Quick answer: A Do Dham yatra (Kedarnath and Badrinath) from Delhi takes about 8 days by road: half a day each way between Delhi and Haridwar or Dehradun, and six days in the mountains, including the 16 km Kedarnath walk and a night at each dham. By helicopter from Dehradun it can be done in 1 to 4 days, plus the 2.5-hour drive or one-hour flight from Delhi.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Do Dham is the yatra Delhi families choose when they want darshan of both Baba Kedar and Badri Vishal but cannot take two weeks off for the full Char Dham. Shiva at Kedarnath and Vishnu at Badrinath, in neighbouring valleys, make a complete pairing. From Delhi the question is not whether it can be done, but how to arrange the days so that elders are not exhausted and the weather does not catch you without a buffer.
Day-by-day Do Dham plan from Delhi (by road)
| Day | Route | Approx. distance / time | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (evening) | Delhi to Haridwar by train or road | Vande Bharat about 3.5 h; road 5 to 6 h | Haridwar |
| 1 | Haridwar to Guptkashi via Devprayag and Rudraprayag | About 205 km, 7 to 8 h | Guptkashi |
| 2 | Sonprayag, jeep to Gaurikund, walk to Kedarnath | About 16 km on foot, 6 to 8 h | Kedarnath |
| 3 | Darshan, walk down, back to Guptkashi | 4 to 6 h down + 1 to 1.5 h drive | Guptkashi |
| 4 | Guptkashi to Badrinath via Chamoli and Jyotirmath | About 200 km, 8 to 10 h | Badrinath |
| 5 | Tapt Kund, darshan, Mana village; drive down | About 160 km to Rudraprayag | Rudraprayag / Srinagar |
| 6 | Down to Haridwar; evening train or drive to Delhi | About 165 km to Haridwar, then 3.5 to 6 h | Home |
| 7 | Buffer day for landslides, weather or rest | – | – |
Distances are approximate and rounded. If you leave Delhi in the early morning instead of the evening before, you lose most of Day 1 and should add a night at Rishikesh or Haridwar.
Which order: Kedarnath first or Badrinath first?
Most yatras do Kedarnath first, for three reasons. Traditionally the dhams are visited from west to east, and Kedarnath comes before Badrinath. Practically, you do the hard walk while you are fresh. And Badrinath, reached by road almost to the temple, makes a gentle end to the yatra.
Some Delhi families reverse the order early in the season, when the top of the Kedarnath trail may still have snow. In 2026, Kedarnath opened on 22 April and Badrinath on 23 April. Either order works on the road; just do not plan to cross from one valley to the other in a single evening.
Do Dham by helicopter for Delhi families
If walking is not possible, there are two helicopter approaches from Delhi:
- Charter from Dehradun. Drive 2.5 hours up the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, which opened in April 2026, or fly an hour to Jolly Grant. Charter helicopters leave from Sahastradhara helidrome for Kedarnath (via a Sersi shuttle) and Badrinath. A four-day plan includes a night at each dham; a same-day plan returns to Dehradun by early afternoon.
- Road plus a Kedarnath shuttle seat. Do the road yatra above, but fly the Kedarnath leg from Guptkashi, Phata or Sersi on an IRCTC HeliYatra ticket. This saves the walk but not the road days, and seats sell out within hours of release.
All helicopter flying in Garhwal depends on weather. Keep at least one spare day for any helicopter plan. Our helicopter booking guide explains the rules and weight limits.
Road versus helicopter, side by side
- Days from Delhi: about 8 by road; 2 to 5 by charter including travel to and from Dehradun.
- Walking: about 16 km each way at Kedarnath by road (unless you take a pony, palki or shuttle seat); almost none by charter.
- Altitude: by road you rise gradually over two days; by charter you go from Dehradun to about 3,583 m in under an hour, which is harder on the body.
- Weather risk: roads close for landslides; helicopters ground for cloud. Both need buffers.
When to plan a Do Dham from Delhi
In 2026, Kedarnath is scheduled to close on 11 November and Badrinath on 16 November. The 2027 dates have not been announced; Badrinath’s will be declared on Basant Panchami (11 February 2027) and Kedarnath’s on Mahashivratri (6 March 2027).
- Mid-May to June: peak season, coinciding with Delhi summer holidays. Book rooms at Kedarnath and Badrinath as early as you can.
- July and August: the Guptkashi–Chamoli and Jyotirmath–Badrinath roads see frequent slides. Not recommended for seniors.
- September to early November: the best window for a two-dham yatra, as both valleys are dry and hotels have space. Watch the closing dates: in 2026 Kedarnath is scheduled to close five days before Badrinath.
Practical tips for Delhi yatris
- One registration per person, two dhams on it. When filling the state form, add Kedarnath and Badrinath with your planned dates. There is no fee.
- Plan for the 10 pm to 4 am hill driving ban. You cannot drive overnight from Delhi into the mountains; that is why the plan starts with a night in Haridwar.
- Pind daan at Brahma Kapal. Many Delhi families perform shraddh for their ancestors at Brahma Kapal on the Alaknanda at Badrinath. Settle the dakshina with the panda before starting.
- Mana village. Keep an hour or two for Vyas Gufa, Ganesh Gufa and Bheem Pul, about 3 to 4 km beyond Badrinath.
- Seniors aged 70 and above. In May 2026 the temple committee began special 15-minute darshan slots at both dhams for elderly and differently-abled yatris. Check whether these continue in 2027.
For a deeper look at each shrine, see our Kedarnath guide and Badrinath guide.
How we can help
Our Do Dham yatra by road from Haridwar runs 6 days (from ₹35,000 per person) with a night at Kedarnath and Badrinath; Delhi families simply take a train or car to Haridwar the evening before. For helicopter darshan, our 4-day Do Dham by helicopter from Dehradun (from ₹1,40,000 per person) and the same-day Do Dham by helicopter (from ₹1,30,000 per person) both start 2.5 hours from Delhi. If you are still deciding between two and four dhams, read Do Dham vs Char Dham or browse our Char Dham packages. Use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
How many days does a Do Dham yatra from Delhi take?
About 8 days by road: an evening journey to Haridwar, six days covering Kedarnath and Badrinath with a night at each, and one spare day for weather. By helicopter from Dehradun, it takes 1 to 4 days plus the journey from Delhi, which is about 2.5 hours on the new expressway or an hour by air.
What is the distance from Delhi to Kedarnath and Badrinath?
Roughly 450 to 480 km from Delhi to Gaurikund, the road head for Kedarnath, and about 530 to 550 km to Badrinath. The two dhams are about 200 to 230 km apart by road through Chamoli. A full road loop from Delhi to both and back is around 1,200 km of driving.
Should we visit Kedarnath or Badrinath first?
Kedarnath first is the usual and recommended order. It follows the traditional west-to-east sequence, you do the walk while still fresh, and Badrinath, reachable almost to the temple by road, is a gentle way to finish. Reversing it is possible, especially in early season when the top of the Kedarnath trail may still have snow.
Can we do Do Dham from Delhi in a weekend?
Only by charter helicopter and only in good weather. Drive or fly to Dehradun on Friday, take the same-day Do Dham helicopter on Saturday, and return on Sunday. By road, a weekend is far too short; the mountain portion alone takes six days.
Is a Do Dham yatra suitable for elderly parents from Delhi?
Yes, with planning. Badrinath has almost no walking. For Kedarnath, elders can use a pony, palki or helicopter seat. The long hill drives and cold nights are often more tiring than the walk itself, so keep a buffer day and get a medical check in Delhi first.
Is Char Dham registration needed for only two dhams?
Yes. Kedarnath and Badrinath are both Char Dham shrines, so registration on the Uttarakhand Tourism portal or app is compulsory for each yatri. Select both dhams when you register. It is free, and the QR letter is checked on the route, including at Sonprayag.
When will Kedarnath and Badrinath open in 2027?
Not announced yet. Badrinath’s opening date is declared on Basant Panchami, 11 February 2027, and Kedarnath’s on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027. In 2026 they opened on 23 April and 22 April respectively. We update our package pages once the dates are confirmed.