Nestled in the lap of the mighty Himalayas are the spiritual centers of Chardham Yatra. It is every Hindu devotee’s dream to complete the Dham Yatra at least once, in order to obtain the ultimate gift of Moksha. However, the road to attaining complete liberation is a challenging one. Situated on the high reaches of the Himalayas, on tricky terrain and unpredictable weather conditions, the Char Dham pilgrimage has always been known for its difficulty levels.
Traversing through the paths of the Himalayas is no joke. If you are planning on booking the Badrinath Kedarnath Tour Package then there are a few pointers that you need to keep in mind, before and during the yatra.
Badrinath or Badri Vishal is located in the district of Chamoli in the scenic hills of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Dedicated to the Badri form of Lord Vishnu, it is believed that the lord used to perform intense meditation in this region. Gracing the banks of the Alaknanda River and set against the glorious backdrop of Nar and Narayan peaks, Badrinath is also a part of the All India Char Dham Yatra that includes Jagannath temple, Rameshwaram temple, and Dwarkadhish Temple. The colorful temple stands like a stark contrast to its surroundings and a visit there will leave you utterly mesmerized.
There are several local, private buses and shared jeep services that go from Haridwar / Rishikesh to Badrinath. The nearest railway station is in Rishikesh from where people mainly either rent a car in Rishikesh to Badrinath or opt for a bus journey. In case you are used to driving on the hills, then you can even bring your private vehicle here, as the roads here are very smooth and well made. Many people are increasingly beginning to go for Chardham Yatra Package by Helicopter. Badrinath helipad is the nearest helipad to Badrinath Dham at a distance of just 1 km or even less than that. This makes Badrinath one of the most easily reachable Dhams.
Badrinath has several types of accommodation options that cater to every traveller. From Dharamshalas to tourist lodges, resort stays and government stays, there are many stay options available. You can find decent hotels at the Badrinath ISBT bus stand, Joshimath, etc.
There is also a very famous place called the Bhajan Ashram, located near the Badrinath Taxi Stand that caters to people travelling on a budget. GMVN Badrinath or Hotel Devlok is another preferred place to stay in Badrinath.
Kedarnath Dham is located in the district of Rudraprayag on the banks of the holy Mandakini River. Perched on an elevation of over 3,500 meters above sea level, Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The backdrop of Kedarnath is further glorified with the presence of the Kedar dome of mountain ranges. Due to its elevation and jagged terrain, Kedarnath Dham is one of the most difficult pilgrimages in India. The foundation of this ancient temple is said to have been laid by the Pandava brothers during their quest for Lord Shiva. The uphill trek of 22 kms from Gaurikund to Kedarnath is an extremely challenging yet rewarding one.
Travelling to Kedarnath requires some amount of planning. The nearest railway station to Kedarnath is located in Rishikesh where people reach and choose to travel by road via local/private buses or locally shared jeeps. People can also rent a car rental service for Kedarnath.
The nearest airport to Kedarnath is located in Dehradun which is the Jolly Grant airport. It receives several flights connecting some of the major as well as minor cities in India. People opt to reach Kedarnath from Dehradun with the help of available buses that are run on a local as well as a private basis. The final road to Kedarnath is Gaurikund, which is also the starting point for the trek up to the main temple of Kedarnath.
Kedarnath yatra by helicopter is another comfortable and smooth option for getting to Kedarnath. There are multiple helipads for this like Sersi, Sitapur, Phata, etc. from here the passengers are then transferred to another government chopper that lands at the Kedarnath helipad which is just 500 meters away from the main temple entrance. You won’t be required to walk all the way to the temple from Gaurikund. There are alternate options available as well like pony or palki services.
Accommodation is only available in places around Kedarnath. Hotel options are easily available in places like Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, and Gaurikund among others. There are no hotels near the Kedarnath temple; people who wish to stay in Kedarnath at night can stay in the available tented accommodation or camp setups in the area. You may even get your own tents and sleeping bags here.
There are Dharamshalas, lodges, hotels, and even good-quality resorts available in Rudraprayag; GMVN is one of the most preferred choices for staying in Kedarnath. Make sure to confirm your hotel and package bookings way beforehand as it gets extremely crowded during the peak pilgrimage season making it almost impossible to get a booking done on the same day.
If you are planning a Do Dham Yatra to Badrinath and Kedarnath, then these are a few of the most important things that you should keep in mind.
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Panch Badri - The five Badri's are five temples situated at different places where Lord Vishnu worshipped under five different forms and names in Uttarakhand. As travelers visit these Panch Badri's it is glorified in five different forms. It is believed that Lord Vishnu mediated all these places in this Alaknanda River valley. These five Badri are Vishal Badri, Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha B...