The Chardham Yatra covers four main pilgrimage sites of Uttarakhand, namely the Yamunotri Dham, Gangotri Dham, Kedarnath Temple, and the Badrinath Temple. These four abodes are considered as the sites for attaining salvation. However, during the pilgrimage trip, one will come across many pilgrimages and natural beauty sites. Here are the top destinations to cover and enjoy during your Chardham Yatra.
Haridwar is the starting point for Chardham Yatra. The city is the land of the Ganges. River Ganges flows through this city, and you can find several pilgrimage sites along the banks of the river. Among those sites, the Harki Paurighat is a significant one. Visit during sunset to enjoy Ganga Aarti at this ghat. Other top attractions of Haridwar are Anandamayi Ashram, Vaishno Devi Temple, Mansa Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple, and more.
Beyond pilgrimage sites, you can visit Chilla wildlife sanctuary, Swami Vivekanand Park, Bara Bazar, and others. However, pilgrims usually stick to only religious sites to uphold the integrity of the trip.
Some pilgrims prefer to start the Chardham Yatra from Rishikesh. Rishikesh is a similarly important pilgrimage site with River Ganges running through the city. Rishikesh is the land of Yoga too. Top pilgrimage sites in Rishikesh are Lakshman Jhula, Triveni Ghat, Neelkantha Mahadeva temple, Ram Jhula, Swarg Ashram, Bharat Mandir, Rishi Kund, Geeta Bhawan, and more. Rishikesh is also the right destination for many adventure activities like trekking, hiking, cliff jumping, white water rafting, and more.
TBarkot is a relatively smaller destination filled with rugged routes through mountain valleys. The pilgrims usually cover Kempty Falls before leaving Barkot on their way towards Yamunotri. Top tourist attractions in Barkot are Lachchiwala, Robber’s Cave, Shaastradhara, and others. Many hill stations like Mussoorie, Dehradun, and others are closer to Barkot if you wish to de-tour.
Yamunotri Dham is the first destination of the Char Dham Yatra. This temple is located six hours of trekking away from Janki Chatti. Along the way, you will find several attractions like Hanuman temple, Darwa Top, Dodi Tal, and others. Closer to Yamunotri Dham, you will find hot water springs, Shani Dev temple, Divya Shila, and others. The final destination before reaching Yamunotri Dham is Kharsali Village, the winter abode. The main deity of the Yamunotri Dham is taken in a palanquin to Kharsali temple for winter worship, while the Yamunotri Dham will be closed for six months. The Yamunotri Dham might look simple, but it is one of the main pilgrimage sites for salvation. Pilgrimages take a holy dip in the River Yamuna before visiting the temple.
Apart from these, you will find Champasar Glacier and Prakateshwar Cave closer to the temple.
The first attraction on the route from Yamunotri to Gangotri is Uttarkashi. The town gets its name from the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which was the site where the idol of Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple was brought to be safeguarded from invaders. Apart from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Uttarkashi, the site is also famous for smaller yet serene destinations like the Shakti Devi shrine, Bhairav temple, and more. A little away from Uttarkashi, you will find Mukhbha village, Bhairon Ghati, Harsil, Dharali, and Gangnani. If you continue on this route, you will reach Gangotri Dham.
Gangotri Dham is the temple for River Ganges. It is the place where River Bhagirathi joins the Alaknanda River to form the Ganges. Gangotri Dham is the prime attraction of this region, the highest temple built for the River Ganges. Top attractions closer to Gangotri Dham are Jalmagna Shivlinga, Bhojbasa, Surya Kund, and more.
Gangotri yatra package From Delhi
Ukhimath is the winter abode of Lord Madhyamaheshwar and Lord Kedarnath. The main idol of Kedarnath temple will be brought to Ukhimath for six months for winter rituals. The main attractions of this region are Kali Math temple, Omkareshwar temple, and Madhyamaheshwar temple.
Closer to Ukhimath, you will find Chopta, a small hill town. Chopta is famous for adventure activities like rock climbing, trekking, rappelling, and others. The top attractions of this region are the 1000-years-old Tungnath temple, Gopinath temple, Chandrashila temple, and others.
Guptkashi is a sacred destination linked with Mahabharata, an epic tale of Hinduism. According to the legend, after the war, the Pandava brothers sought the blessing of Lord Shiva and his forgiveness for all the war crimes. However, they were not able to see Lord Shiva as he kept hiding away from them. After a long pursuit in the form of a bull, he reached Guptkashi, which is now a very famous Shiva pilgrimage site. Ardhnarishwar temple and Manikarnika Kund are the two main sites of this region. Tehri Dam is a famous natural beauty of this site.
Sonprayag is a small region closer to Kedarnath. Sonprayag is the site where Lord Parvati married Lord Shiva. Top attractions in and around Sonprayag are Triyuginarayan temple, Gaurikund, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Vasuki Tal, and others.
Gaurikund is located very close to Sonprayag. It is a small water spring, which is believed to be spiritually powerful. The water spring holds a Parvati Devi temple closer to it. This is the site where the trekking towards the Kedarnath temple begins.
Along the trekking route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, the first attraction you will see is Rudraprayag. It is the site where River Basuki and Mandakini meet. According to legends, bathing, or even touching the water of this region will help one attain salvation.
The third destination of the Char Dham Yatra is the Kedarnath Temple. It is the place where Lord Shiva gave salvation to the Pandava brothers. The main attraction of Kedarnath is the Kedarnath Temple, located at the head of Mandakini River. Closer to the temple, you will find several attractions like Bhairav Temple, Vasuki Tal, and others.
Along the route towards Badrinath, Joshimath is one of the prime attractions. The place is famous for its enchanting natural beauty. It is also the pathway to reach Auli, Valley of Flowers, and others. Top attractions in and around Joshimath are Hemkund Sahib, Shankaracharya Math, Narsingh Temple, and others.
Right before reaching Badrinath, you will find Pandukeshwar. Pandukeshwar is the ancient temple town, which holds the Yog Dhyan Badri temple. This temple is considered the ancient Badrinath temple.
The final destination of Char Dham yatra is the Badrinath Temple. Apart from this ancient temple, you will find several attractions like Tapt Kund, Mana Village, Narad Kund, Vasundhara Falls, Saraswati River, and others.
Badrinath Kedarnath yatra From Haridwar
Gangotri Badrinath Kedarnath yatra Package
If you de-tour a little from the main pilgrimage route, you can find several other tourism and pilgrimage sites like Devprayag, Karnprayag, Augustmuni, Srinagar, and more.
| Packages | Days | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Chardham yatra By Helicopter (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath) | 5N / 6D | More |
| Chardham yatra By Helicopter (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath) | 2N / 3D | More |
| Dodham yatra - By Helicopter (Kedarnath, Badrinath) | Same Day | More |
| Same Day yatra - By Helicopter From Dehradun (Kedarnath) | Same Day | More |
