Kedarnath is the Char Dham’s hardest and holiest day – a Jyotirlinga of Shiva at 3,583 m, reached by a 16 km trek from Gaurikund, inside an amphitheatre of 6,000 m+ peaks led by Kedarnath mountain itself. In 2026 the temple opened on 22 April and closes around 11 November (Bhai Dooj).
Quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deity | Shiva (one of the twelve Jyotirlingas) |
| Altitude | 3,583 m |
| Season 2026 | 22 April – ~11 November |
| Access | 16 km trek from Gaurikund (ponies, palkis and dandis available); helicopter from Sersi/Phata/Guptkashi |
| Winter seat | Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath – the deity moves there for winter |
| Registration | Mandatory, free (how to register) |
The legend and the stone
Tradition holds that the Pandavas, seeking Shiva’s forgiveness after the Mahabharata war, pursued him here; Shiva eluded them as a bull, and the hump surfaced at Kedarnath – one of five body-part shrines, the Panch Kedar. The stone temple is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya’s 8th-century revival, and his samadhi lies just behind it. In June 2013 the floods destroyed the town around it; the temple stood, and the rebuilt township is the state’s most visible act of reconstruction (the story sits in our History of Uttarakhand).
Reaching it
Drive Rishikesh → Rudraprayag → Guptkashi → Gaurikund (roughly 200-220 km from Rishikesh), then the 16 km paved trek climbing alongside the Mandakini. Options: walk (6-8 hours up), pony, palki/dandi for those who cannot trek, or the helicopter from Sersi, Phata or Guptkashi. Sleep a night at Guptkashi first – the acclimatisation matters at 3,583 m.
Best time to visit
May to mid-June (full access, peak crowds) and September to mid-October (post-monsoon clarity, thinner queues) are the two good windows; July-August brings monsoon risk; winter is impossible. Full analysis: best time to visit Kedarnath; dates: opening and closing dates. Pair it with Badrinath as the classic Do Dham combo.
