Bada Char Dham

Bada Char Dham Yatra at a glance

The Bada Char Dham are four sacred dhams at the four ends of India: Badrinath in the north (Uttarakhand), Dwarka in the west (Gujarat), Jagannath Puri in the east (Odisha) and Rameswaram in the south (Tamil Nadu). Tradition links them with Adi Shankaracharya. Three are open all year; Badrinath opens only from about late April to November. Each dham takes 3 to 4 days from its nearest city, and most families complete the four over separate yatras. None needs trekking. We organise each dham from Dehradun with stays, vehicle and darshan guidance.

Which Bada Char Dham yatra is right for you?

Start with whichever dham is closest to home or fits the season. Badrinath must be done between its opening in spring and closing in November, so plan it first if your window is summer. Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram are best from October to March, when the coast is cooler. Senior citizens should choose the Badrinath yatra with two nights at Joshimath, which makes the climb to altitude gentler.

Prices are per person on sharing basis and vary with group size, hotel category and season. Temple tickets, boat fares and personal pujas are paid directly. Full inclusions are on each package page.

The four dhams compared

Do not confuse the Bada Char Dham with the Uttarakhand Char Dham of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. For that Himalayan circuit, see our Char Dham Yatra packages.

Badrinath: dates, registration and altitude

In 2026 Badrinath opened on 23 April and is due to close for winter on 16 November 2026 at 9:37 pm, as announced on Vijayadashami. The 2027 opening date has not been announced; by custom it is declared on Basant Panchami early in 2027. Every yatri must register on the Uttarakhand Tourism registration portal (registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in) or its app before travelling, and we complete this for you. Badrinath is at about 3,100 m, roughly 300 km by hill road from Haridwar, so a night at Joshimath on the way up is kind to older bodies. Our Badrinath yatra guide covers aarti timings, Tapt Kund and Mana village in detail.

Dwarka: Dwarkadhish, Bet Dwarka and Nageshwar

The Dwarkadhish temple stands on the Gomti creek, where yatris bathe at Gomti ghat before darshan. Darshan usually runs from about 6:30 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9:30 pm, with mangla aarti at dawn; timings change on festival days. Phones and cameras are deposited before entry. Bet Dwarka island is now reached by the Sudarshan Setu, a 2.32 km bridge from Okha opened in February 2024, as well as by the old ferry. The same yatra covers Nageshwar, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, and the Rukmini Devi temple. Janmashtami brings very large crowds and higher hotel rates.

Jagannath Puri: darshan rules and Rath Yatra 2027

Entry to the Jagannath temple is for Hindus only, and mobile phones, cameras and leather items are not allowed inside; deposit counters operate near the Lion Gate (Singhadwar). Eating the Mahaprasad from Ananda Bazar, cooked in earthen pots in the temple kitchen, is part of the yatra. Rath Yatra 2027 is scheduled for 5 July 2027, with the Bahuda (return) Yatra on 13 July, according to dates released for the Odisha government's preparations. Expect very heavy crowds, road closures and higher hotel rates around those days. For a longer Odisha yatra with Konark, Lingaraj and Biraja Devi, see our East India yatras.

Rameswaram: the 22 theertham snan and Dhanushkodi

At Ramanathaswamy temple yatris first bathe in the sea at Agni Theertham, then receive water from the 22 theertham wells inside the temple before Jyotirlinga darshan. Carry a change of clothes, because wet clothes are not allowed into the inner temple. The temple is open roughly 5 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 9 pm. Traditional dress is expected, and shorts are turned away. Dhanushkodi and Arichal Munai, about 20 km away, are reached by road, which can close during cyclone alerts. For more temples in the south, browse our South India yatras.

What we arrange

• Private vehicle with a driver who knows the temple towns, from arrival to departure.
• Hotel stays close to the temple wherever possible, so early darshan is easy for seniors.
• Vegetarian meals, and guidance on aarti times, dress code and what to deposit.
• Char Dham registration for Badrinath, and help with darshan tickets where a temple offers them.
• Buffer time on the hill road to Badrinath, where landslides can hold traffic for hours.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Bada Char Dham?

The Bada Char Dham are Badrinath in Uttarakhand, Dwarka in Gujarat, Jagannath Puri in Odisha and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, one at each end of India. Three are Vishnu dhams and Rameswaram is a Shiva Jyotirlinga. Tradition credits Adi Shankaracharya with bringing them together as a single pilgrimage for all of Bharat.

How many days does the Bada Char Dham Yatra take?

Each dham takes 3 to 4 days from its nearest city, so all four together need about 14 to 16 days of travel plus flights or trains between regions. Most families complete them over two to four separate yatras, often fitting Badrinath into the summer season and the three coastal dhams into the cooler months.

Is Bada Char Dham different from the Char Dham Yatra?

Yes. The Char Dham Yatra usually means the Uttarakhand circuit of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the Himalaya. The Bada Char Dham are the four all-India dhams of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. Badrinath is the only dham common to both.

When does Badrinath open in 2027?

The 2027 opening date has not been announced yet. It is traditionally fixed on Basant Panchami, in early 2027, at Narendranagar. In 2026 the temple opened on 23 April and is due to close on 16 November. We confirm the date to everyone who has enquired as soon as it is declared.

Can non-Hindus visit the Jagannath temple in Puri?

No. Entry to the Jagannath temple is restricted to Hindus, and this is checked at the gates. Non-Hindu members of a group can view the temple from outside, for example from nearby rooftops and platforms, and can join the rest of the yatra, including Konark and the beach.

What is the best time for the Bada Char Dham Yatra?

For Badrinath, May to June and mid-September to October are the most comfortable, avoiding the heaviest monsoon. For Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram, October to March is best, as April to June is very hot. Festival days such as Janmashtami at Dwarka and Rath Yatra at Puri are special but very crowded.

Is the Bada Char Dham suitable for senior citizens?

Yes. None of the four dhams needs trekking, and Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram are at sea level. The main challenges are queues, heat on the coast, and altitude and long hill drives for Badrinath. Choose the Joshimath route for Badrinath, travel in the cooler months, and keep medicines and water handy in queues.

To plan one dham or all four, use the enquiry form on this page or call or WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page). Read about Badrinath in Hindi: बद्रीनाथ यात्रा.