Alka Puri, otherwise called The City of Gods is situated in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. It is situated around 15 km from Badrinath and is close to Mana Village. The Alaknanda waterway is where Alka puri glacier originates from, considered the source stream of the Ganges and starts from the Satopanth glacier mass and ice sheet noses of Bhagirath-Kharak.
Alka puri Glacier is situated at the foundation of the Balkun Peak, 6067 metres above sea level. It is 15 km from Badrinath Dham and 3 km from Laxmi Van. The ice sheet splits into two valleys that lead to Satopanth and Gaumukh. The Narain Parvat nearly separates the cold zones of Alka puri and Gaumukh.
It is known to be the home of Kubera, the God of abundance and tutelary lords of woodlands and towns the Yakshas. Alka Puri is also accepted to be the home of Gandharvas-male nature spirits, spouses of the Apsaras. Folklore holds that Gandharvas were part creatures, normally a bird or a pony, and had heavenly melodic abilities.
Also it has been mentioned in the Skanda Purana that river Ganga, while descending from the dreadlocks or ‘Jata’ of Lord Shiva was caught on the Sumeru Parvat (Narain Parvat) and flowed out in seven streams, two of which are the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda River.
Rishikesh – Badrinath – Lakshmi Van – Chakratirtha – Satopanth – Alkapuri Glacier – Chakratirtha – Mana – Badrinath – Rishikesh
From Badrinath, start a short trek to Mana which is India’s last village on the Indo-Tibetan border. From there proceed towards Vasudhara Falls. After crossing the Saraswati temple from Mana, the incline of the trek becomes steeper. After a few hours, you will see the Vasudhara Fall. Walk 4 km further up the moraines and you will come across your campsite at Laxmi Van. We gradually climbed the steep Sahastradhara ridge to the Chakratirtha camp. After arriving at the camp, roll on the ground and gaze at the dazzling western face of the Neelkanth mountain. Early morning will give you an incredible view of Chaukhamba in the centre, Neelkanth, Satopanth and Parvati Peaks on your left and Balakun on your right. The road bifurcated around Balakun mountain on the left was the Gangotri glacier and on the right, the Satopanth glacier. The morning trek starts on that trail. Gradually you will see the Alkapuri glacier on the right, the source of Alaknanda.
The best visiting season for Badrinath and the trek in the region is in the summer months from May to November with May to June being the most crowded months when the pilgrim rush is at its peak and September to October being ideal for a more relaxed spiritual journey. Due to heavy rainfall in the area, visitors may face difficulty reaching the temple during monsoon season (late June to Aug).
March to June are very pleasant with moderate climate, with average temperature of around 18°C. Summers are ideal for all sightseeing, trekking, camping and pilgrimage. July to mid-September are accompanied with scanty rains and also temperature drops down to 15°C. The entire region is prone to occasional landslides and travelling can be difficult. November to April are chilly days with average minimum touching near 5°C. Minimums can touch sub zero levels and snow falling is seen very often during winters. Badrinath temple is closed during winters for 6 months.
You can visit the shrine during these festivals for more enriched experienced:
Chakratirtha: It is a campsite in Uttarakhand. Chakratirtha is situated east of Satopanth Glacier, and northeast of Satopanth Lake.
Laxmi Van is a beautiful campsite with an impressive Alkapuri glacier on the opposite side.
Badrinath Dham : Badrinath is the only Shrine which is a part of both Chota Char Dham and India Char Dham. Badrikashram (Badrinath Temple) in the North, Rameshwaram in South, Dwarkapuri in west and Jagannathpuri in east, Badrinath Dham is one among four pilgrimage centres in four corners of India. Badrinath Temple is situated in Badrinath town and dedicated to Lord Vishnu. According to the Bhagvat Puran, Badrikashram the Supreme being (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nar & Narayan, had been undergoing great expiation since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.
Mana Village : Just 3 km away from Badrinath, Mana is a dreamy hamlet located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is the last village at the China border of the Indian region. It’s a tradition in Mana village that localities on the closing day of the temple offer choli to the idol of Badrinath Ji. Dubbed the ‘last Indian Village’ on the Indo-Tibet Border, Mana in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand is definitely an exciting place to visit. The place has its close proximity to the religious site of Badrinath and is situated at a short distance of about 4 km from this important pilgrimage site. Mana Village is located at an altitude of around 3219 metres and on the bank of River Saraswati.
Rishikesh : It is one of the major tourist and pilgrimage hubs in northern India, set against the backdrop of the Himalayas and with the pristine Ganga flowing through it where people from across the world arrive to offer their prayers to the holy river and in search of peace. Rishikesh is commonly referred to as the ‘yoga capital of the world’ and rightly so. The destination is abuzz with visitors, who come here to learn yoga and meditation. Rishikesh is home to numerous ashrams, some of which are internationally recognised as centres of philosophical studies, yoga and other ancient Indian traditions of wellness.
Joshimath : In the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the sacred town of Joshimath is situated in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The two mighty rivers, the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga meet at the confluence of Vishnuprayag overlooking the town of Joshimath. And the view of Hathi Parvat and other Himalayan Peaks is mystifying.The town of Joshimath is also nicknamed as Jyotirmath and is the winter seat of Lord Badri, whose idol is brought down from Badrinath temple to Vasudeva temple at Joshimath. This holy town is revered by the Hindus for being an important pilgrimage centre of the country.
Rudraprayag : Named after Lord Shiva’s Rudra avatar (incarnation), Rudraprayag is an ancient holy town situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers, at a distance of 34 km from Srinagar in the Garhwal region. Rudraprayag marks the fourth confluence of the five between Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. Whole of Augustmuni & Ukhimath block and part of Pokhri & Karnaprayag block from Chamoli District, Part of Jakholi and Kirtinagar block from Tehri District and Part of Khirsu block from Pauri District. Shri Kedarnath Temple is at North, Madmaheshwar at East, Nagrasu at Southern East and Srinagar at extreme South.
Karnaprayag : It is also known as ‘The City of Karna of Mahabharata’. It is famous for connecting the Garhwal region with the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand via NH 109. Adorned at an elevation of 1451 m above the sea level in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and on the confluence of river Alaknanda and the Pindari River, Karnaprayag is one of the Panch Prayag or the ‘five confluences’ of river Alaknanda. It lies in the midst of Nandprayag and Rudraprayag. Karnprayag is also known for its high altitude markets and if you are heading to Badrinath, then Karnaprayag is an ideal place to buy the necessary things.
Alkapuri cradled in the Chamoli district is located about 15 km from Badrinath and around 3 km from Laxmi Van. It is situated in the proximity of Mana village which is only 3 km away from Badrinath. To reach here one needs to commence a 12 km trek from Mana village to Alkapuri.
By Road : The holy Badrinath town possesses a great network of roads and is well connected with Ghaziabad by NH58. The travellers can travel by deluxe or normal buses that operate from ISBT, Kashmiri Gate to cities like Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Srinagar. Local transport to Badrinath can also be easily available from the major destinations of Uttarakhand like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli etc.
By Rail : Rishikesh railway station falling 294 km short of Badrinath on NH58 is the nearest railhead. It is well connected with the major cities of India. There are frequent trains to Rishikesh. Also, local buses and taxis can be easily available from the Rishikesh railway station to Badrinath town.
By Air : Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun located at a distance of 311 km from Badrinath is the closest airport. It is well connected to Delhi with daily flights and taxis can be easily available from Jolly Grant airport to Badrinath.
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