Char Dham Yatra

The Char Dham Yatra route is always bustling with a variety of accommodation options ranging from lodges, GMVM tourist guest houses, budget hotels to 3-4 star properties. Luxury hotels and resorts are very limited in these hilly areas. Besides the normal hotel stay, if you wish to soak your spirits in ample serenity and take in full pleasure of this soulful and sanctified journey, then the best option is to stay in luxury camps that are built amidst tranquil settings and provide ample peace to your fatigued souls. These camps are set up in Barkot enroute to Yamunotri, Harsil enroute to Gangotri, Gupt Kashi enroute to Kedarnath and Joshimath enroute to Badrinath.

All the pilgrims commencing with the char dham yatra are required to undergo a biometric registration process under which they will be issued with biometric cards also known as the ‘Yatra Pass’ or ‘Yatra Permit’. The registration can be done at the yatra offices in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Tapovan (Tehri District). With the biometric registration, government also aims at maintaining a check on the number of pilgrims entering and leaving a shrine through a GPS-based monitoring system. This will help the government to plan for safety measures for the pilgrims at a given point of time just in case an emergency situation similar to flash floods of 2013 arises again.

If you plan to trek to Gaumukh or further up to Nandanvan or Tapovan from Gangotri, special permissions are required to be taken from the forest department in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand state run buses and private deluxe & luxury coaches regularly ply from Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun for the holy Char Dham Yatra. From the same locations, taxi services can also be hired from private taxi rental services operating in the area. If you wish, you can also opt for chartered helicopter services for a tour to the four sacred dhams, details of which are given in one of the sections below.

The ‘Char Dham Yatra’ is one of the most sacred pilgrim tours for Hindus and is believed to wash away all your sins of present and past lifetimes. As per Hindi mythological beliefs, commencing on the ‘Char Dham Yatra’ at least once in lifetime relieves you from the vicious cycle of life and death, thereby helping you attain salvation or ‘Moksha’.

Besides mythological reasons, there are many scientific and medical reasons associated with the significance of this holy pilgrimage tour. Since, all the sacred shrines are located in higher mountainous regions, a trek to these destinations in a year helps a person attain fitness and physical stamina which is also very important for a healthy mind and heart. Secondly, the abundant natural beauty comprising of lofty peaks, gurgling rivers, sparking waterfalls and serene lakes enroute to these holy sites, help a person feel relaxed and rejuvenated, thereby regulating the neurotic senses. Besides these, the whole atmosphere sanctified with enchanting of mantras and shlokas brings a lot of positivity which in turn regulates various body hormones, pulse rate, and heartbeat.

The journey for the Char Dham Yatra begins from the holy city of Haridwar either taking you via Rishikesh or Dehradun-Mussoorie routes. Make sure to start this pious journey by taking a holy dip in the waters of sacred Ganges at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar. Also, pay homage at the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples where the wishes of devotees are believed to be fulfilled.

If you are taking the Rishikesh route, get the blessings of Lord Triambakeshwar and Neelkanth Mahadev at the respective temples or feel the essence of spirituality by soaking your souls in the echoing sounds of hymns and prayers during the captivating Ganga Aarti at the Triveni Ghat. At some distance from Rishikesh, awaits Devprayag to offer the scenic view of merging of rivers to form Ganga. The Chardham route is replete with picturesque and sacred destinations, both create a view to cherish. You have the opportunity to sight the mouth from where River Ganga originates in Gaumukh, and also witness the winter seats of all four deities in the form of Ukhimath, Joshimath, Mukhba, and Kharsali. There are sights like Auli that is a getaway for relaxation and rejuvenation, and then there is also a chance to see the last village of India, Mana. The Panch Prayags, the high-altitude Vasuki Tal, the ancient and mysterious Gupt Kashi, and the offbeat Madhyamaheshwar are some of the destinations that surround the Chardham destinations in Uttarakhand.