Chardham Yatra by Helicopter

Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand is one of the most challenging and most spiritually significant pilgrimage tours for Hindus. You can avoid the hours of continuous trekking and rough mountain jeep rides by hiring private helicopters. You can find several helicopter service providers running in this route. Before you book the tickets, here is what you should know.

What Will You Experience?

• Beyond the comfort and time saving, you will be enjoying a fabulous eagle-eye view of the Himalayas as you glide from one destination to another.
• You can customize the trip to add all four Dhams or lesser based on your requirements.
• If you are not physically strong to cover the distance, a helicopter ride is the only possible way to cover this salvation pilgrimage.
• The only catch here is the expense of the trip. The cost of a helicopter ride is considerably higher than the other luxurious road transportation options you can find on this route.

Types of Helicopter Services

There are two types of helicopter services that you can pick. The first type is the 4 Dham tour, which covers all four destinations – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. This tour is usually offered in a private helicopter ride, usually in a luxury chopper.

On the other hand, you can choose to cover one, two, or three temples in the circuit. Such customized tours are available only in shared helicopters, where you will be riding with other pilgrims. The most commonly chosen one Dham (Ek Dham) tour is to Kedarnath, as it is the most challenging route.

Other common helicopter packages are

• One day – Do Dham tour covering Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham
• One day – Do Dham tour covering Yamunotri and Gangotri temples
• 4 nights and 5 days charter tour covering all four destinations
• 2 nights and three days - Do Dham covering Kedarnath and Badrinath temples

How to Book?

There are both private and government helicopter services. The government tour agents can be booked via the official government websites or local booking centers. If you are looking for private tour agents, remember to read the terms and conditions. Surf the internet for reviews about the helicopter service providers. It is best to book the service via any reputed travel agents.

Travel Tips

• Always carry your helicopter booking ticket and some cash with you.
• The chopper has strict weight and space constraints. Thus, check the permitted weight limitation while packing your bags.
• Most of the helicopter service providers recommend handbags, and please avoid hard-shelled suitcases.
• Even if you choose peak summer, the temperature will be very low at such a high altitude. Thus, wear thick clothing.
• Bad weather or even a slightly harsh climatic condition might lead to the cancellation of the helicopter service. Thus, remember to check for the service providers terms and conditions in case the trip was canceled.
• Delays are quite common during helicopter rides. Be prepared to wait for a couple of minutes, waiting for the weather to be clear and calm. Sometimes, you might have to spend an extra night at a destination due to bad weather. Check the terms and conditions related to delayed stays.
• Only six passengers will be allowed in one helicopter. You might be traveling with other families unless you book a charter helicopter.
• Every day, there are a limited number of choppers flying to and from these sites. So, pre-book your service.
• The passengers have to wait at Kedarnath/Guptkashi helipad for three hours for shuttle slot assignments.
• You will have to reach the helipad at least an hour before the departure time. This waiting time will be higher in the case of government agencies.
• Some helicopter service providers weigh the passengers before allowing them on-board. If there is a significant change in the weight than what was mentioned during the booking, the passenger might be de-boarded.

Where Does the Helicopter Tour Start and End?

Most of the helicopter tours start at Dehradun's Sahastradhara Helipad. You will be dropped off very close to the temples. You might still have to walk for a couple of minutes to reach the temples. In some cases, the tour agent might assign cars to reach the temple.

At Yamunotri, the helicopter lands at Kharsali Helipad, and Harsil Helipad at Gangotri. From Gangotri, it takes 30 to 45 minutes to reach Kedarnath Helipad, which is ten minutes away from the temple. Before reaching Kedarnath Helipad, the tourists first halt at Guptkashi Helipad, and from there, they will be transferred to Kedarnath Helipad. At Badrinath, the helicopter lands at Badrinath Helipad.