Char Dham Yatra
Char Dham Yatra
(12 D / 11 N)
Char Dham Yatra is a perfect tour for tourists that want to experience the religious facets of this incredibly prosperous nation. The trip is considered to be the most sacred one. Pilgrims believe that their sins are supposed to be washed away after they’ll complete this sacred pilgrimage. This pilgrimage covers different parts of the Himalayas which are supposed to be the abode of the almighty. One feels as if they have come closer to their spiritual self after rejoicing this trip. Haridwar and Rishikesh are some of the prime destinations covered during this trip which are not only comprises religious importance but are also blessed with amazing splendor of nature. Char dham Yatra comprises of Delhi, Haridwar, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rishikesh tour. Himalaya has always been the abode of the Gods. The Vedas and Upanishads tell us fascinating stories about gods and demons who dwelt here. Ancient literature refers to this region as Badrikashram, Himavat, Tapobhoomi, Devabhoomi and Kedarskhand. Every cave, rivulet, brook and valley is associated with the memory of a sage or saint and fascinating legends.Here, where the individual merges with the macrocosm. To Uttarakhand, long called Devbhumi belong some of the holiest Hindu shrines, and for more than a thousand years, pilgrims have been visiting the region in the hopes of salvation and purification from sin. Gangotri and Yamunotri, the sources of both the Ganges and Yamuna fall in the upper reaches of the state and together with Badrinath (dedicated to Vishnu) and Kedarnath (dedicated to Shiva) form the Char Dham of Uttarakhand, one of Hinduism most spiritually auspicious pilgrimage circuits. More than a hundred years ago in 1891, Swami Vivekananda wandered in these of hills as a pilgrim. The Pilgrim’s Express – Himalayan Chardham Special. The Char dham yatra is the leading Hindu pilgrimage tour in the Indian Himalayas. Every place is situated in the Garhwal Himalayas region of Uttarakhand earlier recognized as Uttaranchal. Chardham Bus tour consists of four places-Yamunotri devoted to goddess Yamuna, Gangotri devoted to lord Shiva, Kedarnath famous for Shiva temple and Badrinath tour by Bus. Even as each region is matchless in its own style. Most pilgrims to the Chardham bus tour get on from the well-known temple town of Haridwar. Furthers depart from Haridwar’s sister town, Rishikesh, or from Dehra Dun region, the capital of Uttarakhand area. Chardham Bus tour starts from Delhi turn towards Haridwar, Barkot, Yamunotri,Barkot, Uttarkashi, Gangotri, Guptkashi, GouriKund,Kedarnath,Rudraprayag, Badrinath,
Duration: 12 Days
Places:- Delhi – Haridwar – Barkot – Yamunotri – Uttarkashi – Gangotri – Rudraprayag – Kedarnath – Joshimath – Badrinath – Rishikesh – Delhi
Itinerary
Day 01: – Delhi – Haridwar
Morning 06:30 hrs departs from Delhi to Haridwar (220 kms. 6 hrs). On arrival check – in at hotel. Later visit Har Ki Paudi. Take Holi Bath and enjoy the Evening aarti ceremony.
Haridwar :- Meaning ‘Gateway to God’ is one of the seven holiest places of the Hindus, located on the banks of River Ganges. It is the place where river Ganga descends to the plains.Haridwar is also spelled as Hardwar or Hari- Dwar. Haridwar is also one of the four places where drops of Amrit or nectar fell from the pitcher which was being carried by Garuda, the heavenly bird and the spot is known as Brahma Kund or Har-ki-Pauri. Suryavanshi prince Bhagirath performed penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors who had perished due to the curse of sage Kapila. The penance was answered and the river Ganga trickled forth forms Lord Shiva’s locks and its bountiful water revived the sixty thousand sons of king Sagara. In the traditional of Bhagirath, devout Hindus stand in the sacred waters here, praying for salvation of their departed elder. It is doorway to the sources of the Ganga and the Yamuna, 3000 to 4500 meters up into the snowy ranges of the central Himalayas. Arrival at Haridwar, transfer to hotel, Check in at hotel. Take rest, later we shall take you for a visit to the Mansa Devi Temple & enjoy Aarti at Har Ki Peri in the evening. The ‘Aarti’ worship of the Ganga after sunset and the floating ‘dia’ (lamp) is a moving ritual. Later back to hotel, free for leisure activities.
Overnight stay at Haridwar.
Day 02: Haridwar – Barkot
Early morning after breakfast check out from hotel. Proceed from Haridwar to Barkot via Mussoorie.(205 kms 5 – 6 hrs): Barkot is a serene and secluded town, locatd at an elevation of 1220 meters. It is a northeast region of Uttarakhand, located around 49 km from Yamunotri Dam. It offers an excellent view of Himalayan cliffs and peaks. It is also an ideal place for trekking. The fresh orchards of apples, ravishing landscapes, glistering water of Yamuna River and secluded environment are the charming features of Barkot. Arrive at Barkot, transfer to hotel, Check in at the hotel. Free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at Barkot.
Day 03: Barkot – Yamunotri – Barkot
32 kms / 10 km by jeep/ 6 kms trek.from one side Leave for Janki Chatti Via Hanuman Chatti – The confluence of Hanuman Ganga & Yamuna River & Fool Chatti . On arrival Janki Chatti start Trek of 06 kms for Yamunotri Temple – Maharani Gularia of Jaipur built the temple in the 19th Century. It was destroyed twice in the present century and rebuilt again, Either by walk or by horse or by Doli at own cost. On Arrive Yamunotri Holi Dip in Garam Kund, than Pooja and Darshan of Shree Yamunotri Ji, One can cook rice by packing it in a cloth and dipping it in the hot water of the hot kund. Pilgrims take this cooked rice home as “Prasad”. After Darshan and Pooja, afternoon start trek back to Janki Chatti on arrival Janki Chatti meet with driver and drive back to Barkot at hotel. Evening free for leisure activities.
Overnight stay at Barkot.
Day 04: Barkot – Uttarkashi
Check out from hotel & proceed for Uttarkashi(82 kms / 4 hrs): Enroute vist Prakateshwar Cave.
Uttarkashi is a holy town of Uttarakhand. The city is named after its headquarters town Uttarkashi. Uttarkashi district is situated on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, at an altitude of 1158 metres above sea level. Uttarkashi is primarily known as a town of temples, particularly of Lord Shiva. There are various temples namely Vishwanath Temple, Bhairav Temple, Kuteti Devi Temple, Gangotri Temple, Yamunotri Temple, Shani Temple, Pokhu Devta Temple, Karna Devta Temple and many more. The popular one is Vishwanath, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. On arrival at Uttarkashi, transfer to hotel; check in at the hotel evening visit Vishwnath Temple. Later back to hotel, free for leisure activities.
Overnight stay at Uttarkashi.
Day 05: Uttarkashi – Gangotri – Uttarkashi
Morning after breakfast. Drive to Gangotri (100 kms. One way drives 2- 3 hours).
Gangotri Temple: The temple, constructed by the Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th Century, is situated on the right bank of Bhagirathi. Submerged Shivling: Submerged in the river, this natural rock Shivling is the place where, according to mythology Lord Shiva sat when he received the Ganga in his matted lock. It is visible in winter months when water level decreases. Kedar Ganga Sangam: Around 100 Yards from the Ganga Temple flows the river Kedar Ganga. Starting from the Kedar Valle, this river meets the Bhagirathi on its left bank.
On arrival take a holy dip in the sacred river Ganges, also called Bhagirathi at its origin. Perform Pooja after that and relax for some time in the lovely surroundings. Afternoon drive to Uttarkashi at hotel, Free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at Uttarakashi
Day 06: Uttarkashi – Rudrapryag
Check out from hotel & drive to Rudrapryag (190 kms. Drive 6 – 7 hrs): En-route visit heritage city of Tehri dam slowly sinking into the mighty waters of the Holy River Ganges, due to the construction of the Tehri Dam. Rudraprayag lies at the confluence of two rivers Alkananda and Mandakini. Rudraprayag gets its name from the word “Rudra” which means, an aspect of Lord Shiva. According to mythology, Lord Shiva appeared to bless Narad Muni as Rudra. Since then, the place has been a sacred place for Shiva worshippers. Rudraprayag has a very pleasant temperature all the year round. Frozen glaciers, beautiful lakes and raw natural beauty, add to the diverse serenity of this place. Rudraprayag has immense religious significance for pilgrims going in for the Char Dham Yatra to Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham.
On arrival at Rudrapryag transfer to hotel, Check in at the hotel. Take rest, free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at Rudraprayag.
Day 07: Rudrapryag – Kedarnath
Rudrapryag – Kedarnath (80 kms drive, 14 kms trek)
Morning check out from hotel & drive to Gaurikund.
Gaurikund: At a distance of 5kms from Sonprayag and at an altitude of 1982 meters. One can take bath in the hot water pond here and visit the Gauri Temple. This is the place where Goddess Parvathi meditated to attain Lord Shiva. It is the base for a trek to Kedarnath.
Arrive Gaurikund and start your journey on the tough Trek ahead for Kedarnath on foot or on by pony / Doli your own cost. Kedarnath: The Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, is a scenic spot situated, against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath range. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. The history of Kedarnath is all about the legends that also form the reason behind the holiness of the city. Named after Lord Shiva, Kedarnath is believed to have come into existence after the Pandava brothers were asked to seek Lord Shiva’s blessing in order to do penance for the killing of their cousins. Shiva was not willing to meet the Pandavas and so he furled and disguised himself in Guptakashi. While fleeing from the Pandavas, he stopped at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. Inspite of all this, the Pandavas were able to find him and in retaliation he started to thrust inside the ground. He then dived into the ground leaving behind his hump. However, the willpower and determination of the Pandavas impressed him and he forgave their sins, gave them his blessing and allowed them to worship his hump. The stone like structure that is revered today is the very hump of the Lord.
Arrival at Kedarnath, transfer to hotel, check in at the Hotel. After freshening up, perform Pooja and also Darshan at Shri Kedarnathji. In the evening also visit Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi behind the temple, Later back to hotel, free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at Kedarnath.
Day 08: Kedarnath – Rudrapryag
Kedarnath – Rudraprayag (14 kms trek 80 kms drive 2 – 3 hours): Morning check out from hotel & back to Gaurikund and drive to Rudraprayag. Arrival at Rudraprayag, transfer to hotel, check in at hotel. Take rest free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at Rudraprayag.
Day 09: Rudraprayag – Badrinath
Rudraprayag – Badrinath (170 kms drive 4 – 5 hours)
Morning Check out from hotel & proceed for Shri Badrinath Ji.
Badrinath: According to legend, the temple was originally established by Adi Shankaracharya which was renovated several times after its establishment. Badrinath is also one of the Panch Badris. The other four badris are Yogadhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Bridha Badri or the ‘Old Badri’ and Adi Badri. The Badrinath area was known as Badari or Badarikaashram in Hindu scriptures. It is a place sacred to Vishnu, particularly in Vishnu’s dual form of Nara-Narayana. Thus, in the Mahabharata, Krishna, addressing Arjuna, says, “Thou wast Nara in a former body, and, with Narayana for thy companion, didst perform dreadful austerity at Badari for many myriads of years.”One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga (Ganges) was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are said to have ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini – literally, the ‘Ascent to Heaven’. Local legend has it that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Svarga (heaven). There is also a cave in Mana where Vyasa, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata. The main attraction of Badrinath is the Badrinath temple also known as the Badrinarayan temple. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is also one of the 108 Divya Desams or holy shrines of Vaishnavities. Arrival at Badrinath, transfer to hotel, check in to hotel. Take rest, Later take the holy Darshan and spend time visiting Mana village the last village before the Tibetan border, Byas Gufa, Bheem Pul, Saraswati River.Later back to hotel, free for leisure activities. Overnight stay at hotel at Badrinath.
Day 10: Badrinath – Srinagar Garhwal
Badrinath – Srinagar Garhwal (183 kms drive 4- 5 hours):
Morning after Arti Darshan take breakfast & drive to Srinagar Garhwal.
Srinagar: Nestled in the foothills of majestic Himalayas and on the banks of Alaknanda River sits the historic town of Srinagar. Srinagar received its name from Sri Yantra, a mythical giant rock so evil that whoever set their eyes on it would immediately die. The rock was believed to have taken as many as thousand lives before Adi Shankaracharya, in the 8th century AD, as a part of an undertaking aimed to rejuvenate the Hindu religion across India, visited Srinagar and turned the Sri Yantra upside down and hurled it into the nearby river Alaknanda. To this day, this rock is believed to be lying docile in the underbelly of the river. That area is now known as Sri Yantra Tapu. Today, with home to H N Bahuguna Garhwal University (formerly Garhwal University), Srinagar is a major economic, cultural, and educational center in the region. Srinagar is also an important tourist attraction for its natural beauty and several temples.
Arrive at Srinagar, transfer to hotel, check in at the hotel, and take rest, free for leisure activities,
Overnight stay at hotel at Srinagar.
Day 11: Srinagar – Rishikesh
Srinagar – Rishikesh (100 kms drive 6 hrs)
Morning check out from hotel & proceed towards Rishikesh.
Enroute visit Devprayag:- ( The confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, which become the Ganga).
Devprayag which means ‘Holy Confluence’ in Sanskrit, was named after a Hindu ascetic, sage Devsharma. As per legend, Devsharma devoted his entire life in intense penance to attain a glimpse of Lord Vishnu and was subsequently blessed by Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Devprayag holds great religious significance among Hindu pilgrims as this is the place where rivers Alakananda and Bhagirathi conjoin to form the main stream of River Ganges. According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama and King Dasharatha did penance at Devpraryag, to relieve off their sin of Brahmahatya. Pandavas also performed ablutions at Devprayag before visiting Badrinath to attain salvation, during their journey for Svargarohana. Devprayag tourism offers pilgrimages to Raghunathji Temple, Chandrabadani Temple, Dashrathshila, etc. Activities such as trekking and river rafting can also be done at Devprayag.
Rishikesh: was named after the God Hrishikesh whose appearance is an answer to the lord penances by Rabhiya Rishi. The Holy Chardham yatra has its starting point from Rishikesh. Rishikesh is a famous Hindu religious destination, popular amongst devotees, yoga persons and adventurers as well. Located on the banks of the sacred Ganga River, Rishikesh attracts thousands of pilgrims every day from India as well as abroad.
Arrival at Rishikesh in the evening. Transfer to hotel, check in to Hotel. Take rest. Evening visit Laxamn Jhula and Ram Jhula and see the evening Arati, Later back to hotel, free for leisure activities.
Overnight stay at Rishikesh.
Day 12: Rishikesh – Delhi
Rishikesh – Delhi (240 km drive 6 – 7 hours): Morning transfer to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi transfer to airport for onward destination.