Bengalis have always loved the hills, and the Puja holidays fall right in the best season for the Garhwal shrines. Here is how to fit Kedarnath or Badrinath into that break.
Ask any Kolkata family about holidays and the Himalaya comes up quickly: Darjeeling, Sikkim, and for the devout, the Char Dham. A single-dham yatra is the easiest way in. Kolkata is roughly 1,500 km from Delhi, and long-distance trains run from Howrah and Sealdah towards Delhi, with some continuing to Haridwar and Dehradun. Flights to Delhi take about two hours.
Our 3N/4D packages start in Haridwar, so if your train runs through, you step off and begin. Flyers can land at Dehradun or use the 4N/5D Ek Dham package from Delhi. Pick Kedarnath for the Jyotirlinga and the trek, or Badrinath for a road journey suited to every age.
Kolkata – DelhiAbout 1,500 km
Train to DelhiAbout 17–20 hours on faster services
Flight to DelhiAbout 2–2.5 hours
Land package3N/4D from Haridwar
Price from₹8,500 per person
Ideal windowPuja holidays, Sept–Oct
Using the Puja holidays for your yatra
Durga Puja and the days after it usually fall between late September and October, which is one of the two best periods to visit the Garhwal shrines. The monsoon has passed, landslides are rarer, skies are clear and the crowds of May and June have thinned. Nights are colder, so warm clothing matters more.
Two things to keep in mind. First, train and flight seats out of Kolkata are in heavy demand over Puja, so book as soon as reservations open. Second, the temples close for winter around Diwali: Kedarnath on Bhai Dooj and Badrinath usually in mid-November. A trip in the Puja week or the fortnight after is comfortably within the season. For 2027 dates, see opening and closing dates; the 2026 season is closing in November 2026.
Prefer early summer? Late May and June also work well and coincide with school holidays, but expect bigger crowds at Kedarnath.
Train or flight from Kolkata
Option
Arrive at
Approx. time
Join
Train (through services)
Haridwar
About 30 hours or more
3N/4D Haridwar plan, from ₹8,500
Train
Delhi
About 17–20 hours
4N/5D Delhi plan, from ₹10,500
Flight
Delhi
About 2–2.5 hours
4N/5D Delhi plan
Flight (often via a connection)
Dehradun
Half a day
3N/4D Haridwar plan
The through train to Haridwar is long but simple, and many Bengali families enjoy it: no change of station in Delhi, no road transfer, and you watch the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh roll past until the Shivaliks appear. Arrive a night before day 1 if your train lands in the afternoon. See our train guide.
Prices for Kolkata travellers, 2027
Package
Duration
Budget
Deluxe
Luxury
Kedarnath from Haridwar
3N / 4D
₹8,500
₹12,500
₹19,500
Badrinath from Haridwar
3N / 4D
₹8,500
₹12,000
₹18,500
Kedarnath from Delhi
4N / 5D
₹10,500
₹15,000
₹23,500
Badrinath from Delhi
4N / 5D
₹10,500
₹14,500
₹22,500
Gangotri only / Yamunotri only
3N / 4D
₹8,500
₹12,000
₹18,000
Per person for four travellers sharing a car and rooms. 2027 estimates; the final quote depends on dates, hotel category and group size. Travel from Kolkata is extra.
After a night's rest in Haridwar, set off at dawn. The road follows the Ganga past Rishikesh to Devprayag, then the Alaknanda to Rudraprayag. A turn up the Mandakini valley brings you to Guptkashi, with autumn views of the snow peaks across the valley.
Day 2
Climb to Kedarnath
30 km drive + 16 km trek7–9 hoursNight: Kedarnath
At Sonprayag you change to a shared jeep for Gaurikund. The 16 km trail rises to 3,583 m; walk steadily, or hire a pony or palki at the counter. With IRCTC shuttle tickets you fly from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi. The evening aarti in the cold is unforgettable.
Image space images/kedarnath-trek.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 3
Darshan and back to Guptkashi
16 km trek + 30 km driveFull dayNight: Guptkashi
Morning darshan of the Jyotirlinga, then Bhairavnath temple and the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi. Walk down to Gaurikund and drive back to Guptkashi.
Day 4
Guptkashi to Haridwar
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Tour ends
Return to Haridwar by afternoon. If your train leaves the next day, add a night and see the Ganga aarti.
Badrinath: 3 nights / 4 days
Day 1
Haridwar to Joshimath
275 km9–10 hoursNight: Joshimath
A dawn start for the long drive up the Alaknanda past Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandprayag. Night in Joshimath.
Day 2
Badrinath and Mana
45 km2 hoursNight: Badrinath
Reach Badrinath, bathe in the Tapt Kund and take darshan. Visit Mana village with Vyas Gufa and Bhim Pul, then evening aarti. Autumn light on the Neelkanth peak is a bonus.
Image space images/badrinath.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 3
Badrinath to Rudraprayag
160 km6–7 hoursNight: Rudraprayag / Srinagar
Optional rites at Brahma Kapal after morning darshan. Drive down the valley to Rudraprayag or Srinagar.
Day 4
Back to Haridwar
165 km6–7 hoursNight: Tour ends
Return through Devprayag and Rishikesh to Haridwar for your train.
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
Three nights in hotels, twin or triple sharing
Breakfast and dinner (all meals on Luxury)
Private vehicle with hill driver
Haridwar station or hotel pick-up and drop
Fuel, tolls, parking, permits, driver allowance
Registration help and phone support
Not included
Train or flight from Kolkata
Helicopter, pony, palki or pithoo
Sonprayag–Gaurikund jeep
Puja and VIP darshan
Lunch on Budget and Deluxe
Extra nights due to landslides
Insurance and personal expenses
Where you sleep: on the Kedarnath plan, two nights in Guptkashi or Sitapur (rooms about ₹2,000–6,500 per night) and one night at Kedarnath, where every category means a simple guest house, tent or dormitory. On the Badrinath plan, you stay in Joshimath, Badrinath (about ₹2,000–8,000) and Rudraprayag or Srinagar. More on Kedarnath hotels.
Tips for Bengal travellers
Food. Meals at the dhams are vegetarian; fish and eggs are not served there. Haridwar and Rishikesh are also vegetarian towns.
Warm clothes. October nights at Kedarnath fall below zero. See things to carry.
