Kedarnath Travel FAQs

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kedarnath Temple is one of the most prominent places in Hindu mythology. It literally spells out ‘Lord of Kedar’ meaning the lord of the field with thousands of tourists coming here every year to pray the almighty one. Kedarnath is among the 12 Jyotirlingas the most auspicious Hindu shrines of Lord Shiva. Temple is also part of the Char Dham pilgrimage of the Northern Himalayas along with Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

Location

Temple is located in the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, Kedarnath is a holy town in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand in India. Amidst the snow-capped mountains, Kedarnath temple is built at a height of 3584 meters above the sea level. As the winter approaches extreme conditions are seen in the area, the Vigraghas (Deities) are taken downhill to Ukhimuth and lord is worshipped there for the next six months.

Kedarnath Kapat(Doors) Opening and Closing date 2019

Kapat for Kedarnath Dham opened at 5:35 AM on the 9th May. From his winter Seat Ukhimuth, the Panchmukhi Doli of Kedarnath started its journey back on 6th May reached Gaurikund on 7th May and at Kedarnath on 8th May respectively. Closing time has been placed on the 9th of November till them devotees can pay their visit to the Lord of Kedar.

How to Reach Kedarnath?

Guptakashi is the last well-reached destination connected with highways. From Guptakashi one can move forward to Sonprayag using local vehicles. Gaurikund, is the location from where the trek to Kedarnath starts is further 5Kms away from Sonprayag.

Compulsory Bio-metric Registration:

Now the Government of Uttarakhand has made it compulsory for all public to make their presence verified through the Bio-metric registration at Sonprayag. Online and manual both are available for pilgrims to go forward take this journey for the Lord Shiva temple. At Sonprayag you will find a huge parking facility for personal vehicles near the Mandakini river. As personal vehicles are not allowed after this point. Local shuttles and Jeep are available to take you higher to Gaurikund just 5Kms from this point. There are a lot of hotels and accommodations available at Sonprayag and Gaurikund where pilgrims stay during the course of their journey.

Trekking to Kedarnath

Location of the temple is not accessible with the roads and there is a 16 Kilometres (9.9mi) uphill trek from the near Gaurikund. Pilgrims take the pony and manchan services to reach the temple for Lord Shiva blessings.

Journey to the Lord Kedarnath

With long trek in the mountains to be around 5 to 6 hours, one needs to have proper planning. Here are some interesting things that will help you in every aspect of making your journey to Kedarnath easy. Make sure you stay in the night and start as early as possible. Due to noon temperature can suddenly ho high with sunlight. Always keep an umbrella/raincoat in case of a quick shower. Carry minimum load while trekking. Again you have to find the accommodation to stay at night. The evening is the right time for photography and enjoying the views of the mountains full of snow. Feel the evening atmosphere around the temple and take the rest at night. Wake up early the next day and take blessings from Lord Kedarnath. If there is a rush it might take around 2 to 3 hours to complete the darshan. Baba Bhairav Temple is another hilltop destination around 600m from here that pilgrims most often visit thereafter.

History

As per the Hindu mythology, God Shiva had agreed to dwell in this place at the request of Nara-Narayana. After the war ended in Kurukshetra, the Pandava brothers came here to seek forgiveness for killing their kins during the war meet Lord Shiva under the guidance of great sage Vyasa. But the Lord did not intend to forgive them and hid among the cattle in the form of a bull. When Pandavas were able to track him, he started to sink head-first in the ground and soon one of them get hold of their tail and forced to appear in front of them for forgiveness. It is said that the body of Shiva appeared in a total of five different locations with Kedarnath, Tungnath, Madhyamaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar among them. Temple was revived by the Great Indian sage Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th Century CE when along with his four disciples changed the outlook of this historical place.

In the Uttarakhand floods of 2013, Kedarnath was the worst-hit area when the whole valley saw the destruction of never seen proportions. Temple was least affected though as devotees took refuge in the premises. The vast government rehabilitation program has made the entire journey of Kedarnath with better planning.

Hotels And Accommodations

Kedarnath has Government Guest Houses, Tents and Cottages only that can accommodate around thousand pilgrims regularly. You can also pre-book the entire journey for the comfort of your family.

What should I carry for Kedarnath Yatra?

Kedarnath is a hilly area with a trek of almost 16Kms so one can prepare according to that. Warm clothes, Monkey/Woollen Cap, a short umbrella, multiple pair of socks, Torch, Power Bank, Face Cream, Sunglasses, Medicine First Aid kit, Camera with an extra set of batteries, Walking Sticks (if required), and Rain Coats are also available here at cheap prices.

What should we keep during Kedarnath Yatra?

With a long trek of almost 16Kms Kedarnath, one must have light baggage for enjoying the trip comprehensively. Adequate warm clothes covering your whole body is the primary requirements than right boots, a small first aid kit, separate Umbrella, a water bottle, and some dry fruits to complement your appetite will make the journey a complete success every time.

How much time does it take from Gaurikund to Kedarnath?

Base from Gaurikund to Kedarnath is 16Km long trek surrounding natural mountains and path that leads to the temple. Generally, it takes a normal adult 5 to 6 hrs to complete this trek but depending on the fitness of the trekker one can more or less time accordingly.

What is the best time to go to Kedarnath?

Being located in the mountain, one will find Cold weather throughout the year. May to June and September to October are the recommended time as per the weather. As winters are not accessible at all with November to April sub-zero temperatures along with heavy rainfall. The monsoon season of July and August further makes the whole path slippery during the trek to the temple.

Is the Kedarnath Trek Safe?

Over the years Government has done a lot of development in the area making the trek safe for the general public. After the 2013 Flood, there were rumors but the trek is quite safe with adequate medical facilities to complement.

Which Mobile Network works in Kedarnath?

Although in the beginning, it was BSNL only, now many private networks have also shown remarkable progress with Airtel offering 4G, 3G, and 2G services in the Kedarnath premises.

Is registration necessary for this Kedarnath Yatra?

Since 2014, the Uttarakhand Government has made it compulsory for every pilgrimage to be registered at Sonprayag with bio-metric information. Online facilities are also available as well as manual registration too.

Can I take my car for my family to Kedarnath?

Personal Vehicles are only allowed until the point of Sonprayag where Bio-metric registration happens for each pilgrim. You can take local transport to reach further Gaurikund and trek to Kedarnath from thereon.

How Can I reach Kedarnath from New Delhi?

As of now, there are no direct trains or flights near Kedarnath. The easiest way is to book a flight to Dehradun and then hire a taxi to reach Kedarnath respectively. Jolly Grant Airport with almost 250Kms distance from Kedarnath is the nearest airport.

Can I Plan or Book my trip to Kedarnath?

Yes at The Amazing Uttarakhand we have customized travel plans for Kedarnath. Also, you can pre-book for Char Dham Exclusive packages too.

Why is Kedarnath famous for?

Kedarnath is one of the most famous pilgrimage centres for Lord ShivAnswer – Devotees travel to this extreme location as part of its Historical significance, Trekking and enjoying the scenic views in the Himalayas.

Where is this place Kedarnath located?

Kedarnath pilgrimage is located in the Kedarnath city in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state of India at an altitude of 3584m.

What is the total Distance of Kedarnath from Delhi?

Although the aerial distance from New Delhi to Kedarnath is 294Kms with 457Km road distance still there are no direct routes. Most often travellers come within-group along with visiting numerous cities in the Uttarakhand state.

What is the Average Temperature of Kedarnath?

Average temperature for this holy city of Kedarnath is 5.1 °C

What is the Recommendation for the number of days required to have a comfortable visit to Kedarnath?

From Sonprayag to Kedarnath it takes around a minimum of two days and one night stay that includes trekking for 5-6 hours on both days. So it all depends on your fitness and distance you take to reach the place.

Are there any nearby ATM facility?

No there are no ATM facilities in Kedarnath but there have been recent suggestions for Card swap facilities in the news for installing new machines in the nearby future. Visitors must take the cash from Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, Agastyamuni and must carry some with themselves to the location of Kedarnath.

Which is the nearest railway station and airport to Kedarnath?

The nearest Railway station is Rishikesh with 228Kms, Haridwar at 238Kms while Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is 248kms from the Kedarnath.

Are taxi services available to reach Kedarnath?

As there is a lot of travellers moment to this pilgrimage destination, Car taxi Services are available at many locations including direct from nearby railway stations at Rishikesh and Dehradun airport. Car rentals are also feasible from Gaurikund along with.

Are there helipad services available to reach Kedarnath?

Yes, there are helicopter services available from Dehradun, Haridwar, and Agastyamuni where you have to make pre-booking for ease in travelling.