Quick answer: Badrinath is about 540 km from Delhi by road: roughly 220 km to Haridwar and another 320 km up the Ganga and Alaknanda valleys. There is no trek; the road reaches almost to the temple at about 3,133 m. Plan 5 to 6 days from Delhi and back, with night halts at Rudraprayag or Jyotirmath. Registration is compulsory and free.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Of the four Himalayan dhams, Badrinath is the one most Delhi families find within reach of every generation. Grandparents who cannot manage the Kedarnath climb can still have darshan of Badri Vishal, because the road runs to the town and the temple is a short walk from the parking. What makes it a serious yatra is the distance: two long days of mountain driving each way, along one of the most beautiful river roads in India.
Delhi to Badrinath: distance and route
| Stage | Approx. distance | Approx. time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi to Haridwar | 220 km | 3.5 h by Vande Bharat; 5 to 6 h by road | Or Delhi to Dehradun, 2.5 h on the new expressway |
| Haridwar to Rishikesh | 24 km | 45 min to 1 h | Last town in the plains |
| Rishikesh to Devprayag | 70 km | 2.5 h | First prayag; birth of the Ganga |
| Devprayag to Rudraprayag | 70 km | 2 to 2.5 h | Via Srinagar; common night halt |
| Rudraprayag to Jyotirmath (Joshimath) | 110 km | 4 h | Via Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli |
| Jyotirmath to Badrinath | 45 km | About 2 h | Narrow, landslide-prone; drive early |
The Uttarakhand Transport Department gives Rishikesh to Badrinath as about 297 km. With Delhi traffic and halts, most families take two days from Delhi to Badrinath and two days back. Vehicles are not allowed on hill roads between 10 pm and 4 am during the yatra.
How to travel from Delhi to the start point
- Train to Haridwar. The Vande Bharat from Anand Vihar and the Shatabdi from New Delhi reach Haridwar in roughly 3.5 to 5 hours, early enough to start the hill drive the next morning. Overnight trains are another option.
- By car via Meerut or the expressway. The road to Haridwar takes 5 to 6 hours. The Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, opened in April 2026, reaches Dehradun in about 2.5 hours; from there Rishikesh is an hour.
- Fly to Dehradun. About an hour from Delhi. Jolly Grant airport is close to Rishikesh, so you can begin the mountain drive the same day if you land early.
If you drive your own car from Delhi, remember that the stretch beyond Jyotirmath has tight bends and occasional single-lane sections. Many Delhi families prefer to leave the car in Haridwar or Dehradun and travel with a local hill driver.
A 5-day Badrinath plan from Delhi
- Day 0 (evening): train or car to Haridwar. Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri if you arrive in time.
- Day 1: Haridwar to Rudraprayag via Devprayag, about 165 km. Night at Rudraprayag or Srinagar.
- Day 2: Rudraprayag to Badrinath via Karnaprayag, Nandprayag and Jyotirmath. Evening Tapt Kund bath and darshan, then the evening aarti.
- Day 3: early darshan, Brahma Kapal, and Mana village (Vyas Gufa, Ganesh Gufa, Bheem Pul). Drive down to Jyotirmath for Narsingh temple, the winter seat of Badri Vishal, or continue to Rudraprayag.
- Day 4: back to Haridwar by evening; train or drive to Delhi, or stay the night.
A gentler six-day plan sleeps at Jyotirmath on the way up, which gives elders a night at about 1,900 m before Badrinath. That is the idea behind our Badrinath yatra with two nights at Jyotirmath.
What to do at Badrinath
- Tapt Kund. The natural hot spring below the temple, where yatris bathe before darshan. The water is hot; enter slowly.
- Darshan of Badri Vishal. The black stone murti of Badri Narayan seated in meditation. The temple opens very early for the morning pujas; general darshan usually runs morning to noon and again from afternoon to the night aarti. Timings change on festival days, so check locally.
- Brahma Kapal. A rock on the Alaknanda bank where families offer pind daan for their ancestors.
- Mana village. About 3 to 4 km beyond Badrinath, signposted as the first village of India, with Vyas Gufa and Bheem Pul over the Saraswati.
Our Badrinath yatra guide covers each step, the puja booking system and the special darshan slots that the temple committee started in May 2026 for yatris above 70 and the differently-abled.
When to go from Delhi
In 2026 Badrinath opened on 23 April and is scheduled to close on 16 November at 9:37 pm, after five days of Panch Puja from 12 November. The 2027 opening date has not been announced; it is fixed every year on Basant Panchami at the Narendra Nagar palace, and Basant Panchami falls on 11 February 2027.
- May and June: Delhi’s hottest weeks and school holidays, so Badrinath is at its busiest. Rooms fill early.
- July and August: rain-loosened slopes near Pipalkoti, Helang and above Jyotirmath often hold up traffic for hours. Families with grandparents should skip these weeks.
- September to mid-November: after the rains the Neelkanth peak behind the temple is usually visible, and the town is calmer. The closing weeks bring frosty mornings.
Practical tips for Delhi yatris
- Registration. Badrinath counts as a Char Dham shrine, so even a single-dham yatra needs the free Uttarakhand registration for each family member. Do it from Delhi on the state tourism portal a few days ahead; the registration guide walks you through it.
- Warm clothes even in June. Delhi may be at 45°C when you leave, but Badrinath evenings are cold and rooms have no central heating.
- Motion sickness. The road has thousands of bends. Sit in front, eat light, and keep ginger or lemon sweets handy.
- Helicopter shuttle. In 2026 a helicopter shuttle between Gauchar and Badrinath was introduced, reported at ₹22,000 per person. Check whether it runs in 2027 and on what terms before planning around it.
- Add Kedarnath or Hemkund Sahib. Kedarnath adds two to three days; Hemkund Sahib, reached from Govindghat below Badrinath, adds two days and is a steep trek.
How we can help
Our Badrinath Dham yatra is a 4-day road plan from Haridwar (from ₹22,000 per person) with nights at Rudraprayag and Badrinath; Delhi families come up to Haridwar the evening before. For a gentler pace, the Badrinath yatra with Joshimath (4 days from Haridwar, price on request) breaks the climb with two nights at Jyotirmath. Devotees who want the five Badri shrines can choose the Panch Badri yatra (5 days, from ₹50,000 per person), and those adding Kedarnath can take the Do Dham road yatra. See our Bada Char Dham packages or the Badrinath page in Hindi. Use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
How far is Badrinath from Delhi?
About 540 km by road. That is roughly 220 km from Delhi to Haridwar and about 320 km from Haridwar to Badrinath, through Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Jyotirmath. The mountain part alone takes two days of driving each way for most families, with a night halt at Rudraprayag, Srinagar or Jyotirmath.
How many days do I need for Badrinath from Delhi?
Five days is comfortable: an evening journey to Haridwar, two days up, a morning at Badrinath and Mana, and two days down. Six days is better with elders, adding a night at Jyotirmath before Badrinath. If you also want Kedarnath, plan about eight days.
Is there any trek to reach Badrinath?
No. The road goes up to Badrinath town, and the temple is a short walk from the parking area, with some steps. Mana village, 3 to 4 km away, involves gentle walking on uneven paths. This makes Badrinath suitable for most senior citizens who are otherwise in reasonable health.
Can I drive my own car from Delhi to Badrinath?
Yes, private cars are allowed, but the road has continuous bends, and the 45 km beyond Jyotirmath is narrow and landslide-prone. Driving is not allowed on hill roads from 10 pm to 4 am. Drivers new to mountains often find it tiring; a local hill driver is safer and lets everyone rest.
When will Badrinath open in 2027?
The date has not been announced yet. It is fixed every year on Basant Panchami at the Narendra Nagar palace in Tehri; in 2027 Basant Panchami falls on 11 February. In 2026 the temple opened on 23 April and is scheduled to close on 16 November. We update our pages once the 2027 date is declared.
Is there a helicopter from Delhi to Badrinath?
There is no scheduled helicopter from Delhi. Charter helicopters fly to Badrinath from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara helidrome, usually as part of Do Dham or Char Dham packages. In 2026 a shuttle between Gauchar and Badrinath was also introduced. Check current services before planning around them.
What is the best time to visit Badrinath from Delhi?
May to June and September to mid-November. May and June are busiest because of Delhi school holidays. July and August bring monsoon landslides on the Chamoli and Badrinath roads. Autumn, after the rains, has the clearest views and fewer yatris, though nights are cold.