Char Dham Yatra Route Map leg by leg

How the route fits together

Picture the four dhams strung across Garhwal from west to east. Yamunotri sits at the head of the Yamuna valley, Gangotri at the head of the Bhagirathi, Kedarnath at the head of the Mandakini and Badrinath high on the Alaknanda. No road runs directly between the shrines at the top of the valleys, so the route keeps dropping down to a valley town, crossing a ridge and climbing up the next valley. That is why the distances are long and the days are full.

The traditional order, west to east, also makes geographic sense: Haridwar → Barkot → Yamunotri → Uttarkashi → Gangotri → Guptkashi → Kedarnath → Badrinath → back down the Alaknanda to Rishikesh and Haridwar. The whole loop is close to 1,250 km from Haridwar.

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Leg-by-leg distance chart

Distances are approximate road kilometres. Times assume a steady drive with short tea and meal stops; landslides or traffic can add hours.

Night stops on the classic 10-day plan

Starting from Delhi adds a night in Haridwar at the beginning and another at the end, making it 11 nights and 12 days; see the Char Dham package from Delhi. Starting from Dehradun, day one goes straight to Barkot via Mussoorie: see Char Dham from Dehradun.

What you see, valley by valley

Yamuna valley: Barkot to Yamunotri

The road climbs from Dehradun over the Mussoorie ridge and drops into the Yamuna valley at Barkot, a small market town among apple orchards. The final 45 km up to Janki Chatti narrows sharply. From there a stone path climbs 6 km to the temple, the Surya Kund hot spring and Divya Shila. The winter seat, Kharsali, is just across the river from Janki Chatti.

Bhagirathi valley: Uttarkashi to Gangotri

Uttarkashi is the largest town on the upper Bhagirathi and a comfortable base. The Gangotri road follows the river through gorges to the Gangnani hot spring and the wide, pine-fringed Harsil valley before ending at the temple itself. Trekkers continue 18 km to Gaumukh glacier with a permit; see Char Dham with Gaumukh trek.

Mandakini valley: Guptkashi to Kedarnath

Reaching Kedarnath means coming back down towards Tehri and Srinagar, then up the Alaknanda to Rudraprayag and into the Mandakini valley. Guptkashi, Sitapur and Phata are the bases. From Sonprayag a shared jeep runs 5 km to Gaurikund, where the 16 km trek begins. Helicopter shuttles fly from Phata, Sersi and Guptkashi; read the Kedarnath helicopter booking guide.

Alaknanda valley: up to Badrinath

From Guptkashi the road crosses via Ukhimath, the winter seat of Kedarnath, to Chamoli on the Alaknanda, then climbs past Joshimath to Badrinath. Mana village, 3 km beyond, is the last village before the Tibet border. The return journey follows the Alaknanda past four of the Panch Prayag down to Devprayag, where it joins the Bhagirathi to form the Ganga.

Shorter routes on the same map

Not every pilgrim does all four. The map splits neatly into two halves: the western pair of Yamunotri and Gangotri, and the eastern pair of Kedarnath and Badrinath.

2027 estimates for a group of four on budget hotels. See Do Dham, Gangotri Yamunotri and Teen Dham for full itineraries.

Tips for driving the route

• Leave by 6–7 am on the long days (Haridwar–Barkot, Uttarkashi–Guptkashi, Guptkashi–Badrinath).
• Do not plan to drive after dark; reach the hotel by sunset.
• Keep a spare half day: landslides on the Rishikesh–Srinagar stretch and near Sonprayag are common in rain.
• Fill up fuel and draw cash in Uttarkashi, Srinagar, Rudraprayag or Joshimath.
• Monsoon months (July–August) are the riskiest; see best time to visit.
• Register before travel; checkpoints on the route verify it. See registration.

Char Dham route: FAQ

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