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Kedarnath

Kedarnath Dham

Kedarnath is a holy Hindu town located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand in India. It is one of the Char Dhams located in the Himalayas. Kedarnath is situated at an astonishing height of 3584 meters above sea level near the head of Mandakini River. 

The Kedarnath temple lies amidst the majestic snow-capped Garhwal Himalayan ranges and is thronged by thousands of tourists each year.

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Kedarnath Travel Guide

Kedarnath temple is a part of Char Dhams and Panch Kedar in Uttarakhand and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India. The historical name of this region is "Kedar Khand".

Visit to Kedarnath Dham is considered to be very auspicious and most important in the Char Dham Yatra circuit

Kedarnath is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks, making it the most remote site among all four Char Dham Shrines. The scenic beauty of Kedarnath town attracts lots of tourists from all over the world. You will find it quite crowded during the summer season (May and June). 

The extreme weather condition of Kedarnath prompts the temple to remain open from the end of April to the beginning of November. 4G network is now available at Kedarnath by Jio, Airtel, and BSNL.


Kedarnath Temple Opening 2024

Kedarnath Dham Temple will be opened on 10 May 2024 at 7 am. Keep checking this page for more updates regarding opening of Kedarnath Dham.

The opening date of Kedarnath temple is announced on the occasion of Mahashivratri. The 'Badrinath - Kedarnath Samiti' announce the opening dates of Kedarnath Dham along with Badrinath,  Gangotri Yamunotri dham.


Pilgrims coming to Char Dham need to register on the online portal of Uttarakhand Tourism Department.

Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple opened the following lockdown rules due to Corona Pandemic

Kedarnath Doli Yatra Program (Tentative)

  • Day 1The Panchmukhi Doli of Kedarnath Ji will start its journey from Omkareshwar Temple of Ukhimath. It will reach Vishwanath Temple at Guptkashi and will have overnight stay there.
  • Day 2: The Kedarnath Doli will reach Phata from Guptkashi. It will stay overnight at Phata.
  • Day 3: The Kedarnath Doli will leave for Gaurikund from Phata. It will stay overnight at Gaurikund.
  • Day 4 The Doli journey will start from Gaurikund to reach Kedarnath Dham via Junglechatti, Bhimbali, Rambada, Lincholi, and Rudra Point.
  • Day 5 - Kedarnath Opening DayThe Kedarnath Temple Kapat will be opened for pilgrims in the early hours. The opening will take place amid vedic chants and rituals at 6.20 am.


Kedarnath Temple Gate Opening Ceremony. 


Kedarnath Temple Closing date for 2024:  The closing date of Kedarnath Temple will be 03 Nov 2024 on the occassion of Bhai Dooj. Last year Kedarnath was closed for winters on 15 Nov 2023 amidst the vedic rituals.

Kedarnath Travel News

02 Mar 2024
Snowfall Update - Snowfall in Chardham, Harsil on 02 Mar 2024

Around 6 inch snowfall recorded in Harsil on 02 Mar 2024. There has been snowfall in Harsil along with Char Dham in Uttarakhand and other high altitude. Though the Badrinath temple is closed for winters, the opening date of Badrinath has been announced.

20 Feb 2024
Uttarakhand Snowfall Update 20 Feb 2024

Snowfall was reported on Monday in regions such as Kedarnath Dham, including Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Chandrashila, etc. Additionally, light snowfall was observed in tourist spots like Chopta, Dugalbitta and in Deoriatal. 

The phenomenon extended to Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham, Harshil Valley, and other high-altitude areas of Uttarkashi. Despite the snowfall, road movements remained unaffected at present.

25 Nov 2023
Kedarnath Records highest pilgrims footfall ever in 2023

This year in 2023, a record of 19.61 lakh pilgrims reached Kedarnath Dham. Badri Kedar Temple Committee has earned a revenue of Rs 70 crore in the last six months of the yatra season. The footfall is the highest that has been recorded till now.

27 Oct 2023
Badrinath, Kedarnath temples will close at 4 pm on October 28 due to lunar eclipse

All temples governed by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, including the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines, will observe closure at 4 pm on Saturday due to the lunar eclipse.

The Badrinath and Kedarnath temples are scheduled to reopen during the brahma muhurta after the morning purification puja on Sunday.

Other affiliated shrines affected by the closure include the Shri Narasingh Temple in Joshimath, Second Kedar Madmaheshwar, Third Kedar Tungnath, Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, and Yoga Badri.

Activities in Kedarnath

Pilgrimage – Perched at an altitude of 3,500 meters, Kedarnath is one of the most revered Hindu shrines and thousands of pilgrims partake in arduous pilgrimage every year. The shrine sleeps under a thick blanket of snow during winters. 

Trekking – Kedarnath temple is located 19  km from Gaurikund, the nearest town with road connectivity. Thus, one has to trek 16 kms to the Kedarnath shrine making it a wonderful trekking experience. You can also extend your treks to Chorabari Tal, Vasuki Tal and Bhairon mandi in Kedarnath

Camping in Kedarnath – Since there is only little accommodation at Kedarnath, tourists and pilgrims can also set up tents near the town and enjoy the natural beauty that envelops the town as well as the towering Kedarnath peak in the background.

Kedarnath Temple Miniature 3D model

Kedarnath Travel Tips

  • One can also find mules and porters for hire; Check the official price chart before hiring. 
  • For safety, reason do check the ID Cards issued to Porters and Mule Owners.
  • When traveling in monsoons, check with local authorities, tour guides or tour operators about the weather and road conditions before you actually start your journey.
  • Photography is generally not allowed inside the temple due to religious reasons. It would be wise to abide by the rules set up by temple authorities.
  • Weekends/Long weekends are so crowded, Weekdays are not so crowded. Also the temple closed on Mid-November.
  • After mid-October the night temperature will drop into minus, so carry enough woollens, plus avoid going around DIwali, its the most crowded time. Go 10-15 days before Diwali.

Staying in Kedarnath

You will find a big Govt tented colony consisted of Tents, Cottage, and rooms just before Kedarnath is operated by GMVN, which are sufficient to accommodate more than a thousand pilgrims and tourists. There are many hotels and lodges around the temple since Kedarnath is a small place. You can find a room upon reaching there.

All the stays and food is extremely basic, the geyser is a big luxury, so don't expect running hot water or room service, you're getting to sleep on a bed at that height is enough in itself.

Nowadays, many tourists take Helicopters to Kedarnath for a day's visit and come back from Kedarnath the same day. They generally stay in these locations: Phata, Rampur,  Gaurikund, Sitapur, Sonprayag, Guptkasthi, etc. For more details check hotels in Kedarnath.

How To Reach Kedarnath By Public Transport

Reach Rishikesh from wherever you are, From Rishikesh, you can take the direct shared cab/bus till Guptkashi, or do multiple shared cabs from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag then Rudraprayag to Guptkashi.

From Guptkashi, another shared cab or one of the less frequent buses till Sonprayag, spend the night at Sonprayag, then early morning leave for Gaurikund (roundhead) and start your 16 km trek from there.

Alternatively, you can also stay at Gaurikund overnight but stay options seem better in Sonprayag.

Also, if you are coming by your own vehicle, you can only take it till Sonprayag, there's a huge parking area available. Also, if you are coming from your own vehicle, Rishikesh to Rudraprayag main road is currently blocked, so take Rishikesh to Tehri to Srinagar to Rudraprayag route.

Kedarnath Food Guide

Apart from few roadside dhabas and tea stalls there are not many good eating options at Kedarnath. The local restaurants serve north Indian vegetarian food. Due to being a revered religious place, alcohol and non-vegetarian food is strictly prohibited at Kedarnath.

History of Kedarnath

According to Mahabharata, the Pandavas had built the Kedarnath Temple where they pleased Lord Shiva with their penance. The temple was revived by the great Hindu philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century CE, when he visited the place with his four disciples. Sadly, the temple was hit by the catastrophic floods of 2013, which engulfed hundreds innocent lives.

Mythology about Kedarnath

There is a famous Hindu mythology related to the origin of Kedarnath temple, which states that after the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas went on an anonymous journey to beg mercy from Lord Shiva. After failing multiple times, Bhima was able to find Lord Shiva, who had incarnated as a bull to hide from the Pandavas. 

Bhima tried to catch it and hit its hind part with his mace. The injured bull then immersed in the earth and its body parts appeared indifferent places. It is believed that the hind part of the bull appeared at Kedarnath, from which a 'Jyotirlinga' or light flickered and Lord Shiva appeared in his divine avatar. 

It is said that after taking the blessings of the cosmic light, the Pandavas were exempted of their sins and Lord Shiva told them, “from now onwards, I will be present here as a triangular shaped Jyotir Linga and by paying obeisance at Kedarnath, the devotees would attain piety". From then onwards, a triangular shaped rock is worshiped in the 'Garbhagriha' or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

The other four parts of Lord Shiva fell at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar and Kapleshwar. Kedarnath along with these four are also described as Panch Kedar.

Kedarnath Ropeway

15 May 2022: The state government has approved construction of a ropeway to Kedarnath Temple. The DPR for Kedarnath Temple Ropeway has been prepared and it has estimated a cost of Rs. 1100 crores for the construction of Kedarnath Ropeway.

Day To Day Travel Guide for your Journey To Kedarnath Dham

If you are a traveler/pilgrim who wants to visit Kedarnath and don't know much about how to do Kedarnath Dham then this travel guide is going to help you a lot to plan your Kedarnath Trip. 


Day 0: Reach Rishikesh

Rishikesh is one of the famous cities of north India and Uttarakhand. The city is well connected with rail routes, inter-state & national bus routes. In case if you are coming via flight then Jollygrant airport is just 20km or 35 minutes route. Try to complete this Journey in the night only so you can reach to Rishikesh in the sharp morning to start your road route to Kedarnath.


Day 1: Rishikesh To Sonprayag or Gaurikund (211 km / 8 hours by road).

From Rishikesh Bus terminal, you can catch public transport like buses or Tata Sumos to Sonprayag. Direct buses to Sonprayag are hard to get but try for Guptkashi which is well settled in the last town before Kedarnath and daily bus service is also available from major cities of Uttarakhand to Guptkashi. However, you can also get a bus to Rudraprayag and then Rudraprayag to Guptkashi. From Guptkashi you can complete your further journey to Sonprayag via sharable Jeeps or Tata Sumo.

Below is the road  route from Rishikesh to Sonprayag: 
Rishikesh - Devprayag - Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Augustmuni - Guptkashi - Sonprayag


Rudraprayag is the meeting point of two sacred rivers of Hindus i.e Mandakin from Kedarnath & Alaknanda from Badrinath.

Bio-metric registration at Sonprayag

As instructed by the Uttarakhand government, it is necessary for every traveler to do bio-metric registration. This registration facility is also available online on the Uttarakhand tourism site or visit How to do Char dham bio-metric registration online. However, if you missed that you can complete this process by reaching Sonprayag. You have to carry your ADHAR CARD with yourself for this registration. 


Below are the facilities you can found at Sonprayag :

  • Bio-metric registrations of pilgrimage or travelers for Kedarnath Dham yatra or for char Dham yatra.
  • Accommodation facility is from budget to deluxe hotels are available in Sonprayag.
  • Parking facility is also available in Sonprayag in case if you are coming from your personal vehicle.
  • Shuttle service to Gauri Kund, which are actually sharable jeeps.

Sonprayag to Gaurikund shuttle service & night stay at Gaurikund :

Please keep this in mind that Sonprayag is the last point for all kinds of vehicle. You can't travel by using your personal vehicle or by public transport. A huge parking facility is available at Sonprayag for all kinds of Vehicle on the bank of Mandakini river. You have to complete the further 5km journey by using shuttle service or through jeeps between Sonprayag and Gaurikund. The charge of shuttle service is 20 rupees per person. 

After reaching Gaurikund you can ask any hotel owner for a room. The charge of the room varies on the hotel to hotel or on season respectively. Least amount you can pay for a hotel room in the month of May and June is 500.


Baba kedar doli at Gaurikund towards kedarnath temple.

Day 2 :  Gaurikund to Kedarnath (16 km trek / 5 - 6 hours).

You can reach Kedarnath only after a trek of 16 km through a paved road from Gaurikund. You can take a horse or ponies to climb up the steep path. 


Below are few trekking tips for  your journey to Kedarnath temple :

  • Try to start your trek early in the morning to avoid harsh sunlight of noon. 
  • Don't try to walk empty stomach it can make your journey even harder.
  • Carry umbrella/raincoat because the weather in the valley can be change dramatically.
  • Walk with good grip shoes and try to carry only necessary things in your bag cause heavy bag can slower your speed in the trek and etc load can hurt your back.
  • Carry water bottles but don't through it anywhere, respect nature.
  • Keep your eyes on trekking route most of the time cause sometimes ponies coming back from the temple can hit you or can cause serious injury.

New trek route to Kedarnath Temple

You will probably reach to Kedarnath valley post noon or around 3 pm if you have started your journey at 8 am int he morning. Search for a hotel room for your night stay. Maybe you have to share your room with others if you are traveling alone or if you have enough money then you can book the whole room for yourself or for your family. In the evening you can do photography in the valley and can enjoy the temple atmosphere. 

You can talk with other travelers from where they have come and about their journey to give some relief to your mind from the tiredness of trek. Walking around the temple and savoring the view of snow-capped Himalayas will surely gonna help to make this day the best day of your life. Eat your dinner & go to bed on time to give rest your body or to get prepare for next day journey. 


 Camps for tourists on the way to Kedarnath. Post 2013 flood route.

After the flash flood of 2013 which greatly affected the Kedarnath region, it has been restored and work is being done by the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) to revive Kedarnath to its former glory. the new trekking path to Kedarnath is now from the right side of the valley which can be reached by crossing a bridge at Rambada, though Rambada is now completely destroyed. The NIM has set up sheds after every kilometer so that pilgrims can rest during the trek.


Day 3 :  Kedarnath Temple to Sonprayag via Gaurikund (16 km trek / 5 - 6 hours).

Try to wake up early in the morning. Take a bath and pay your obeisance at Kedarnath temple. From standing in the temple row to darshan, it will hardly take your 3 hours to complete this process. Prashad shops are available around the Kedarnath temple. After this, you can also visit the Baba Bhairav temple, which is situated on a hilltop near Kedarnath. It is around 600 meters far from the temple.


Mules stop - You have to buy a token if you want to cover the trekking route in Kedarnath valley in Mules.

eUttaranchal Tip 1: If you want to visit Bhairavnath temple in Kedarnath then do this after checking out from your hotel room cause there is a small shortcut route from Bhairav temple to another side which will surely be going to save your time while coming back to Sonprayag/Gaurikund.

You can hire ponies/horse or Palki or can complete the further distance by simply trekking. It takes 5 to 6 hours to reach Gaurikund from where you have to take shuttle service to Sonprayag.

eUttaranchal Tip 2 : If you have reached at Sonprayag around 2 to 3 pm then do travel to Guptkashi (30 km by road / 1.5 hours). It will save your 2 hours for the next day trip and is going to save you from morning traffic too.


Day 4 :  Guptkashi to Rishikesh ( 184 kms /  7 hours).

Say goodbye to this beautiful town of Uttarakhand. The journey will take 7 to 8 hours of your time. It is recommended to start your journey in the sharp morning so you can reach Rishikesh on time to catch night buses or trains.


Guptkashi Main market on Kedarnath Highway

Easy way to visit Kedarnath Temple

If you are unable to do a hard trekking of more than 16 kms to reach Kedarnath temple then you have to take the help of a pony to reach there. They charge around 2500 to 3000 rs for one side but there is an easy way to reach kedarnath temple here it is.

  • Book your hotel to Phata which is close to Kedarnath
  • Book a Helicopter service to Kedarnath from Phata which charge around 7000 Rs. of both side almost like the rate of pony but it will save your time and efforts to reach Kedarnath.
  • Do the darshan and reach at Kedarnath Helipad to come back to Phata.
  • In-case if you have low budget then book Helicopter from Sersi, it will cost you around 2500 for one side & come back through trekking route because walking to down is easier than climbing.

Kedarnath 2024 News & Latest Travel Updates

18 Oct 2022:Helicopter crashed in Kedarnath while going to phata. 7 people died including the pilot. DGCA orders probe into Uttarakhand chopper tragedy.
10 May 2022:Number of per day registration for Kedarnath Dham visit increased to 13000.
11 Nov 2021: Now pilgrims can darshan 12 Jyotirlinga to be seen in Kedarnath A garden will be built between the temple and Shankaracharya's tomb. A garden of plants of other species including Belpatri, Surai, Deodar will be prepared around the garden.
Kedarnath Yatra
07 Nov 2021:Kedarnath Dham was closed on for winters on 6 November, 2021 on the occasion of Bhaidooj.
06 Nov 2021:PM Modi visit Kedarnath Dham, Says decade belongs to Uttarakhand. He also mention that, More pilgrims will visit Uttarakhand over the next decade than in the past century and the rapid development in the hill state will reverse the outward migration of young people.
02 Nov 2021:Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan visit Kedarnath temple together, offer prayers.
29 Oct 2021:This year 36 devotees did meditation in Kedarnath's meditation cave, booking full till November 4.
25 Oct 2021:Kedarnath Dham covered with a white blanket of snow, devotees thronged
22 Oct 2021:Kedarnath Dham Yatra caught pace, 15 thousand pilgrims are reaching daily after the weather is clear.
21 Oct 2021:Char Dham Yatra resumes after weather clears in Uttarakhand.
15 Oct 2021:Kedarnath Dham will be closed on 6 November 2021 for winters.
5 Oct 2021:Kedarnath Temple is now open for everyone. You can visit the temple without registration. Do follow some basic char dham guidelines
3 Aug 2021:Kedarnath Dham is still closed for pilgrims till 18 Aug 2021 for tourists and pilgrims. Next opening date will be announced soon.
Kedarnath Dham Yatra will start from 1st July in 2 phases: From July 1, the Kedarnath temple will be opened for locals from Rudraprayag district only. In second phase beginning July 11, the Kedarnath yatra will be opened for people across the Uttarakhand state. Later it will be opened for All India tourists and pilgrims.
Kedarnath yatra travel guidelines
11 March 2021:Kedarnath Dham will be closed on 06 November 2021.
12 March 2021:Kedarnath Dham will be open on 17 may 2021.
05 February 2021:Kedarnath Dham opening date will decide on 11 March.
30 October 2020: Doors of Kedarnath Temple will now open at 06:30 am due to cold weather.
19 October 2020: More than 50,000 pilgrims visit Kedarnath from 12 June 2020 to 18 October 2020.
16 October 2020: 33121 Pilgrims visit Kedarnath temple for darshan of Baba Kedar during the first 15 days of October month.
09 October 2020: 2595 Pilgrims visit Kedarnath temple for darshan of Baba Kedar.
05 October 2020: Helicopter service resumes in Kedarnath from 9th October. 

Heli service to Kedarnath Dham will be started from October 9. On October 6, the DGCA team will inspect the Sirsa, Phata and Guptkashi helipads.

04 October 2020: Government increases the devotees limit for Kedarnath upto 3000  

The maximum limit of devotees visiting the Kedarnath temple situated in Uttarakhand has been increased upto 3000 per day.

20 Aug 2020: Helicopter Service to Kedarnath will be operationas during Corna times.
29 April 2020: Kapats of Kedarnath Temple were opened amidst Covid Pandemic.
8 March 2019: Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh has been appointed as the member of Badrinath – Kedarnath Temple Committee – Report by NDTV
4 April 2019: Complete plastic ban implementation on Kedarnath valley, special 9 member committee formed. Pilgrims are advised to carry paper bags.- TOI
29 April 2019: Now enjoy local pahadi cusines on your Trip to Kedarnath at Gaurikund.- TOI
9 May 2019: Kedarnath temple gates are now open for all pilgrims for 2019 - 2020 char dham yatra season & High court clears the tender process for Kedarnath helicopter service.
16 May 2019: Now Helicopter Services to Kedarnath are avialable from Sirsi, Phata & Guptkashi helipads. DGCA gave permission to seven heli companies to operate the helicopter services to Kedarnath. - Dainik Jagran
18 May 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Kedarnath. Review the re-construction work in the valley.
20 May 2019: Now you can book Rudra Cave, where prime minister Modi has meditated at just rs 900 from GMVN
27 May 2019: Now book Helicopter to Kedarnath from GMVN's website online.
7 June 2019: Record visitors in Kedarnath, more than 36,000 devotess pay their obeisance at Kedarnath temple.
12 June 2019: New trek route's construction for mules has been started on Kedarnath route. This five kilometers route covers the distance of Bheembali & Garudchatii

Kedarnath Photo Gallery

Side view of Kedarnath Temple before 2013 flood.
Distant view of Kedarnath temple premises. May 2019.
Dome of  Shri kedarnath temple & snow capped mountains view in the backdrop. May 2019.
Kedarnath Temple Opened 2020
Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple Painting
View all photos

Kedarnath Weather

Check out the Kedarnath weather report for March

Kedarnath Weather in March

The minimun and maximum temperature in March in Kedarnath is -12°C and 1°C respectively. The weather is generally covered with snow in March and you would feel chilling cold throughout the day. clothes are recommended for Kedarnath in March.

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