Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Pilgrimage town in Garhwal
The highest Jyotirlinga, a 16 km walk above Gaurikund
Kedarnath is the Shiva shrine at 3,583 m at the head of the Mandakini valley, the highest of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the Char Dham. There is no road: you walk about 16–17 km from Gaurikund, ride a pony, or fly by helicopter from Sersi, Phata or Guptkashi. Open roughly late April to early November.
Photo: Sharmaprakharr · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsThe temple of Kedarnath stands alone on a glacial plain beneath the Kedarnath peaks, a squat grey stone building of unknown age with the Mandakini rising behind it. Pilgrims have walked here for well over a thousand years: it is mentioned as a pilgrimage centre in twelfth-century texts, and tradition credits Adi Shankara with reviving the shrine and ending his life nearby. Behind the temple stands his samadhi memorial, rebuilt after 2013.
On 16 and 17 June 2013, a cloudburst and the collapse of Chorabari Tal above the town sent water and boulders down the valley. The town, the old path and Rambara were destroyed, and thousands of pilgrims and residents died along the Mandakini. The temple survived: a large rock lodged behind it and split the flood around its walls. Pilgrims now worship that rock as Bhim Shila. The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering led the rebuilding, and the yatra resumed the next year.
Today the path from Gaurikund is a wide, paved and railed trail of about 16–17 km, with shelters, medical posts and drinking water. Vehicles stop at Sonprayag, and a shuttle runs the last 5 km to Gaurikund. Helicopter shuttles from the Sersi, Phata and Guptkashi helipads are booked only through the IRCTC HeliYatra portal. However you go, register for the Char Dham first, sleep a night at Guptkashi or Sitapur, and take the altitude seriously.
The lingam at Kedarnath is an irregular, three-sided rock rather than a carved pillar, and pilgrims touch it and anoint it with ghee. Queues can run for hours in peak weeks; a token system has been used at times. The evening aarti is the most atmospheric time.
About 16–17 km of paved, railed path climbing roughly 1,600 m from Gaurikund through Jungle Chatti, Bhimbali and Linchauli. Most walkers take 6–8 hours up and 4–6 hours down, with tea stalls, shelters and medical posts along the way.
The large boulder that lodged behind the temple during the June 2013 flood and diverted the water and debris around it. Pilgrims now worship it. It is a quiet, moving place to reflect on the lives lost in the valley that year.
The open-air shrine of Bhairavnath, the guardian deity of Kedarnath, stands on the ridge south-east of the temple, a short steep climb of about 1 km. Locals believe he guards the valley while the temple is closed in winter. The view back over the temple is the best in town.
Behind the temple lies the memorial to Adi Shankara, who, according to one tradition, ended his life here. It was destroyed in 2013 and rebuilt, with a 12-foot statue of the philosopher unveiled in 2021.
Shuttles fly in 8–10 minutes from Sersi, Phata and Guptkashi, booked only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal after Char Dham registration. 2026 return fares ran from about ₹6,000 to ₹13,000 plus GST by helipad. Flights stop in bad weather; check current status before you travel.
Field notes
During the June 2013 floods a huge rock was carried down and stuck behind Kedarnath Temple, diverting water and debris to either side. The temple suffered no major structural damage, and the rock is now worshipped as Bhim Shila.
Source: Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath's head priest, the Raval, belongs to the Veerashaiva community of Karnataka, but unlike at Badrinath he does not perform the daily pujas himself; his assistants do, on his instructions. In winter the Raval moves with the deity to Ukhimath.
Source: Kedarnath Temple
After the 2013 disaster, the rebuilding of Kedarnath was handed to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, which worked through a year of high-altitude construction so that the pilgrimage could resume the following season.
Source: Kedarnath Temple
Experiences
Photo: Photos Worldwide · CC0 · Commons
The classic way to Kedarnath: about 16–17 km on a paved, railed trail from Gaurikund at about 1,980 m to the temple at …
Photo: Shivam Kumar 766 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Climb to the open-air shrine of Bhairavnath on the ridge above town in the late afternoon, look down on the temple and …
Photo: Shrvn.K · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A stone Vishnu temple in a village above Sonprayag, where Shiva and Parvati are believed to have married. A fire in fro…
Real prices
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
Bus
UTC and GMOU buses run from Rishikesh to Sonprayag or Guptkashi, about 210 km and 7–9 hours, leaving early morning. From Sonprayag, shuttle jeeps carry pilgrims the last 5 km to Gaurikund, where the walk begins.
Trek
The walking path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath is about 16–17 km, paved and railed, climbing roughly 1,600 m. Ponies, palkis and porters with back-baskets operate at government-notified rates; book at official counters in Sonprayag or Gaurikund.
Helicopter
Shuttle flights from Sersi, Phata and Guptkashi are sold only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal, after Char Dham registration. Seats open in batches and sell fast; ignore any other website or agent. Check current status before you travel.
Where to stay
Saver: GMVN and private operators run tent camps, huts and dorms at Kedarnath for ₹500–2,000 a bed, and Gaurikund, Sonprayag and Sitapur have basic lodges. Comfort: Guptkashi and Sitapur have the best hotels in the valley at ₹2,500–6,000 a double, with hot water and heating; we book two nights there, one before and one after Kedarnath. Signature: there are no luxury hotels in the Kedar valley; we pair a helicopter day trip with Taj Rishikesh or Ananda before and after.
Trips that stop here
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Private car with driver
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Signature
Private car with driver and helicopter shuttle
Questions
Only through the IRCTC HeliYatra portal, after completing Char Dham registration. Choose the helipad (Sersi, Phata or Guptkashi), date and operator. Indicative 2026 return fares were about ₹6,000–13,000 plus GST. Seats open in batches and sell fast; avoid other sites and agents. Check current status before you travel.
Kedarnath usually opens in late April or early May, on a date announced on Mahashivratri, and closes on Bhai Dooj after Diwali, in late October or November. The deity then moves to the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath for winter. Check current status before you travel.
A saver trip of 3–4 nights by bus, on foot, with tent or dorm beds costs about ₹6,000–10,000 per person. Using ponies adds ₹5,000–9,000 return; helicopter seats ₹6,000–13,000. A comfort trip with a private car and Guptkashi hotels costs ₹20,000–30,000 per person.
Yes. All pilgrims must register for the Char Dham on the official Uttarakhand portal, app or offline counters, and carry the slip or QR code. It is checked at Sonprayag and at helipads. Registration is free. Check current status before you travel.
May and June have the most stable weather but the biggest crowds. Mid-September to October has clear skies, fewer people and cold nights. July and August bring heavy rain, landslides and frequent closures, and we do not plan trips then.
Many do, using helicopters, ponies or palkis. Seniors should have a medical check, carry prescriptions, sleep at Guptkashi or Sitapur first and avoid the opening week. The altitude of 3,583 m is the main risk; talk to your doctor before booking.
Yes, Jio, Airtel and BSNL usually work at Kedarnath and much of the trail, though very crowded days slow data. Electricity is available at camps but charging points are limited; carry a power bank.
Warm down jacket, thermal layers, cap, gloves, rain jacket and trousers, good walking shoes with grip, a torch, water bottle, sunscreen, personal medicines and your ID. Keep luggage light; you or a porter must carry it 16 km.
The town and path were rebuilt with protective walls and a new route, and there are medical posts, police and disaster response teams in season. The main risks today are weather, landslides on the road and altitude. Follow official alerts and keep spare days in your plan.
Plan with a local planner
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