April 20, 2026 · 2 min read
The Char Dham circuit — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath — covers a lot of altitude change in a short span. Kedarnath sits at roughly 3,580m, and the drive-and-trek days between temples are long. A 9-day itinerary with built-in rest days isn’t padding — it’s what keeps altitude sickness manageable, especially for travellers over 55.
The yatra season runs late April/early May to early November, with the temples closing for winter once snow makes the routes impassable. May and June are the busiest and most crowded; September, after the monsoon eases, is quieter with clearer mountain views.
Kedarnath is reachable by a roughly 16km trek from Gaurikund, or by helicopter for those who can’t manage the walk. Both options need to be booked well in advance during peak season — helicopter seats especially sell out weeks ahead.
Pack for four seasons in one bag: warm layers for early mornings at altitude, breathable clothing for the drives, and a proper rain shell for the monsoon tail end of the season. Basic medication for altitude and motion sickness is worth carrying regardless of how well you usually travel.
The road network between the four sites is mountainous and slow — plan on the drives themselves being a meaningful part of each day, not just transit time between the parts that matter.
