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Pilgrimage circuit · from Haridwar
Char Dham — Uttarakhand
Four Himalayan shrines on one long loop, with a registration system that is mandatory and enforced at checkpoints. State-run buses do the whole circuit for a fraction of any package price. The only leg that needs real planning is Kedarnath, which is a 16 km walk up or a helicopter that sells out months ahead.
10–12 days, from Haridwar, from ₹18,000 per person. Best time: May to June and September to October. The shrines close for winter around Diwali and reopen at Akshaya Tritiya.. Suits: Family, Group, Solo.
The route
| Stop | Leg | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Haridwar | Rail head for the whole circuit. Registration done here | Free |
| Yamunotri | Bus to Janki Chatti, then a 6 km walk or pony | ₹900 |
| Gangotri | Bus, 10 h. Roadhead shrine — no walk required | ₹800 |
| Kedarnath | Bus to Gaurikund, then a 16 km climb or helicopter | ₹1,200 |
| Badrinath | Bus via Joshimath, 9 h. Roadhead shrine | ₹900 |
| Haridwar | Return bus, 10 h | ₹800 |
What to book ahead
| Booking | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Char Dham registration MUST BOOK | Mandatory, free, done online or at Haridwar. Checked at barriers on every route — without it you are turned back. |
| Kedarnath accommodation MUST BOOK | The night at Kedarnath is the scarce one. GMVN rest houses and private lodges sell out months ahead in season. |
| Helicopter tickets | Only if you cannot do the 16 km walk. Released in batches and gone immediately; buy only from the official portal. |
| Buses | State buses run the circuit daily and rarely need booking. This is where package tours make their margin. |
Where to stay
GMVN government rest houses at every shrine, ashrams, and seasonal tented camps. Book the Kedarnath night; improvise the rest as you go.
Food
Bhandaras and langars along every route, free and constant. Simple dhabas at each roadhead. Food is genuinely not a cost on this trip.
Local tip: Sort the registration before anything else — it is free, mandatory, and the single thing that stops people at the barrier. Then book the Kedarnath night. Everything else can be decided the morning you do it.
Plan your own Char Dham — Uttarakhand trip
Full route, live fares and every booking link in one place.
Open the planner →Costs are indicative ballparks and change with season and demand — always check live fares before you book, and confirm temple booking windows against the official source. Photographs are sourced from Wikimedia Commons, credited above and in full at /credits/. Trip Under features underrated destinations only, is reader-planned, and takes no affiliate commission on any booking link. Pilgrimage bookings are never affiliate links.