Quick answer: The Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand covers four Himalayan shrines: Yamunotri (Goddess Yamuna), Gangotri (Goddess Ganga), Kedarnath (Lord Shiva) and Badrinath (Lord Vishnu). They are visited west to east in that order. By road the circuit starts and ends at Haridwar, runs about 1,400 km in all, includes two walks (about 6 km to Yamunotri and about 16 km to Kedarnath) and usually takes 10 to 12 days.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Families often ask us the same three things before they decide: what are the names of the four dhams, where exactly are they, and in what order do we go? This guide answers all three, with a simple route map, a stage-by-stage distance table from Haridwar, and the helicopter route for those who cannot spend ten days on the road.
What are the names of the Char Dham Yatra places?
The four dhams of the Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra, also called the Chota Char Dham, are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. All four are in the Garhwal Himalaya. Each is linked to a sacred river, and the temples stay open only from about late April or May to October or November, closing for winter around Diwali and Bhai Dooj.
| Dham | Deity | River | District | Approx. altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | Goddess Yamuna | Yamuna (source area) | Uttarkashi | about 3,235 to 3,293 m |
| Gangotri | Goddess Ganga | Bhagirathi | Uttarkashi | about 3,100 m |
| Kedarnath | Lord Shiva (Jyotirlinga) | Mandakini | Rudraprayag | about 3,583 m |
| Badrinath | Lord Vishnu as Badrinarayan | Alaknanda | Chamoli | about 3,100 to 3,133 m |
Published altitudes differ by a few dozen metres depending on whether the figure is for the temple, the town or the helipad, so treat these as approximate. What matters for planning is that all four are above 3,000 metres, and Kedarnath is the highest.
Is the Uttarakhand Char Dham different from the Bada Char Dham?
Yes. When people say “4 dham” they can mean two different yatras.
- Chota Char Dham (Uttarakhand): Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, all within one state and done in a single season.
- Bada Char Dham (all-India): Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west (Gujarat), Jagannath Puri in the east (Odisha) and Rameswaram in the south (Tamil Nadu). Tradition links this set to Adi Shankaracharya, and the four sit near the four corners of the country.
Badrinath is the only dham common to both. Most families complete the Bada Char Dham over several separate yatras rather than in one go. You can see our Bada Char Dham yatras to Dwarka, Puri, Rameswaram and Badrinath if that is the sankalp you have taken.
Why is the Char Dham Yatra done in the order Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath?
The traditional order runs from west to east. Two reasons are usually given.
- Tradition: many yatris begin with Yamuna Maa, sister of Yama, believing her darshan removes the fear of an untimely death, and end with Badri Vishal. Moving from west to east is also understood as a clockwise parikrama, the way one circles a temple.
- Geography: Yamunotri is the westernmost dham and Badrinath the easternmost. Going in this order means you never retrace long stretches, and from Badrinath a single highway brings you straight back down to Rishikesh and Haridwar.
You can change the order if your dates force it, but expect longer drives. Our team keeps to the traditional sequence unless weather or a road closure makes another order safer.
Char Dham Yatra route map: what does the road route look like?
The schematic below shows how the road circuit links the four dhams. The main road runs from Haridwar to bases at Barkot, Uttarkashi and Guptkashi, with a spur road or trek from each base up to the dham. After Badrinath, you come back down the Alaknanda valley to Rudraprayag, Devprayag and Rishikesh.
The bases are worth remembering: Barkot (or Janki Chatti) for Yamunotri, Uttarkashi for Gangotri, Guptkashi, Sitapur or Sonprayag for Kedarnath, and Badrinath town itself, since the road reaches the temple.
What is the Char Dham Yatra route from Haridwar, stage by stage?
Our road Char Dham yatras start and end at Haridwar. If you live in Dehradun or fly into Jolly Grant airport, you simply reach Haridwar on Day 1, about an hour away by road or train. The table shows the usual stages. Distances are approximate and drive times assume normal traffic; landslides, one-way traffic and peak-season queues can add hours.
| Stage | Approx. distance | Approx. time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haridwar to Barkot (via Dehradun and Mussoorie) | about 210 km | 7 to 8 hours | Full day in the hills; night at Barkot |
| Barkot to Janki Chatti | about 45 km | 1.5 to 2 hours | Roadhead for Yamunotri |
| Janki Chatti to Yamunotri (walk) | about 5 to 6 km one way | 3 to 4 hours up | Pony, palki or pithu available; return to Barkot |
| Barkot to Uttarkashi | about 85 to 100 km | 3.5 to 4 hours | Kashi Vishwanath temple in Uttarkashi |
| Uttarkashi to Gangotri | about 100 km | about 4 hours | Road reaches the temple; return the same day |
| Uttarkashi to Guptkashi (via Tehri) | about 220 km | 8 to 9 hours | Longest drive of the yatra |
| Guptkashi to Sonprayag | about 30 km | 1 to 1.5 hours | Shared jeep onward to Gaurikund, about 5 km |
| Gaurikund to Kedarnath (walk) | about 16 km one way | 6 to 8 hours up | Pony, palki or helicopter options |
| Guptkashi to Badrinath (via Rudraprayag and Joshimath) | about 200 km | 7 to 8 hours | Road reaches Badrinath town |
| Badrinath to Haridwar (via Rudraprayag and Rishikesh) | about 320 km | 10 to 12 hours | Usually split with a night at Rudraprayag or Srinagar |
Put together, this works out to roughly 1,400 km of driving plus about 44 km of walking for the two treks, up and down. The day-by-day version, with where we stay each night, is in our Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar guide.
What is the Char Dham helicopter route?
The helicopter yatra replaces almost all of the road journey with short flights from Dehradun. The commonly operated sequence is:
- Sahastradhara helipad, Dehradun to Kharsali for Yamunotri (roughly 30 minutes in the air). From Kharsali, yatris go up to the temple by pony or palki.
- Kharsali to Harsil for Gangotri. Harsil is about 22 to 25 km by road from the temple.
- Harsil to Sersi (some operators use Phata or Guptkashi), then a shuttle helicopter to Kedarnath. The temple is a short walk of about 500 m from the Kedarnath helipad.
- Sersi to Badrinath, where the helipad is close to the town.
- Badrinath back to Sahastradhara, Dehradun.
Flights run only in clear weather, so the schedule can shift by hours or a day. Baggage is weighed strictly, usually with a limit per person and a separate limit for passenger weight, so check the current rule when you book. Our Char Dham helicopter yatra from Dehradun is planned over 6 days and 5 nights.
How many days does the Char Dham Yatra route take?
By road from Haridwar, plan 10 to 11 days if you want time for darshan without rushing; 9 days is possible but leaves no buffer for landslides. From Delhi, add about a day each way for the drive to and from Haridwar. By helicopter, 5 to 6 days is typical.
Weather is the other big factor. May and June bring the biggest crowds, July to mid-September brings monsoon landslides, and late September to October usually has clear skies and lighter queues. Our month-by-month guide to the best time for Char Dham explains each window.
What do I need before I set off on the route?
- Registration: every yatri must register on the Uttarakhand Tourism portal or app before travel, and the registration is checked at points along the route. See our Char Dham registration guide for the steps.
- Health check: all four dhams are above 3,000 m. Senior citizens and anyone with heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions should see a doctor first.
- Warm layers and rain gear: even in May, mornings at Kedarnath and Badrinath can be close to freezing.
- Cash: mobile network and ATMs are patchy beyond Uttarkashi, Guptkashi and Joshimath.
What we arrange
Our team organises the full circuit with registration help, hotel stays at the bases, a driver who knows these roads and a buffer in the plan for weather. Choose the 11-day Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar, the 12-day Char Dham Yatra by road from Delhi or the helicopter yatra above. Families who prefer reading in Hindi can see our चार धाम यात्रा page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 4 dham names in the Char Dham Yatra?
The Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra covers Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Yamunotri and Gangotri are dedicated to the goddesses Yamuna and Ganga, Kedarnath to Lord Shiva and Badrinath to Lord Vishnu. All four are in the Garhwal Himalaya, above 3,000 metres, and open from about late April or May until October or November each year.
Which is the correct order for the Char Dham Yatra?
The traditional order is Yamunotri first, then Gangotri, Kedarnath and finally Badrinath, moving from west to east. It follows the custom of beginning with Yamuna Maa and ending with Badri Vishal, and it is also the most practical route, because from Badrinath one highway leads straight back to Rishikesh and Haridwar without retracing your path.
Where does the Char Dham Yatra start?
By road, the yatra usually starts and ends at Haridwar, where many yatris take a dip at Har Ki Pauri before setting off. Rishikesh is also used as a starting point. Helicopter yatras start from the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun. If you are coming from Delhi, Haridwar is about 220 km away by road or a few hours by train.
What is the total distance of the Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar?
The full road circuit from Haridwar and back is roughly 1,400 km of driving, depending on where you stay each night. On top of that there are two walks: about 5 to 6 km each way to Yamunotri from Janki Chatti, and about 16 km each way to Kedarnath from Gaurikund. Ponies, palkis and helicopters can replace the walks.
Is Badrinath part of both Char Dhams?
Yes. Badrinath is in both the Uttarakhand Char Dham and the all-India Bada Char Dham. The Bada Char Dham adds Dwarka in Gujarat, Jagannath Puri in Odisha and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, one dham near each corner of India. The Uttarakhand circuit is done in one season, while the Bada Char Dham is usually completed over several yatras.
Which Char Dham places can be reached by road?
Gangotri and Badrinath can be reached by vehicle right up to the temple area. Yamunotri needs a walk of about 5 to 6 km from Janki Chatti, and Kedarnath a walk of about 16 km from Gaurikund, after a shared jeep from Sonprayag. Ponies, palkis and pithus are available on both paths, and Kedarnath also has helicopter services.
Can I do the Char Dham Yatra in a different order?
You can, but it usually means longer drives and more backtracking, because the road network is laid out for the west-to-east sequence. Some yatris start with Kedarnath or do only Kedarnath and Badrinath as a Do Dham yatra when time is short. If a road is closed by landslides, organisers may change the order for safety.
Is there a Char Dham Yatra map I can follow?
The schematic on this page shows the order and the main bases: Haridwar, Barkot, Uttarkashi, Guptkashi or Sonprayag, Badrinath and the return via Rudraprayag and Rishikesh. For turn-by-turn driving, any online map works on the main highways, but network drops in many valleys, so download offline maps before you leave Rishikesh or Dehradun.
