Char Dham Yatra 11N/12D by Road — Ex Delhi

Day-by-day Itinerary

Your journey, unfolded.

1. DAY 1

   Day 1: Delhi → Haridwar (300km, ~6hrs)

   Depart Delhi by 6am. Drive via Haridwar Express highway. Arrive Haridwar by noon. Check in hotel. Afternoon: Har Ki Pauri — the most sacred ghat in Haridwar where the Ganga is believed to flow at its most powerful. Sacred dip. Evening Ganga Aarti at sunset — thousands of earthen lamps floated on the river, priests perform the ritual in perfect synchrony, bells and conch shells fill the air. A profound beginning to the yatra.

2. DAY 2

   Day 2: Haridwar → Barkot (250km, ~7hrs)

   Drive via Rishikesh, Chamba and Nainbagh through the Yamuna valley. Rishikesh stop: Laxman Jhula suspension bridge over the Ganga. Ram Jhula. Continue climbing into the hills. Arrive Barkot (1,220m), base for Yamunotri. Overnight rest — the real yatra begins tomorrow.

3. DAY 3

   Day 3: Barkot → Janki Chatti → Yamunotri → Barkot

   Drive 10km to Janki Chatti (starting point for Yamunotri trek). Trek 6km uphill through forested valley (3-4hrs one way). Pass the Hanuman Chatti waterfall. Arrive Yamunotri (3,293m) — source of the sacred Yamuna River. Temple of Goddess Yamunotri. Ritual: cook rice in a cloth bag inside Surya Kund hot spring (84°C) to offer as prasad. Visit Divya Shila (sacred rock). Attend temple aarti. Trek back down. Return Barkot overnight.

4. DAY 4

   Day 4: Barkot → Uttarkashi (100km, ~3hrs)

   Drive through the Yamuna valley to Uttarkashi — the 'Kashi of the mountains'. Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple here (Lord Shiva shrine, distinct from Varanasi). Explore the old town. Overnight Uttarkashi — comfortable hotel.

5. DAY 5

   Day 5: Uttarkashi → Gangotri (100km, ~3hrs)

   Ascend through dense deodar forest to Gangotri (3,048m) — the source of the Bhagirathi River (which becomes the Ganga). Gangotri Temple: dedicated to Goddess Ganga, built by Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th century. Attend morning aarti — the setting, with the Bhagirathi thundering below, is extraordinary. Afternoon: visit Gauri Kund (where Parvati bathed before marrying Shiva). Overnight Gangotri.

6. DAY 6

   Day 6: Gangotri → Guptkashi (230km, ~8hrs)

   Long mountain driving day. Descend from Gangotri, through Uttarkashi, past Tehri Dam (India's highest dam), climb through Rudraprayag (confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini). Arrive Guptkashi (1,319m) — base for Kedarnath. Visit Vishwanath Temple and Ardha Narishwar Temple (both significant Shiva shrines). Overnight Guptkashi.

7. DAY 7

   Day 7: Guptkashi → Gaurikund → Kedarnath (Trek 16km)

   Drive 25km to Gaurikund (2,674m). Begin trek at dawn — the 16km ascent to Kedarnath (3,583m) is the physical heart of the yatra. Trail markers: Jungle Chatti (4km), Bheem Bali (8km), Linchauli (12km), Base Camp (14km), Kedarnath Temple (16km). Takes 5-7 hours depending on pace. Ponies and palki (palanquin) available for those who need them. Arrive Kedarnath in the afternoon. Temple of Kedarnath — one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, dedicated to Lord Shiva in his form as a buffalo. Evening aarti inside the temple is overwhelming in its devotion. Overnight dharamshala or GMVN camp.

8. DAY 8

   Day 8: Kedarnath — Morning Abhishek & Return Trek

   Wake at 4am to queue for Brahm Muhurta darshan (the most auspicious predawn worship). Abhishek at the Jyotirlinga. The ancient stone temple, surrounded by eternal glaciers, in predawn darkness — one of the most powerful spiritual experiences in India. Trek back down to Gaurikund (5-6hrs). Drive to Badrinath (210km via Rudraprayag-Joshimath, ~5hrs). Arrive Badrinath (3,133m) by evening. Overnight.

9. DAY 9

   Day 9: Badrinath — Darshan, Mana Village & Vasudhara

   Brahm Muhurta aarti at Badrinath Temple (4am) — Lord Vishnu in his meditative form. Tapt Kund (natural hot spring beside the temple) dip — pilgrims bathe here before temple entry. Temple darshan. Mana Village (3km from Badrinath) — the last Indian village before the Tibet border. Vyas Gufa (cave where sage Vyas wrote the Mahabharata). Bheem Pul (natural rock bridge). Vasudhara Falls (5km walk from Mana, 145m high waterfall) for those with energy. Evening final prayers at Badrinath.

10. DAY 10

    Day 10: Badrinath → Rudraprayag → Rishikesh (250km, ~7hrs)

    Morning: farewell prayers at Badrinath. Drive through Joshimath (Adi Shankaracharya's cave, Narsingh Temple). Confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi at Dev Prayag — they merge here to form the Ganga. Arrive Rishikesh by evening. Laxman Jhula evening walk. Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat.

11. DAY 11

    Day 11: Rishikesh → Haridwar (25km)

    Morning yoga class (optional). Rishikesh: Beatles Ashram (where the Beatles stayed in 1968). White water rafting optional (extra cost). Drive Haridwar by noon. Free afternoon. Final Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri.

12. DAY 12

    Day 12: Haridwar → Delhi (300km, ~6hrs)

    Morning departure. Arrive Delhi by evening. Char Dham Yatra complete. Trip ends.

— End of trip —