Char Dham Yatra Route Map Guide

The Char Dham Yatra is a famous and sacred Yatra in India. It is located in Uttarakhand which is well known as Devbhumi. Some people also call it the “Land of Gods” which has the same meaning as Devbhumi. It is believed that it is the land of many Gods and there are many holy shrines which are associated with these Gods.  Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath are four Holy shrines and have sacred places in the heart of our people.

Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines are dedicated to Goddess Ganga & Yamuna rivers, Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. These are places hold immense significance in our people’s hearts. This all was a quick overview but the main focus of the post is to reveal the Char Dham Yatra route map to you. So. let’s go to our purpose.

Overview

This Yatra starts from Rishikesh or Hardwar. These both places have both rail and road as transportation facilities. Through entering these gateways, you can start your Yatra to holy shrines. Traditionally, people follow a specific sequence while visiting Char Dham.

According to this sequence, they reach Yamunotri then Gangotri then Kedarnath, and end at Badrinath. This route map to visit Char Dham Yatra has spiritual significance and is also a convenient way to accomplish this Yatra.

1- Yamunotri

As a traditional route, it’s the first stop of the Char Dham Yatra and also the source of the Yamuna River. It is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and is situated at an altitude of 3293 meters. Hanuman Chatti, Divya Shila, Saptarishi Kund, Surya Kund, Kharsali, and Yamunotri Temple are all important places at this stop and you must visit as much places as possible.

Its journey starts from Haridwar and you will need to cross several towns before reaching Janki Chatti. You have to undertake a 7-kilometer trek to reach Yamunotri from Janki Chatti. It takes 4 to 5 hours to complete this destination. Further, the route from Delhi to Haridwar takes 6 hours which is about 200 kilometers track on smooth NH 334. The next stop from Haridwar to Barkot takes 7 hours which is a 220 Km long journey on NH 34. Against all, the final stop is Janki Chatti which takes almost 1 and a half hours and is 39 kilometers long with a narrower road.

2- Gangotri

After Yamunotri, it’s time to proceed to Gangotri. It is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is situated at an altitude of 3,415 meters. When you visit it, you must visit Kedartal, Bhaironghati, Gaumukh, Bhaironghati, and Gangotri Temple. Gaumukh is a glacier which is the source of the Ganges.

The destination of Yamunotri to Uttarkashi is about 100 kilometers and it takes almost 4 hours. It takes some extra time due to a narrower road at some points. Further, the next stop from Uttarkashi to Gangotri is 100 Km long and it also takes 4 hours due to the same route conditions.

3- Kedarnath

Here, you will go to the process to third place according to the traditional Chardham Yatra route. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is present at an altitude of 3,583 meters. The must-visit places at this stop are Kedarnath Temple, Vasuki Tal, Shankaracharya Samadhi, and Gandhi Sarovar.

To proceed from Gangotri to Kedarnath, you must follow this route. The distance between Gangotri to Rudraprayag is almost 200 kilometers and it takes 7 to 8 hours to cover it. The next destination is Rudraprayag to Gaurikund and it is 74 kilometers away which requires a time of 4 hours to cover it. It takes a little more time due to its steep and narrow road. At the end of this route, you have to cover a trek of 20 Km that comes in the destination from Gaurikund to Kedarnath.

4- Badrinath

Let’s cover the destination and we reach the final stop. We are at Badrinath which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is situated at an altitude of 3,133 meters and Badrinath Temple, Mana Village, Neelkanth Peak, and Vyas Gufa are the must-visit places of this stop.

To reach it, you will need to come back from Kedarnath to Rudraprayag. Later, you can start your journey to Badrinath. It takes almost 7 hours to reach Badrinath while you will need to cover the destination 6 to 7 hours on the road. This road is also unpredictable in matters of landslides and it becomes worse in monsoon conditions.

Complete Char Dham Yatra Route

The total distance that we cover during the Char Dham Yatra is approximately 1,607 kilometers. Here’s a quick overview of the route:

Delhi to Haridwar:

• It’s a 210-kilometer distance on NH 334 and it takes 6 hours to cover it.

Haridwar to Barkot:

• It is 220 kilometers via NH 34 and takes 7 hours to cover it.

Barkot to Yamunotri:

• 36 kilometers (1.5 hours drive) + 7 kilometers (4-5 hours trek).

Yamunotri to Uttarkashi:

• It is 100 kilometers long and takes 4 hours to cover it.

Uttarkashi to Gangotri:

• 100 kilometers (4 hours). (Same as above)

Gangotri to Rudraprayag:

• It is 180 kilometers and takes 7-8 hours to cover it.

Rudraprayag to Gaurikund:

• It is 74 kilometers and takes 3-4 hours to cover it.

Gaurikund to Kedarnath:

• It is 20 kilometers and takes 6 hours to cover it.

Rudraprayag to Badrinath:

• It is 160 kilometers and takes 7 hours to cover it.

Badrinath to Rishikesh:

• It is 297 kilometers via NH 7 and takes 10-11 hours to cover it.

Rishikesh to Delhi:

• It is 230 kilometers via NH 334 and takes 6 hours to cover it.

FAQs

Q 1- Are All Char Dhams Connected by Road?

Ans: Yes, all Char Dhams are connected by road but trekking sections are primary troubles between the route to Yamunotri and Kedarnath.

Q 2- What are some major routes to reach Char Dham?

Ans: These are major routes that you can follow to reach Char Dham.

• Yamunotri & Gangotri: Via Rishikesh – Chamba or Dehradun – Mussoorie.
• Kedarnath & Badrinath: Via Rishikesh – Rudraprayag and Rishikesh – Joshimath.

Q 3- What is the correct order of the Char Dham Yatra route?

Ans: The traditional order is Yamunotri → Gangotri → Kedarnath → Badrinath.