Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Route · Garhwal
About 210 km by road from Rishikesh to Sonprayag via Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag and Guptkashi, then 5 km by shuttle jeep to Gaurikund and a 16–17 km climb on foot, pony or palki. Most people need two days; helicopters from Phata, Sersi and Guptkashi cut the walk.
Photo: Sharmaprakharr · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsEvery way to go
| How | Time | Cost, indicative 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| UTC or GMOU bus plus walk | 7–9 h bus, then 6–9 h walk | ₹500–800 bus; ₹50–100 shuttle jeep |
| Private car plus pony or palki | 7–9 h drive, then 4–6 h on a pony | ₹7,000–9,000 car one way; pony ₹2,500–4,500 one way |
| Car plus helicopter shuttle | 6–7 h drive to Phata, 8–10 min flight | ≈ ₹6,000–13,000 return seat plus GST |
Buses leave Rishikesh between about 4 am and 6 am for Sonprayag and Guptkashi. Sleep at Sonprayag or Sitapur, take the first shuttle jeep to Gaurikund, and start walking by 5–6 am. The path is paved and railed, with water, toilets and tea stalls along the way. Most fit walkers take 6–9 hours up and 4–6 hours down.
A car lets you leave when you like and stop at Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet. Cars stop at Sonprayag. Ponies, palkis and porters run at government-notified rates from counters at Sonprayag and Gaurikund; pay only at the counter and keep the receipt.
Shuttle flights from Phata, Sersi and Guptkashi land at Kedarnath, about 500 m below the temple. Seats are sold only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal after Char Dham registration, in batches that sell out quickly. Flights stop in bad weather, so keep a spare day.
At each end
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Where the Ganga leaves the hills and the yatra begins
Photo: Sharmaprakharr · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
The highest Jyotirlinga, a 16 km walk above Gaurikund
Questions
About 210 km by road to Sonprayag, 5 km more by shuttle jeep to Gaurikund, and then a 16–17 km walk. Allow two days each way at an easy pace.
No vehicle reaches Kedarnath. UTC and GMOU buses run from Rishikesh to Sonprayag or Guptkashi in 7–9 hours, early morning, and shuttle jeeps cover Sonprayag to Gaurikund.
Only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal, after you register for the Char Dham. Seats open in batches and go fast. Ignore other websites and agents selling tickets; fraud is common. Check current status before you travel.
Not by road and on foot. With an early drive, a night near Sonprayag and a helicopter seat, Kedarnath can be done as a day trip from Guptkashi or Phata, but not from Rishikesh.
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