
<p>Chardham yatra is a combination of four pilgrimage sites. It is believed by the Vaishnavite Hindus that visiting these sites helps you in achieving Salvation (Moksha). The Chardham comprises of Rameshwaram, Badrinath, Puri, and Dwaraka. People visit these places one by one and it is known as Chardham Yatra. It is considered by the Hindu community that every Hindu must visit Chardham once in his lifetime. </p>



<p>Another circuit of Chardham lies in the Uttarakhand state.
Here the four pilgrimage sites include visiting Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri
and Gangotri. This circuit is referred to as &#8220;Chata Char Dham&#8221;, to
differentiate it from the Chardham Yatra. The shrines Chota Char Dham remains
closed during winters because of snowfall and it remains open during summer.
The Chardham in Uttarakhand has become very popular in the Northern states for
religious travel and attracts more and more pilgrims every year. Traditionally,
to perform Chardham Yatra the journey commences from the west and concludes in
the east. That&#8217;s why Chardham Yatra begins at Yamunotri and ends at Badrinath
following Gangotri to Kedarnath. ; Each of
these four pilgrimage sites is devoted to a specific God or Goddess. Yamunotri
is dedicated to Goddess &#8220;Yamuna&#8221;. Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess
&#8220;Ganga&#8221;. Kedarnath is dedicated to the &#8220;Lord Shiva&#8221;.
Badrinath is dedicated to &#8220;Lord Vishnu&#8221;. Each place has its own
significance and known for a different reason and has a different story. At
each pilgrimage site, you will find one special ritual which when combined
completes the journey of Chardham Yatra.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why take this trek?</h2>



<p>The devotees take up this spiritual tour in the hope that will provide them a successful purge and they will experience the ultimate feeling of ecstasy, free from all kind of unwanted quality.This journey furnishes the divine calmness and embellishes your journey with the beauty of Himalayas.</p>



<p>To embark this religious journey, you need to prepare
yourself physically as you will be experiencing the Himalayan roads and trails
which are quite arduous.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How much time does Chardham Yatra require?</strong></h2>



<p>You can complete your Chardham Yatra in 10-12 days.The
entire journey is covered through road trips and hiking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to reach and start the journey</strong>?</h2>



<p>There are two routes for starting your journey with. You can
either start your journey from Haridwar or Rishikesh. The rest of the itinerary
will remain the same. </p>



<p>To reach Haridwar or Rishikesh you can take a bus or train
from Delhi. You can also drive by road or hire a taxi to reach one of these places.
It takes around 5-6 hours to reach Haridwar from Delhi by road if you are going
by private vehicle or bus. If you have opted for the train, then it will take
around 9 hours. From Delhi to Rishikesh, it takes around 6 hours by bus or
private taxi and 7-9 hours by train. If you think to take flight, then for
reaching both the locations you have to take a flight to the Dehradun, as it is
the nearest airport to the Rishikesh as well as Haridwar. From Dehradun, you
can hire a taxi or take public transport to reach your respective places. To
reach any of the places it will take around 2 hours by road. ; So you can choose one according to your
convenience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Details of the Chardham Yatra</strong></h2>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Delhi-Haridwar/ Rishikesh</strong></h4>



<p>If you are starting your journey from Haridwar then you will
cover this route- HARIDWAR-YAMUNOTRI-GANGOTRI-KEDARNATH-BADRINATH-HARIDWAR. And
if you choose to start from Rishikesh then your route will be-
RISHIKESH-YAMUNOTRI-GANGOTRI-KEDARNATH-BADRINATH-RISHIKESH. Either you start
from Rishikesh or Haridwar; you will have to follow the same itinerary till the
end. Stay at the respective places; enjoy the food, sightseeing and local
things which are famous like Lakshman jhula in Rishikesh and Ganga Arti at both
the places.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Haridwar/ Rishikesh to Barkot</strong></h4>



<p>From Haridwar/ Rishikesh, you will be heading to Barkot
which will take around 7 hours to reach. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Barkot to Janki Chatti</strong></h4>



<p>You can either choose to stay at Barkot or ride to JankiC hatti
and stay there. The distance between Barkot to Janki Chatti is covered in 2 hours
so, if you are staying at Barkot, you can leave early in the next morning and
you will easily reach Janki Chatti.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Janki Chatti to Yamunotri and return</strong></h4>



<p>From Janki Chatti, there is a 7 km trek to Yamunotri. At
Yamunotri, take a bath in the Jamnabai Kund. Dip raw potato or rice in the
Surya Kund; the hot water spring and you can use it as prasad. The dark rock in
Yamunotri is the most sacred area from where the hot spring emerges, known as
Divya Shila. Enjoy the evening Arti offered to the Divya Shila and Yamunotri.</p>



<p>Later you can choose to drive back to Barkot and stay there
or stay overnight in the JankiChatti.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Janki Chatti to Uttarkashi</strong></h4>



<p>Leave in the morning from JankiC hatti and it will take
around 4-5 hours to reach Uttarkashi. After reaching Uttarkashi, stay there
overnight and you can visit Vishwanath temple there.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Uttarkashi to Gangotri</strong></h4>



<p>After having breakfast, you must leave for Gangotri which is
located at a height of 3048 meters above sea level. You will be mesmerized by
the beauty of the view you will see at Gangotri; the Picturesque Himalayas
covered with white snow all over. After you offer prayer to the Gangotri
temple, walk around the area and explore the majestic views of mountains of
Himalayan ranges. Ask the locals and you can visit to see the submerged
Shivling which is made up of natural rocks. After exploring the place you can
drive back to Uttarkashi and stay overnight.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Uttarkashi to Guptkashi</strong></h4>



<p>After breakfast take a morning ride to reach Guptkashi. You
will cover a distance of 210 km and you will reach your destination in around 7
hours. After arrival, stay there overnight and explore the area.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Guptkashi to Kedarnath</strong></h4>



<p>From Guptkashi take a ride in the morning and cover a
distance of 45 km to reach Gaurikund which is near Kedarnath. To reach
Kedarnath, you will have to trek 14 km from Gaurikund. Kedarnath is located at
a height of 3584 meters from sea level. To cover the trekking distance you can
also hire a pony or Doli, as these are easily available in the route to
Kedarnath. One of the twelfth Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva is in Kedarnath. On
reaching the top, visit the temple offer praying and Trek back to Gaurikund and
stay overnight at Guarikund. After the floods in 2013, there is no option for
the night-halt accommodation at Kedarnath. Kedarnath is also a part of the
Panch Kedar and the holy River Mandakini starts from here.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Kedarnath to Pipalkoti</strong></h4>



<p>From Gaurikund, you will have to take a ride covering 158 km to reach Pipalkoti. It will take around 5 hours to reach there.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Pipalkoti to Badrinath</strong></h4>



<p>Take some rest and have a meal at Pipalkoti, and then you will be headed towards Badrinath via <a href="http://wildhawk.in/topics/joshimath-news/">Joshimath</a>. You will be covering 77 km road distance in around 3-4 hours to reach Badrinath. On arrival, take some rest, freshen up and go to the Badrinath temple and enjoy the evening aarti. View the beautiful River Alaknanda passing nearby. Explore the surrounding and stay in Badrinath for overnight.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Badrinath to Rishikesh/Haridwar</strong></h4>



<p>From Badrinath, you can hire a taxi to reach Rishikesh/Haridwar. It will take around 10-11 hours to reach Haridwar via NH 7. ; If you are going back to Rishikesh, then it will take around 9-11 hours to reach there.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How much it will cost?</strong></h2>



<p>The price can range anywhere between INR 20,000 &#8211; INR
40,000, per person. The price depends upon the hotel you choose, the travel
conveyance you are opting and other things which you include in your trip.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Tips and Tricks for the Chardham Yatra</strong></h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>After you have planned to visit the Chardham Yatra,
prepare yourself physically for traveling in the high altitude areas. Do some
brisk walk, pranayama, and exercises on a regular basis. It will help you on
your trip.</li>



<li>Do not drink water from any random source, it
can cause serious issues to your health. Best is to keep a bottle of packaged
drinking water always with you.</li>



<li>Avoid eating cold food or raw vegetables and
salad in those areas. Try to eat fully cooked meals. Boiled ones are the best.</li>



<li>Always carry mosquito or insect repellent with
yourself to avoid any kind of discomfort.</li>



<li>Basic medical kit is a must. Do not forget to
carry the medical kit with you at all. This includes the basic first-aid kit
along with some medicines for fever, diarrhea, headache, upset stomach and
vomiting.</li>



<li>Carry your moisturizer and sunscreen lotion and
cover your hat while walking.</li>



<li>Get yourself medically checked before starting
this journey. You need to be physically fit to take a trip which involves
trekking at an altitude of 14,000 feet above sea level.</li>



<li>Double check your clothes you are carrying to
the trip. It must include warm clothes, socks, raincoats, trousers, sleeping
bag, and all the necessary stuff.</li>



<li>A good pair of shoes is highly recommended.
Avoid sports shoes as it will not help you in walking in an upward direction.</li>



<li>Do not try to attempt shortcut routes.</li>



<li>Book hotel rooms in advance to avoid any kind of
difficulties during your trip.</li>



<li>Always carry your ID cards.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></h2>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>When does the Chardham Yatra begin?</strong></h4>



<p>The Chardham Yatra begins from the month of April or May
every year.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Which is the best month to go for Chardham Yatra?</strong></h4>



<p>All six months are equally best for the Chardham Yatra. As
the Chardham Yatra remains open only for six months, it will be okay if you
visit anytime in these 6 months March or April to September or October.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What are the things we should carry to the Chardham Yatra?</strong></h4>



<p>Before packing your luggage you must make a list of the
things you need to carry with you. This makes it easy for you to make a check
on what you have taken. The necessary items include warm and woolen clothes, a
good pair of shoes with grip, raincoat, torchlight, moisturizers, sunscreen
lotion, medical kit or first aid, mosquito repellent, your medicines and
prescriptions of medicines.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What is the fare of Helicopter ticket to reach Kedarnath?</strong> </h4>



<p>The fare of the helicopter ticket to Kedarnath is approximately INR 7,990/- per person. </p>

