Quick answer: From Haridwar, the Char Dham Yatra by road takes about 11 days and returns to Haridwar. Most yatris take a Ganga snan at Har Ki Pauri, then drive about 210 km via Dehradun and Mussoorie to Barkot for Yamunotri, continue to Gangotri, Kedarnath (a 16 km walk from Gaurikund) and Badrinath, and come back through Devprayag and Rishikesh. Our 11-day road yatra from Haridwar starts from ₹50,000 per person.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
For centuries, yatris bound for the Himalayan dhams have stopped first at Haridwar, the gate where the Ganga leaves the mountains. It is still the most common starting point today, with trains from every corner of India, an airport an hour away, and the yatra registration counters close at hand. This page sets out the route from Haridwar with distances, how to reach the city, what to do before you leave, and how the 2027 Kumbh affects planning.
Why begin the Char Dham Yatra at Haridwar?
Haridwar means “the gateway to Hari”, and it has long been treated as the formal start of a Himalayan yatra. Many families take a dip at Brahma Kund at Har Ki Pauri, offer a sankalp for the yatra with their family priest, and attend the evening Ganga aarti before driving into the hills next morning. You do not have to do any of this, but many yatris feel it sets the right frame of mind for the journey.
There are practical reasons too. Haridwar Junction is served by long-distance trains from Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Delhi. Rishikesh, 25 km up the river, is where the Badrinath highway really begins. And in 2026 the state’s offline registration counters for the yatra were set up in Haridwar and Rishikesh, opening on 17 April.
How to reach Haridwar
| From | Good options | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 12017 Shatabdi from New Delhi; 22457 Vande Bharat from Anand Vihar; road via Meerut and Roorkee (about 220 km) | 3.5 to 6 hours |
| Mumbai | 19019 Bandra Terminus–Haridwar Express, daily | About 32 hours |
| Kolkata | Kumbha Express, Upasana Express and Doon Express from Howrah, all via Haridwar | About 25 to 31 hours |
| Ahmedabad / Gujarat | 19031 Yoga Express via Jaipur and Delhi to Rishikesh | About 24 to 26 hours |
| Anywhere by air | Fly to Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun, then about 35 to 40 km by road | About 1 hour from the airport |
Timings change, so confirm on the IRCTC app. Railway reservations open 60 days ahead; book as soon as your yatra dates are fixed if you are travelling in May, June or October.
The Char Dham route from Haridwar, day by day
Our Haridwar departure follows the traditional west-to-east order. Distances and drive times below are approximate and depend on traffic, road works and the weather.
| Day | Route | Approx. distance | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Haridwar, Ganga aarti, briefing | – | Haridwar |
| 2 | Haridwar to Barkot via Dehradun and Mussoorie | About 210 km, 7 to 8 hours | Barkot |
| 3 | Barkot to Janki Chatti, walk to Yamunotri and back | About 45 km each way by road, plus about 6 km each way on foot | Barkot |
| 4 | Barkot to Uttarkashi | About 100 km, 4 hours | Uttarkashi |
| 5 | Uttarkashi to Gangotri and back | About 100 km each way | Uttarkashi |
| 6 | Uttarkashi to Guptkashi via Tehri | About 220 km, 8 to 9 hours | Guptkashi |
| 7 | Sonprayag, shuttle to Gaurikund, walk to Kedarnath | About 30 km by road, about 16 km on foot | Kedarnath |
| 8 | Darshan, walk down, drive back | About 16 km on foot | Guptkashi |
| 9 | Guptkashi to Badrinath via Rudraprayag and Joshimath | About 200 km, 7 to 8 hours | Badrinath |
| 10 | Badrinath darshan, Mana village, drive down | About 160 km | Rudraprayag |
| 11 | Rudraprayag to Haridwar via Devprayag and Rishikesh | About 165 km | – |
Two days are especially long: the drive to Barkot and the drive from Uttarkashi to Guptkashi. On those days we leave early and keep breaks short, because hill roads are not used after dark.
What to do in Haridwar before you leave
- Arrive a day early if you can. Coming off a 25- or 30-hour train, a quiet evening at Har Ki Pauri and a full night’s sleep make Day 2 far easier.
- Do your sankalp. Many families perform a short puja at the ghat for a safe yatra. Your hotel or our team can guide you to a priest; dakshina is a personal matter between you and the pandit.
- Finish shopping here. Raincoats, walking sticks, thermal inners, woollen caps and basic medicines are easy to buy in Haridwar and much harder to find in Barkot.
- Keep your documents handy. The registration letter with QR code and original photo ID are checked at several points on the route.
- Know the local customs. Haridwar is a vegetarian city, and meat and alcohol are not sold within its limits. Food on the yatra route is almost entirely vegetarian too.
Our Haridwar Ganga aarti guide explains timings and the best ghats for families.
Haridwar in 2027: Kumbh and the yatra season
The Haridwar Kumbh of 2027 is scheduled from 14 January to 20 April 2027, with Amrit Snans on 6 March, 8 March and 14 April. The Char Dham opening dates for 2027 are not announced yet. Badrinath’s date is declared on Basant Panchami (11 February) and Kedarnath’s on Mahashivratri (6 March); Gangotri and Yamunotri open around Akshaya Tritiya, expected in early May 2027. So in most years the yatra begins after the Kumbh ends, but if you plan a combined Kumbh snan and Char Dham, expect heavy crowds and traffic controls in Haridwar until 20 April. See our Haridwar Kumbh 2027 guide.
What it costs from Haridwar
The Haridwar departure is 11 days and 10 nights, priced from ₹50,000 per person. That covers twin or triple rooms throughout, including the night at Kedarnath, vegetarian breakfast and dinner, a private vehicle with driver, fuel, tolls, parking and state taxes, pickup and drop within Haridwar, help with the government registration, and our team on phone and WhatsApp for the whole yatra.
You will pay separately for getting to Haridwar, and on the route for lunches and snacks, ponies, palkis or porters at Yamunotri and Kedarnath, the shuttle jeep from Sonprayag to Gaurikund, any helicopter seat and special puja, along with insurance and GST.
Shorter yatras from Haridwar
If eleven days is too long, Haridwar is also the start of several shorter yatras:
- Do Dham Yatra to Kedarnath and Badrinath: 6 days, from ₹35,000 per person.
- Kedarnath Tungnath Yatra: 5 days, from ₹25,000 per person.
- Panch Prayag Yatra: 5 days along the five sacred confluences, from ₹25,000 per person.
How we can help
We are based in Dehradun, about an hour from Har Ki Pauri, and Haridwar is where our road Char Dham departure begins. Our 11-day Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar takes care of hotels, vehicle, driver and registration so that you can focus on darshan. Coming from Delhi? Our Delhi departure adds the plains journey. See all Char Dham yatras or read about the yatra in Hindi. To plan your dates, use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
How many days does the Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar take?
By road it takes about 11 days and 10 nights, returning to Haridwar on the last day. That allows two nights at Barkot for Yamunotri, two at Uttarkashi for Gangotri, a night at Kedarnath, a night at Badrinath, and nights at Guptkashi and Rudraprayag. A helicopter yatra from Dehradun, an hour away, takes about 6 days.
How far is Kedarnath from Haridwar?
It is about 230 to 240 km by road from Haridwar to Sonprayag via Rishikesh, Devprayag and Rudraprayag, usually eight to nine hours of driving. Private vehicles stop at Sonprayag; a shuttle jeep covers about 5 km to Gaurikund, and from there the walk to Kedarnath temple is about 16 km. On a Char Dham yatra you reach Kedarnath from Uttarkashi instead.
How far is Badrinath from Haridwar?
Badrinath is roughly 320 km from Haridwar on the Rishikesh–Badrinath highway, through Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Joshimath. It is a full day’s drive of ten to eleven hours, which is why most yatras break the journey. The road goes almost to the temple, so Badrinath needs very little walking.
Can I register for the Char Dham Yatra in Haridwar?
In 2026 the Uttarakhand government opened offline registration counters in Haridwar and Rishikesh on 17 April, after online registration began on 6 March. Counter arrangements for 2027 will be announced closer to the season. Online registration on registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in or the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app is easier, and we help all our yatris complete it.
Is a Ganga snan at Haridwar necessary before the Char Dham?
It is a widely followed tradition, not a rule. Many families bathe at Brahma Kund, Har Ki Pauri, take a sankalp for the yatra and attend the evening aarti on the first day. Our Haridwar itinerary keeps the first evening free for this. Use the chains and railings at the ghat, as the current is strong.
Should I start from Haridwar or Rishikesh?
Both work. Haridwar has more long-distance trains and the stronger tradition as the starting point. Rishikesh is 25 km further on and slightly closer to the hills. On the road to Yamunotri, vehicles from either city go via Dehradun and Mussoorie. Our road departure starts in Haridwar and returns through Rishikesh on the last day.
What is the price of the Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar?
From ₹50,000 per person for 11 days and 10 nights. The figure covers hotels, a night at Kedarnath, breakfast and dinner, your own vehicle and driver from Haridwar and back, permits and help with the government registration. Expect to pay separately on the route for lunches, ponies, palkis or porters, the shuttle jeep at Sonprayag, any helicopter seat and puja, plus insurance and GST.
Will the 2027 Kumbh affect a Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar?
The Haridwar Kumbh runs from 14 January to 20 April 2027, and the dhams are expected to open around early May, so most yatras will start after the mela. If your dates overlap, expect diversions, outer parking and crowded ghats, especially around the 14 April Amrit Snan. We can plan your Haridwar stay to avoid the worst days.
