Day by Day itineraryDay 1: Arrival at Haridwar Kedarnath Yatra begins at Haridwar, the holy town which marks the entry of sacred River Ganga from the Himalayas to the Northern Plains. You would arrive at Haridwar by train or bus and meet our Shiva Jyotirlinga tour representative at the decided spot. Get transferred to the booked hotel and take some time to relax. Later, join us for Haridwar sightseeing trip. Counted among Sapta Puri (the seven holiest Hindu cities), Haridwar is also among four places where the drops of Amrit (nectar) fell and hence it hosts the world’s largest gathering called Kumbh Mela once every 12 years. Sanctified by Ganga, the place hosts arrays of temples, ashrams and religious sites that contribute towards the spiritual vibes all around.
You may choose to visit the popular spots like Mansa Devi Temple and Chandi Devi Temple (accessible by ropeway; timings 08:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m.; combined ticket of INR 228), Maya Devi Temple and Bharat Mata Temple. Make sure that you reach the sacred Ghat called Har-ki-Pauri (where nectar drops fell) at the earliest to watch Ganga evening aarti before it gets too crowded. Watch in awe as thousands of earthen lamps are lit up to worship the holy river. Return to the hotel for night stay.
Have breakfast and begin the journey by road towards Kedar Khand (sector) located in the striking Gharwal Himalayas. Reach Guptkashi which is believed to be the place where Lord Shiva hid disguised as a bull to avoid meeting Pandavas after the battle of Mahabharata. This is the reason that it is called Guptkashi (‘Gupt’ means hidden and ‘Kashi’ refers to the holiest city of Lord Shiva). On arrival, check in at the hotel and relax. Later, you may choose to explore the place and enjoy the stunning views of the lofty snow-capped Chaukhamba Peaks and Mandakini Valley dotted with magnolia trees. Stay overnight at Guptkashi.
On day 3 of Kedarnath Yatra, you would have breakfast and reach the helipad at Guptkashi or Phata by road. Board the helicopter as per the schedule and enjoy a stupendous ride to Kedarnath. The holy town is located close to Chorabari Glacier from where River Mandakini begins its journey. At an elevation of about 11,750 ft., the place is surrounded by the sky-reaching summits of Kedarnath Peak, Kedar Dome and other peaks. On arrival, directly visit the holy shrine of Kedarnath Temple (opens 04:00 a.m. to 09:00 p.m., closes from 03:00-05:00 p.m.) which is counted among the Chhota Char Dham destinations of Uttarakhand.
Legends state that when Pandavas chased Shiva in the form of a bull to Guptkashi, he tried to hide in the ground. When, the powerful of all Pandavas, Bheema, grabbed the bull’s tail, it reappeared at five different places with its hump appearing at Kedarnath. Pandavas prayed to Shiva for the sin of killing their cousins in the war and Shiva established himself as a Jyotirlinga at this place.
Puja rates at the temple range from INR 650 to INR 16,000 for different types of pujas like Mahabhishek, Rudrabhishek, Laghuabhishek and more. Please note that visitors are only allowed to have Kedarnath Jyotirlinga darshan after 05:00 p.m. and no pujas or rituals are allowed after that. It is worth mentioning that Kedarnath Temple opens between April and early-November after which it becomes inaccessible due to heavy snowfall.
Pray to the conical-shaped Lingam and other deities worshipped at the temple. If time allows, visit the places like Bhairava Temple and Samadhi of Adi Shankracharaya who is credited for building the present-day Kedarnath Temple. Later, return back in the helicopter to reach Guptkashi or Phata. Spend the remaining day visiting the local temples of Guptkashi. The most prominent of these is Vishwanath Temple which is named after the world-famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple (also a Jyotirlinga temple). You may also visit the nearby pilgrimage site of Ukhimath where serves as the winter home of Kedarnath temple idols when the main shrine becomes unapproachable due to snow. Stay overnight at Guptkashi.
Have breakfast and start the journey back to Haridwar. On the way, stop at Rudraprayag where River Mandakini joins River Alaknanda on its journey to become Ganga. Be a witness to the spellbinding sight and continue the drive. On arrival at Haridwar, transfer to the railway station or bus stand to continue your journey as Kedarnath Yatra comes to an end.