Char Dham Yatra destinations. Some believe that the history of this temple goes back to the Pandavas who are credited with its creation who had built it during their journey to heaven along with being responsible for establishing the Panch Kedar shrines. The temple is not easily accessible and can be reached only after covering an uphill trekking journey of 18 kms from the last motorable road at Gaurikund. This journey can be covered either on Palkis or ponies if you are not able to walk your way through it. The temple offers some of the most stunning views of the surroundings that makes the entire journey completely worth it.

Here is a Brief Route Map of Kedarnath Dham from Delhi:
Delhi - Rishikesh - Devprayag - Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Augustmuni - Guptkashi - Phata - Sonprayag - Gaurikund - Jungle Chatti - Linchauli – Kedarnath.

Interesting Places to Visit near Kedarnath Dham - Gandhi Sarovar, Phata, Sonprayag, Vasuki Tal, Triyuginarayan Temple, Shankaracharya Samadhi.

Opening and Closing Dates of Kedarnath Dham
When the weather clears with the onset of summer months the temple doors opens up for Darshan during the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya which falls either during the end of April or the beginning of May. Once the temple doors shuts down for the season during the holy eve of Kartik Purnima which generally falls on the winter months of either late October or early may the presiding deity of Lord Shiva is moved to his winter home of Ukhimath where the pilgrims continue to worship the lord.

About Badrinath Dham

The colorful and bright façade of Badrinath Dham temple serves as a bright contrast against the snowcapped peaks of Nar and Narayan. This Dham which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu is not only a crucial pillar of the Chota Char Dham Yatra but it is also an important component of the all India Char Dham Yatra along with being one of the 108 Divya Desams that pan across the length and breadth of the subcontinent. Located in the district of Chamoli along the banks of the holy river of Alaknanda, Badrinath Dham temple or Badri Vishal is believed to be built on the place where Lord Vishnu is said to be once in deep penance while his consort goddess Lakshmi turned herself into a jujube (Badri) tree and protected him from the harshening weather conditions. Sitting at an elevation of 3,133 metres above sea level on the Garhwal Himalayan region the temple has found its mention in various historical Hindu texts like Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana as well as the Divya Prabandham which can be dated to be between 6th to 9th centuries AD.

Here is a Brief Route Map of Badrinath Dham from Delhi:
Delhi - Rishikesh - Devprayag - Rudraprayag - Karnaprayag - Nandprayag - Chamoli - Joshimath - Badrinath

Interesting Places to Visit near Badrinath Dham - Mana village (the last village of India located right before the Indo Tibetan border), Pandukeshwar temple, Charan Paduka, Mata Murti temple, Ganesh and Vyas cave, Tapta Kund.

Opening and Closing Dates of Badrinath Dham:
Just like every other Dham the temple opens up during the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya which falls during the months of April or May, with great enthusiasm and zeal. This opening of the temple gates takes place after the temple is shut down for 6 months due to harsh weather conditions. With the commencement of the winter months the presiding idol deity of Lord Vishnu is transferred to a temple in the nearby holy town of Joshimath where the pilgrims continue to offer their prayer to the lord. The Palki of the lord is brought back during the holy eve of Bhai Dooj which falls after 10 days of Diwali that always takes place either during end of October or beginning of November.

Travel Tips for Domestic Pilgrims:

• Keep a Check on Your Fitness - The journey for Char Dham Yatra is an arduous and a testing one which will take up a lot of your energy, in order to avoid getting stressed out too much make sure you are on good physical condition. This can only be done by starting to work out at least 2 or 3 months before the beginning of your holy journey. 
• Altitude Sickness - All the Char Dham sites are located one extremely high elevations because of which a lot of pilgrims and devotees experience problems related to altitude sickness. It is wise for you to carry medications related to altitude sickness.
• Carry a Lot of Dry Food Items - Availability of food is a huge issue during the Char Dham Yatra and it is an advisable decision for you to carry along and stock up a lot of packaged and dry food materials which can be easily prepared. Since the food available at the food stalls near the Dham shrines do have a chance of being adulterated and may cause a hindrance to your travel plans.
• Helicopter Yatra - If it fits your budget then it is a wise decision for you to invest in a good helicopter journey. This is also a wise option if you have a shortage of time or are physically incapable of making the journey. 
• Carry Cash - Do not be dependent on online transactions or card payments. Make your journey completely digital free and bring yourself some cash which will come in extremely handy to pay the porters or make payments at food or chai stalls. These are extremely small payments which can be done via cash and card machines are barely available.
• Camera and Photography - Make sure each of your equipment and camera pieces are safely secured in your bags. Also make sure you carry a portable charger as well which will come in handy since you may experience electricity shortages. However no cameras are allowed inside the temple premises so please do check with the authorities.

Travel Tips for International Pilgrims:

• Travel Agency - Make sure you avail the services of a trustworthy travel agency that has a history of providing top notch Char Dham Yatra services. Make sure you make your bookings way before the opening dates of the Char Dham sites since during this time the sites witness a huge turnout of devotees and pilgrims. 
• Carry Medicines - Make sure you carry all the relevant medicines on your holy pilgrimage journey because you never know when you might need a medicine since the food here may not suit your taste or needs and might upset your health conditions. Medicines like antibiotics, anti-fever, diarrhea, pain killers, medicines for cough and cold among others may come in handy. 
• A local Phone - Make sure you carry along with yourself a locally available cell phone along with a BSNL Sim card which will definitely come in handy. During emergency situations this cell phone will act like a life saver since you will have all the important contacts and numbers available to you at any point of time. 
• Rules About Alcohol - Keep in mind that being a holy pilgrimage site alcohol and non-veg consumption is strictly prohibited. Please respect the rules and regulations of the place and keep yourself in the clear. There is also no alcohol available in nearby places as well.
• Dressing Sense - Keep in mind that you will be visiting a holy destination and clothing is extremely important here. Women should make sure to be dressed and covered completely in either Salwar Kameez or track pants with jackets or sweatshirts. Remember not to dress inappropriately.   
• Drinking Water - Make sure you drink only water from packaged and sealed bottles. If you do not want to do so then you also have the option of drinking boiled water since it will be free of germs and harmful viruses which may prove to be fatal for your health. 

Best Time to Go On Char Dham Yatra

• Summer Months - The months of April to June are considered to be the best time to go on a Char Dham Yatra since although the overall temperature remains chilly and cold, it is also extremely pleasant and comfortable for journey during the day time when the sun is out. However you can also visit during the months of September to October when the crowd lessens a little bit. 
• Monsoon Months - The months of July and August are not recommended for going on this holy pilgrimage journey. During these months the entire region remains covered in unpredictable and heavy torrential rains which make the Yatra journey incredibly difficult to cover. Make sure you do not make your Yatra bookings for these months since it may go to waste. There is a higher chance of your Yatra getting cancelled during these months. 
• Winter Months - The winter months for the Char Dham Yatra lasts from October to March when the entire region is covered in a thick layer of snow which makes Yatra sites impossible to reach. During this time all the idols and images of the presiding deities are brought down to their winter homes where they are worshipped throughout these months. This is done in order to make the pilgrims happy and make them feel that their prayers are not going to waste.