The Char Dham Yatra covers four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — traditionally visited in that order. Here is what actually planning the trip looks like.
When to Go
The temples open only for about six months a year, roughly late April/early May through early November, closing for winter once snow makes the routes impassable. Late May to June and September to mid-October are the most manageable windows — July and August bring the monsoon, which causes landslides and road closures on the mountain routes.
How to Book
Uttarakhand requires biometric registration for every pilgrim before you can proceed toward the shrines — this is done online in advance through the state tourism department’s official portal, and checked at registration counters along the route. Beyond that, most travelers book through a tour operator that bundles registration, transport, and hotel stays, since coordinating four separate mountain routes independently is genuinely difficult.
What It Costs
A standard package covering all four shrines, shared transport, and mid-range hotels typically runs from roughly ₹25,000–45,000 per person for 9–11 days, depending on season, group size, and whether you use helicopter transfers for the steeper legs (Kedarnath especially). Helicopter packages that skip the multi-hour treks cost significantly more but save days.
What to Pack
- Layered warm clothing — thermals, a fleece, and a windproof/waterproof outer jacket, even in summer, since temple altitudes exceed 3,000 meters
- Sturdy waterproof trekking shoes, already broken in
- A basic first-aid kit and any personal medication, plus something for altitude discomfort
- A refillable water bottle and rehydration salts
- Rain poncho (monsoon-adjacent weather is common even outside July–August)
- Cash in small denominations — card access is unreliable in the mountains
Waterproof trekking jackets | Trekking shoes
Before You Go
Read the actual mythology behind each stop — it changes what you are looking at once you arrive. Yamunotri is tied to the story of Yamuna, sister of Yama; Gangotri to King Bhagirath’s 5,000-year effort to bring the Ganga down from heaven; and Kedarnath to the Pandavas seeking Shiva’s forgiveness after the Mahabharata war.