Tucked in the lap of the Himalayas, Char Dham is the spiritual epicenter for Hindus in India. Rejuvenate your spiritual self with this itinerary, offering an excursion to all the Char Dham Temples – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Begin your journey to seek spiritual enlightenment from Haridwar, where you be meeting the Chardham representative and your holiday partners.

Upon arrival in Haridwar, check-in at the hotel. Relax your tired muscles while sipping a hot cup of tea. Then make your way to the Har ki Pauri Ghat to attend the famous Ganga Aarti (with the special arrangement) – a sunset prayer accompanied by music on the banks of the holy river. The Ghat becomes a sight for sore eyes when the Ganga aarti is performed, with bells ringing and diyas flaming everywhere. Treat your taste buds to a delicious dinner and listen to holy chants during the Bhajan Sandhya before you retire to sleep.

Begin your day with a delicious meal and embark on a 6-hour drive to reach Barkot, an undisturbed hill station that welcomes one with spectacular views of snow-capped mountains all around. Apart from all the natural beauty, the place is known for being the base camp that leads to the prominent Yamunotri Temple, the seat of Goddess Yamuna. During the 180 kilometers long journey to reach Barkot, you would cut and run through some of the famous gems of Uttarakhand like Dehradun, Mussoorie, Kempty Falls, Nainbagh and Damda. Stretch your legs and enjoy lunch at the stop near the Yamuna Bridge. On your arrival in Barkot, get a traditional welcome at the Chardham Camp. Meet the destination expert and at the camp who would be giving you all the information about the temple, followed by an evening tea. After a long day of travelling, enjoy dinner and indulge your senses in the Katha Saar. After listening to soul-stirring religious songs, retire to the comfortable hotel room for a relaxing overnight stay.

Nothing could be as peaceful as starting your day by listening to the soul-stirring Shlok Saar. After starting your day on such a beautiful note, embark on a drive to Hanuman Chatti via Syanachatti. From Hanuman Chatti, take a local taxi to reach Jankichatti (own expense). Upon arrival in Jankichatti, commence your 6-kilometer trek to reach Yamunotri Dham. The journey would be tiring but the view throughout would be worth all the efforts. Visit the temple of Goddess Yamuna, situated on the bank of the river. See the idol of Yamuna Devi and Ganga Devi inside the revered temple. You could also take a holy dip in the hot spring, which is usually used by the pilgrims to cook rice. After the divine darshan, head back to Barkot. During the trek, enjoy packed lunch. On arrival in the Barkot camp, sample a piping hot cup of tea and then attend the famous evening Aarti. Enjoy dinner and then retire to sleep in the comfortable camp.

Start your day with scrumptious breakfast and make your way to Harsil, an unspoiled gem of Uttarakhand on the bank of Bhagirathi River. Your journey to this beautiful hamlet would take approximately 7 hours and you will pass by famous Dharasu Bend, Uttarkashi, and Uttarkashi Vishwanath temple. Make your long journey a relaxing one by stopping at Gangnani to take a dip in the hot spring. Enjoy a delicious local lunch at Uttarkashi and refuel your systems for the journey ahead. You will receive a traditional welcome at Harsil and check-in at the Chardham camp. After a short tea break, find your way to Mukhwas Village, a popular tourist’s attraction that is hardly a kilometer away from Harsil. Mukhwas Village is mainly known for being the winter abode of Goddess Gangotri during snowfall, making the place pure and beautiful. People visit here in large numbers to worship the Goddess and admire the beauty of the place. Indulge in a hot cup of tea and then meet the experts who would tell you more about the temple and the goddess. After your tour, head on for dinner and then return to your room for a comfortable overnight stay.

Start your day by undertaking a nature walk to Wilson House, 1.5 kilometers from the camp. It is the prominent house of Camp- E. Wilson who introduced the villagers of Tehri to the practice of apple cultivation and also built a suspension bridge over Jadganga for local people. Currently, there’s no bridge but one could still see its traces. Having explored the place, head back to the hotel and embark on a 22 kilometers drive to reach the Gangotri Dham, dedicated to Goddess Ganga. The sacred Ganga originates at Gaumukh from the Gangotri glacier, which is 18 km from the town of Gangotri. Take a dip in the holy Ganga, also called Bhagirathi at its origin. Visit the temple to see the small silver idol of Mother Ganga. Perform pooja and relax in the lovely surrounding. Don’t forget to click pictures of the amazing mountain range of the Himalayas and the flowing Bhagirathi. In the afternoon, return back to Harsil for lunch. You will be welcomed back to camp with a cup of hot tea and proceed to enjoy dinner while listening to the soothing Katha Saar in the background. Retire to the comfortable hotel room for a relaxing overnight stay.

Begin your day with a tasty breakfast and proceed to the next destination of the holiday – Guptakashi. The nine-hour drive to Guptkashi will take you through Maneri, Uttarkashi, Srinagar, Agastmuni, and Chandravali temple. Enjoy a stopover at Chaurangi Khal to pay respect at Bagnath Temple and enjoy some refreshment. For the lunch, you would stop at Aabki for guests and Agastmuni for a tea break. Upon arrival in Guptkashi, check in at the Chardham camp. After resting for a while, enjoy a hi-tea and learn deeply about the Kedarnath Temple from your guide for the journey. End the day by relishing a delicious dinner and then retire to sleep.

Post breakfast, proceed to Phata for a helicopter ride till Kedarnath. Visit the Shri Kedarnath Dham, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and an important temple among the Panch Kedars (a group of 5 Shiva temples in Garhwal Himalayas). Primary idol of the temple – pyramid shaped Lord Shiva is housed within the Garbha Griha. There’s also a Mandapa inside the temple with idols of Lord Krishna, Pandavas, Draupadi and Kunti. After darshan, aarti and pooja, head back to the Guptakashi Camps in a helicopter. After dinner, retire to sleep in the comfortable camp.

Start your day with a delicious breakfast and make your way to Joshimath, a mighty town and a winter abode of Lord Badri. During the 141 kilometers ride, you would be passing by Ukhimath, Chamoli, Pipalkoti, Helang valley and a medicinal forest. Take a short tea break at Chopta, also known as Mini Switzerland. Amidst the dense forest, Chopta offers a majestic view of snow clad mountain ranges and lush green meadows. The Chopta region is rich in varied flora and fauna, with plenty of Rhododendron and Deodar trees all around. Up next, make your way to Joshimath via Helang Valley. On arrival in Joshimath, check-in at the Chardham Camp and then enjoy lunch. Meet the expert and learn more about the temple and the deity residing within.

Enjoy breakfast and then proceed to the last temple of the sacred Char Dhaam circuit – Badrinath. Pay your respects at the Shree Badrinath Dham, one of the 108 Divya Desams. An important temple of Lord Vishnu, the temple features a three foot black stone statue of Lord Vishnu with idol of gods like Nar, Narayana, Narad, Ganesha, Garud and Kuber. After seeking divine blessings, spend time at the Mana Village- the last Indian village located near the Indo-China border. The surreal beauty of this tiny tranquil village draws a lot of visitors each year, which is why Mana has been rightly titled as a ‘Tourism Village’ by the Uttarakhand Government. Apart from its natural beauty, the temple is known for its handcrafted woolen shawls and blankets, local herbs, etc. It is also believed that the Pandavas crossed the Mana village en route their journey to the heaven. The Vedic River Saraswati also originates in the Himalayan Mountains that surround this heavenly place. In the evening, return to the camp for dinner and relaxing overnight stay.

Post breakfast, embark on a 254-kilometer ride to reach Rishikesh. Visit Devprayag, the sacred point where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet and take the name Ganga or Ganga River. Upon arrival in Rishikesh, check-in at the hotel. After resting for a while, enjoy a cup of hot tea. Up next, attend Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan Ashram. Witness millions of lamps lighting up the Ganga while listening to rhythmic chants. After aarti, head back to the hotel and enjoy a live flute session before you retire to sleep.

After a journey filled with enriching and life-changing experiences, prepare to return home with a heart full of memories. Check-out from the hotel and embark on journey back home.