Home > Trip Planner > Places to Visit > Uttaranchal > Badrinath - Kedarnath Places to Visit  Uttaranchal Badrinath - Kedarnath General Information Access Accommodation Places Of Interest - Badrinath Places Of Interest - Kedarnath The temples of Shiva and Vishnu at Kedarnath and Badrinath have been the destination of pilgrims for centuries. Once reached after tortuous treks but easily accessible today by road. At Uttarkashi at a height of over 3000 metres the snow melts to form the sacred rivers of Ganga and Yamuna is a deep recess of the mountains. The route to the two sources begins at Rishikesh and passes ancient temples and Valleys along the way. The Shrines are open from 1st week of May up to Diwali day. Badrinath is one of the four Dhams; a devout Hindu has to visit in his lifetime to attain salvation. One of Hinduism's holiest sites, it was founded by Sri Shankaracharya, in the ninth century. The temple, also known as Badri Narayan, is dedicated to Vishnu, who is said to have done penance in the mythical Brindavan that once covered the mountains of Uttarakhand. Known as "Tapobhumi", a land of meditation and penance, and "Bhubaikunth", heaven on earth, it is surrounded on either side, by two mountain ranges known as Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak, providing a spectacular backdrop. Facing the Badrinath temple is a hot water spring, known as "Tapt Kund". Other famous springs, here, are the Narad Kund and the Surya Kund. Badrinath is presided over by a Namboothiri Brahman from Kerala, the Rawal, who also acts as the head priest for Kedarnath. Kedarnath is the most important Hindu shrine in Himalayas, and among the major Shiva temples, of the country. Located at the source of the river Mandakini, Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas, of Lord Shiva, and one of the Panch Kedars. Mythology identifies the deity at Kedarnath temple, with the rump of a bull, a form assumed by Lord Shiva, when eluding the Pandavas, who had come for repentance for killing their kith and kin, in the great battle of Kurukshetra. It is believed that the Pandavas constructed the temple of Kedarnath. At the entrance of the temple, is the statue of Nandi, the divine bull of Shiva. The wall inside the temple is exquisitely carved with images, and the temple houses a shiva lingam, which is worshipped by hordes of pilgrims. At the approach of winters in the month of November, the holy statue of Lord Shiva, is carried down from Garhwal (Kedarkhand) to Ukhimath, and is reinstated at Kedarnath, in the first week of May. It is at this time, that the doors of the temple are thrown open to pilgrims, who flock from all parts of India, for a holy pilgrimage. Legends notwithstanding, the shrine of Kedarnath is very scenically placed, and is surrounded by lofty, snow - covered mountains, and grassy meadows covering the valleys. Immediately behind the temple, is the high Keadardome peak, which can be sighted from great distances? The sight of the temple and the peak with its perpetual snows is, simply, an enthralling sight. General Information State : Uttaranchal Altitude : Badrinath - 3133 mts, Kedarnath - 3581 mts Temperature : Summer Max. 17.9, Min.5.9 Best Season : May to October is the best season for both the places Language : Hindi, Garhwali, English Best Time to Visit : May to September/October STD Code : Badrinath 01381, Kedarnath 01372 To Top Access Rail : The convenient railhead to both the places is Haridwar, where regular bus services, conducted tours & taxis are available to Badrinath (293 kms), Kedarnath (256 kms), Gangotri (248 kms) & Yamunotri (237 km). Road : Badrinath is connected by road to Rishikesh (293 km), Haridwar (313 km), Kotdwara (325 km), Joshimath (42 km) & Valley of flowers (38 km), Delhi(518 km).Regular bus services are available from Delhi to Rishikesh during season transport companies operate regular services from Rishikesh to Badrinath:-  G.M.O.U. Ltd.  T.G.M.O.U. Ltd.  Yatayat Aur Paryatan Vikas Sahakari Sangh Ltd.  Semant Sahakari Sangh Ltd.  Rupkund Travels Ltd. Kedarnath is connected by road with Rishikesh (226 km), Delhi (450 km), Haridwar (250 km), Kotdwara (256 km), Badrinath (242 km), Gangotri is connected by road to Rishikesh (248 km) and Delhi (472 km). Route from Rishikesh to Badrinath Rishikesh-Deoprayag 69 kms, Srinagar (U.P) 105 kms, Rudraprayag 139 kms, Karnaprayag 171 kms, Nandaprayag 192 kms, Chamoli 202 kms, Pipalkoti 221kms, Joshimath 252 kms and Badrinath 294 kms. Route from Rishikesh to Kedarnath via Rudraprayag Rishikesh-Rudraprayag 139 kms, Agastamuni 157 kms, Kund 171 kms, Guptakashi 181 kms, Phata 194 kms, Soneprayag 207 kms, Gaurikund 212 kms and Kedarnath 226 kms, Distance between Gaurikund and Kedarnath (14 kms) has to be covered on foot. Route from Badrinath to Kedarnath Badrinath-Joshimath 42 kms, Chamoli 92 kms, Gopeshwar 103 kms, Guptakashi 183 kms, Gaurikund 214 kms and Kedarnath 228 kms To Top Accommodation Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam provides accommodation with their packages. Badrinath: Andhra Bhawan, Jhun Jhunwala Cottage, Chand Cottage apart from these PWD rest houses and Dharamshalas are also available near the holy shrine. Kedarnath: Arti, Bitko Cottage, Gujrat Bhawan, Madras Bhawan, Bharat Seva Ashram and Dharamshalas are also available near the holy shrine. To Top Places Of Interest - Badrinath Mana Village - 3 km from Badrinath, this is the last village of India on the Indo-Tibetan border. The Indo-Mongolian tribe set up this village. A population of 200 people lives here. As soon as the gates of Badrinath open, they come here and as soon as they close, they go down to the plains where they live for the rest of the year. In this way they live a dual family life. These people are very hardworking and industrious. They wherein the women knit and weave sweaters, carpets, etc run a small-scale industry of woollen clothes. They are very attached to their culture and traditions. Earlier they traded with Tibet but in 1962 this was shut down. Tourists come in plenty to this quaint village. Bheem Bridge - A short distance from Mana Village a natural bridge made of a huge boulder, over the river Saraswathi is seen. The story goes that Bheem; one of the Pandava brothers put it there. The view of this extraordinary bridge and the din of the flowing river make this place interesting. Vasudhara Falls - 5 km after Bheem Bridge this astonishingly high waterfall is very attractive. The most interesting aspect about this place is that all the water here becomes vapour and vanishes into the atmosphere. The view looks like the Ganges is descending from the sky. Satopanth Lake - Satopanth Lake is 18 km from Mana Village amidst the difficult areas of Himalayas. The water in the lake is very calm. On the banks of this lake are innumerable lotus flowers. To get here one has to come via Lakshmi Forest. To return from here to Badrinath on foot it takes 3 days. Pandukesar - Pandukesar 20 km from Badrinath, this is a memorial for the Pandavas. Two temples here have intricate carvings. This village is quite big. During the season one finds huge crowds here. Govind Ghat - This is 2 km before Pandukesar and is the gateway for the Hem Kund Lake and the internationally well-known Valley of the Flowers. The Hem Kund Saheb is 20 km by foot from here. There we find a Sikh Temple and some hotels. The Valley of the Flowers is a 17 km walk. Hanuman Chatti - 13 km before Badrinath this temple is situated in a village. Nearby is a nursery of the rare birch tree. Kheerau Valley - As soon as you cross the bridge on the Alaknanda River from Hanuman Chatti to Benakuli, this extremely beautiful valley comes into view. 4 km from here is the Kheerau village where the local people stay for 4-5 months. Many other interesting spots are there about the village like Tatapani, Unyani Lake etc. Kagbhushandi Lake - On the Valley of Flowers Road, a 20 km trek from a village called Bhyundar is a vast lake, the beauty of which is amazing. Since getting here is very difficult, very few tourists are found here. Joshimath - 42 km from Badrinath this place is set to have been visited in the 18th century by Shankaracharya from the state of Kerala. He meditated here and founded a Mutt called Jyotir math or Joshimath. Here orchards of apples, apricots, peaches and lemon have to be seen to be believed. Many hotels and tourist bungalows are available to stay. Tapt Kund, Surya Kund, Narad Kund - On the banks of the river Alaknanda, are many natural hot water springs, where people bathe before they enter the temples. To Top Places Of Interest - Kedarnathh Gandhi Sarovar - About three kilometers away in the valley formed by the Kedarnath massif, is Chorabhari Tal. This lake has been renamed Gandhi Sarovar after the Mahatma's ashes were immersed in Lake. According to the legend this is where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is said to have departed to heaven. Gaurikund - Base for a trek to Kedarnath & serves as a roadhead, the village has hot springs of medicinal values & a temple dedicated to Gauri. Vasuki Tal - Vasuki Tal is 6 km. at 4135 m above sea level, this lake is extraordinary, surrounded by high mountains and offering an excellent view of the Chaukhamba peaks. Triyuginarayan - Triyuginarayan is the mythological venue where the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized. It is a short trek of 5 km from Son Prayag. An eternal flame, which is said to have been the witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today. Gupt Kashi - Gupt Kashi is 49 km Famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji. Ukhimath - 60 km winter home of Lord Kedarnath temple, and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath during winter months. Chopta - Situated on the Gopeshwar Ukhimath road about 40 km from Gopeshwar at an altitude of about 2500 m above sea level, Chopta is one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides a breathtaking view of Himalayan ranges surrounding it Deoria Tal - At an altitude of 2,440 m, this beautiful lake is situated on the Chopta - Ukhimath motor road. In the early morning, the snow-capped peaks are clearly reflected on the lake waters. This lake also provides an excellent venue for angling, as well as bird watching. Panch Kedar - The five most important temples of Lord Shiva are in garhwal Himalayas. The Kedar Massif - This is an outstanding massif formed by the three major mountains - Kedar Dome. Bharatekuntha at 6578 M is connected to Kedarnath to the East, by a long and dangerous avalanche ridden ridge. At 6000 meters it looks stunning and has several glacial flows, one of which is the Mandakini glacier running down its ridges. A deep ridge connects Kedarnath and Kedardome. Kedar Dome at 6831 Meters presents a fair challenge to climbers. Kedarnath is however, a difficult peak to climb. At 6940 Meters it is just beneath the level where the oxygen layer is thin. Anyone interested in a good day trek, could take the well-travelled path from behind the temple toward Bharatekuntha. To Top