Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, one of the twelve jyotirlingas. Located in Uttarakhand, India, on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, the temple is open to the public from April to November. During the winter months, the deity is worshipped in Ukhimath.
To reach the temple, one must undertake a 22-kilometre uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony, mule, and manchan services are available for transportation. According to Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by the Pandavas and holds great significance as one of the major Hindu pilgrimage sites. It is also the first of the Panch Kedar pilgrimage sites.
How to Reach Kedarnath by Road Via Car and Buses?
1.From Delhi to Rishikesh
- Take a bus or car from Delhi to Rishikesh. The distance is approximately 238 km, and the journey takes around 5-6 hours.
2. From Rishikesh to Rudraprayag
- Continue your trip from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag, which is about 141 km away. The travel time is approximately 5 hours.
3. From Rudraprayag to Sonprayag
- Next, travel from Rudraprayag to Sonprayag. The distance between these two places is around 72.8 km, and it usually takes about 3 hours.
4. From Sonprayag to Gaurikund
- From Sonprayag, it’s a short 5 km journey (approximately 20 minutes) to reach Gaurikund.
5. From Gaurikund to Kedarnath
- Finally, embark on a 16 km hike from Gaurikund to Kedarnath. The hike typically takes around 5 hours. Alternatively, you have the option to hire a pony or mule if you prefer not to walk. Another convenient option is to take a helicopter service from the Sahastradhara Helipad in Dehradun.
How to Reach Kedarnath by Train Via Rishikesh Railway Station?
Rishikesh is the nearest railway station from Kedarnath It is well connected to major cities and towns with other regions of the country. From the railway station you can hire a taxi or board bus to Gaurikund, which suits you accordingly. There are many trains available for Haridwar/Rishikesh round the clock from different railway stations in Delhi.
Below are the Trains are daily available between Delhi to Rishikesh.
- UTKAL EXPRESS – Starts From NIZAMUDDIN Railways Station Delhi at 13:23 Reach Rishikesh By 21:50
- YOGA EXPRESS – Starts From New Delhi Railway Staion 05:05 Reach Rishikesh By 12:30 .
How to Reach Kedarnath via Chopper/Helicopter?
You can book Helicopter ticket accordingly through IRCTC TRavel agent which starts from INR3000 and goes upto INR 6000, depending upon the location from where you will be boarding the Helicpoter, also known as Government Shuttle. As there are limited seats and huge demand tickets gets sold out within seconds
Other option you can opt is Private Charters which flies from Jolly grant Airport/Shahastradhara Helipad. Many Private companies like HImalayan, KEstral Aviation, TRans Himalayan provide charter services to the pilgrims which ranges from INR85,000 per person to INR 1,05,000 which includes BAdrinath and KEdarnath same day, also Badrinath and Kedarnath with one night stay and Hotel Accomodation.
