Rudraprayag is the town where the Mandakini meets the Alaknanda and the last big stop before the Kedarnath valley. The helicopters themselves leave from helipads a short drive further up, at Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi.
Many pilgrims search for a Rudraprayag to Kedarnath helicopter because Rudraprayag is the district name printed on maps and on the temple's address. The shuttle service, however, does not take off from Rudraprayag town. It runs from a cluster of helipads higher up the Mandakini valley, all inside Rudraprayag district: Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi. These sit roughly 45 to 60 km beyond the town, which means about one and a half to two and a half hours by road depending on traffic at Kund and Guptkashi.
So the practical plan is simple: travel by road to Rudraprayag, carry on up the valley to the helipad named on your ticket, and fly the last stretch to Kedarnath. Rudraprayag itself makes an excellent night stop on the way back, because it is a lower, warmer town with riverside hotels and an easy run to Haridwar the next day. Our Kedarnath helicopter package from Delhi uses exactly this pattern.
Nearest helipadsGuptkashi, Phata, Sersi
Drive from RudraprayagAbout 45–60 km, 1.5–2.5 hours
Ticket sourceIRCTC HeliYatra portal only
Shuttle fare (2026)₹6,500 return from Phata
Kedarnath altitude3,583 m
Rudraprayag to HaridwarAbout 165 km
We are a private travel company, not IRCTC or an airline. We do not sell shuttle seats. We plan your road journey, hotels and timing around the ticket you book on IRCTC HeliYatra, and we arrange private charters separately.
Which helipad should you head for from Rudraprayag?
All three helipads lie on the same road that climbs from Rudraprayag towards Sonprayag. The one you use is decided by the seat you manage to book, so it is worth knowing how they differ before the booking window opens.
Helipad
Approx. drive from Rudraprayag
Good to know
Guptkashi
About 45 km
First helipad you reach; longest flight of the three; plenty of hotels in town
Phata
About 55 km
Popular, short flight; small roadside settlement with a few stays
Sersi
About 60 km
Closest to Sonprayag; useful if you also want the trek option nearby
Distances are approximate road figures. Allow extra time in May and June, when traffic queues build up near Guptkashi and Sonprayag.
Kedarnath helicopter fares and package prices
Shuttle fares are fixed for each season and published on the IRCTC portal. The figures below are the 2026 fares as we listed them, plus estimates where noted. Expect the 2027 fares to be announced shortly before booking opens.
Option
Type
Per person
Phata ⇄ Kedarnath
Shuttle, round trip (2026)
₹6,500
Phata → Kedarnath
Shuttle, one way up (2026)
₹3,500
Kedarnath → Phata
Shuttle, one way down (2026)
₹3,000
Sersi ⇄ Kedarnath
Shuttle, round trip (estimate, about the same as Phata)
₹6,500
Guptkashi ⇄ Kedarnath
Shuttle, round trip (estimate)
₹8,500
Delhi – Kedarnath helicopter package, 3N/4D
Road + shuttle (2027 estimate)
₹18,500
Dehradun – Kedarnath same-day charter
Private charter (2027 estimate)
₹1,05,000
The ₹18,500 package includes the shuttle ticket only when the guest gets IRCTC seats; without seats the land package costs about ₹6,500 less and you trek or ride a pony instead. Final prices depend on dates, hotels and group size.
3 nights / 4 days: Delhi to Kedarnath by helicopter via Rudraprayag
This is our standard road-plus-shuttle plan. It keeps the long drive on day 2 and uses Rudraprayag or Srinagar for the night after darshan, so day 4 is a manageable run back to Delhi.
Day 1
Delhi to Haridwar
230 km6–7 hoursNight: Haridwar
Your driver collects you from home, a hotel or the railway station in Delhi and heads north on the Meerut expressway. You arrive in Haridwar by afternoon. In the evening walk to Har Ki Pauri for the Ganga aarti, then have an early dinner because tomorrow starts at dawn.
Day 2
Haridwar to Guptkashi via Rudraprayag
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Guptkashi / Phata
Follow the Ganga past Rishikesh to Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda join. Pause at Rudraprayag to see the meeting of the Mandakini and Alaknanda before turning up the Kedarnath valley. Check in near the helipad on your ticket and keep your documents ready for the morning.
Day 3
Fly to Kedarnath, darshan, fly back
Short drive + shuttle flightFull dayNight: Rudraprayag / Srinagar
Report at the helipad well before your slot with your ticket, registration and photo ID. After the short flight and a walk from the Kedarnath helipad, join the darshan queue, then visit the Bhairavnath temple and the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi if time allows. Fly back at your return slot and drive down to Rudraprayag or Srinagar for a comfortable night.
Image space images/kedarnath-helicopter.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 4
Rudraprayag to Delhi
About 395 km11–12 hoursNight: Tour ends
Leave after an early breakfast and drive down the Alaknanda past Devprayag and Rishikesh. A lunch stop near Haridwar breaks the journey. You reach Delhi by late evening, where the driver drops you at home, the station or the airport.
Weather closes the valley for hours at a time, especially in the afternoon. If your flight is cancelled, the day becomes a trek or pony day, or we shift you by a day where hotels allow. Read what to expect from IRCTC bookings before you travel.
How to book a Kedarnath shuttle seat when you travel via Rudraprayag
Register for the yatra. Registration is free and mandatory at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in or on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app. You need the registration number to book a seat.
Watch for the booking window. IRCTC announces when HeliYatra bookings open for each phase of the season. Our opening dates page tracks the temple dates that decide this.
Book on heliyatra.irctc.co.in. Choose your helipad and date. If one helipad is full, try the others: all are within reach of Rudraprayag.
Send us the ticket. We fix the hotel near that helipad and set the driving days so you arrive the evening before.
Travel with documents. Carry the printed ticket, registration QR and the same photo ID used for booking.
Be careful with websites and social media pages that offer "confirmed" Kedarnath helicopter tickets for a premium. Shuttle seats are sold only through IRCTC HeliYatra, and money paid elsewhere is usually lost. If something looks doubtful, call our helpline on our contact page before paying anyone.
Where to stay: Rudraprayag, Guptkashi or near the helipad
Staying close to your helipad on the night before the flight is the single most useful decision you can make. Guptkashi and Sitapur have hotels from simple to comfortable, roughly ₹2,000–6,500 per room per night. Phata and Sersi have fewer rooms, so book early. Rudraprayag and Srinagar suit the night after darshan, when you want a lower altitude and a shorter final drive.
If you want to spend a night at the temple and see the morning aarti, plan a one-way flight up and a walk or pony ride down, or vice versa. Rooms at Kedarnath are basic and cost about ₹2,500–6,000 per night; see our Kedarnath hotel booking guide.
No helicopter seat? Your options from Rudraprayag
Trek from Gaurikund. Drive to Sonprayag, take the 5 km shared jeep to Gaurikund and walk the 16 km path. Our Kedarnath yatra tour package is built around this.
Pony or palki. Ponies cost about ₹3,000–4,000 one way and palkis about ₹8,000–12,000; rates are fixed by the local administration and change each season.
Private charter from Dehradun. A same-day charter is about ₹1,05,000 per person and does not depend on shuttle seats. See Kedarnath helicopter from Dehradun.
Try again later in the season. Bookings open in phases, and September–October usually has more availability than May–June.
Rudraprayag to Kedarnath helicopter: FAQ
Does a helicopter fly from Rudraprayag town to Kedarnath?
No regular shuttle leaves from Rudraprayag town. The Kedarnath shuttles fly from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi, which are about 45–60 km further up the valley in the same district.
How far is Phata helipad from Rudraprayag?
Roughly 55 km by road, usually about two hours. Guptkashi is a little closer and Sersi a little further. Allow extra time in the peak months.
What did the Kedarnath helicopter cost in 2026?
The Phata round trip was ₹6,500 per person, ₹3,500 one way up and ₹3,000 one way down, as we listed them. Sersi is about the same and Guptkashi about ₹8,500 return (estimate). 2027 fares will be published by IRCTC.
Can you book the Kedarnath helicopter ticket for me?
No. Shuttle tickets are sold only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal after yatra registration. We guide you through the process and build the road trip, hotels and timing around your ticket.
Is Rudraprayag a good place to stay overnight?
Yes, especially after darshan. It is lower and warmer than the valley towns, has riverside hotels and is about 165 km from Haridwar, which keeps the next day's drive reasonable.
What happens if my flight is cancelled due to weather?
Flights stop when cloud or rain closes the valley. You can wait for the next clear window, trek or ride a pony from Gaurikund, or shift the plan by a day if your dates allow. Refunds follow the rules shown on IRCTC.
Can senior citizens use this plan?
Yes. The flight removes the 16 km climb, though there is still a short walk from the Kedarnath helipad to the temple and the altitude is 3,583 m. A medical check-up before travel is sensible.
