Letstravail
Travel planning content.
Hindu
jyotirlinga
3,583 m
Peak season
Kedarnath Temple
Shiva (Kedarnath Jyotirlinga)
Location
Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
Darshan
4:00 AM – 3:00 PM (morning)
Best time
May, June, September
Difficulty
moderate to high
Est. cost / person
₹12,000
About Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath is one of the holiest Hindu shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Perched at 3,583 m in the Garhwal Himalayas, the temple opens only from late April to early November. Traditional access is a 16 km trek from Gaurikund; helicopter services from Phata and Guptkashi shorten the journey to minutes.
According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas built the original temple to atone for the sins of the Kurukshetra war. The current stone structure dates to the 8th century.
Darshan & Aarti
Darshan timings
- · 4:00 AM – 3:00 PM (morning)
- · 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (evening)
Aarti schedule
- Maha Abhishek — 4:00 AM – 7:00 AM (Advance booking via BKTC)
- Shringar Aarti — 5:00 PM
- Shayan Aarti — 7:00 PM (Final aarti before temple closes)
🚌 How to reach
By Air
Dehradun (Jolly Grant, 238 km)
Daily flights from Delhi/Mumbai. Onward taxi or helicopter.
By Rail
Rishikesh Railway Station (216 km)
Well-connected to Delhi. From Rishikesh, road to Gaurikund then trek.
By Road
Motorable up to Gaurikund. Beyond, only trek or pony.
- Delhi: 452 km · ~12h · NH-334 via Haridwar–Rishikesh–Rudraprayag
- Rishikesh: 216 km · ~7h · via Devprayag–Rudraprayag
🚁 By Helicopter
Return heli ₹7,700–₹9,000. Book 60+ days ahead via IRCTC Heli Yatra.
Last mile: 16 km trek from Gaurikund (5–7 hrs). Pony ₹3,000, palki ₹6,000. Helicopter drops at temple helipad — 500 m walk.
Where to stay
budget
₹1,200 – ₹2,500GMVN Kedarnath Tourist Rest House
300 m from temple
Book 90+ days in advance
Book now mid
₹800 – ₹1,800Bharat Sevashram Sangh / Punjab Sindh Awas
500 m from temple
Community-run, meals included
premium
₹3,000 – ₹5,000BKTC Rooms (Temple Committee)
100 m from temple
Priority for VIP pass holders
Book now Estimated expense (per person)
| Rishikesh–Gaurikund taxi (shared) | ₹1,500 |
| Trek pony/palki (round-trip) | ₹4,000 |
| Stay (2 nights) | ₹3,500 |
| Meals (2 days) | ₹800 |
| VIP darshan pass | ₹2,200 |
| Total | ₹12,000 |
Excludes helicopter. Add ₹8,500 per person for heli return.
Gallery
📍 Nearby attractions
Badrinath Temple
Second of the 4 Char Dham
Triyuginarayan Temple
Site of Shiva-Parvati wedding