Delhi – Haridwar – Barkot – Yamunotri – Uttarkashi – Gangotri – Guptkashi – Kedarnath – Badrinath – Rudraprayag – Haridwar – Delhi
One of the most religious pilgrimages in India is the Char Dham Yatra. It also takes you to four sacred temples Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the Himalayan lap. This 11 day trip around New Delhi is a combination of spirituality, peace and nature. As you go, you also pass through major towns such as Haridwar, Barkot, Uttarkashi, Guptkashi and Rudraprayag that also have a different experience.
This Complete Char Dham Yatra Package trip begins with the spiritual Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri. Take a holy bath in the Yamunotri Surya Kund hot spring. Visit Gangotri, the origin of the sacred river Ganga, in the peaceful pine valleys and snowy mountains. The pilgrimage is further carried to Kedarnath and Badrinath, two of the most sacred temples in India, which are encompassed by the spectacular mountains.
The yatra is also family and senior friendly and offers comfortable modes of travel such as hotels, pony rides and helicopter services at Kedarnath.
Tour Highlights
Your religious pilgrimage begins at Delhi and you drive to Haridwar. Sightseeing on the way with the picturesque fields and hills. Once you are in your hotel, go to the Har Ki Pauri in the evening to attend the popular Ganga Aarti. It is a magical spiritual experience to watch thousands of diyas floating on the holy river, with the chants and bells. Go to dinner and sleep in your hotel. One thing you can also do after the Aarti is to venture into the local markets of Haridwar where you can buy rudraksha malas, spiritual books, brass idols and souvenirs. It is an oasis of calm, a small town, with the cool breeze of Ganges, and so the Char Dham trip starts in a serene mood.
Breakfast and then drive to Barkot, the Yamunotri base. You may visit Mussoorie and Kempty falls on the route to have a glimpse and take photographs. The highway leads you to the lovely green valleys and quiet towns. Register in your hotel at Barkot, eat dinner and get ready to visit Yamunotri the following day. When coming near Barkot, the views of the Bandarpoonch peak are so great, and these beautify the scenery of the area. The serene environment and pure mountain air get you psychologically and spiritually ready to the religious Yamunotri darshan the following day.
Early start of the Yamunotri trek at Janki Chatti. You may walk or ride a pony or ride a palki (approximately 6 km one way). At Yamunotri Temple, pray to Goddess Yamuna and have a holy bath in the Surya Kund hot spring which is thought to cleanse sins. Darshan, then back to Janki Chatti, and proceed to Barkot to eat dinner and stay overnight. At the Surya Kund hot water spring, pilgrims usually cook rice and potatoes tied in a muslin cloth and serve as prasad to the temple. Himalayan serene environment and the murmur of the flowing Yamuna give this pilgrimage a spiritual and a natural rejuvenation.
Visit to Uttarkashi, a holy city on the Bhagirathi river. Arrive at your hotel and have a rest. Thereafter, visit the Vishwanath Temple in honor of Lord Shiva and Shakti Temple which has a huge trident. Go strolling about the town or down the river in the night. Sightseeing in Uttarkashi. Another popular tourist attraction in Uttarkashi is the ancient ashrams and spiritual learning centers whereby the sages have been meditating since time immemorial. The banks of the Bhagirathi River are very serene and a good location where one can meditate and reflect quite well in the evening.
Breakfast, then drive to Gangotri, the sacred source of the River Ganga. The Harsil Valley is a scenic place to enjoy the pine forests and snow-capped mountains. Dip in the sacred river and go and pay homage to the Gangotri Temple. Take time to appreciate nature and the serenity of the natural environment then go back to Uttarkashi and have a dinner and stay. Gangotri has a very significant mythological value because it is believed that goddess Ganga came down to earth here following the penance of King Bhagirath. The white construction of the temple on the background of the huge Himalayas is a heavenly and memorable view.
After breakfast, drive to Guptkashi, which is on the bank of the Mandakini river. The road provides the scenery of rivers, mountains, and picturesque villages. Arrive at your hotel and have a sleep. During the evening, the Ardh Narishwar Temple, a serene site of Lord Shiva is a must see. Overnight stay at Guptkashi. Guptkashi is also very religious because it is said that lord Shiva concealed himself here in order to escape the Pandavas. The serene atmosphere and breathtaking Himalayan sceneries makes it an ideal destination to unwind prior to the daunting trek to Kedarnath.
In the morning, have a breakfast and drive to Sonprayag where the Kedarnath trek will start. You may walk, ride a pony or have a helicopter ride (optional) to Kedarnath which is an 18 km ride that involves valleys, waterfalls and snow covered mountains. Experience the evening Aarti in Kedarnath Temple which is a spiritually uplifting experience. The Kedarnath trek route is full of singing devotees, small tea-stalls and breathtaking view of snow-cladded mountains. When the pilgrims arrive at the temple, the view of the old stone building erected by the ancient people that has been standing firm through the mountains overwhelms every devout and awe of the pilgrims.
Early rising in the morning to attend morning Aarti in Kedarnath in order to obtain the blessings of Lord Shiva. Post breakfast walk back to Sonprayag by foot, pony or helicopter. Go back to Guptkashi and rest in your hotel. Overnight and dinner in Guptkashi. The early morning atmosphere in Kedarnath is calm and spiritually powerful, with the temple bells echoing across the valley. As you descend, you carry with you a sense of inner peace and divine blessings from one of the holiest Jyotirlingas. The atmosphere in the early morning in the Kedarnath is serene and spiritually strong with temple bells reverberating throughout the valley. When you come down, you bring a feeling of inner calmness and heavenly blessings of one of the sacredest Jyotalingas.
Early in the morning, after having a breakfast, drive to Badrinath, which is one of the most sacred temples of Lord Vishnu. The highway runs through Joshimath and has breathtaking mountain sceneries. Upon arrival, holy dip at Tapt Kund, and darshan at Badrinath Temple. Experience the night Aarti and imbibe the spiritual ambiance. Overnight stay in Badrinath. The Nar and Narayan mountain ranges enclose Badrinath, which contributes to the spiritual grandeur. The vivid front of the temple and the sacred Alaknanda River outside it provide a most pious atmosphere to pilgrims.
Early breakfast, Mana Village, the final village of India, which borders China. Visit Vyas Gufa and Ganesh Gufa that have mythological importance. Go on to Rudraprayag, a holy town where Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers converge. Arrive at the hotel, have a rest and spend the evening in a relaxing manner. Overnight and dinner in Rudraprayag. One of the Panch Prayags is called Rudraprayag and is very significant spiritually in the Hindu mythology. It is a very strong and symbolic image of the two rivers coming together which signifies unity and power of the gods.
Breakfast and then drive to Haridwar, through Devprayag, the sacred confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers, which unite to create the Ganga. Go back to Delhi, and end your spiritually satisfying Complete Char Dham Yatra Package. Divine darshan and Himalayan beauty will be memories that will stay with you forever. As you head back to Delhi, the trip along the meandering Himalayan Highways will enable you to look back at the divine experiences, the holy temples and the peaceful scenery that you have had throughout the yatra. Benefits of the Char Dham pilgrimage do not just end at the religious satisfaction but as well, you are certainly a reinvigorated blessed soul.
