Char Dham Yatra 2027: Registration, Route, Dates & Itinerary
चार धाम यात्राFour Himalayan doors, from river to peak.
Uttarakhand’s Char Dham — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — is India’s best-loved Himalayan yatra. Free registration step by step, the west-to-east route, this season’s dates, the 2027 pattern, helicopter rules, health advice and a realistic 10–12 day plan.
- 4 dhams Yamuna, Ganga, Shiva, Vishnu
- 10–12 days from Haridwar by road
- Free registration, compulsory
- 2 treks Yamunotri ~6 km, Kedarnath ~16 km
What is the Char Dham Yatra and how does it work?
The Char Dham Yatra is a pilgrimage to four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — traditionally visited west to east. Every pilgrim must register free on the state portal or app. By road it takes about 10–12 days from Haridwar, with two treks. The shrines open in late April or early May and close for winter around November.
The Char Dham (4 Dham) Yatra of Uttarakhand — also called the Chhota Char Dham — joins four shrines high in the Garhwal Himalaya: Yamunotri, source of the Yamuna; Gangotri, where the Ganga is worshipped; Kedarnath, Shiva’s Himalayan Jyotirlinga; and Badrinath, Vishnu as Badri Narayan. It is different from the all-India Char Dham of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram.
Badrinath and Kedarnath are managed by the Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC); Gangotri and Yamunotri by their own temple committees. Gangotri and Badrinath can be reached by road, while Yamunotri (about 6 km) and Kedarnath (about 16 km) need a walk, a pony, a palki — or, for Kedarnath, a helicopter booked only on IRCTC.
Why these four shrines
Tradition credits Adi Shankaracharya with reviving these four Himalayan shrines as one circuit in the 8th century. Each dham carries its own story — told here as tradition, not history.
- Yamunotri — the sister of YamaPilgrims honour the river goddess Yamuna, sister of Yama, the lord of death. A dip here is believed to free one from the fear of an untimely death.
- Gangotri — Bhagiratha's penanceGangotri remembers King Bhagiratha, whose long penance is said to have brought the Ganga down from heaven to free his ancestors.
- Kedarnath — the hidden bullShiva is believed to have hidden from the Pandavas as a bull. As it sank into the earth, its hump remained in the rock at Kedarnath.
- Badrinath — the sheltering treeVishnu is said to have meditated here in the bitter cold, while Lakshmi stood over him as a badri (jujube) tree to shelter him.
The order of the yatra follows the land as much as the legends: from the Yamuna valley in the west, across to the Bhagirathi, up the Mandakini to Kedarnath and finally up the Alaknanda to Badrinath. Many families also add Kedarnath and Badrinath alone as a shorter Do Dham yatra.
Char Dham Yatra dates: 2026 season and 2027
| What | Date | Status / source |
|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri & Gangotri opened 2026 | 19 Apr 2026 (Akshaya Tritiya) | ETV Bharat |
| Kedarnath opened 2026 | 22 Apr 2026, about 8 am | Date fixed on Mahashivratri |
| Badrinath opened 2026 | 23 Apr 2026, 6:15 am | Date fixed on Basant Panchami at Narendranagar |
| Closing 2026 | 10–16 Nov 2026 | Announced 20 Oct 2026: Gangotri 10 Nov (Annakut), Yamunotri and Kedarnath 11 Nov (Bhai Dooj), Badrinath 16 Nov at 9:37 pm |
| Opening 2027 | Not announced yet | Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya; Kedarnath’s date is fixed on Mahashivratri (6 Mar 2027), Badrinath’s on Basant Panchami (11 Feb 2027) |
| Registration 2027 | Not announced yet | It usually opens before the season — watch the official portal only |
Beware of old closing dates from 2025 shown as this year’s. For the 2026 closing dates as they are announced, see our Char Dham closing dates 2026 post.
The Char Dham route, west to east
The traditional order is Yamunotri → Gangotri → Kedarnath → Badrinath. Distances and drive times are approximate and depend on roads and weather.
The four dhams light up in yatra order, from Haridwar to Badrinath.
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~210 kmHaridwar / Rishikesh to Barkotबड़कोट
About 7–8 hours by road; registration counters and railheads at the start.
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45 km + ~6 km trekYamunotriयमुनोत्री
Drive to Janki Chatti, then walk about 6 km (or take a pony or palki). A day’s round trip from Barkot.
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~200 kmGangotriगंगोत्री
Via Uttarkashi and Harsil; the road reaches the temple. Allow one to two days.
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~220 kmGuptkashi / Sitapurगुप्तकाशी
From Uttarkashi via Tehri and Rudraprayag, about 8–9 hours. Kedarnath helipads lie along this stretch.
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~5 km + ~16 km trekKedarnathकेदारनाथ
Shuttle from Sonprayag to Gaurikund, then about 6–8 hours uphill — or pony, palki, pithoo or helicopter.
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~200 kmBadrinathबद्रीनाथ
From Guptkashi via Ukhimath, Chamoli and Joshimath, about 7–8 hours; drive-up to the temple.
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~300 kmBack to Rishikesh / Haridwarऋषिकेश
About 9–10 hours down the Alaknanda valley.
Landslides and weather can halt traffic for a few hours even in October — keep a buffer day.
How to reach the start of the yatra
By air
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, is the nearest airport to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
By rail
Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun are the railheads; most yatras start from Haridwar.
By road
Cabs, tempo travellers and buses run from Delhi and Haridwar into the hills.
By helicopter
Kedarnath shuttles fly from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi — book only on heliyatra.irctc.co.in after registration (2 tickets per user ID, 6 pilgrims per ticket). Full “Char Dham by helicopter” trips from Dehradun are private charters.
A sample 11-day Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar
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Day 1Haridwar to Barkot
A drive of about 210 km (7–8 hours) into the Yamuna valley.
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Day 2Yamunotri darshan
Drive to Janki Chatti, walk about 6 km to Yamunotri, darshan, and return to Barkot.
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Day 3Barkot to Uttarkashi
Drive to Uttarkashi and rest for the next day’s climb to Gangotri.
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Day 4Gangotri darshan
Drive via Harsil to Gangotri for darshan, then back to Uttarkashi or a stay near Harsil.
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Day 5Uttarkashi to Guptkashi
A long drive via Tehri and Rudraprayag, about 8–9 hours.
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Day 6Trek to Kedarnath
Shuttle from Sonprayag to Gaurikund and walk about 16 km (or fly from your helipad). Evening aarti and a night near the temple.
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Day 7Kedarnath to Guptkashi
Early darshan, then walk down to Gaurikund and drive back.
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Day 8Guptkashi to Badrinath
Drive via Ukhimath, Chamoli and Joshimath, about 7–8 hours. Evening darshan.
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Day 9Badrinath darshan
Early morning darshan at Badrinath, then drive down towards Joshimath or Rudraprayag.
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Day 10Towards Rishikesh
Drive down the Alaknanda valley towards Rishikesh.
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Day 11Rishikesh to Haridwar
Reach Haridwar for your onward train, flight or drive home.
Every yatra is planned for your dates, group and pace — Price: Get Quote.
Before you go
- Best timeMay–June and mid-September to October. July–August is peak monsoon, with landslides and road closures.
- Health check for eldersUttarakhand advises a check-up for anyone over 50 or with heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions. Acclimatise on the way, use the screening kiosks on the Kedarnath and Yamunotri routes, and come down if you feel unwell.
- Senior citizensNo official age limit has been announced for Char Dham. Gangotri and Badrinath are drive-up; for Yamunotri and Kedarnath use a pony or palki, or the Kedarnath helicopter.
- Helicopter: only IRCTCBook Kedarnath helicopter tickets only on heliyatra.irctc.co.in. Ignore WhatsApp sellers and cloned websites offering “confirmed seats”.
- What to carryThe QR registration letter and photo ID, warm layers, a rain jacket, trekking shoes, medicines and ORS, a torch, a power bank and some cash — ATMs and mobile network are patchy.
- Winter Char DhamFrom November to April the deities are worshipped at their winter seats — Kharsali (Yamuna), Mukhba near Harsil (Ganga), Omkareshwar temple at Ukhimath (Kedarnath) and Pandukeshwar / Jyotirmath (Badrinath) — all by road. In 2026 the shrines close between 10 and 16 November, and winter worship then moves down.
Char Dham Yatra registration, step by step
Every pilgrim — and every vehicle — must be registered. It is free. Use only the official channels: the portal registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app, the state’s WhatsApp service, or offline counters such as those at Haridwar and Rishikesh. Helpline 1364 or 0135-2559898.
- Sign up with your mobile number and complete the Aadhaar-based e-KYC (in use since 2025).
- Create a tour and choose your dates for each dham.
- Add every pilgrim in your group.
- Download the QR Yatra Registration Letter — it is checked at each dham.
Keep the registration number handy: you need it to book a Kedarnath helicopter. Any website or agent charging a “registration fee” is fake.
Plan your Char Dham Yatra with Suzu
We plan Char Dham and Do Dham yatras from Haridwar or Delhi — cars or tempo travellers, stays near each dham, buffer days for weather and a pace that suits elders. You register free on the official portal and book any Kedarnath helicopter on IRCTC; we plan the rest around it. Travelling from abroad? See our Char Dham page for NRIs.
Questions pilgrims ask
When does the Char Dham Yatra 2027 start?
Not announced yet. Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya; Kedarnath’s date is fixed on Mahashivratri (6 March 2027) and Badrinath’s on Basant Panchami (11 February 2027). The yatra usually begins in late April or early May.
How do I register for the Char Dham Yatra?
Register free on registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app, the state WhatsApp service or an offline counter, then download the QR registration letter. Helpline 1364.
Is there a fee for Char Dham registration?
No. Official registration is free — any site or agent charging a registration fee is fake.
What is the correct order of the Char Dham Yatra?
Traditionally west to east: Yamunotri, then Gangotri, then Kedarnath and finally Badrinath.
How many days are needed for the Char Dham Yatra?
About 10–12 days by road from Haridwar or Delhi. A Do Dham yatra to Kedarnath and Badrinath takes about 5–6 days.
Can senior citizens do the Char Dham Yatra?
Yes, with a medical check-up and careful planning. Gangotri and Badrinath are drive-up; for Yamunotri and Kedarnath use a pony or palki, or the Kedarnath helicopter booked on IRCTC.
When do the dhams close in 2026?
The dates were announced on 20 October 2026: Gangotri closes on 10 November (Annakut), Yamunotri and Kedarnath on 11 November (Bhai Dooj), and Badrinath on 16 November at 9:37 pm. Times can shift slightly, so confirm locally. See our Char Dham closing dates post.
Can I do the Char Dham Yatra in winter?
Not at the main shrines. In winter the deities are worshipped at Kharsali, Mukhba, Ukhimath and Pandukeshwar / Jyotirmath, which are reachable by road.
Keep exploring
Yatras & circuits
Seasonal yatras
Temple guides
Planning guides
Sources
- Live SKG News — 2026 Char Dham closing dates announced (20 Oct 2026)
- Uttarakhand Tourism — Char Dham registration portal
- Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC)
- IRCTC HeliYatra — official Kedarnath helicopter booking
- Uttarakhand Tourism
- News On AIR — Aadhaar-authenticated Char Dham registration (20 Mar 2025)
- ETV Bharat — Gangotri and Yamunotri open (19 Apr 2026)
- The Daily Guardian — Badrinath opens on 23 April (23 Jan 2026)
- DD India — Char Dham 2026 footfall (29 Sep 2026)
Legends are retold in our own words as traditions. Animations are original artwork by Suzu Travels.
