Char Dham Yatra 2024

Our agenda for Day 1 is to drive from Haridwar to Barkot via the lush, winding road to
Mussoorie. While doing so, we make several stops and visit the lovely Mussoorie Lake, as well
as Kempty Falls. Kempty Falls is a great spot for lunch, as one can enjoy the view as well as
quality food at this point, which may not be available later on in the journey. After this, we drive
directly to Barkot, and check into our hotel. Here, you find yourself in the arms of Uttarakhand’s
hills, at a height of 1,220 m. The weather of Barkot makes it an agreeable place to visit
regardless of the time of the year. During the summer months, the temperature lies somewhere
in the comfortable range of 25 to 30 degrees, and in winters, while the days are pleasant, the
nights can get slightly chilly, with the temperature ranging between 10 and 5 degrees. Make
sure to carry layers accordingly.
The itinerary for the rest of the day is empty. We spend the night at Barkot. We use this time to
recuperate and conserve our energy for Day 3, which encompasses the Prahalad (hill) Yatra of
Yamunotri. Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel
We make the journey via the Devprayag and Rudraprayag route, which offers us breathtaking
glimpses of river Alaknanda and Mandakini. One interesting fact is that river Mandakini actually
originates from Kedarnath, which only adds to the spiritual energy and aura that makes this
entire trip special.
While driving alongside the river, we soon find ourselves at the Ardh Narishwar temple at
Guptkashi. After taking some time to visit the temple and offer prayers, we check into our hotel,
and take the night to recuperate.

Early morning, after a delicious breakfast, our first activity of the day is to drive from Barkot to
the Jankichatti/Phoolchatti area. From here, we trek to the first shrine of the Chardham circuit,
i.e. Yamunotri. The trek is 6 kilometres long, and may be covered by foot, by horse, or by Doli
(cost not included). The landscape covered on the trek is a stunning mix of general Himalayan
vegetation and some classic plants of the region, including clusters of dense conifers, birch, firs,
certain species of cacti and the ever-present rhododendron. Once we arrive at Yamunotri, we indulge in the ritual of making prasad to take back home at the
end of the journey. We do this by cooking some rice, using the steaming water of the extremely
hot kund. The temperature at Yamunotri region is mostly on the colder side. In summers, the
maximum temperature is 18 degrees. In winters, the weather can get drastically cold. Another asset that is special to Yamunotri is the various “kunds” or hot water springs. The
Jamunabai kund is composed of water that is warm enough to take a dip in. The Surya kund is
also worthy of attention. After doing so, one may offer prayers to the divya shila which is the
Yamunotri temple, which was built in the 19th century. It even faced destruction twice, but duly
resurrected. On your way back to Jankichatti, you will witness river Yamuna in all her glory.
Soon after, we return to Barkot for the night. Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel

We wake up early today, and start our day with a hearty breakfast. Afterwards, with risen spirits,
we embark on a scenic drive to Uttarkashi. We check into the hotel upon our arrival, and after
lunch and a short rest, we visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which is the main point of intrigue
in this area.
The city of Uttarkashi is situated at the banks of Ganga. The weather experienced by Uttarkashi
is more on the extreme side, meaning it receives generally hot summers (temperature ranging
between 30 and 35 degrees). The winters, on the other hand, are chilly.
The Vishwanath temple was reconstructed in the year 1857. Other facets of the structure
include the Shakti temple (situated right across the Kashi Vishwanath temple), which is most
well known for its magnificent “Trishul”, standing at a height of 6 meters, made of iron and
copper. In addition to the Shakti temple, other shrines like that Ganeshji, Markandeya Rishi and
Sakshi Gopal also compose a big part of the Vishwanath spiritual shrine here. The soulful aartis
are a major part of the early morning and evening rituals here.
After making the preferred visits and offering our prayers, we make our way back to the hotel,
and rest for the night. Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel.

Today, we make the uphill journey to Gangotri, which is situated at the astonishing height of
3,048 meters. We take a packed breakfast with us to enjoy on the way. We stop at a hot spring
named Garam kund at Ganganani for a holy dip quite unlike any other spiritual experience.
Afterwards, we take the Harsil valley route straight to our objective destination of the day –
Gangotri. We take our time and enjoy the ravishing hamlet valley of Harsil, with unprecedented
views of the Himalayas, and its alpine vegetation consisting mainly of clusters of deodar and fir.
Owing to its height and abundance of vegetation, the weather at Gangotri is almost always cold.
The temperature even in summers ranges between 10 and 20 degrees. Light layers are
recommended while making the trip. During winters, because of heavy snowfall, the place is
closed and inaccessible.
We soon reach Gangotri, and take a moment to pray and bathe in the holy waters of river
Ganga (referred to as the Bhagirathi, at its point of origin). The Gangotri temple (established in the 18th century), is situated on the right bank of the mighty river. After offering our prayers,
completing the pooja rituals and taking some time to enjoy the view presented to you in the lap
of nature, we take a beautiful late sunset drive back to Uttarkashi, and spend the night there.
Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we drive up to Guptkashi. The name “Guptkashi” translates to
Hidden Benaras, and is derived from the legend that Lord Shiva once hid himself from the
Pandavas at this location. Guptkashi is a wonderfully pleasant place to visit in the summers.
The temperature never goes beyond 30 degrees. During the winter months, however, it can get
considerably chilly.
We make the journey via the Moolgarh and Lambgoan route, which offers us breathtaking
glimpses of river Mandakini. One interesting fact is that river Mandakini actually originates from
Kedarnath, which only adds to the spiritual energy and aura that makes this entire trip special.
While driving alongside the river, we soon find ourselves at the Ardh Narishwar temple at
Guptkashi. After taking some time to visit the temple and offer prayers, we check into our hotel,
and take the night to recuperate. Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel.

This day is one of the most eventful days of the entire Chardham trip. Our destination for the day is
Kedarnath, possibly the most well-known and widely travelled dham in our itinerary. According
to old legends, Kedarnath is the place where Lord Shiva granted the Pandavas redemption after
many prayers and requests, upon the end of the Kurukshetra war. “Kedar” is one of the many
other alternative names for Lord Shiva. The Kedarnath shrine boasts the entire robust
Kedarnath mountain range in the background, and is situated at one of the most majestic
locations possible. Because it stands tall at 3,583 meters, the temperature witnessed at the Kedarnath shrine is
almost always cold. Light to semi-heavy layers of clothing are recommended even during the
summer months. During winters, the weather is so cold that it is not even widely travelled to,
and because the climatic conditions can be risky, it is even avoided.
There are two main ways of reaching the Kedarnath shrine. One could either take the helicopter
(Cost not included in package), for which you will be dropped to the helipad in the morning soon
after breakfast. This route, though quicker, stands on the relatively expensive side. Another way
to reach the shrine is by trek. You will be driven to Sonprayag, after which a local jeep to
Gaurikund will seamlessly bring you to your starting point for the trek. To make your way back,
you will have to follow the same route and take a local jeep to Sonprayag again. Regardless of
which mode you choose to opt for, you may inform the driver about the duration of your flight or
trek, so he can find a suitable place to park and pick you up the next day without any hassle.
After witnessing the shrine and spending some time at the dham, we check into a hotel for the
night. Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel.

After a vibrant, calming pooja and a delicious breakfast, we check out of our hotel and make the
journey back from Kedarnath to Sonprayag. After your driver picks you up at the pre-decided
place, we drive back to Guptkashi, where we check into the hotel once again. The itinerary for
the rest of the day is empty, giving you enough time to take in and the warm, spiritual energy of
the journey so far, and resting for the next few days to come. Dinner and overnight stay at
hotel.

Our last dham for the trip, i.e. Badrinath, is the objective of our day today. After breakfast, we
drive straight to Badrinath, and check into our hotel. The maximum average temperature at
Badrinath is around 15 degrees, and the minimum would be around 8 degrees. Extra layers of clothing are always required for Badrinath, regardless of the time of the year. During winters, it
is mostly closed for tourists.
One of the most significant holy rituals of Badrinath is taking a bath in Taptkund. After this, one
may embark on sightseeing or darshan of Badrivishal, followed by the beautiful aarti in the
evening. In the interim period, you may take the time to explore other popular gems of the
region, namely Mana village (Indo-Mongolian tribe inhabited), Bhimkund, Matamoorti, Vyas gufa
(the cave where Ved Vyas is said to have composed the Mahabharata), and the mouth of the
Saraswati river. Most of these points of interest are located within three to five kilometres of
Badrinath.
After spending time at the shrine and witnessing one of the most spiritually-charged aartis you
will ever witness, Overnight stay in Badrinath or Joshimath.

We shall wake up to a beautiful sunrise in Badrinath. After a sumptuous breakfast, we will drive
to Risikesh route Joshimath. Rishikesh is a charming town with such strong
spiritual vibes. The Ganges flows in Rishikesh which lies surrounded by the Shivalik range. We
shall check into a hotel, Dinner and Overnight Stay at the hotel / Swiss camp.

After Breakfast checkout from hotel & drive to Haridwar. Tour concluded with lots of sweet memories of the Tour organized by Trekonindia.