Kedarnath

Kedarnath is the abode of Lord Shiva. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India and the only one in the Uttarakhand. While there is a motor able road to Badrinath, Kedarnath could only be reached by foot. The 18 km trek begins from Gaurikund. After the 2013 Himalayan floods, the trek currently is of more than 18 km due to washing away of trekking paths.

Badrinath

Badrinath is the abode of Lord Vishnu, who is called ‘Badri Vishal’, Badri the Big One. Legend has it that Badrinath was the abode of Lord Shiva, who used to reside there with his consort Parvati. It is Located in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand.  Lord Vishnu happened to like the place and wished to reside there permanently, so He took the form of an infant and started crying inconsolably. Mother Parvati’s heart melted and she picked up the infant Vishnu and started cradling Him. The crying of the infant, however, disturbed the meditation of Lord Shiva and unable to bear the crying He left for higher reaches of the Himalayas and made Kedarnath His home. Once Lord Shiva left, Mother Parvati too followed, which gave an opportunity to Lord Vishnu to take His original form and remain at Badrinath forever. The priests of Badrinath are from the southernmost part of India, i.e. Kerala. This is according to the rules laid down by Adi Shankara. Badrinath remains out of bounds for pilgrims for 6 months a year, from October to May.

Gangotri

Gangotri is the origin of the holy Ganga. Ganga is revered as a mother throughout India. According to the Hindu philosophy, a place considered extremely holy if a river running through it flows in the northern direction. Gangotri is a place which is not only the origin of Ganga but also where Ganga flows in a northerly direction, hence the name Gangotri. The river Ganga flows out from the melting Gangotri glacier, which is at a distance of around 18 km from the Gangotri town. Close to the temple is Bhagirath Shila, which according to the Hindu philosophy is the place where Bhagirath did penance for 5500 years to seek the blessings of Mother Ganga and requested her to descend to the Earth from her heavenly abode to cleanse the sins of his ancestors.

Day 01: START
Start for your location towards Haridwar.

Day 02: IN TRAIN
Full day and night in train.

Day 03: HARIDWAR SIGHTSEEING
Early morning reach Haridwar and check-in to the hotel. After breakfast local sightseeing of Haridwar. After lunch visit the rest sightseeing of Haridwar. Overnight stay in Haridwar.   .

Day 04:HARIDWAR-UTTARKASHI/Naitala
After breakfast drive to Uttarkashi (82 KM / 03.00 Hrs), Lunch on way. Reach Uttarkashi in evening and check-in to the hotel. Overnight stay in Uttarkashi.

Day 05: UTTARKASHI-GANGOTRI-UTTARKASHI/Naitala
After tea drive to Gangotri, breakfast , lunch on way. After puja/darsan of Mata Gangotri back Uttarkashi in evening. Overnight stay in Uttarkashi.

Day 06: UTTARKASHI-GUPTAKASHI/SITAPUR
Early morning with packed breakfast proceed to Sitapur (218 KM / 08.00 Hrs), lunch on way. Reach Sitapur in evening and transfer to hotel. Overnight stay in Sitapur/Guptkashi.

Day 07:GUPTAKASHI/SITAPUR – KEDARNATH – GUPTAKASHI/SITAPUR
Full day excursion of Shree Kedarnath by (Helicopter/Pony Ride/Dandi) at your own cost. Back hotel in evening. Overnight stay in Sitapur.

Day 08: GUPTAKASHI/SITAPUR – BADRINATH
After breakfast with packed lunch drive to Pipalkothi (197 KM /06.00-07.00Hrs). Reach Badrinath in evening and transfer to hotel. Overnight stay in Badrinath.

Day 09: BADRINATH-PIPALKOTHI
After breakfast full day excursion of Shree Badrinath ji. After lunch visit MANA village (the last village of india), and proceed to Pipalkothi for Overnight stay. Overnight stay in Pipalkoti.

Day 10:PIPALKOTHI – HARIDWAR
After breakfast drive to Haridwar, Lunch on way. Rishikesh, laxmanjhula sightseeing on way. Reach Haridwar in evening and check-in to the hotel. Overnight stay in Haridwar.

Day 11:TRAIN AT NIGHT FROM HARIDWAR
full day free for individual activities, train at 23.45 PM.

Day 12: IN TRAIN
Full day and night in train.

Day 13: BACK HOME
Back your home in the morning.
Tour Terminate………..

COST INCLUDES: 

• Deluxe Accommodation.
• Accommodation on Double / Triple Sharing Basis.
• Meal Plan : API (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
• Vehicle – Exclusive Private vehicle
• All permit fees & hotel taxes (as per itinerary).

COST EXCLUDES:

• Air Fare / Train fare.
• Any other meals not mentioned in the inclusions.
• Personal Expenses such as Laundry, telephone calls, tips & gratuity. Mineral /soft / hard drinks, rafting, joy ride, Pony Ride, Cable Car.
• Additional sightseeing or extra usage of vehicle, other than mentioned in the itinerary.
• Room Heater, Local Cab fare, Guide charges & Entrance Fees.
• River cruise, Traditional Dance & Elephant or Jeep Safari.
• Any cost arising due to natural calamities like, landslides, road blockage, political disturbances, etc. (to be borne by the client, who is directly payable on the spot).
• Any increase in taxes or fuel price, leading to increase in cost on surface transportation & land arrangements, which may come into effect prior to departure.
• Travel Insurances.
• Anything which is not include in the inclusion.

BY AIR

The city of Haridwar does not have an airport. Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest one. It is a domestic airport that is connected to various cities in India, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Chennai and Lucknow. The major airlines serving the airport are Air India Regional, IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Ventura AirConnect. Tourists from other cities in India and abroad can reach Haridwar from Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. It is an international airport that is well-connected to most of the cities across the world such as New York, Paris, Beijing, Moscow, Melbourne, Toronto, Dubai, etc., via

BY TRAIN

The main railway station serving the area is Haridwar Railway Station. It comes under Northern Railway Zone and it is connected to major cities and tourist destinations in India, such as Delhi, Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, etc. Some of the trains that pass through this station are Bandra Terminus Haridwar Express, Kochuveli-Haridwar Link Express, Haridwar Mail, Allahabad Haridwar Express, Amritsar Haridwar Jan Shatabdi Express, Haridwar Howrah Kumbha Express and many more.

BY ROAD

Haridwar is well-connected to many cities across India, through many highways. National Highway 58, passes through Haridwar connects it to Delhi, Muzzafarnagar, Roorkee, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Badrinath. National Highway 74 originates from Haridwar connects it to Kashipur, Pilibhit Kichha, Nagina and Bareilly. Various public and private buses ply through these routes. You can choose between A/C, non-A/C, deluxe, ordinary, semi-deluxe and many such options. 

Summer

After a harsh winter, spring and summer are beautiful in the mountains, with the valleys in full bloom with great varieties of flowers. Summers from April to June are the best time to visit Kedarnath temple. These months are also the best time to visit Badrinath temple. Gangotri and Yamunotri lie at a higher altitude, so summer starts a little later there, almost at the end of April. It is advisable to carry warm clothes even during summers, as it can get very cold in the evenings. Carrying a basic medical kit with medicines for common ailments like a headache, fever, cold, etc. will come in very handy.

Monsoon

Monsoons arrive at the Char Dham around the end of June and continue till September end. With heavy rains, landslides and flooding due to swollen rivers are quite common during the monsoon season and travelling is really not advisable.
Another window of a good season to visit arrives in the end of September to mid-November. This is pre-winter in the mountains when the valleys are plush with greenery after a great monsoon and the harshness of winter hasn’t set in. This is the best time to undertake the Char Dham yatra in Uttarakhand.

Winters

Winters arrive at the end of November and last up to March. Due to heavy snowing and sub-zero temperature, darshan is stopped after Diwali. The Char Dham temples open their gates for darshan only in spring, during the Hindu festival of Aksahaya-Tritiya. Before you set out for your Char Dham yatra you should know that rugged roads, rocky terrain and treacherous climate test your strength and endurance every moment. The Himalayan climate is highly unpredictable and constantly fluctuating. Hence, it is always advisable to carefully research about the best time to visit Char Dham, before undertaking the arduous journey. For those who can manage treacherous terrain, trekking, palanquin ride or pony rides are the best options. Alternatively, you can opt for a helicopter service for Chardham yatra, for a more comfortable journey.