The source shrines of the Yamuna and the Ganga in three days instead of six. A private helicopter lifts you from Dehradun to Kharsali for Yamunotri, on to Harsil for Gangotri, and home again.
By road, the western pair of the Char Dham is a slow, winding journey. From Haridwar you need about two days just to reach Barkot and Uttarkashi, and a full Gangotri Yamunotri tour takes five nights. The helicopter cuts out almost all of that driving. Flights land at Kharsali, the winter seat of Goddess Yamuna, right beside Janki Chatti where the Yamunotri path begins, and at Harsil, a pretty valley of apple orchards about 25 km below Gangotri.
This is a private charter rather than a shared shuttle, so there is no IRCTC ticket to chase and no fight for seats. It suits pilgrims who are short of time, families with elders who would find two long days in a car tiring, and anyone combining the trip with a separate visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath later.
Duration2 nights / 3 days
Start & endSahastradhara helipad, Dehradun
Night stopsKharsali, Harsil
Yamunotri6 km trek from Janki Chatti (pony/palki available)
GangotriBy road from Harsil, about 25 km
Best monthsMay–June, mid-Sept–Oct
Image space images/yamunotri.jpg 800 × 600 pxYamunotriImage space images/yamunotri-trek.jpg 800 × 600 pxJanki Chatti trekImage space images/gangotri.jpg 800 × 600 pxGangotriImage space images/char-dham-helicopter.jpg 800 × 600 pxCharter flight
Gangotri Yamunotri helicopter price 2027
The charter price covers flights, stays, meals and ground transfers for the whole programme. It is quoted per person and assumes the charter is filled by your group; the final figure depends on the aircraft available on your dates, the total passenger weight and the season.
Option
Duration
From (per person)
Gangotri + Yamunotri helicopter charter from Dehradun
2N / 3D
₹1,15,000
Gangotri + Yamunotri by road from Haridwar (budget)
5N / 6D
₹12,500
Gangotri + Yamunotri by road from Delhi (budget)
6N / 7D
₹14,500
Char Dham helicopter charter from Dehradun
5N / 6D
₹2,15,000
2027 estimates. Charter prices depend on dates, aircraft, group size and passenger weight. Pony and palki at Yamunotri are paid on the spot.
Helicopter or road: which suits you?
The road trip costs a fraction of the charter and lets you see Mussoorie, the Yamuna valley around Barkot, Uttarkashi's Vishwanath temple and the Gangnani hot spring on the way. It does, however, need five or six days and many hours on mountain roads. The helicopter is the right choice when leave is short, when elders find long drives hard, or when you want to finish the western dhams and move straight on to Kedarnath and Badrinath. Many families also fly one way and drive the other; ask us to price that combination.
Day-wise plan: 2 nights / 3 days
Day 1
Dehradun to Kharsali, Yamunotri darshan
Flight + 6 km trek each wayFull dayNight: Kharsali
Report at the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun in the morning for the flight to Kharsali. After a short transfer to Janki Chatti, walk or ride a pony or palki up the 6 km path to the Yamunotri temple at 3,293 m. Cook rice in the hot waters of Surya Kund as prasad and pray at the Divya Shila before the temple. Return to Kharsali for the night, near the Shani temple and the goddess's winter home.
Image space images/yamunotri-trek.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 2
Kharsali to Harsil, Gangotri darshan
Flight + about 25 km each way by roadFull dayNight: Harsil
Fly across the ridges to Harsil, where a vehicle waits to drive you up the Bhagirathi to Gangotri. Take darshan of Goddess Ganga and see Bhagirath Shila, the rock where King Bhagirath is said to have meditated. Spend time on the ghats before returning to Harsil for a quiet evening among deodar forests and apple orchards.
Day 3
Harsil to Dehradun
FlightMorningNight: Tour ends
Enjoy an unhurried breakfast and, if the weather allows, a walk along the river at Harsil. Fly back to Dehradun in the morning window, when skies are usually clearest. You land at Sahastradhara in time for an onward flight from Jolly Grant airport, a train, or the drive to Haridwar or Rishikesh.
Weather comes first in the mountains. If cloud holds the helicopter, the day's plan shifts and we keep you comfortable until it is safe to fly. Keep your onward travel flexible on day 3.
2 nights' stay at Kharsali and Harsil on twin sharing
Breakfast and dinner each day
Help with the free yatra registration
Phone and WhatsApp support throughout
Not included
Travel to Dehradun
Pony, palki or pithoo at Yamunotri
Special puja or VIP darshan
Extra nights or flights caused by weather
Baggage beyond the operator's limit
Travel insurance and personal expenses
Where you stay
Night
Place
What to expect
1
Kharsali (Yamunotri area)
Simple guest houses and hotels; about ₹1,500–4,500 per room
2
Harsil (Gangotri area)
Comfortable hotels and cottages; about ₹1,800–6,000 per room
Rooms in these villages are modest compared with city hotels, but warm and close to the shrines. See our Yamunotri hotel guide and Gangotri hotel guide for what each area offers.
Tips for a helicopter Gangotri–Yamunotri trip
The Yamunotri path is still 6 km each way even after you fly. Elders should book a palki (about ₹4,000–6,000 one way) or pony (about ₹1,000–1,500); rates are fixed by the local administration and change each season.
Pack light: one small soft bag per person. The operator weighs passengers and bags before each flight.
Carry woollens; both shrines sit above 3,000 m and evenings are cold.
Book early for May and June, when charter demand is highest.
