Char Dham Yatra from the UK: Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri

What the Char Dham Yatra is

Char Dham means four abodes. In Uttarakhand, the four are Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna, Gangotri, near the source of the Ganges, Kedarnath, one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Shiva, and Badrinath, the shrine of Vishnu. Pilgrims traditionally travel from west to east, starting at Yamunotri and ending at Badrinath.

The shrines sit high in the Garhwal Himalaya, and the journey between them is long and mountainous. Most pilgrims allow ten to twelve days for all four by road, or less if they use helicopters for some stages.

When the temples open and close

The temples open in spring, traditionally on or around Akshaya Tritiya, in late April or May. In 2026, the opening dates were announced as 19 April for Yamunotri and Gangotri, 22 April for Kedarnath and 23 April for Badrinath. They close for winter in October and November, when snow makes the shrines unreachable and the deities move to their winter seats.

The dates are set each year by the temple committees, so wait for the official announcement before you book flights. May and June, and again September and October, are the most popular months. The monsoon, from July to August, brings landslides and road closures, so many pilgrims avoid it.

Our tip: Book flights that allow changes. Mountain roads close at short notice, and a flexible return gives you a margin.

Registration is compulsory

Every pilgrim must register with the Uttarakhand government before starting the yatra, through the official Uttarakhand tourism website or app. Without registration, you will not be allowed into the shrines. Slots for the busiest weeks fill quickly, so register as soon as your dates are fixed.

Use the same identity document for registration and for any helicopter booking, as the details are checked at boarding. A basic health check is part of the process, and for harder routes such as Kedarnath you may be asked for a fitness certificate.

Getting there from the UK

The usual journey to the start of the yatra.

The Kedarnath trek and helicopters

Kedarnath is the most demanding of the four. The temple stands at about 3,583 metres, and the walk from Gaurikund is about 17 kilometres uphill, usually six to eight hours. Ponies, palanquins and porters are available for those who cannot walk the whole way.

Helicopter services also run to Kedarnath during the season, and are popular with older pilgrims. They must be booked through the authorised channels after registration, and weather can delay or cancel flights, so leave spare days in your plan.

Advice for older pilgrims

Many UK pilgrims are in their sixties and seventies. Altitude, cold mornings and long drives all take their toll, so see your doctor before you book, pace the journey, and build in rest days. Take warm layers even in summer, rain gear, and any regular medicines in their original packaging.

Wheelchair assistance on the flights, a comfortable car and driver, and helicopter stages where they make sense can make the yatra possible for parents who could not manage it otherwise. See our page on assisted travel for elderly passengers.

Insurance and health

Check that your travel insurance covers travel at high altitude and any helicopter flights, and declare any medical conditions. Some standard policies have altitude limits. Our travel insurance guide explains what to look for.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, whatever their fitness. Climb gradually, drink plenty of water, and come down if symptoms such as a severe headache or breathlessness develop.

Haridwar and Rishikesh

Many pilgrims begin or end in Haridwar, where the evening Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri is unforgettable, and Rishikesh, a short drive upstream. Both are easy to reach from Dehradun and make a gentler start to the journey.

If you would also like to visit Varanasi on the same trip, see our Varanasi pilgrimage guide. We can book the flights between the cities as one itinerary.

How we help

We book the flights from the UK to Delhi and on to Dehradun, with timings that give you a rest before the drive into the mountains, and we can put you in touch with trusted ground arrangements. Our team speaks Gujarati, Hindi and Punjabi, so parents can talk to us directly.

Tell us the dates you are considering and who is travelling, and we will suggest flights with room for the unexpected.

What to pack

Pack for four seasons in one trip. Mornings and evenings at the shrines are cold, even in May and June, so bring a warm jacket, a hat, gloves and thermal layers, along with a light rain jacket and sturdy walking shoes with a good grip.

Carry a small torch, a refillable water bottle, sun cream and sunglasses, as the sun is strong at altitude. Keep your registration details, identity document and medicines in a bag you carry yourself, rather than in luggage on the car roof.

Simple, modest clothing suits the temples, and you will be asked to remove shoes before entering. Many pilgrims carry a small offering and a shawl or scarf.

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