Shri Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district (Garhwal Himalaya), at the head of the Mandakini valley · Lord Shiva as Kedarnath (Kedareshwar), worshipped in a natural triangular/conical rock linga in his Sadashiva form
The highest of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the Char Dham: a grey-stone temple at about 3,583 m, reached by a 16 km mountain trek and open only from spring to Bhai Dooj.
Kedarnath stands on a wide glacial plateau beside the Mandakini river, ringed by snow peaks of the Kedar range, at about 3,583 m (BKTC gives 3,581–3,584 m). It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva, one of the four Dhams of Uttarakhand and the first and most important of the Panch Kedar. Because of snow, the temple is open only from about April/May (Akshaya Tritiya season) to Bhai Dooj in late October/November; in winter the Lord is worshipped at the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath. The 2026 season opened on 22 April 2026 at 8 AM and the closing was reported for 11 November 2026 (Bhai Dooj) at 8:30 AM.
Timings
- Season 2026: Opened 22 April 2026, 8:00 AM; closing reported for 11 November 2026 (Bhai Dooj), 8:30 AM – not yet shown on the BKTC website, confirm before travel
- Temple opens: approx. 4:00 AM (morning pujas)
- Morning (touch) darshan: approx. 4:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Afternoon closure: approx. 3:00 – 5:00 PM (bhog and shringar)
- Evening (shringar) darshan: approx. 5:00 – 9:00 PM
- Evening aarti: approx. 6:00 PM in summer (BKTC); about 1 hour
- Winter seat: Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath (approx. Nov – Apr)
Darshan types and costs
- Dharma (general) darshan – Free
- Darshan with a booked puja – As per puja (₹1,100 – ₹51,000)
- Helicopter pilgrims – Free darshan
Sevas and costs
- Mahabhishek Puja – ₹11,500 (Early morning, from approx. 4:00 AM (slot given at the puja counter a day before))
- Rudrabhishek Puja – ₹7,500 (Early morning)
- Laghurudrabhishek Puja – ₹7,100 (Early morning)
- Shodashopachar Puja – ₹7,500 (Early morning)
- Ashtopachar Puja – ₹1,100 (Early morning)
- Panchopachar Puja – ₹1,100 (Early morning)
- Entire Puja of the Day – ₹51,000 (Whole day)
- Entire Evening Aarti – ₹3,100 (Evening, approx. 6:00 PM (summer), about 1 hour)
- Shiv Ashtottari Path – ₹1,500 (Evening, about 5 minutes)
- Shiv Sahasranaam Path – ₹2,500 (Evening, about 10 minutes)
- Shiv Namawali – ₹2,500 (Evening, about 15 minutes)
- Shiv Mahimna Stotram Path – ₹2,500 (Evening, about 12 minutes)
- Shiv Tandav Stotram Path – ₹2,100 (Evening, about 12 minutes)
- Shiv Parakshama Stotram Path – ₹2,500 (Evening, about 12 minutes)
- Early Morning Puja (through Chief Priest) – ₹1,100 (Around 4:00 AM)
- Baal Bhog – ₹1,500 (Around 4:00 AM)
- Uttam / Special / Simple Bhog Puja – ₹900 / ₹900 / ₹300 (3:00 – 4:00 PM, by the chief priest)
- Daily Yagya / Hawan – ₹2,500 (After midday, through a priest)
- Akhand Jyoti – ₹5,100 (one day) / ₹51,000 (annual) (One day (dainik) or the entire yatra season (annual))
- Sadavart Khichadi – ₹5,100 (Daily)
- Shravani Purnima Annakoot – ₹10,000 (One day before Raksha Bandhan (Shravan Purnima eve))
- Shiv Samadhi Pujan – ₹7,100 (Closing day of the doors (Bhai Dooj))
- Atka Prasad by post – ₹1,100 (ordinary post) / ₹2,100 (registered post) (Yearly)
- Bandhaan Puja (10-year) – e.g. Mahabhishek ₹31,000; Abhishek ₹15,000; Laghurudrabhishek ₹11,000; Maha Bhog ₹16,000; Shodashopachar ₹8,100; Entire Evening Aarti ₹8,100 (On a date you choose, every year for 10 years)
How to book darshan
Register as a pilgrim on the BKTC website (Indian mobile number needed), log in, choose 'Shri Kedarnath Dham' and the puja, date and number of persons, pay online and download the receipt. Char Dham yatra registration is separate and compulsory. In April 2026, during the opening rush, BKTC halted ‘special pujas’ so that everyone took general darshan; the BKTC portal later showed puja bookings open again. Check the portal before planning your visit around a puja, and never pay anyone outside it.
Dress code
No formal dress code is published, but modest traditional clothing is expected. Wear warm layers: temperatures can be below 0 °C at night even in May. Leather belts/wallets are best left outside.
Best time to visit
May–June (busiest, clear days) and mid-September to October (crisp, clear views, fewer crowds). Avoid July–August monsoon (landslides, route closures). The first days after opening and the last days before closing are very crowded.
How to reach
- air: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, approx. 235–250 km from Gaurikund. Helicopters from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi (Sirsi) fly to the Kedarnath helipad.
- rail: Rishikesh (Yog Nagari Rishikesh) approx. 215–230 km; Haridwar approx. 240 km. Taxis and UTC buses run to Sonprayag.
- road: Haridwar/Rishikesh → Devprayag → Srinagar → Rudraprayag → Guptkashi → Sonprayag (road head for private vehicles). Shared jeeps run Sonprayag → Gaurikund (approx. 5 km). From Gaurikund it is a paved trek of approx. 16 km (BKTC figure; often quoted 16–18 km) via Jungle Chatti, Bhimbali, Lincholi and Kedarnath base camp. A Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeway (about 12.9 km) was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2025 and is under development.
Festivals
- Doli Yatra and opening (Kapat Udghatan) – April/May (22 April in 2026)
- Shravan month and Shravani Annakoot – July–August
- Closing (Kapat Bandh) on Bhai Dooj – Late Oct/Nov (11 Nov 2026 reported)
- Mahashivratri at Ukhimath – Feb/Mar