Kedarnath Opening Date 2027 (Expected 9–12 May) and Closing Date

Facts checked November 2026.

Every yatri planning Kedarnath asks the same first question: when do the kapat (temple doors) open, and when do they close? The dates change every year because they follow the Hindu panchang, not the English calendar. Here you will find how Baba Kedar’s dates are fixed, the dates of recent seasons, and when the next announcement is due. For all four dhams on one page, see our Char Dham opening and closing dates.

This page is part of our Kedarnath Yatra Guide. Planning the yatra? See our Kedarnath yatra packages.

When does Kedarnath open? Dates for 2026 and 2027

In the 2026 season, the kapat of Kedarnath Dham opened on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, at 8 am, with Vedic chanting and the first puja of the year. Before that, Baba Kedar’s Panchmukhi doli (the palanquin carrying the festival idol) left Ukhimath on 19 April, reached Gaurikund on 20 April and arrived at the Dham on 21 April.

Kedarnath opening date 2027: not announced yet. The official date will be declared on Mahashivratri, Saturday, 6 March 2027. Until then, here is a careful estimate, clearly marked as one:

• Expected: around 9–12 May 2027 (estimate based on Akshaya Tritiya falling on 9 May 2027, and on the past five seasons, when Kedarnath opened on Akshaya Tritiya or up to three days after it; the official date is announced on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027).

Please do not lock non-refundable train or flight tickets on this estimate. Wait for the Mahashivratri announcement.

When does Kedarnath close?

Kedarnath closed for winter on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at 8:30 am, on Bhai Dooj. After the closing rituals, Baba Kedar’s doli was scheduled to leave the Dham the same day and reach Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath on 13 November.

Bhai Dooj has been the closing day in recent seasons too: 3 November 2024 and 23 October 2025, both at 8:30 am. On that pattern, the expected closing for 2027 is around Bhai Dooj, 31 October 2027. This is an estimate; the exact date and time are confirmed by the temple committee each autumn.

How is the opening date decided?

Kedarnath’s opening date is not set by any office or calendar. It is worked out from the panchang by the temple’s acharyas and announced on Mahashivratri at the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath, where Baba Kedar sits through the winter. On Mahashivratri 2026 (15 February), the date and the muhurat (auspicious time) were declared there after the panchang calculations, and the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) shared the schedule.

The same announcement also sets the doli programme: the day the doli leaves Ukhimath and where it stops on the way up. The opening usually falls a few days after Akshaya Tritiya, the day Gangotri and Yamunotri open and the Char Dham yatra season formally begins.

The closing is simpler. Kedarnath closes on Bhai Dooj, the day after Govardhan puja in the Diwali week. The exact time comes from the temple committee in the autumn. In 2026 the Rudraprayag district administration announced the 11 November date on 27 October, with the 8:30 am time given by the BKTC.

Kedarnath opening and closing dates by year

These dates are taken from official or news reports of each season. Where a time was not clearly reported, we have left it out rather than guess.

For the dates of the other three dhams in the same years, see the Char Dham dates overview. Two things stand out in this table. First, the opening has moved between late April and the second week of May, so “Kedarnath opens in May” is only sometimes true. Second, the season length changes a lot: in 2025 the doors closed on 23 October, while in 2023 they stayed open until 15 November.

Where is Baba Kedar worshipped in winter?

When the Dham closes, Baba Kedar’s Panchmukhi utsav idol is carried down in the doli to the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath (Rudraprayag district). Daily puja continues there through the winter, and families can have darshan without any trek. Ukhimath is also the winter seat of Madhmaheshwar, one of the Panch Kedar. In 2026 its doli is due at Omkareshwar temple on 19 November, six days after Baba Kedar’s.

The Kedarnath temple itself stays shut under snow until the next opening. If your family wants to travel in winter, read our winter Char Dham darshan update for the winter seats of all four Dhams.

Planning around the dates

Book after the announcement

The Mahashivratri announcement is the moment to start firm planning. Before it, any date you see online is a guess. After it, train and flight seats for the first fortnight fill quickly, so decide your dates within a few days.

Registration comes before the yatra

No yatri can go up to Kedarnath without registering with the Uttarakhand tourism department first. The registration window usually opens a few weeks ahead of the kapat opening. Our Kedarnath registration guide explains the steps.

First week: devotion and crowds

The opening days draw very large crowds who want the first darshan of the season, and snow walls can still line parts of the trek. If you have elderly parents with you, the second or third week is often calmer.

Last weeks: clear skies, cold nights

October and early November bring clear views but freezing nights at the Dham. Carry proper woollens. Our Kedarnath weather and best time guide goes month by month.

Helicopter and doli services

Helicopter services from the Phata–Sersi–Guptkashi area run only during the yatra season, and bookings open on the official booking portal once the dates are fixed. Pony, palki and pithu (porter) services on the trek also follow the temple’s season. For the full route, read our Kedarnath yatra guide.

For this year’s closing ceremony details, see our Kedarnath kapat closing 2026 update.

How Yatra To Temples can help

We plan Kedarnath yatras around the official dates, so your family is not caught by a closed road or a full helipad. Once the 2027 date is announced, we can help with registration, stays near Gaurikund or Sonprayag, and the trek or helicopter plan. See our Kedarnath yatra package or browse all Kedarnath yatras, then call or WhatsApp us with your preferred month.

Related guides: Also read Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath (Kedarnath winter darshan).

Frequently asked questions

When will Kedarnath open in 2027?

The 2027 date has not been announced. Expected: around 9–12 May 2027, an estimate based on Akshaya Tritiya (9 May 2027) and the last five seasons. The official date will be announced on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027, and we will update this page the same day.

Who announces the Kedarnath opening date?

The date and muhurat are announced at Omkareshwar temple, Ukhimath, on Mahashivratri, after the temple’s priests consult the panchang. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee then publishes the full schedule, including the doli’s journey.

What time do the Kedarnath doors open and close?

It changes each year. In 2024 and 2025 the doors opened at 7 am; in 2026 they opened at 8 am. The closing was at 8:30 am in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and the 2026 closing was again at 8:30 am.

Can I visit Kedarnath after it closes?

No. The temple is shut and the route is under snow through the winter. You can have darshan of Baba Kedar at Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath instead, where daily puja continues.

Is the closing date always Bhai Dooj?

In recent years, yes: Kedarnath closed on Bhai Dooj in 2024, 2025 and closed on Bhai Dooj in 2026. The exact time is confirmed by the temple committee each autumn.

Do Kedarnath and Badrinath open on the same day?

Usually not. Badrinath has opened one to two days after Kedarnath in each of the last five seasons. In 2026 Badrinath followed on 23 April, the day after Kedarnath.