Char Dham Yatra Tour Packages

About Char Dham Yatra

Uttarakhand, known as the land of Gods or Devbhoomi, is brimming with countless sacred temples and holy sites. Chota Char Dham Yatra is a well-known religious pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand that comprises the four most revered pilgrimage sites—Yamunotri, where the temple of Goddess Yamuna is located, Gangotri is the home of the goddess Ganga, Kedarnath is dedicated to lord Shiva, and Badrinath is the home of Lord Vishnu. Ganga and Yamuna are the two major and most sacred rivers in India. Gangotri is the origin of the river Ganga. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of lord Shiva and a part of Panch Kedar. Badrinath is the temple of lord Vishnu and a part of the Panch Badri. Badrinath is also one of the sacred destinations of the Bada Char Dham Yatra circuit. Char Dham is the Hindi word, which means “Four Holy Places”. People embark on this journey to wash away their sins. It is the journey of exaltation of the inner self and purification of the soul.

The journey should be completed in a clockwise direction. Hence, it begins with Yamunotri, then Gangotri and Kedarnath, and terminates at Badrinath. People also consider visiting only the two holy shrines of the sacred travel circuit, “Kedarnath and Badrinath” or “Yamunotri and Gangotri”.

Four Main Temples to Visit on the Char Dham Yatra Tour

Located in the lap of the Himalayas, Char Dham Temples are the most sacred and epic centers for Hindus in India. According to Hindu Mythology, the Pandav brothers visited these holy shrines to absolve their sins before embarking on their journey to heaven. To date, people believe that visiting these sacred destinations will wash away their sins and open their doors to salvation. Hence, during April, several devotees flock to Uttarakhand to embark on the spiritual journey of Char Dham Yatra. If you are also planning your Char Dham Trip, Footloose Holidays’ customized tour packages will be the right choice for you. Our tour packages include both the tour by road and helicopter, apt for travelers from different parts of the country. Here are the main temples you will be visiting on your Char Dham Yatra:

Yamunotri Temple, Uttarkashi

Yamunotri Temple is dedicated to the River Yamuna, which is one of the most sacred rivers in India. The temple is located near the foot of Kalind Parbat, at an altitude of 3923 meters. It is the first destination of the Char Dham Yatra circuit that pilgrims will visit. The main sanctum of the temple houses a black idol of Goddess Yamuna. The idol is shifted to Kharsali Village after the second day of Diwali, which is on Bhai Dooj. The temple remains closed till it opens on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya, when the idol is brought back to the main temple.

Gangotri Temple, Uttarkashi

Gangotri Temple is the home of Goddess Ganga. Approx. 18 km from the temple, Gaumukh Glacier is the origin of the River Ganga, initially called Bhagirathi. Devotees take a holy bath in the water, believing it can wash away their sins. This temple remains open only for six months in a year. The door opens on the occasion of Akshya Tritiya. Devotees here worship the idol of Goddess Ganga, which is located in the Mukhyamath Temple, which is located 18 km from the main temple.

Kedarnath Temple, Rudraprayag

Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and Panch Kedar in the Garhwal region. It is the third destination or Dham of the Charm Dham Yatra. Pilgrims reach the shrine by trekking from Gaurikund, which is approximately 16 km away. The main sanctum of the temple, also known as the Garba Griha has the idol of Lord Shiva and is a unique Shivalinga that is naturally formed (Swayambhu), believed to be in the shape of a hump or a conical rock formation.

Badrinath Temple, Chamoli

The Char Dham Yatra terminates at the Badrinath Temple. Located on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an altitude of 3,300 meters, Badrinath Temple is one of the most sacred temples in India dedicated to lord Vishnu. Not only for its spiritual significance, but the temple is also known for its Garhwali wooden architecture. The main deity of the temple is a black stone idol of lord Badrinarayan sitting in a meditative pose along with the images of the other deities.

When to Visit Char Dham

All the sacred shrines of the Char Dham Yatra are located in the high altitudes. Therefore, they remain closed for almost half of the year. The temples can be visited only from April to October. Akshya Tritya is the time when the Kapat (doors) of these temples are opened and closed after two days of the Hindu festival Diwali, marking the beginning of the winter season. Visiting the temple between April to June and September to October is the best time. Due to the pleasant weather, it is a favorable time for the darshan. Most people avoid the Char Dham Yatra during the monsoon season. All the shrines can be reached by road or by helicopter.

How to Reach Char Dham Temples

The Char Dham Yatra usually begins from Haridwar. The total distance of the Char Dham yatra is approximately 1600 km from Haridwar. The route includes Haridwar-Barkot-Yamunotri-Uttarkashi-Gangotri-Guptkashi-Kedarnath-Joshimath-Badrinath-Rishikesh-Haridwar. This is the road map of the Char Dham Yatra trek. Let’s see how you will reach the main temples of the Char Dham Yatra:

Yamunotri

It is a one-day trip as it includes trekking 6 km from Hanuman Chatti. Let’s see how you will reach Yamunotri:

• By Road: Hanuman Chatti is well connected with all the major cities in Uttarakhand. If you start your journey from New Delhi, take a bus to Haridwar or Dehradun. Change bus or hire a taxi from there to reach Hanuman Chatti. From there, start your trek or hire a Pony/Palki to reach Yamunotri
• By Train: Dehradun and Rishikesh are the closest railway stations to Hanuman Chatti. 
• By Air: The closest airport to Hanuman Chatti is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun.

Gangotri

Gangotri is one of the sacred destinations, where the Goddess Ganga is worshiped. It is located only 91 km from Uttarkashi. Let’s see how you can reach Gangotri:

• By Road: Gangotri shares good road connectivity with the important cities in Uttarakhand, like Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, and Uttarkashi. You will have to take a bus from Delhi to reach any of these cities. From there, you can take a cab to reach Gangotri.
• By Train: Haridwar is the closest railway station to Gangotri. Board a train from New Delhi to Haridwar. From there, you can take a bus or a cab to reach Gangotri.
• By Air: The closest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. From there, you get buses and cabs to reach Gangotri.

Kedarnath

People either reach Kedarnath doing trek or by helicopter. To reach Kedarnath Ji Dham, you will have to first reach Gaurikund, from there you start a 16 km trek to reach the main shrine.

• By Road: Gaurikund is the starting point of the trek to Kedarnath Temple. You get regular buses from major cities like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Tehri, Srinagar, and Chamoli to reach Gaurikund.
• By Train: The closest railway station to Kedarnath is Rishikesh Railway Station. From there, you get buses and cab services to reach Gaurikund.
• By Air: Reach Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is approximately 238 km from Kedarnath. Get a taxi from the airport to reach Gaurikund.

Badrinath

Pilgrims travel from Kedarnath to Badrinath, which is approximately 250 km away. The route passes through Joshimath to reach the destination. Let’s see how you will reach there:

• By Road: Badrinath is easily accessible by road. You can hire a cab or taxi to reach Badrinath all the way from Delhi. Or, you can take a bus from Delhi to Rishikesh or Dehradun. From there, take another bus to reach Devprayag. From there, you can hire a taxi or cab to reach Badrinath.
• By Train: Dehradun and Haridwar Railway Stations are the two closest stations to Badrinath. Hire a taxi or board a bus from any of these places to reach Badrinath.
• By Air: The closest airport to Badrinath is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. You get regular flights from major cities to Dehradun. After reaching, board a bus or hire a taxi to reach Badrinath.

Our Popular Char Dham Packages

Footloose Holidays presents affordable and customized Char Dham Yatra packages that are ideal for families, groups, and senior citizens. Although our popular packages are Char Dham from New Delhi, Char Dham from Haridwar, and Char Dham Package by Helicopter, you can customize the package for your city as well. Our travel packages are suitable for every kind of traveler from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and other cities in India. All the packages include budget and premium accommodation as per the traveler’s preference, meals, VIP darshan, local transport, trained drivers, and airport/station pickup and drop off.

Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar

The spiritual journey of Char Dham Yatra begins from Haridwar, famous for its spiritual significance. It is a 9-night and 10-day tour package that includes comfortable hotel stays, breakfast and dinner, private Sedan or SUV with trained drivers, guided tours, and ground support.

Char Dham Yatra from New Delhi

Our 12-day Char Dham Yatra package from New Delhi includes a private vehicle from Delhi, hotel stays, meals, local transport, Pony or Palki arrangements at Kedarnath, etc. Your trip will begin from New Delhi and a road drive to Haridwar. From there, you will embark on the spiritual journey to Char Dham Yatra, which includes the destinations Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

Char Dham Yatra by Helicopter

Although the costliest, yet the most comfortable package for the Char Dham Yatra tour. It is ideal for senior citizens and families who cannot cover the long trekking distances. Char Dham Yatra is a sacred but the most arduous pilgrimage located at high altitudes. Char Dham Yatra by Helicopter package makes your journey convenient and comfortable. Most importantly, you enjoy the majestic view of the Himalayan ranges by air, visiting all the shrines of this sacred pilgrimage within hours by air. This is a 5-night and 6-day tour package, which comprises local transport, comfortable stays, breakfast, dinner, and helicopter booking.