The Char Dham circuit loops through Garhwal's high Himalaya, starting and ending at the Haridwar–Rishikesh–Dehradun triangle. The four shrines are linked by mountain highways, with Kedarnath alone requiring a trek or helicopter.
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED) is the circuit's gateway — daily flights from Delhi (55 min), Mumbai, Bangalore and Lucknow. It sits conveniently between Rishikesh (20 km) and Haridwar (35 km), where most yatra itineraries begin.
Haridwar Junction is the principal railhead, with excellent connections from Delhi (Vande Bharat/ Shatabdi ~4.5 h), Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. Rishikesh and Dehradun stations also work for early starts.
From Delhi, Haridwar is ~210 km (5–6 h) via NH334. The circuit itself is usually done clockwise — Yamunotri (via Barkot), Gangotri (via Uttarkashi), Kedarnath (via Guptkashi & Gaurikund) and Badrinath (via Joshimath) — around 1,600 km over 9–12 days. Kedarnath requires a 16–18 km trek from Gaurikund (ponies/palkis available).
Helicopter shuttles fly to Kedarnath from Phata, Sirsi and Guptkashi (slots via the official IRCTC HeliYatra portal), and full heli-Char Dham circuits from Dehradun compress the yatra into 5–6 days. Our helicopter packages include confirmed slots, VIP darshan assistance and hotels.
Sedans and tempo travellers with hill-experienced drivers are the norm; roads are good but winding, and weather holds are part of mountain travel — always keep a buffer day.
| From | Route | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 210 km to Haridwar via NH334 | 5–6 h |
| Haridwar | Full circuit ~1,600 km | 9–12 days |
| Gaurikund | 16–18 km trek to Kedarnath | 6–9 h walk |
| Joshimath | 45 km to Badrinath | 2 h |
Traditionally from Haridwar or Rishikesh, visiting the shrines west to east: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, then Badrinath. Fly into Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport or take a train to Haridwar to begin.
A comfortable road circuit takes 9–12 days from Haridwar. Helicopter packages from Dehradun cover all four dhams in 5–6 days; single-dham trips (Kedarnath or Badrinath alone) take 3–4 days.
It is a steady 16–18 km climb from Gaurikund with a well-built path. Reasonably fit pilgrims walk it in 6–9 hours; ponies, palkis, porters and the helicopter shuttle serve everyone else.
