Thumby Aviation is among the helicopter names pilgrims look up for Kedarnath. The seat itself comes from IRCTC; what turns it into a calm, well-timed pilgrimage is the plan around it, which is what this page is about.
Thumby Aviation is a private helicopter company, and its name appears regularly in searches for Kedarnath flights. As with every operator on this route, seats are not sold by the company to the public. The state allots helipads to the chosen operators each season and IRCTC HeliYatra sells all the seats, at one fixed fare per helipad. Your ticket will show the operator assigned to the helipad and date you pick.
Getting a seat is only half the job. The helipads are a long day's drive from Haridwar, flights start early, and weather can shift your slot. A good plan puts you in a hotel near the helipad the night before, gives you time at the temple, and keeps a buffer for cloud, as our online helicopter ticket guide explains. Below is the 3 nights / 4 days trip we build for guests who already hold, or are trying for, a shuttle ticket.
Char Dham Trip is a private travel company. We are not Thumby Aviation or IRCTC and we do not sell shuttle seats. Book the seat on IRCTC HeliYatra; we handle the road, hotels and timing.
Start & endHaridwar or Rishikesh
Duration3 nights / 4 days
HelipadsGuptkashi, Phata or Sersi
Night at the templeOptional, highly recommended
Road trip from₹8,500 per person
Shuttle fare₹6,500 return from Phata (2026)
Day-wise plan: Kedarnath by helicopter from Haridwar
This version flies up on day 2 and down on day 3, so you can see both the evening aarti and the early-morning darshan. If you prefer a same-day return, day 2 ends back at Guptkashi and day 3 becomes a free morning before the drive.
Day 1
Haridwar to Guptkashi or Phata
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Guptkashi / Phata
Leave Haridwar after an early breakfast and drive up past Rishikesh and the river confluence at Devprayag. After lunch near Rudraprayag the road turns into the Mandakini valley. We check you into a hotel close to the helipad on your ticket, so tomorrow's reporting time is a short drive away.
Day 2
Fly to Kedarnath, evening aarti
Helipad transfer + shuttleFlight slot + afternoon at the templeNight: Kedarnath
Reach the helipad well before your slot with ticket, registration QR and photo ID. After the flight, walk to the temple, settle into your basic room and join the darshan line when it is shortest. In the evening, sit for the aarti as the bells ring out across the valley.
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Day 3
Morning darshan, fly back to the valley
Shuttle + short driveHalf dayNight: Guptkashi
Rise early for the morning rituals, when the queue is calm and the peaks catch the first light. Climb to the Bhairavnath temple or visit the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi behind the shrine. Fly down at your return slot and rest at Guptkashi, where your driver waits.
Day 4
Guptkashi to Haridwar
200 km7–8 hoursNight: Tour ends
Drive back down the Mandakini and Alaknanda, with a stop at Devprayag if you missed it on the way up. You reach Haridwar or Rishikesh by late afternoon, in time for a train or the Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri.
Holding a one-way ticket only? Fly up on day 2 and walk or ride a pony down to Gaurikund on day 3; the driver meets you at Sonprayag. Pony rates are about ₹3,000–4,000 one way and are fixed by the local administration each season.
Cost of the trip and the flight
The road package and the shuttle ticket are paid separately: the package to us, the ticket to IRCTC. That keeps things transparent and means you never pay us for a seat you did not get.
Item
Budget
Deluxe
Luxury
Kedarnath 3N/4D road trip from Haridwar (per person)
₹8,500
₹12,500
₹19,500
Kedarnath 4N/5D from Delhi (per person)
₹10,500
₹15,000
₹23,500
Shuttle ticket (paid on IRCTC)
Per person
Phata round trip (2026)
₹6,500
Phata one way up (2026)
₹3,500
Phata one way down (2026)
₹3,000
Guptkashi round trip (estimate)
₹8,500
Package prices are 2027 estimates for a group of four. The night at Kedarnath uses basic rooms (about ₹2,500–6,000 per room); the final quote depends on dates, hotel category and group size.
Book your seat on heliyatra.irctc.co.in when the window opens, or tell us the dates you are trying for.
Call or WhatsApp +91-99111 77951, share the ticket or target dates, and we send a day-wise quote.
Confirm with an advance so we can lock the helipad-side hotel and the Kedarnath room.
Travel: your driver meets you in Haridwar on day 1.
Thumby Aviation Kedarnath helicopter: FAQ
Where do I book Thumby Aviation tickets for Kedarnath?
On the IRCTC HeliYatra portal only. The operator flying your chosen helipad that season is printed on the ticket.
Does Thumby Aviation fly from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi?
Helipad allotments change each season. When 2027 booking opens, IRCTC HeliYatra shows the operator for each helipad.
Is it worth staying a night at Kedarnath?
Yes, if you can. You see the evening aarti and the quiet early-morning darshan, and you avoid rushing back for the return slot. Rooms are basic and should be booked early.
What does this helicopter trip cost in total?
Our 3N/4D road trip from Haridwar starts at ₹8,500 per person for a group of four, plus the shuttle fare paid on IRCTC (₹6,500 for the Phata round trip in 2026).
Can I book the return flight for the next day?
Yes, when seats are available you can book the up and down legs on different dates, or buy a one-way ticket and walk the other way.
What if my slot is cancelled by weather?
Wait at the helipad for updates. If flights are cancelled for the day, you can try the trek or a pony, or move the plan by a day if hotels allow. IRCTC rules decide refunds.
Can you arrange a private helicopter instead?
Yes. A same-day charter from Dehradun costs about ₹1,05,000 per person and needs no shuttle ticket. See our Ek Dham helicopter page.
