Day by Day itineraryDay 1: Arrive at Haridwar Arrive in Haridwar on your own at least one day in advance to the start of the tour. This day is not included in your tour cost, however, at special additional cost all arrangements can be made for your stay at Haridwar also.
While you are at Haridwar, you may visit the hilltop temples or other attractions like Daksha Mahadev Temple, where Sati sacrificed her life in the holy fire not bearing the insult of her husband Lord Shiva at the hands of her father Daksha. Bharat Mata Mandir (photography strictly prohibited) is an interesting venue showcasing the vast cultural and historical exhibits of India. Attend the Ganga aarti for an experience you would never forget. Overnight stay at Haridwar.
What to Expect in Haridwar? There are scores of temples occupying the holy banks of Ganga and few located atop hills and approachable by ropeways. You may visit the hilltop temples of Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi (combo ticket costs INR 257) via thrilling cable car rides. Taking a holy dip in Ganga at Har-ki-Pauri can be one of the many highlights of the trip. The main attraction is the fascinating Ganga aarti in the evening where thousands of earthen lamps and melodious chants appear to summon the Gods on the earth.
Day 2: Travel From Haridwar to Barkot (around 235 km. in 8 hr.)Your tour starts as you meet us at the pre-designated place in Haridwar. Drive from Haridwar to Barkot, from where the first Dham Yamunotri is only about 50 km. away.
On arrival, check-in at the booked hotel. Later, you can explore the area on foot and enjoy the visual treat of the snow-capped Himalayan massifs like Bandarpoonch. You may also like to shop for the local handicrafts, paintings and woollens. Overnight stay at Barkot.
What to Expect in Barkot? At a height of about 4,000 ft., this quaint town of Uttarakhand is absolutely charming. It is located on the banks of Yamuna and is popular for apple orchards, mesmerizing landscapes and adventure activities like camping, trekking and white water rafting.
Day 3: Drive to Janki Chatti (about 45 km.) – Trek to Yamunotri Temple (about 7 km.) – Back to Janki Chatti – Drive to BarkotGet up early in the morning to visit the first holy shrine of Chardham Yatra tour package, the Yamunotri Temple. We would drive you to the base camp at Janki Chatti from where you would trek to reach the temple dedicated to Goddess Yamuna.
Return to Barkot at the end of the day for an overnight stay.
What to Expect at Yamunotri? At a height of about 10,800 ft., Yamunotri is home to Yamunotri Temple dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, who is believed to be the daughter of Surya (Sun) and sister of Yama. The temple houses an idol of the goddess is black marble. The exact source of Yamuna is located at Saptarishi Kund about 10 km. up-trek from the temple.
As per the legend, the great Sage Asit Muni would take bath in the holy waters of Ganga and Yamuna every day. However, the exercise of visiting Gangotri every day became difficult for him during the old age. Hence, a branch of Ganga began to flow at Yamunotri to help the sage continue with his ritual.
You may take bath in Gaurikund (lukewarm water spring) before praying at the temple. There is another pond called Surya Kund (after Sun God) which contains boiling hot water. It is considered auspicious to boil rice and potatoes in this water and offer them to the deity. It is also believed that taking bath in the icy cold water of Yamuna saves one from untimely death and sufferings of hell. Divya Shila is a holy rock near the temple worth visiting.
Day 4: Travel Barkot to Uttarkashi (around 80 km. in 3.5 hr.)Leave Barkot to reach the next destination of Chardham Yatra tour package, the town of Uttarkashi, known for a number of temples and ashrams.
On arrival, check in at the booked hotel. You may later visit the religious sites like Vishwanath Temple which gets its name after a similar Shiva temple at Kashi (Varanasi). It is believed that when Kashi would be drowned under water, Shiva, in the form of Lord Vishwanath, would shift his abode to this temple. A nearby attraction is the Shakti Temple which features a sacred Trishul (trident) which remains unmovable even if one applies the full body force but vibrates when pressed with a finger. It is believed that Goddess Durga threw this trident to kill demons. Another interesting attraction of the town is Kuteti Devi Temple which is built on the site where Goddess Durga was discovered embodied in three precious stones. Overnight stay at Uttarkashi.
What to Expect in Uttarkashi? The town is located on the banks of River Bhagirathi and has many tributaries of the holy rivers flowing nearby. At the height of about 3,800 ft., it is the starting point of many thrilling trekking expeditions to the majestic lakes and meadows in Uttarakhand. Some of them include Dodital Lake, Nachiketa Lake, Har ki Doon Valley and Dayara Bugyal (a striking alpine meadow). It is also famous for its mountaineering institutes and lush green surroundings.
Day 5: Travel Uttarkashi to Gangotri (around 100 km. in 4 hs.) and BackOn the fifth day of Chardham Yatra tour package, you would be driving to the second dham called Gangotri.
On arrival, pray at the Gangotri Temple which houses a silver idol of the goddess with the golden mask. You may visit the spectacular Surya Kund and Gauri Kund Waterfalls formed by River Bhagirathi. Another popular site is Jalmagna Shivalinga, a natural rock in the form of Shiva Lingam, which stays submerged in water during summers. It is believed to be the place where Shiva held Ganga in his locks when the river descended on earth with unbearable force. Bhagirath Shila is the rock where the kind performed his penance.
Get back to Uttarkashi for the night stay.
What to Expect in Gangotri? Gangotri, at the height of about 10,200 ft., houses the beautiful white granite temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga. The beautiful backdrop of deodar and pine trees and chirpy sounds of River Bhagirathi make the entire ambience absolutely overwhelming. The place is the starting point of several thrilling treks like those to Gaumukh (the original source of Ganga) and Tapovan Meadows.
As per the legend, King Bhagirath performed tough penance here to please Goddess Ganga which used to flow as a river in the heavens. His aim was to bring the holy river on the earth for the absolution of the sins performed by his ancestors.
Day 6: Travel Uttarkashi to Guptakashi (around 200 km. in 8 hr.)Bid adieu to Uttarkashi as we drive to Guptkashi which is popular as the gateway to Kedarnath, the next Dham of Chardham Yatra tour package.
On arrival, check in at the booked hotel. Later, you can visit Vishwanath Temple, which like the one located in Uttarkashi is named after the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Ardhnareeshwar Temple is where the half-man half-woman form of Shiva and Parvati is worshipped. You may also visit the holy temple town of Ukhimath which is the winter abode of Lord Kedarnath. Overnight stay in Guptakashi.
What to Expect in Guptkashi? Guptkashi is one of the 6 sacred Kashis in addition to one main Kashi (Varanasi). It is believed that those who can’t perform pilgrimage to Kashi can gain Lord Shiva’s blessings by visiting Guptakashi. There are temples, lakes and arrays of Shiva Lingams in and around the town. At the height of about 4,330 ft. and on the banks of River Mandakini, it offers awe-inspiring views of the lofty Chaukhamba Peak. It is believed that Lord Shiva hid in the ground as a bull at Guptakashi while avoiding the Pandavas.
Day 7: Day 07: Guptakashi to Phata (11 km. by road) to Kedarnath (8 min. by helicopter) and Back Let the day start early in the morning as we drive you to the Phata/Sersi/Sitapur Helipad(as per the availability of helicopter tickets for Shri Kedarnath Shrine). From here, you would board the helicopter to reach Kedarnath Helipad. From the helipad, the third Dham is less than 300 m. away.
What to Expect in Kedarnath? At about 11,660 ft. above sea level, Kedarnath Temple is the remotest of all four temples of Chardham Yatra tour package. River Mandakini, beginning from the Chorabari Glacier near the town, adds magnificence to the whole region which is flanked by the hoary Himalayan peaks like Kedarnath Peak and Kedar Dome. According to the mythological beliefs, Shiva in the form of a bull re-emerged from ground at five different places, his hump appearing at Kedarnath. Hence, the Pandavas built a temple here.
On arrival, visit the Kedarnath Temple which houses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. It is believed that those who worship the conical shaped lingam with pure heart are absolved of all sins and they ascend to Kailasha, the ultimate abode of Shiva. Later, you may visit Bhairav Temple located in the close vicinity. Finally, fly back to Phata and drive to Guptakashi for night stay.
Day 8: Travel Guptakashi to Badrinath (around 200 km. in 8 hr.)Leave Guptakashi as we drive to the fourth Dham of Chardham Yatra tour package, the Badrinath Temple located in the holy town of Badrinath.
What to Expect in Badrinath? Badrinath was once full of Badri (a form of berry) trees which are believed to have lent the name to the town. One interesting legend about Badrinath Temple is that Lord Vishnu is eternally meditating here under a Badri tree in the form of Nar and Narayana.
The temple is also a part of the bigger Chardham Yatra which consists of four holy destinations in four corners of India. The place has many mythological places in the close vicinity, including the Nara and Narayana Mountains, Swargarohini (believed to be the stairs that lead to Swarga or heaven) and numerous places associated with the Pandavas.
On arrival, check-in at the booked hotel. You can visit Badrinath Temple in the evening. The temple houses a black marble(Saligram) idol of Lord Badrinath (Vishnu) and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.
Many people visit Badrinath for Pitr Tarpan at Brahma Kapal, along with the banks of River Alaknanda.
At about 10,300 ft. above the sea level, the temple has its mention in many ancient scriptures and rests peacefully near River Alaknanda. Overnight stay at Badrinath.
Day 9: Badrinath and AroundSpend another day of Chardham Yatra tour package at Badrinath to explore some very interesting places.
Start the say with another visit to Badrinath Temple and then visit the holy Tapt Kund. The water of this hot spring pond is believed to contain healing properties.
Later, you may visit Charan Paduka, a natural rock which is believed to feature the footprints of Lord Vishnu himself. Narad Kund formed due to Alaknanda’s recession is another holy site from where the sacred shaligram stone used in carving the idol of Lord Badrinath was obtained miraculously.
You have the options to visit the natural caves named after Lord Ganesha and Sage Vyasa. It is believed that Vyas dictated while Ganesha wrote the epic Mahabharata in one of these caves. Mata Murti temple, dedicated to the mother of Lord Badrinath, and Panch Dhara, from where five holy streams originate, are worth visiting.
If you wish, we would drive you to the pristine waterfall called Vasudhara, the divine river named Saraswati the Bheema Pul (bridge) formed by the Pandavas and Mana Village which is the last inhabited town before India’s border with Tibet.
Finally, stay overnight at the hotel.
Day 10: Travel Badrinath to Srinagar (around 205 km. in 8 hr.)Towards the end of Chardham Yatra tour package, you leave Badrinath and drive to Srinagar, yet another charming town in the Himalayas.
What to Expect in Srinagar? At the height of about 1,840 ft., the town is an erstwhile capital of the Garhwal Kingdom. It is believed that the place gets its name from an evil rock called Sri Yantra which was submerged in Alaknanda River by Saint Adi Shankracharaya. The scenic town is also home to numerous old temples.
On arrival, check in at the booked hotel. Later, you may visit Kamleshwar Mahadev Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Rama worshipped Shiva here using hundreds of kamal (lotus) flowers. Another popular temple is called Kilkileshwar Mahadev Temple which is located on the banks of Alaknanda. Keshorai Math is a temple built by an ardent devotee of Lord Badrinath, named Kesho Rai. According to the popular story, Kesho dug the place and found an idol of the lord here.
Finally, retire to the hotel and stay overnight.
Day 11: Srinagar - HaridwarStart the drive back to Haridwar. The tour ends as we bid you a goodbye at Haridwar from where you proceed to your final destination.