Kedarnath–Badrinath Char Dham

Eight days on the Uttarakhand Char Dham circuit — Rishikesh yoga base, Kedarnath helicopter/trek (3,583 m), and Badrinath Vishnu shrine with Tapt Kund hot-spring bath.

8 daysSpiritualComfortable4 Cities covered

Duration: 8 days
Pace: Comfortable
Theme: Spiritual
Cities covered: 4
Best season overall: May to June (temples open, manageable weather, pre-monsoon clarity) and September to October-November (post-monsoon, smaller crowds, closing ceremonies at both temples); temples closed November to April
Mid-range budget: ₹35,000 – ₹70,000

The Char Dham Yatra — the four Himalayan sacred sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — is the most important pilgrimage circuit in North India, with Kedarnath and Badrinath being the most searched and most visited of the four. This 8-day focused itinerary covers Rishikesh (spiritual base and acclimatisation), Kedarnath (the 3,583 m Jyotirlinga by helicopter or trek), and Badrinath (the Char Dham Vishnu shrine), forming a complete and manageable circuit for travellers who want the two most significant Char Dhams without the full 14-day Yamunotri-Gangotri extension. Day 1-2 in Haridwar and Rishikesh: acclimatisation at lower altitude is important before heading to 3,000+ m — the yoga cafés and Ganga Aarti of Rishikesh, the Triveni Ghat sunrise, the Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula suspension bridges, and the Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia, where the Fab Four spent February-April 1968 in Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram — now a heritage art park, open daily). Day 3: Rishikesh to Sonprayag/Gaurikund (220 km, 7 hours via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath — the Alaknanda-Mandakini confluence at Sonprayag is one of the five sacred panch prayag river confluences in the Garhwal Himalaya). Night at Gaurikund. Day 4: Kedarnath (by helicopter from Phata or Guptkashi — 8 minutes, ₹5,000-6,500 one-way and must be pre-booked as soon as the IRCTC HeliYatra booking window opens for the season (slots fill within hours) — or by the 16-km trek from Gaurikund, 5-8 hours uphill). Kedarnath Temple darshan (including the bhasm aarti at dawn if your slot permits), Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi behind the temple, and the glacier viewpoint from the meadow. Night in Kedarnath. Day 5: descent and transit to Badrinath (Gaurikund to Badrinath 225 km via Rudraprayag and Joshimath, 7 hours). Day 6-7 at Badrinath: Tapt Kund pre-dawn bath (45°C, directly below the temple), Badrinath Temple darshan (main deity morning darshan 4:30 AM abhishek puja — book online), Mana Village (last Indian village, 3 km, Bhim Pul and Vyasa Cave), Vasudhara Falls (9 km beyond Mana, 145-m cascade over a granite cliff). Day 8: return to Rishikesh/Haridwar/Dehradun. For vegetarian travellers, the entire Char Dham circuit is strictly vegetarian — meat and alcohol are banned at all five panch prayag confluences and at the Char Dham towns themselves. The GMVN rest houses provide vegetarian meals; temple annadanam (free sattvic meals) is available at both Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Day-by-day timeline

1
Day 1
Haridwar
overnight
Arrive Haridwar by Shatabdi from Delhi (4.5 hours). Har Ki Pauri evening Ganga Aarti (sunset). Overnight in Haridwar.
Vegetarian highlight: Rabdi at Mohan Ji Rabdiwale near Har Ki Pauri; jalebi-kachori breakfast at the ghaat stalls; sattvic thali at a Haridwar dharamsala kitchen.
2
Day 2
Rishikesh
overnight
Rishikesh day (25 km from Haridwar, 45 min). Triveni Ghat sunrise. Ram Jhula bridge and Lakshman Jhula. Beatles Ashram heritage park (9 AM-5 PM). Evening café culture. Overnight in Rishikesh.
Vegetarian highlight: Israeli-style veg breakfast at the Little Buddha Café; sattvic thali at Madras Café Lakshman Jhula; evening chai and banana pancake at the Ganga-view cafés.
3
Day 3
Haridwar
overnight
Rishikesh to Sonprayag/Gaurikund (220 km via the Alaknanda valley — Devprayag, Rudraprayag confluence stops, Ukhimath side trip to Omkareshwar Temple where Kedarnath's deity resides in winter). Overnight at Gaurikund.
Vegetarian highlight: Road-stop lunch at a Garhwali dhaba in Rudraprayag — aloo ke gutke, dal-chawal, pahari chai; Gaurikund dharamsala sattvic dinner (simple khichdi-dal) before the early morning departure.
Transit: Rishikesh → Kedarnath · Road · 7-8 hours to Gaurikund — Rishikesh to Gaurikund (220 km via NH-58/NH-107): shared taxis from Rishikesh bus stand to Sonprayag are the most practical transport. Pre-book a round-trip Kedarnath helicopter on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal the moment the seasonal booking window opens — slots fill within hours of release. Registration at the official Char Dham yatra portal is mandatory.
4
Day 4
Kedarnath
overnight
Kedarnath by helicopter (Phata or Guptkashi, 8 min — pre-book IRCTC portal) or 16-km trek from Gaurikund (5-8 hours). Temple darshan. Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi. Glacier viewpoint. Overnight at Kedarnath GMVN.
Vegetarian highlight: Temple prasad at Kedarnath (rice, dal, tulsi — simple and sacred); GMVN rest house vegetarian dinner (dal-chawal, aloo sabzi, chapati); hot chai at the tea-stall at the temple approach steps.
5
Day 5
Badrinath
overnight
Descend Kedarnath. Long drive to Badrinath (225 km via Rudraprayag–Chamoli–Joshimath, 7 hours). Arrive Badrinath late afternoon. Tapt Kund (45°C hot spring bath below the temple). Evening Badrinath Temple Aarti (7 PM). Overnight in Badrinath.
Vegetarian highlight: Tapt Kund post-bath prasad at the ghat; Badrinath Temple evening prasad (chana, sweets); simple Garhwali dal-rice at the Badrinath dhaba row.
Transit: Kedarnath → Badrinath · Road · 7 hours — Gaurikund to Badrinath (225 km): longest single-day drive on the circuit, via Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Chamoli, and Joshimath. The road follows the Mandakini–Alaknanda river system through some of the Garhwal's most dramatic canyon landscapes. Hire a cab at Gaurikund for the Kedarnath-to-Badrinath leg.
6
Day 6
Badrinath
overnight
Pre-dawn Tapt Kund bath (5 AM — the most peaceful hour). Badrinath Temple abhishek puja darshan (4:30 AM — book online). Mana Village (3 km, Bhim Pul, Vyasa Cave, Saraswati river). Optional: Vasudhara Falls (9 km trek from Mana, 145-m cascade). Overnight Badrinath.
Vegetarian highlight: Mana Village Bhotiya community chai and warm paratha breakfast; free annadanam lunch at the Badrinath Dharamsala Trust hall (open to all pilgrims); local Garhwali wild-berry jam with chapati.
7
Day 7
Rishikesh
overnight
Badrinath to Rishikesh (300 km via Joshimath–Devprayag–Haridwar, 9 hours). The return drive through the Alaknanda canyon at Devprayag (the final panch prayag confluence where Alaknanda meets Bhagirathi to form the Ganga proper) is a spiritual culmination. Arrive Rishikesh by evening.
Vegetarian highlight: Devprayag road stop — prasad at the Raghunath Temple at the confluence; final Rishikesh post-yatra dinner at Chotiwala (the traditional yatri completion meal of puri-sabzi, kheer, and halwa).
8
Day 8
Haridwar
transit
Final holy dip at Har Ki Pauri Haridwar (the traditional completion bath of the Char Dham circuit). Prasad and departure by Shatabdi to Delhi or overnight train.
Vegetarian highlight: Har Ki Pauri post-dip breakfast: jalebi-kachori at the ghaat stalls (the traditional Char Dham completion breakfast); rabdi at Mohan Ji as a final Haridwar ritual.