✦ Uttarakhand
Kedarnath
The 8th-century Shiva temple at 3,583 m — Char Dham's most demanding shrine, reached by 16 km trek, helicopter, or pony from Gaurikund.
Kedarnath is the most physically demanding of the four Char Dham shrines — and arguably the most spiritually charged. The temple at 3,583 m is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The 16 km trek from Gaurikund (4-6 hours) is part of the pilgrimage’s traditional experience, though most modern yatris use ponies, palkis or the helicopter service from Phata.
The 2013 flash floods devastated Kedarnath valley — the rebuilt town and infrastructure took years. Today the temple stands intact (it was miraculously protected by a boulder) and the trail has been upgraded. We work with DGCA-licensed helicopter operators (Pawan Hans, Heritage, Aryan) for travellers who want the fast option.
The doors close around mid-November for winter (the deity is moved to Ukhimath) and reopen on Akshaya Tritiya.
Highlights
Things to see and do
- 8th-century Shiva temple
- Bhairavnath temple
- Vasuki Tal trek (advanced)
- Helicopter service from Phata
- Sonprayag base camp
Map
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Tour Packages Featuring Kedarnath
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