Kedarnath Tungnath Yatra

Highlights & Route

Kedarnath and Tungnath are the two most visited of the five Panch Kedar shrines, and they sit close enough to each other that a family can offer prayers at both inside a single working week. Kedarnath, at roughly 3,580 metres in the Mandakini valley, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and a Char Dham temple. Tungnath, above the meadows of Chopta in the neighbouring valley, stands at about 3,680 metres and is counted among the highest Shiva temples anywhere. According to the Panch Kedar tradition, the hump of Lord Shiva in his bull form is worshipped at Kedarnath and the arms at Tungnath.

This five-day plan from Haridwar keeps the driving sensible. The first day brings you up the Alaknanda and Mandakini valleys to Guptkashi. Day two is the walk to Kedarnath, with a night at the shrine so that you can attend the evening aarti and have an unhurried morning darshan. After returning to Guptkashi, the fourth day moves to Chopta for the Tungnath climb, and the last day is the drive back to the plains. Our driver, your rooms and two vegetarian meals a day are all taken care of.

Both temples close for the winter. Kedarnath opened on 22 April and closes on 11 November in 2026, and Tungnath follows a similar pattern with its deity moving to Mukkumath for the cold months. The 2027 dates will be announced by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee a few weeks before the season, and we will update this page as soon as they are official. May, June and the weeks after mid-September are the most comfortable times to travel.

Route

Haridwar → Devprayag → Rudraprayag → Guptkashi → Sonprayag → Gaurikund → Kedarnath → Gaurikund → Guptkashi → Ukhimath → Chopta → Tungnath → Chopta → Rudraprayag → Haridwar

Good to know before you book

• The Kedarnath walk is about 16 km each way from Gaurikund, mostly uphill. Ponies, palkis and pithus are available at Gaurikund at your own cost, and helicopter seats can be booked separately through IRCTC’s official heli portal.
• Every yatri must register in advance on the Uttarakhand Government’s Char Dham registration portal. We guide you through it and check the details before you travel.
• Tungnath is a 3.5 km climb from Chopta on a paved path. Fit yatris can continue another 1.5 km to the Chandrashila summit for a view of Nanda Devi, Trishul and Chaukhamba on a clear morning.
• Phone network is weak to absent at Kedarnath and Chopta. Tell family in advance that you may be unreachable for a day or two.
• Nights are cold at Kedarnath and Chopta even in June. Pack a warm jacket, cap, gloves and a rain cover.
• July and August bring heavy monsoon rain and the chance of roadblocks on the Rudraprayag–Guptkashi stretch; we do not recommend these months for elderly travellers.