Quick answer: From Dehradun, Kedarnath is about 250 km by road to Gaurikund via Rishikesh, Devprayag and Rudraprayag, followed by a walk of roughly 16 km to the temple. Most families need 4 days: drive to Guptkashi, walk up and stay at Kedarnath, walk down, and drive home. By helicopter from Sahastradhara, darshan can be done in a single day when the weather allows.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Dehradun is where we live and work, so this is the route we know best. It is also one of the easiest starting points for Kedarnath. You have an airport with direct flights from most big cities, a railway station with fast trains from Delhi, and the city’s own helidrome at Sahastradhara for helicopter yatras. Within an hour of leaving the city you are at Rishikesh and the Ganga, and from there the road climbs steadily into Garhwal.
Dehradun to Kedarnath: the route, stage by stage
The Rudraprayag district administration gives the distance from Jolly Grant airport to Kedarnath as about 250 km. Here is how that breaks down on the ground:
| Stage | Approx. distance | Approx. time | What you pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehradun city to Rishikesh | 45 km | 1 to 1.5 hours | Doiwala, Jolly Grant airport, Raiwala or the Bhaniyawala road |
| Rishikesh to Devprayag | 70 km | 2.5 hours | Shivpuri, Byasi; the Ganga gorge |
| Devprayag to Rudraprayag | 70 km | 2 to 2.5 hours | Srinagar (Garhwal), Dhari Devi temple |
| Rudraprayag to Guptkashi | 40 km | 1.5 hours | Agastmuni, Kund; the Mandakini valley |
| Guptkashi to Sonprayag | 30 km | 1 to 1.5 hours | Phata and Sitapur, where many helipads and hotels are |
| Sonprayag to Gaurikund | 5 km | 20 to 40 minutes incl. queue | Shared local jeep only; private vehicles stop |
| Gaurikund to Kedarnath | About 16 km on foot | 6 to 8 hours up | Jungle Chatti, Bheembali, Linchauli, Base Camp |
Distances are rounded and road works keep changing them a little. The total driving day from Dehradun to Guptkashi is usually 8 to 9 hours with stops. On busy weekends in May the stretch between Rishikesh and Srinagar can add an hour or more.
Our 4-day Kedarnath plan from Dehradun
- Day 1, Dehradun to Guptkashi. Pickup from the airport, railway station or your hotel. Halt at Devprayag to see the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda become the Ganga, and at Rudraprayag where the Mandakini joins. Night at Guptkashi.
- Day 2, the walk to Kedarnath. An early start to Sonprayag, shared jeep to Gaurikund, and the climb. Evening aarti if you reach in time. Night at Kedarnath in a guesthouse or camp.
- Day 3, darshan and descent. Morning darshan, when lines are often shorter. Bhairavnath temple and Adi Shankaracharya’s samadhi if you have energy. Walk down and drive back to Guptkashi.
- Day 4, back to Dehradun. A long downhill drive; you reach the city by evening.
This is the itinerary of our own Kedarnath package. If someone in your group is slow on climbs, we often suggest adding a night at Guptkashi before the walk, so that the body settles at about 1,300 m before going above 3,500 m.
Kedarnath by helicopter from Dehradun
There are two quite different helicopter options, and people often mix them up.
- Shuttle seats from Guptkashi, Phata or Sersi. These are the government-regulated seats sold only on IRCTC HeliYatra. You still drive from Dehradun to the helipad (a full day), then fly about 7 to 10 minutes to Kedarnath. Your Char Dham registration number is needed to book.
- Charter from Sahastradhara helidrome, Dehradun. A charter helicopter flies from the city to Sersi, and a short shuttle takes you to Kedarnath. This is how same-day and multi-day Do Dham and Char Dham helicopter yatras work. It depends fully on the weather, has a body-weight limit set by the operator, and allows only a small bag.
Read our Kedarnath helicopter booking guide before paying anyone. Fake booking sites appear every season.
When to go from Dehradun
Kedarnath opened on 22 April 2026 and closes for winter on 11 November 2026, Bhai Dooj, at 8:30 am. After that, Baba Kedar’s doli is taken to the Omkareshwar temple at Ukhimath for the winter puja. The 2027 date will be announced on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027.
For Doon families, the weeks right after opening and the period from mid-September to the end of October are the most pleasant. In July and August, the same rain that keeps Dehradun green brings landslides between Rudraprayag and Sonprayag. The Kedarnath trail itself was stopped for a time on 22 July 2026 when debris fell near Chhodi above Gaurikund.
Registration, pickup points and practical notes
- Registration. Doon residents are not exempt. Each yatri needs the free state registration, and police scan the QR letter at Sonprayag before letting you take the jeep. Our registration guide has screenshots.
- Pickup. Jolly Grant airport is about 25 km from the city centre and actually on the way to Rishikesh, so arriving by flight saves time. Dehradun railway station and the ISBT on Haridwar Road are the usual city pickups.
- Night driving. Vehicles are not allowed on hill roads between 10 pm and 4 am in the yatra season. This is why we leave Dehradun early in the morning, not at night.
- Before you leave the city. Many local families begin with a visit to Tapkeshwar Mahadev or a prayer at home, and pick up woollens, rain ponchos and walking sticks from Paltan Bazaar, where they cost less than up in the hills.
- Climate. Dehradun in May touches the high 30s. Kedarnath the same night can be close to zero. Pack layers, not one heavy coat.
- Medicines. Carry your own regular medicines, ORS and a basic first-aid kit. Pharmacies thin out above Guptkashi.
Is a Dehradun start right for you?
Choose Dehradun if you are flying in, if you want a helicopter yatra, or if you are coming up the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, which opened in April 2026 and brings the city within about 2.5 hours of Delhi. Haridwar suits yatris who arrive by long-distance train and want a Ganga snan at Har Ki Pauri before setting out. Rishikesh is closest of all. Our pages on Kedarnath from Haridwar and Kedarnath from Rishikesh compare those starts.
How we can help
Our Kedarnath yatra from Dehradun is 4 days and 3 nights, from ₹20,000 per person, with a private vehicle, two nights at Guptkashi, one at Kedarnath, vegetarian breakfast and dinner, and registration help. For those who cannot walk, the Do Dham by helicopter from Dehradun (4 days, from ₹1,40,000 per person) includes a night at Kedarnath and one at Badrinath, while the same-day helicopter Do Dham (from ₹1,30,000 per person) returns to Dehradun by early afternoon. All options are on our Kedarnath packages page, and the trek route guide explains the walk kilometre by kilometre. Use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kedarnath from Dehradun?
About 250 km by road from Jolly Grant airport to Kedarnath, as given by the Rudraprayag district administration. In practice that means roughly 220 to 230 km of driving to Guptkashi, 30 km more to Sonprayag, a 5 km shared jeep to Gaurikund, and about 16 km on foot to the temple. Expect 8 to 9 hours of driving from the city to Guptkashi.
Can I go from Dehradun to Kedarnath and back in one day?
Only by helicopter. A charter from Sahastradhara flies to Sersi, and a shuttle takes you up to Kedarnath, so darshan at Kedarnath and return can fit into a single day when the skies are clear. By road and on foot, going up and coming back needs at least 3 to 4 days, because the drive and the climb each take most of a day.
Which is better for Kedarnath, Dehradun or Haridwar?
Both are good starts on the same road, joining at Rishikesh. Dehradun is better if you fly in, want a helicopter yatra from Sahastradhara, or drive up the new Delhi expressway. Haridwar is better if you arrive by long-distance train or want a Ganga snan before setting out. The mountain drive beyond Rishikesh is the same.
Where does the Kedarnath helicopter leave from in Dehradun?
Charter helicopters leave from Sahastradhara helidrome, on the north-eastern side of the city. They land at Sersi near Sonprayag, and a small shuttle takes yatris up to Kedarnath. The government shuttle seats sold on IRCTC HeliYatra do not leave from Dehradun; they fly from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi, which you reach by road.
How many days does the Kedarnath yatra from Dehradun take?
Four days and three nights is the standard plan: drive to Guptkashi, walk up and stay at Kedarnath, walk down to Guptkashi, and return. Add a fifth day if your group includes seniors, if you travel in late June or September when weather can turn, or if you want to visit Triyuginarayan or Tungnath.
Is registration needed even for Dehradun residents?
Yes. Uttarakhand residents also register. Registration is compulsory and free for every Char Dham yatri, done on the Uttarakhand Tourism portal or the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app. The QR-coded letter is checked at Sonprayag before you go up, and the helicopter booking on IRCTC also needs the registration number.
What is the best time to start from Dehradun?
Leave the city by 5 or 6 am. That gets you through Rishikesh before traffic builds and to Guptkashi by afternoon, well before the 10 pm to 4 am hill driving ban. For the season, the weeks after opening and mid-September to October are most comfortable. July and August bring landslide risk.