Kedarnath Dham Yatra

Kedarnath Dham Yatra 2024

Kedarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimages of Lord Shiva situated in Rudraprayag district of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath is one of the Char Dham in Uttarakhand and the most important dham among Panch kedar. Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of 3586 mts, in the lap of the majestic mountain peaks and near the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Kedar meaning powerful is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. The beautiful ambiance around the temple looks like quite peace on heaven causes a beautiful place to do meditation.The main attractions here is the Shiva Temple, which is a popular Hindu shrine and pilgrimage, attracting devotees from all over the world. The travel and tourism scope here is strengthened by factors like natural beauty and religious zest.

Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions - love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the area itself, the most important one is Kedarnath.

Kedarnath Dham

About Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand

Kedarnath Dham, situated in Uttarakhand, is a revered pilgrimage site and one of the Char Dham destinations. Renowned for its ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, it provides spiritual enrichment amid the breathtaking Himalayan scenery. Discover its history, significance, best visiting times, and tips for pilgrims.

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple is the most revered shrine of Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The Mandir was built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya. It is adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. Kedarnath is one of India’s most famous temples (more than 1000 years old temple) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Kedarnath Temple complex is being rehabilitated after 2013 Kedarnath floods. New facilities include helipads, helipad and new guest houses. Online facilities for Kedarnath booking are also there. Kedarnath Puja can be book online and no physical presence of devotees needed. Some pujas could be book on the internet or in person. The daily pooja rituals at the Kedarnath temple start early morning, around 4.00 am with Maha Abhishek and end at around 7.00 pm with the Shyam aarti. The Kedarnath temple opens for darshan for the general public around 6 am.

Visitors can touch idle and perform Abhishek with Ghee before 3 p.m. After 5 p.m., no one can approach Idle, but they can get Darshan from a distance. The temple at Kedarnath opens only six months of the year when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries and Scorpio is in full-blown eclipse.

Kedarnath Dham History

Legend goes that, “Nara and Narayana performed severe penance in front of a Shivalingam fashioned out of earth”. Kedarnath is a well-known shrine for Lord Shiva devotees and Kedarnath temple history is almost more than 1000 years-old. Legend says they requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode as Jyotirlingam. Kedareshwar is a place where the Pandavas sought Shiva’s blessings.

According to another legend, Goddess Parvati worshipped Kedaeshwar to unite with Shiva as Ardhanareeswarar. Bhairon is a temple dedicated to Bhaironathji who is ceremoniously worshipped at the opening & closing of Kedarnath Temple. The belief is that Bhairavnathji protects this land from evil during the time when the temple is closed. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or the cosmic light.

The temple is over a thousand years old and is located in the Rudra Himalayas, northern India. It is home to the world's highest Jyotirlinga the Kedarnath lingam.

Kedarnath Dham Route

Kedarnath Dham Yatra Travel Circuit

The Kedarnath Trek is a 16km medium to steep trek which requires a good level of physical fitness. Before going for the trek every pilgrim has to get themselves checked that whether they are capable of trekking or not. The Kedarnath Trek facilities include the services of Palki/Dandi, Kandi & Mule/Ponies. Anyone can book these services from the booking counter at Gaurikund/Sonprayag.

Kedarnath Popular Route : Delhi → Haridwar (206 kms) → Rishikesh (24 kms) → Devaprayag (70 kms) → Srinagar (35 kms) → Rudraprayag (34 kms) → Tilwara (9kms) → Agastamuni (10 kms) → Kund (15 kms) → Guptkashi (5 kms) → Phata (11 kms) → Rampur (9 kms) → SonPrayag (3 kms) → Gaurikund (5 kms) → Kedarnath (16 Kms).

Kedarnath Trek Route Map Start from Gaurikund : Gaurikund (6 kms) → Rambara Bridge (4 kms) → Jungle Chatti (3 kms) → Bheembali (4 kms) → Linchauli (4 kms) → Kedarnath Base Camp (1 kms) → Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath New Route

Following the terrible flood in the Kedarnath region in 2013, the original road was totally washed away, with little scope for repairs or reconstruction. NIM team members built and maintain the new route to Kedarnath Temple. Various teams are attempting to keep the best path to Kedarnath in good condition.

A major route to Kedarnath trek is the new route via Rambara and Linchauli. Rambara was fully submerged in the 2013 floods. Rambara is now only accessible via a freshly built bridge. This route will take you from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, a distance of about 15-16 kilometres. The NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering) has recommended this route because the route between Rambara and Kedarnath has been entirely wiped away.

Chardham Yatra Route

Yatra Tips

Things to Remember Before Going on the Kedarnath Trek

Essential items for your Kedarnath Dham Yatra: Stay prepared with the right gear, clothing, and essentials to ensure a safe, comfortable, and spiritually enriching journey in 2024.

Do get a health check up before going on the trek to Kedarnath.

People with Respiratory disorders and High Blood Pressure should not trek to Kedarnath.

If you want to travel through Kandi, Ponies and Palki make sure that the prior booking is done at Gaurikund/Sonprayag booking counter.

Trek between 04:00AM to 01:30PM as this is the only time when pilgrims are allowed to trek to Kedarnath.

In case you won’t be able to cover the trek till late evening you can take Palki or Ponies to reach to your destination.

You can also stay in the camps which are set up in between the trek at Jungle Chatti, Bheem Bali and Lincholi for a night and start journey next morning.

Important Note : Registration is compulsory for Char Dham Yatra.

Kedarnath Packages

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2 Nights Kedarnath Package From Haridwar
3 Days/ 2 Nights

2 Nights Kedarnath Package From Haridwar

Starting from Haridwar
6803
4 Nights Kedarnath Tour Package From Delhi
5 Days/ 4 Nights

4 Nights Kedarnath Tour Package From Delhi

Starting from Delhi
10929
4 Nights Kedarnath Badrinath Do Dham Package From Haridwar
5 Days/ 4 Nights

4 Nights Kedarnath Badrinath Do Dham Package From Haridwar

Starting from Haridwar
10589

Kedarnath Hotels

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Tourist Attractions in Kedarnath Dham

Tourist Places to Visit During Kedarnath Dham Yatra

There are various tourist places, famous temples & treks in and near Kedarnath Dham. Pilgrims can visit those places during their Kedarnath or Char Dham Yatra.

  • Gandhi Sarovar
  • Shankaracharaya Samadhi
  • Bhairavnath Temple
  • Ratus Kund
  • Gaurikund
  • Vasuki Tal
  • Sonprayag
  • Trekking Near Kedarnath
Places to Visit Kedarnath →
Kedarnath Dham Pictures
Hire Taxi for Kedarnath

Car Rental Services for Kedarnath Dham Yatra

Looking for car rental service for Kedarnath or Char Dham Yatra, then you came to the right place.

Hire Cabs/ Taxi Rental Services from your city for Kedarnath tour or 4 Dham Yatra with us at a discounted price. We have some of the best car rental, tempo traveler, and bus rental service providers that offer the best quality with local knowledge & efficient car hire services for char dham tours in Uttarakhand, India.

Car Rental for Kedarnath

Kedarnath FAQs

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Have any questions related to visit Kedarnath Temple? Get clear your every doubts about Kedarnath Yatra and trek from these Frequently Asked Questions. Kedarnath FAQs are prepared to answer all major queries from a pilgrims point of view.

As per legends, when Pandavas came in search of Lord Shiva to please him by doing penance for the killing of their own brothers Kauravs in Mahabharath. Lord Shiva unwilling to give them forgiveness take a bull form to become unrecognizable but Pandavas recognize him. Then Lord Shiva tries to sink into the ground but Bhima grabs the hemp of the bull and Lord Shiva forgive them. Pandavas built the Kedarnath temple at the same location where the bull hemp is shown up. Other parts of the bull apears at four different location known as Panchkedar along with Kedarnath.

Lord Shiva is the diety of Kedarnath Dham. Lord Shiva is worshiped in Kedarnath in his Sadashiv form and it is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.

Kedarnath Dham can be visited by taking bus to Sonprayag/ Guptkashi from Haridwar/ Delhi. From Sonprayag, shared taxi available till Gaurikund. Kedarnath Dham could be reach after 18 kms trek from Gaurikund. Helicopter service to Kedarnath Dham are also available from Sersi, Pahata & Guptkashi. Kedarnath Helicopter Packages

The best time to visit Kedarnath Dham is from April-June & Sept-Nov.

Minimum 4 days are needed to visit Kedarnath Dham from Haridwar bu bus/ taxi and 3 days for Helicopter tour to Kedarnath.

Although, Kedarnath road route is completely on hilly terrain, but Chardham road project makes it simple with wide roads. Apart from monsoon, Kedarnath road conditions are good. Latest Chardham Road Status

Kedarnath Dham has accommodation facilities of 4000-5000 pilgrims at a time. GMVN provides huts and camp facilities along with few Dharamshalas & Hotels in Kedarnath. Pilgrims can book accommodations from number of GMVN, Chardham Yatra websites or through travel agents. Best Kedarnath Yatra Packages

Kedarnath is located at high altitude, so sports shoes and warm clothes are always essential to visit Kedarnath Dham. Check Kedarnath Yatra Tips

For particularly the darshan at Kedarnath Temple depends on the rush. It takes around 2-4 hours to take complete darshan and puja at Kedarnath Temple. Check Puja Rates in Kedarnath

Kedarnath trek is 18 kms long. Check Kedarnath Trek Guide

Is Kedarnath Trek is Easy or Difficult?

The 18 km long Kedarnath trek starts from Gaurikund. It is neither easy for everyone and not tough for someone. The pathways is well built to walk and has gradual inclination towards Kedarnath Dham. One who want to do the Kedarnath trek must prepare self by doing regular exercise and walk/ run before a month.

Kedarnath Temple opening date decided on Mahashivratri every year and closed on Bhai Dooj. Generally Kedarnath Temple open in April-May and closed till Oct-Nov. Check Kedarnath Opening & Closing Dates

Kedarnath Dham is one of the Chardham in Uttarakhand, also called as Chota Chardham. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, but not one of the Char Dham in India.

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