Chandigarh is close enough to the Garhwal hills that you need no train or flight at all. Our car collects you in the Tricity and brings you home five days later, with Kedarnath darshan in between.
Why Chandigarh is one of the easiest places to start
Most pilgrims to Kedarnath first have to get themselves to Delhi or Haridwar. Chandigarh families skip that step. Haridwar is only about 200 km from the city, roughly a five-hour drive, so we send a car with a hill driver straight to your home in Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula or Zirakpur. The same car stays with you until you are back at your gate.
Because the drive to Haridwar is a little shorter than from Delhi, the plan mirrors our Kedarnath package from Delhi: one night in Haridwar on the way up, two in the mountains, a night at the temple and a long drive home. Pick-up from Ambala or Ludhiana is possible on request.
Pick-upChandigarh Tricity (Ambala, Ludhiana on request)
Duration4 nights / 5 days
Chandigarh – Haridwarabout 200 km, 5 hours
Chandigarh – Gaurikundabout 435 km by road
Trek16 km to Kedarnath
Temple altitude3,583 m
Which vehicle suits your group
Because the car does the whole journey, from your driveway to Sonprayag and back, choosing the right one matters more than on a trip that starts in Haridwar. As a rough guide:
Two to three travellers: a sedan such as a Dzire is the most economical and handles the hill road well with light luggage.
Four to six travellers: an Ertiga or, for more comfort and legroom, an Innova Crysta. Most families with elders choose the Crysta; see Innova Crysta booking.
Seven to twelve travellers: a Tempo Traveller keeps the group together and lowers the per-head cost. Gurdwara and temple groups often book this.
Larger groups: a bus can be arranged on request; see bus tour options.
Every vehicle comes with a driver experienced on Garhwal roads. On the trek day the car waits at Sonprayag, since private vehicles are not allowed beyond it.
Price estimates for a Kedarnath trip from Chandigarh
The door-to-door trip costs about the same as starting from Delhi, as the distances are similar. The figures below are per person for four people sharing a car and twin/triple rooms. They are 2027 estimates; we confirm the exact price for your dates, hotels and group size in a written quote.
Option
Duration
Budget
Deluxe
Luxury
Kedarnath door to door from Chandigarh (estimate)
4N / 5D
₹10,500
₹15,000
₹23,500
Drive yourself to Haridwar, join there
3N / 4D
₹8,500
₹12,500
₹19,500
Some families drive their own car to Haridwar, park there and join our hill vehicle; that is the second row. If you want both Kedarnath and Badrinath, the Do Dham package from Chandigarh is the better value, and the Char Dham Yatra from Chandigarh covers all four shrines with the same home pick-up.
Estimates only. Not included: helicopter, pony, palki, the Sonprayag – Gaurikund jeep, puja and lunch on Budget/Deluxe.
Day-wise: Chandigarh – Kedarnath – Chandigarh
Day 1
Chandigarh to Haridwar
about 200 km5–6 hoursNight: Haridwar
The driver picks you up from home after breakfast. The road runs south-east through Haryana and into Uttar Pradesh before reaching Haridwar in the early afternoon. You have time to rest, then walk to Har Ki Pauri for the evening Ganga aarti.
Image space images/haridwar-ganga-aarti.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 2
Haridwar to Guptkashi
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Guptkashi
Leave early for the climb into Garhwal. You pass Rishikesh, then follow the river through Devprayag and Srinagar to Rudraprayag. The final section up the Mandakini valley ends at Guptkashi, the base for Kedarnath, where you check in and rest.
Day 3
Trek to Kedarnath
30 km drive + 16 km trek7–9 hours walkingNight: Kedarnath
A pre-dawn drive to Sonprayag, a shared jeep to Gaurikund and then the long climb beside the Mandakini. The trail is paved, with food stalls and rest points. Ride a pony or palki if needed. Reach the temple by afternoon and attend aarti in the evening.
Image space images/kedarnath-trek.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 4
Darshan and drive to Rudraprayag
16 km trek + 75–110 km driveFull dayNight: Rudraprayag / Srinagar
Join the dawn darshan queue, visit Bhairavnath temple above the shrine and the Shankaracharya Samadhi. Walk down to Gaurikund and take the jeep to Sonprayag, where the car is waiting. Drive down to Rudraprayag or Srinagar Garhwal for the night.
Day 5
Home to Chandigarh
about 340–375 km10–11 hoursNight: Tour ends
Leave right after breakfast. The road descends via Devprayag and Rishikesh to Haridwar and then crosses the plains back to Chandigarh. The driver drops you at home in the evening.
Kedarnath helicopter shuttle seats are sold only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal (heliyatra.irctc.co.in) after yatra registration. If you get seats from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi, we change the plan to match.
Combining Kedarnath with Hemkund Sahib or Badrinath
Many Tricity families, Sikh and Hindu alike, ask whether Kedarnath can be combined with Hemkund Sahib. It can, though it adds several days: Hemkund is reached from Govindghat near Badrinath, with a night at Ghangaria and a steep climb to the lake at about 4,600 m. Hemkund opens later than the dhams, usually from late May or June, so match your dates carefully.
The simplest way to cover both is our Char Dham with Hemkund Sahib package, or a custom Kedarnath–Badrinath–Hemkund plan we can quote on request. The Govindghat–Ghangaria helicopter, weather permitting, costs about ₹4,500 one way; see Hemkund helicopter price.
Tips for Chandigarh travellers
You can start on a Thursday and be home on Monday night, using a long weekend.
Your own car can manage the plains, but hill driving on the Rudraprayag–Sonprayag stretch is best left to a local driver.
Register free at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in or on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app before you leave home.
Carry warm layers and a rain jacket; the weather changes fast above Gaurikund.
Choose May–June or mid-September to October; avoid July–August landslides.
Call or WhatsApp +91-99111 77951 with your dates, group size and pick-up address.
Receive a written quote with the confirmed price and hotel options.
Confirm with an advance to hold the car and rooms.
Register every traveller for the yatra; we help.
Be ready at home on day 1; the driver calls the evening before.
Kedarnath Yatra from Chandigarh: FAQ
How far is Kedarnath from Chandigarh?
About 435 km by road to Gaurikund via Haridwar, Rudraprayag and Guptkashi, plus the 16 km trek to the temple.
Do you pick up from Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpur?
Yes, anywhere in the Tricity. Ambala and Ludhiana pick-ups are possible on request.
What does the Kedarnath trip from Chandigarh cost?
An estimated ₹10,500 per person for four on budget hotels for 4 nights and 5 days door to door. If you reach Haridwar yourselves, the package starts from about ₹8,500. We confirm the exact price in a written quote.
Can we drive our own car all the way?
You can, but the Rudraprayag–Sonprayag road is narrow and busy in season. Many families park in Haridwar and join our hill vehicle.
Can Kedarnath be done over a long weekend?
Yes, as a 4N/5D trip. With IRCTC shuttle tickets it can be a day shorter.
Can we add Hemkund Sahib?
Yes, with extra days via Govindghat and Ghangaria. Ask for a custom quote or see the Char Dham with Hemkund Sahib package.
When is Kedarnath open in 2027?
The date is announced on Mahashivratri; the temple usually opens in late April or early May and closes in November.
