High Himalayan Shiva temple and Jyotirlinga, reached by a 16 km trek from Gaurikund.
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Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and part of the Char Dham Yatra, set at about 3,583 m below snow peaks. People go for the temple and for the long uphill walk that leads to it. It suits pilgrims and fit walkers; those who cannot walk can hire a pony or palki or book a helicopter seat.
Trip planner
Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May to June | Pleasant and mostly clear, about 5 to 18 C, with snow melting. This is the busiest time, with long darshan queues. |
| July to August | Heavy rain, about 7 to 16 C. Landslides can close the road and the trek route, so this period is best avoided. |
| September to October | Clear skies after the monsoon and fewer people, about 3 to 15 C. Nights are cold. |
| November to April | The temple is closed for winter and the area is under snow, about -10 to 5 C. In 2026 the temple opened on 22 April and is expected to close around 11 November. |
The main Shiva shrine, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, standing at about 3,583 m at the end of the trek.
A memorial behind the main temple, marking the place linked to Adi Shankaracharya's final days.
A small hilltop shrine above the temple town with wide views over the valley.
A glacial lake at about 3,900 m, reached by a walk above the temple, with alpine flowers in season.
A high lake at about 14,200 ft, reached by a moderate to difficult trek from Kedarnath.
The start of the trek at about 1,982 m, with a temple to Goddess Parvati and hot springs.
A town on the road to Kedarnath with a Vishwanath temple and the Manikarnika Kund. It also has a helipad and many hotels.
Worth a stop on the drive from Rishikesh, the last stretch whether you arrive by train, bus or air. Stopping needs a taxi or your own vehicle; buses do not wait. Distances are by road.
Where the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda meet and become the Ganga. It is the last of the Panch Prayag (five holy confluences). Steps lead down from the town to the sangam, with the old Raghunath temple above it.
Temple of Dhari Devi, worshipped as the guardian goddess of the Char Dham, set on the Alaknanda between Srinagar and Rudraprayag. The shrine was raised onto a platform above the river in 2013 because of the dam reservoir. A short walk down from the highway.
Confluence of the Alaknanda and the Mandakini, one of the Panch Prayag. The roads to Kedarnath and Chopta branch off the Badrinath highway here. Koteshwar Mahadev, a cave temple on the Alaknanda, is about 3 km away.
Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.
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Organised pilgrimage packages to Kedarnath are widely sold, mostly as 4-day road trips from Haridwar or 6-day trips from Delhi that drive to the Guptkashi area and leave the 16 to 18 km walk from Gaurikund to the traveller. Operators list the season as May to June and September to October, when the temple is open. Prices found ranged from about Rs 7,200 to Rs 10,000 per person for Kedarnath-only trips; a 10-day Char Dham tour using the state corporation GMVN's hotels was listed at Rs 38,500 by a booking agent.
| Operator | Trip | From | Length | Price from | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Adventures Private operator | Pilgrimage package with road transport | Haridwar | 4 days / 3 nights | ₹7,199 per person Haridwar to Haridwar, standard package, quad sharing, minimum 4 people, as listed on 2026-10-04 | AC vehicle from Haridwar and back, tolls and parking, 2 nights hotel in Guptkashi, 1 night camp at Kedarnath, 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, driver who also acts as guide (as stated on the page) |
| Universal Adventures Private operator | Pilgrimage package with road transport | Delhi | 6 days / 5 nights | ₹8,999 per person Delhi to Delhi, standard package, quad sharing, as listed on 2026-10-04 | AC vehicle from Delhi and back, 2 nights hotel in Guptkashi, 1 night camp at Kedarnath, 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, driver who also acts as guide (as stated on the page) |
| BizareXpedition Private operator | Pilgrimage package with road transport | Haridwar | 4 days / 3 nights | ₹10,000 per person Haridwar start, per person on sharing basis, as listed on 2026-10-04 | Vehicle (car or tempo traveller), tolls, parking and driver allowance, accommodation, breakfast and dinner (as stated on the page) |
| Atlas Travel (booking agent for a GMVN tour) Private operator | Char Dham road tour covering Kedarnath, using GMVN hotels | Rishikesh | 10 days / 9 nights | ₹38,500 per person Rishikesh start, per person for the full four-shrine tour, as listed on the agent's site on 2026-10-04 | Stay in GMVN hotels, meals as per itinerary, transport with fuel, tolls, parking and driver allowance, pick-up and drop (as stated on the page) |
Checked online on 2026-10-04. A listing here is not a recommendation; we have no tie-up with these operators. Before you pay, check that the operator and its website are genuine, and confirm dates, price and what is included.
| Budget level | Type | Price per night |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Dharamshala, GMVN dormitory, tent or basic room | ₹500 to ₹1,200 |
| Mid-range | Private hotel room or GMVN lodge, mostly at Sonprayag, Guptkashi or Phata | ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 |
| Luxury | Deluxe hotel or camp at Guptkashi or Phata | ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 |
Food stalls and dhabas at the rest stops along the trek serve basic North Indian meals, noodles, parathas and tea. Dhaba or langar meals cost about 150 to 300 rupees a day; hotel restaurants cost about 600 to 1,200 rupees a day.
Only vegetarian food is served, as this is a religious site.
| Budget level | Stay per room | Food per person | Local transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | ₹800 | ₹300 | ₹100 per person |
| Mid-range | ₹2,200 | ₹700 | ₹200 per person |
| Luxury | ₹4,500 | ₹1,200 | ₹300 per person |
Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.
| Budget level | What | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range | Pony, Gaurikund to Kedarnath and back | about ₹6,000 per person |
| Luxury | Helicopter from Phata or Sersi, round trip | about ₹8,700 per person |
Char Dham Yatra registration is mandatory and free, with biometric check. Register online at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app, or at counters in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Sonprayag, and carry the yatra slip for the whole trip. Private vehicles need a green card and trip card.
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Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.
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