Uttarakhand,
popularly known as Devbhoomi or the “Land
of Gods”, is a holy land with an abundance of pilgrimage sites and temples.
Spirituality is in its every breath and the entire region vibrates with the
music of devotion, chiming of bells, chanting of hymns, and the heartfelt
prayers of devotees. Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, are the
four holiest pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand, which form the traditional
pilgrimage circuit known as “Char Dham Yatra”. Devout pilgrims from all over
the world have been visiting these sacred sites for several centuries in search
of salvation. Haridwar, “the Gateway to the God”, and Rishikesh, “the Yoga
Capital of the World” are the favorite destinations of millions of pilgrims who
love beauty and spirituality. Situated in the foothills of the enchanting
Himalayas, and dominated by peaks and glaciers, serene valleys, sacred rivers
and breathtaking natural beauty, Uttarakhand has been rightly chosen by Gods as
their mystical abode.
Here
is a comprehensive travel guide for an 11-day spiritual tour to Uttarakhand,
which follows the traditional sequence of Char Dham Pilgrimage and covers all
major pilgrimage sites of the divine land.
Day 1 : Haridwar
Haridwar
is the entry point to the spiritual tour to Uttarakhand. You can reach Haridwar
by air, rail or road. Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, located at 35 km from
Haridwar, is the nearest airport. Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet and Indigo
operate daily flights from here to major cities in India. Indira Gandhi International
Airport in New Delhi is the nearest international airport. Haridwar railway
station has excellent connectivity with major cities in India. From New Delhi, located
at a distance of 220 km, Haridwar can be reached by road in less than 6 hours.
After arrival in Haridwar, check in at the hotel you have already booked.
Haridwar,
which literally means “the Gateway to God”, is regarded as one of the seven
most sacred places every Hindu should visit. Kumbha Mela festival, the largest religious gathering in the world,
is held here in every twelve years. This holy land is dotted with several
famous temples and pilgrimage spots. You must visit Har ki Pauri (“footsteps of
the Lord”), which is the most sacred Ghat of Haridwar, and have a holy bath
that will rejuvenate your body and soul. Other sacred places include the famous
Mansa Devi Temple, Chandi Devi Temple, Daksha Mahadev Temple, Bharat Mahadev
Temple, Doodhari Temple, Brahma Kund, etc. The Ganga Aarti ritual in the
evening is an important ceremony you should not miss.
Day 2 : Barkot
In
the early morning, proceed to Barkot, which is a beautiful location and a
popular stopover on the way to Yamunotri. If necessary, you can hire a cab for
your entire tour through an approved tour operator in Haridwar. Barkot is located
at a distance of 215 km from Haridwar, which requires about 7 hours travel
time. However, depending on the road condition and weather, you may reach
Barkot only by late afternoon or evening.
On
reaching Barkot, check in at the hotel and relax. Before going to sleep,
prepare mentally for the next day’s trekking to Yamunotri.
Day 3 : Yamunotri
In the
early morning, drive from Barkot to Janki Chatti (35 km), which will take two
hours. From Janki Chatti, you have to trek 7 km to reach Yamunotri Temple. The
trekking route is steep and narrow. It is one of the toughest treks and is
usually crowded with pilgrims and horses. After 3-4 hours trekking, you will
reach the temple. Yamunotri, the source of River Yamuna and dedicated to Goddess
Yamuna, is located at 3300 m above sea level. It is renowned for a number of
hot water springs (Kunds) and glaciers. Surya Kund and Divya Shila are the major
attractions.
After a
holy dip in the hot spring, perform puja to Divya Shila and have darshan of
Yamunaji in the sacred shrine. You can cook rice by packing rice in cloth and
dipping in the hot water of the Garam Kund, which can be taken as Prasad. After
completing the rituals, trek down to Janki Chatti and return to Barkot. Stay
overnight in the hotel.
Day 4 : Uttarkashi
In the morning, proceed to Uttarkashi.
Uttarkashi, which literally means, “Kashi of North”, is situated on the banks
of River Bhagirathi, at a distance of 100 km from Barkot. En route you can
watch several attractions, including Prakateshwar caves dedicated to Lord
Shiva.
After reaching Uttarkashi, check in at the hotel
and relax. In the evening you can visit the famous Lord Vishwanath Temple.
There are several smaller shrines in Uttarkashi
dedicated to Bhairav, Parashuram, Dattatreya, Annapurna, Laksheshwar and
Ekadashrudra. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 5 : Gangotri
Gangotri, the source of River Ganga and
dedicated to Goddess Ganga, is the next destination. This 18th
century temple built by Gorkha General Amar Singh is situated on the right bank
of River Bhagirathi at an elevation of 3200 m above sea level. There is a Shivaling of
natural rock submerged in the river, which is believed to be the spot where
Ganga came down to earth subsequent to King Bhagiratha’s efforts.
Gangotri is located at a distance of
100 km from Uttarkashi. If you start in the early morning, you can reach there
by noon. After taking a holy dip in River
Bhagirathi, have darshan in the sacred shrine. Visit Pandava Gufa (Caves) by
trekking 1.5 km. It is believed that Pandavas meditated here on their way to
Kailash. Relax in the mystic surroundings and return to Uttarkashi in the
evening. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 6 : Guptakashi
Guptakashi
is a place of great religious significance, which has mention in the epic
Mahabharata. It is located 225 km away from Uttarkashi, at the confluence of
the two holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna.
Proceed
to Guptakashi in the early morning and you will reach there by late afternoon. Check
in at the hotel and after relaxing for a while, visit the famous Vishwanath
Temple, Ardh Narishwar Temple and Manikarnik Kund. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 7 : Kedarnath
Kedarnath
Temple is situated at 3584 m above sea level in a breathtaking location
surrounded by snow- capped peaks of Himalayas. It is one of the twelve
Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva. This sacred shrine, built by Adi Shankaracharya in
the 8th century, is located near an earlier temple, which is
believed to be built by Pandavas.
In the
early morning, drive from Guptakashi to Gaurikund, which is at a distance of 30
km. The 16 km trekking to Kedarnath Temple begins from Gaurikund. This is a new
route and lengthy. The old route was washed away in the recent floods in 2013. It
is a tough trekking route you can conquer by foot, Doli or Horse. You will
reach Kedarnath by evening. No hotel accommodation is available near Kedarnath
Temple. The only staying option is the tented accommodation provided by the
Uttarakhand government. You can find a large number of devotees for darshan. It
is such a mystical and enchanting place that you will hesitate to return from
there. After having the darshan, stay overnight in the tented accommodation.
Another
option is to go to Kedarnath by helicopter from Fata Helipad near Gaurikund,
in which case you can complete the Darshan and return in the afternoon.
However, in the helicopter journey you will miss the thrill of trekking and the
vibrations of spirituality.
Day 8 : Rudraprayag
After having morning darshan in the Kedarnath
temple, trek down to Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, proceed to Rudraprayag, which is
a small town of great religious significance located at the confluence of River
Alaknanda and River Mandakini, at a distance of 80 km from Gaurikund. It is a
perfect stopover on the way to Badrinath. Check in the hotel at Rudraprayag and
stay overnight.
Day 9 : Badrinath
In the early morning, proceed to
Badrinath, which is at a distance of 160 km from Rudraprayag. Badrinath is
located at 3133 m
above sea level, and is enclosed by two mountain ranges Nar and Narayan in the
wonderful backdrop of Neelkantha peak.
It is regarded as the holiest of all the four temples in the Char Dham
pilgrimage. Situated on the banks of River Alaknanda, it was once covered with
‘badris’ (wild berries) and was known as Badri Van. Lord Vishnu is the
presiding deity. Other deities include Lakshmi, Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and
Garuda. Tapt Kund is a natural hot spring, where one should take bath before
entering the Badrinath Temple. Other sacred places include Narad Kund, Mata Murty
Temple, Mana Village, Bhim Pul, Charan Paduka, Vyas Gufa (Caves), Brahma Kapal,
Shesh Netra, etc.
On reaching Badrinath by afternoon, check
in the hotel and relax for a while. Later, take a dip in the Tapt Kund and have
the holy darshan in the Badrinath shrine. Visit other temples and sacred places
with a heart full of devotion and prayers. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 10 : Srinagar
In
the morning take a holy dip in Tapt Kund and have darshan in the Badrinath temple
before starting the return journey. Proceed towards Srinagar Garhwal, which is
at about 190 km from Badrinath, via Joshimath. For the pilgrims undertaking
Uttarakhand tour, Srinagar is the perfect place for relaxing a night during a
long journey between Badrinath and Rishikesh. You will reach Srinagar by late
evening. Check in the hotel and stay overnight.
Day 11 : Rishikesh
In
the early morning take bath and have darshan at Shankarmath Temple and
Kamaleshwar Mahadev Temple in Srinagar. Then proceed to Rishikesh, the final
destination of this spiritual tour. Rishikesh, renowned as the “Yoga capital of
the world” is located on the banks of River Ganga at a distance of 108 km from
Srinagar. This holy town is internationally famous for yoga and meditation.
After
reaching Rishikesh, check in at the hotel and relax for a while. You can spend
the day by visiting temples and sacred places. Triveni Ghat, Shivanand Ashram,
Ram Jhulla, Laxman Jhulla, Bharath Temple, Shatrughnan Temple, Vashisht Gufa
(caves), etc., are some popular places you must visit in Rishikesh. Don’t miss
the evening Aarati in Triveni Ghat, which is a colorful ceremony of glowing
lamps. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 12 : End of the Tour
The
tour ends now. You can proceed to
Haridwar railway station (25 km) or Jolly Grant airport Dehradun (15 km) for
your onward journey.
When to Visit
Due to
fatal landslides and extreme weather conditions, the spiritual tour to
Uttarakhand, especially the Char Dham Yatra, is allowed only from May to November
every year. May and June are the peak time. It is advised to avoid monsoon
season, from July to September.
How to Plan Your Tour
You
can plan your tour through an approved tour operator who will take care of
everything including accommodation, transportation, etc., so that you can enjoy
the trip without any stress.
Alternatively,
instead of depending on a tour operator, you can plan and manage everything by
yourself. You must book hotel rooms in advance, as per your choice, to avoid
the last-minute crisis. You can drive your own vehicle or hire a vehicle from
your home town or from Haridwar.
Important Tips
1. The
journey involves difficult trekking through rugged terrains and high mountains.
So, before undertaking the journey, make sure that you are physically and
mentally fit.
2. Carry
warm clothes, sweaters, caps, muffler, rain coats, blankets, sleeping bags, water-proof
shoes, torch, etc.
3. Ladies
are advised to wear salwar kameez or pants instead of saris.
4. Carry
First Aid box and personal medical kit.
5. Carry
dry fruits, biscuits, chocolates, tinned foods and water bottles.
6. Travel
in group with your friends or relatives. They will be helpful in difficult
situations.
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