Sersi is the helipad closest to the head of the Kedar valley road, a few kilometres short of Sitapur and Sonprayag. It shares Phata's fare band and often its convenience, and it is worth knowing well before the IRCTC window opens.
Drive up the Mandakini valley from Guptkashi towards Sonprayag and you pass a string of villages on the hillside: Narayankoti, Phata, Badasu, then Sersi, and finally Rampur and Sitapur before Sonprayag. Several of these have helipads, and Sersi is one of the three bases from which the regulated Kedarnath shuttle operates, alongside Phata and Guptkashi.
Sersi's appeal is simple. It sits further up the valley than Guptkashi, so the drive to the helipad from the hotel belt at Sitapur is short, and its round-trip fare is estimated to be about the same as Phata's. When Phata slots are full for a date, Sersi is the natural alternative. Like every shuttle seat, Sersi tickets are sold only on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal.
LocationBetween Phata and Sitapur, Rudraprayag district
Round-trip fareAbout the same as Phata (estimate)
Phata reference₹6,500 round trip (2026)
Bookingheliyatra.irctc.co.in only
Nearest staysSitapur, Rampur, Phata, Guptkashi
DestinationKedarnath helipad, 3,583 m
Sersi compared with Phata and Guptkashi
Sersi
Phata
Guptkashi
Position in valley
Upper valley, near Sitapur
Mid valley
Lower valley, main town
Round trip (per person)
About the same as Phata (estimate)
₹6,500 (2026)
About ₹8,500 (estimate)
Nearby hotel belt
Sitapur, Rampur
Phata, Badasu
Guptkashi town
Good for
Pilgrims staying near Sonprayag
Most travellers
Those wanting town facilities
In practice, the best helipad is the one with seats on your date. All three fly to the same Kedarnath helipad. Read the Phata helipad guide and the Guptkashi helipad guide to compare. Operator notes, for example on Himalayan Heli or Thumby Aviation, explain how operators relate to the IRCTC system.
Booking a Sersi shuttle seat on IRCTC
Register for the yatra (free) at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in or on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app, using the date you plan to be at Kedarnath.
Create your IRCTC HeliYatra account in advance and keep everyone's registration numbers ready.
When your phase opens, select Sersi as the helipad, then the date and slot. If Sersi is full, check Phata immediately.
Pay online and download the e-ticket; check names and the reporting time.
Book a stay near Sersi for the night before. Send us the ticket and we will arrange the car and hotel.
No agent, hotel or driver can sell a Sersi seat. If anyone offers one outside heliyatra.irctc.co.in, it is a scam. Full warning signs are on online helicopter ticket booking.
Where to stay for a Sersi flight
Hotels in the upper Kedar valley are mostly small, family-run places and simple hotels, with some better-rated properties around Guptkashi. In peak season they fill weeks in advance, so book as soon as you have your ticket.
Area
Distance feel to Sersi
Room rate (per night)
Sitapur / Rampur
Very short drive
About ₹2,000–6,500
Phata / Badasu
Short drive
About ₹2,000–6,500
Guptkashi
Longer drive, start earlier
About ₹2,000–6,500
Room types range from basic doubles to family rooms with heaters. For more detail, see Kedarnath yatra hotel booking.
Sample road plan from Haridwar using Sersi
This sample follows our Kedarnath route from Haridwar, adjusted for a Sersi slot. From Delhi, add a night in Haridwar at the start.
Day 1
Haridwar to Sitapur / Phata
About 210–230 km8–9 hoursNight: Sitapur / Phata
Leave Haridwar early and drive up through Rishikesh and Devprayag to Rudraprayag, then into the Mandakini valley past Guptkashi. Continue up the valley road to your hotel near Sersi. Check the reporting time on your ticket and keep documents ready for the morning.
Day 2
Sersi to Kedarnath and back
Shuttle flightMost of the dayNight: Guptkashi
A short drive brings you to the Sersi helipad for check-in and the weigh-in. The flight up the gorge lands near the temple, from where it is a short walk to darshan of the Jyotirlinga. After visiting the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi, return on your slot and drive down to Guptkashi.
Image space images/kedarnath.jpg 1200 × 675 px
Day 3
Guptkashi to Rudraprayag or onward
About 75 km, or to Badrinath 200 km3–9 hoursNight: Rudraprayag / Badrinath
Return to Rudraprayag for a relaxed evening at the confluence, or continue across the ridge to Badrinath if you are on a Do Dham yatra. The Ukhimath route also allows a stop at the Omkareshwar temple, Kedarnath's winter seat.
Day 4
Back to Haridwar
165 km6–7 hoursNight: Tour ends
Drive down the Alaknanda past Devprayag to Rishikesh and Haridwar. Reach in time for the evening Ganga aarti or your train.
Reach the helipad by the reporting time printed on the ticket, not the flight time.
Carry a small bag only; passengers and baggage are weighed.
Morning flights are the most reliable; cloud often builds after midday.
Keep a spare day in May–June and in the post-monsoon weeks, in case flights are held.
If no seat comes through, Sonprayag and the Gaurikund trailhead are just up the road; ponies and palkis are available at rates fixed by the local administration.
Sersi to Kedarnath helicopter: FAQ
Where is the Sersi helipad?
In the upper Kedar valley in Rudraprayag district, on the road between Phata and Sitapur, a short distance before Sonprayag.
What is the Sersi to Kedarnath helicopter fare?
It is estimated to be about the same as Phata, which was ₹6,500 per person round trip in 2026. The official fare for 2027 will be shown on IRCTC HeliYatra.
How do I book a Sersi helicopter ticket?
Only on heliyatra.irctc.co.in, after free yatra registration. Our IRCTC booking guide explains each step.
Is Sersi better than Phata?
Both cost about the same and fly to the same Kedarnath helipad. Choose whichever has seats on your date and is closest to your hotel.
Where should I stay the night before?
Sitapur, Rampur or Phata are closest. Guptkashi works if you leave early. Rooms cost roughly ₹2,000–6,500 a night.
Can you book my Sersi helicopter seat?
No. We do not sell shuttle tickets. We help you prepare for IRCTC and arrange the car and hotels around your slot.
What if the flight from Sersi is cancelled?
Wait for the next clear window, or go to Gaurikund and trek, ride a pony or take a palki. Refunds follow IRCTC and operator terms.
