Char Dham Opening Date 2027 (Expected 9–14 May) and Closing Dates

Facts checked November 2026.

Every year the doors (kapat) of the four dhams of Uttarakhand open in spring and close as winter arrives. The dates are not fixed on the calendar. They are worked out from the Hindu panchang by priests and temple committees, and each one is announced on a set festival. This page puts all four dhams side by side: the latest dates, when each new date is announced, and where to have darshan in winter.

For year-by-year dates and the full story of each dham, see our separate pages for Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

This page is part of our Char Dham Yatra Places and Route Map guide. Planning the yatra? See our Char Dham yatra packages.

What are the Char Dham opening and closing dates this season?

These are the official dates for the 2026 season. Some of the dhams have now closed for winter; the closing dates and times below were announced by the temple committees.

The season ends with Badrinath, which has closed last of the four in every recent year.

How are the opening and closing dates decided?

In short, two dhams follow fixed festivals and two have their dates worked out from the panchang each year:

• Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya. Gangotri closes on Annakut (Govardhan Puja) and Yamunotri on Bhai Dooj. Only the time (muhurat) is worked out each year: in spring for the opening, and around Vijayadashami for the closing. Details: Gangotri dates, Yamunotri dates.
• Kedarnath: the opening date is declared on Mahashivratri at Omkareshwar temple, Ukhimath. It closes on Bhai Dooj, at a time given by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC). Details: Kedarnath dates.
• Badrinath: the opening date is declared on Basant Panchami at the Tehri royal court in Narendranagar. The closing date is fixed on Vijayadashami at the Badrinath temple. Details: Badrinath dates.

When will the Char Dham open next year?

The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. No one can confirm them before the announcements listed here. Below are the 2027 festival dates (Drik Panchang, New Delhi) and our estimate based on past seasons.

Expected 2027 dates (estimate)

These are estimates only, not confirmed dates. Use them for rough planning, not for tickets you cannot cancel.

How we made the Kedarnath and Badrinath estimates: from 2022 to 2026, Kedarnath opened on Akshaya Tritiya or up to 3 days after it, and Badrinath 2 to 5 days after it. Applied to Akshaya Tritiya on 9 May 2027, that gives about 9–12 May for Kedarnath and 11–14 May for Badrinath. Badrinath has closed between 16 and 25 November in the same years. The year-by-year tables are on each dham page linked above. Festival dates can differ by a day depending on the panchang followed. We will update this page the same day each official date is announced. Our yatra calendar for 2027 tracks every announcement in one place.

When does Char Dham registration open?

Registration is compulsory for the Char Dham yatra, and the Uttarakhand government announces the start date each year. For the 2026 season, online registration opened at 7 am on 6 March 2026 on the official portal, registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, and the official app. Offline counters, including those at Haridwar and Rishikesh, opened on 17 April 2026, two days before the yatra began. The 2027 registration date has not been announced. Step-by-step help is in our Char Dham registration guide.

Where can you have darshan when the dhams are closed?

When the doors close, the deity’s utsav murti (festival idol) is carried in a doli (palanquin) to a winter seat lower in the valley. Puja continues there all winter, so you can still have darshan.

For the 2026 season, Baba Kedar’s doli is due to reach Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath on 13 November. Read more in our guide to winter Char Dham darshan.

What about other Uttarakhand shrines?

Pilgrims often combine the Char Dham with these shrines. These are the 2026 dates we could confirm:

• Hemkund Sahib: the yatra began on 23 May 2026, and the Gurudwara Trust fixed 10 October 2026 as its closing date.
• Tungnath (third Kedar): closed on 6 November 2026; winter seat at Makkumath.
• Madhmaheshwar (second Kedar): due to close on 16 November 2026; the doli is due at Omkareshwar temple, Ukhimath on 19 November.
• Rudranath (fourth Kedar): opened on 18 May 2026 and closed for winter on 17 October 2026; in winter, darshan is at Gopinath temple, Gopeshwar.

Which is the best time to go within the season?

Weather in the mountains changes from month to month, and the monsoon months need extra care. Our best time for Char Dham yatra guide explains each month in simple terms. If you are aiming for the opening or closing days, expect large crowds and cold mornings. Keep a day or two spare in your plan.

How Yatra To Temples can help

We are a dharmik yatra organiser in Uttarakhand, and we plan our departures around these official dates.

• Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar: the road yatra starts and ends at Haridwar.
• Char Dham Helicopter Yatra from Dehradun: for pilgrims short on time, starting from the Dehradun helipad.
• All Char Dham yatras: compare every option in one place.

Call or WhatsApp us, or send an enquiry, and we will tell you the latest confirmed dates before you book.

Related guides: Also read Hemkund Sahib opening and closing date.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Char Dham yatra 2026 start?

The yatra began on 19 April 2026, Akshaya Tritiya, when Gangotri and Yamunotri opened. Kedarnath opened on 22 April and Badrinath on 23 April.

What is the Char Dham closing date in 2026?

The closings were on 10 November (Gangotri, 12:05 pm), 11 November (Yamunotri at 10:28 am and Kedarnath at 8:30 am) and 16 November (Badrinath, 9:37 pm).

Has the Kedarnath opening date for 2027 been announced?

No. The Kedarnath date is due on Mahashivratri (6 March 2027) at Ukhimath. Until then we only have an estimate of roughly 9 to 12 May 2027.

When will the Badrinath opening date for 2027 be announced?

On Basant Panchami, 11 February 2027, at the royal court in Narendranagar. We will update this page that day.

Why are the dates different every year?

The dates are tied to Hindu festivals, and those festivals follow the lunar panchang. Akshaya Tritiya, for example, fell on 10 May in 2024, 30 April in 2025 and 19 April in 2026, so the openings moved with it.

Can I visit the Char Dham after the doors close?

The main temples stay closed through winter, but you can have darshan at the winter seats: Mukhba, Kharsali, Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath, and Pandukeshwar and Jyotirmath for Badrinath.

Should I book before the dates are announced?

You can start planning, but fix your travel dates only after the official announcement. Our team can hold an enquiry and confirm once the dates are out.

When will the Char Dham Yatra start in 2027?

The 2027 dates are not announced yet. The yatra starts when Gangotri and Yamunotri open on Akshaya Tritiya, expected 9 May 2027 (estimate). Kedarnath is expected roughly 9–12 May and Badrinath roughly 11–14 May (estimates). Badrinath’s date is announced on Basant Panchami, 11 February 2027, and Kedarnath’s on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027.

Which Char Dham temple opens first?

Gangotri and Yamunotri open first, together on Akshaya Tritiya, and Kedarnath and Badrinath follow a few days later. In 2026 Gangotri and Yamunotri opened on 19 April, Kedarnath on 22 April and Badrinath on 23 April. Kedarnath’s date is announced on Mahashivratri and Badrinath’s on Basant Panchami. See our Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar.

Related guide: see what is open and closed in the Char Dham now.

Travelling from abroad? This Char Dham Yatra guide for foreign visitors explains registration, routes and tips in simple English.