Char Dham Yatra Holy Tour Package - 10 Nights 11 Days

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

Originally, the appellation Char Dham referred to a pilgrimage circuit encompassing four important temples—Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath—located roughly at the four cardinal points of the subcontinent. An archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit, the formation of the original Char Dham is credited to the great 8th century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya (Adi Sankara). In the original Char Dham, three of the three sites are Vaishnava (Puri, Dwarka and Badrinath) while one is Shaiva (Rameswaram). The Chota Char Dham included representatives from all three major Hindu sectarian traditions, with two Shakti (goddess) sites, (Yamunotri and Gangotri), one Shaiva site (Kedarnath), and one Vaishnava site (Badrinath). Haridwar:Haridwar, literally Gateway to God, is one of the Hindu holy places in India and a center of Hindu religion and mysticism for centuries. Located on the banks of River Ganges (Ganga), at the point where the Ganges descends from the hills to the North Indian plains, Haridwar attracts a large number of Hindu pilgrims from all over the world. This is the largest of several sacred ghats (bathing steps), Har Ki Pauri hosts a nightly Ganga Aarti (river-worshipping ceremony) in which tiny flickering lamps are floated off the steps. Worshippers fill the city during major festivals. It's especially busy during the yatra (pilgrimage) season from May to October, and is the site of the annual Magh Mela religious festival. Haridwar’s main street is Railway Rd, becoming Upper Rd, which runs parallel to the Ganges canal (the river proper runs further to the east). Generally only cycle-rickshaws are allowed between Laltarao Bridge and Bhimgoda Jhula (Bhimgoda Bridge), so vehicles travel around the opposite bank of the river. The alleyways of Bara Bazaar run south of Har-ki-Pairi Ghat Yamunotri:Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna, is the westernmost shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas, perched atop a flank of Bandar Poonch Parvat. The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs at Janki Chatti (7 km. Away). The destination of all pilgrims is usually to bath in the icy waters of Goddess Yamuna before having a darshan of the black idol of the Goddess herself in the main sanctum sanctorum. People usually have a dip in the taptkund adjacent to the temple before having a glimpse of the deity. The taptkund (natural hot sulphur springs) are said to have numerous medicinal properties. Some devotees however venture out to the river below to bath in its icy waters. It is said that Yamuna's brother, Lord Yama (god of death) had promised her that whoever takes a dip in her waters will be spared the excruciating tribulations of hell. The dip in the icy waters releases a sudden surge of energy in the body like that of electricity charging a dead battery. Gangotri:Gangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Gangotri is a holy pilgrimage site for followers in Hinduism. Gangotri Temple is one of the holiest places in India. Near the source of the Ganges, the shrine is dedicated to the origin of Hinduism’s most sacred river. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga - the daughter of heaven, manifested herself in the form of a river to absolve the sins of King Bhagirath’s predecessors, following his severe penance of several centuries. Owning to her might, Lord Shiva received her into his matted locks to minimise the immense impact of her fall. She came to be called Bhagirathi at her legendary source. KedarnathKedarnath is a town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and has gained importance because of Kedarnath Temple. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district Tucked at the base of 6970m peaks, 22km from the nearest road, Kedarnath is in the most dramatic location of any of the char dham temples. The puja offered inside, especially around the stone 'hump', is fervent and can be quite intense. Kedarnath is a steep 14 km trek from Gauri Kund (horses and palanquins are available for hire). There is even a helicopter service during peak season. The town and the temple are open from May to October only to avoid heavy snowfall in winter. Specific dates are as per the Hindu Calendar and one needs to check for specific dates for each year. One can still visit when the town is shut down but one needs to be prepared for being on own amidst heavy snow fall. Gaurikund also shuts down in winter. Badrinath:Badrinath is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the temple of Badrinath. It is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m. Located only a few kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a two-day-long journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, is on the way to Badrinath, so the road is especially crowded during the summer pilgrimage season. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road. Many people prefer to reach Badrinath shrine starting early morning from Joshimath have darshan of Lord Vishnu and return to Joshimath by evening to avoid any altitude problems. origin of saraswati river, near mana village. This is said be origin of Saraswati river coming out and going underground again as this river is not visible anywhere from source upto Allahabad Sangam in UP where it is said to merge into Ganga river along with Yamuna river.Very close to visible river Saraswati there is very small water stream said to be water from Mansarover Lake in Tibet.

02 / WHY GO

The memorable moments

Highlights

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day 1: Arrive Delhi/Dehradun – Haridwar (by road) — Once you arrive at Delhi/Dehradun, we will depart for Haridwar by road. (Haridwar is 230 Kms/ 7hrs from Delhi and 55 Kms/2 hrs from Dehradun). Upon arrival at Haridwar, check in at your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city on your own. Evening Ganga Arti at Har Ki Pauri.Dinner & Overnight at HaridwarMeals: Dinner Day 3: Haridwar - Barkot (by road) (200 kms/7hrs) — We proceed to Barkot after breakfast. You will be served packed lunch on the way.Dinner and overnight stay at Chardham Camp, BarkotMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 3: Barkot - Yamunotri - Barkot (40 kms/2hrs, 6 kms /3hrs trek one side) — After early breakfast, we will proceed to Hanumanchatti via Syanachatti (5 Kms. Before Hanumanchatti). Visit Hanumanchatti Temple and proceed for Jankichatti. From Jankichatti we begin our trek to Yamunotri (6 km/3 hrs) to visit the temple of Goddess Yamuna, situated on the bank of the river. We return to Barkot in the evening. Dinner and Overnight at Chardham Camp, BarkotMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 4: Barkot - Harsil (by road)(151 kms/6-7 hrs) — After breakfast, we will move towards Harsil. Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Uttarkashi. Proceed to Gangnani Kund for hot water spring dip. Dinner and overnight at Chardham Camp, HarsilMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 5: Harsil - Gangotri - Harsil (22 kms/1 hr) — After breakfast, we proceed to Gangotri (22 Kms/1 hr). On arrival take a holy deep in the River sacred The Ganges, also called Bhagirathi at its origin. Perform pooja and relax in the lovely surrounding. In the afternoon return back to Harsil. Overnight at Harsil.Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 6: Harsil - Guptakashi (270 kms/ 8-9 hrs) — After early breakfast, we will proceed to Guptakashi. You will be served Packed Lunch in route. Overnight at Chardham Camp, GuptkashiMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 7: Guptakashi - Kedarnath - Guptakashi (by road and by helicopter) — After breakfast, we proceed to Phata (12 Kms/01 hrs). We proceed to take the helicopter till Kedarnath. We take you to visit Kedarnath Temple for Darshan, Aarti & pooja. After the holy darshan way back to Guptakashi Camps Via Helicopter/Drive. Overnight stay at The Chardham Camps, Guptkashi.Note: In case Helicopter is non-operational due to unavoidable circumstances, we will stay at Camp for the rest of day and follow onward itinerary.(Kedarnath darshan will be skipped).Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 8: Guptakashi - Joshimath (170 kms/6 hrs) — After breakfast, we proceed to Joshimath (170 Kms / 6 hrs), one of the most beautiful sites on the whole trip. Enjoy the beautiful drive through medicinal forest. On arrival in check in to your Chardham camp. Evening is free for you to explore Joshimath on your own. Overnight at The Chardham Camp, Joshimath.Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9: Joshimath - -Badrinath - Joshimath ( 44 kms drive one way/2 hrs) — After breakfast, we proceed to Badrinath. On arrival take holy Darshan and spend time visiting Mana Village. We return to Joshimath in the evening. Dinner and overnight at The Chardham Camp, Joshimath. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 10: Joshimath - Haridwar (280 kms/9-10 hrs) — After breakfast, we proceed to Haridwar. Rest of the day will be at leisure. Dinner and overnight at Haridwar.Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 11: Departure from Haridwar (by road) — After a leisurely breakfast you will be transferred to New Delhi/Dehradun. Take home the lovely memories from your trip to Chardham…Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Arrive Delhi/Dehradun – Haridwar (by road) — Once you arrive at Delhi/Dehradun, we will depart for Haridwar by road. (Haridwar is 230 Kms/ 7hrs from Delhi and 55 Kms/2 hrs from Dehradun). Upon arrival at Haridwar, check in at your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city on your own. Evening Ganga Arti at Har Ki Pauri.+