Dhanesh Chandra MishraLinkedIn

Founder & Director, Shiv Ganga Travels

Quick answerThe 2026 Char Dham temples close between 10 and 13 November. Gangotri closes 10 November on Annakut, Yamunotri and Kedarnath both on 11 November for Bhai Dooj, and Badrinath last, expected around 13 November. The first three follow the Diwali calendar; the Badrinath date is fixed by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and announced on Vijayadashami, so treat it as tentative until then. After closing, each deity moves to its winter seat — Mukhba for Ganga, Kharsali for Yamuna, Ukhimath for Kedarnath and Pandukeshwar for Badrinath.

🗓️ Last updated: September 25, 2026 — Badrinath date awaits the BKTC’s Vijayadashami announcement

Dham	Opens 2026	Closes 2026	Closing occasion	Winter abode
🌿 Gangotri	April 19, 2026	November 10, 2026	Annakut (Govardhan Puja)	Mukhba village, Uttarkashi district
🌊 Yamunotri	April 19, 2026	November 11, 2026	Bhai Dooj	Kharsali village (Syana Chattra), Uttarkashi
🏔️ Kedarnath	April 22, 2026	November 11, 2026	Bhai Dooj	Ukhimath (Omkareshwar Temple), Rudraprayag district
🕌 Badrinath	April 23, 2026	~November 13, 2026 (tentative)	Set by the BKTC, announced on Vijayadashami	Pandukeshwar / Narsingh Temple, Joshimath

Note: Gangotri (Annakut), Yamunotri and Kedarnath (Bhai Dooj) close on fixed festival days, so their dates follow the 2026 Diwali calendar. Badrinath’s closing date is set by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and announced on Vijayadashami (Dussehra); 13 November is our estimate until then. Avoid non-refundable bookings that depend on the exact Badrinath date.

Each Dham — Closing Ceremony & What Happens

Gangotri

Closes November 10, 2026

The Goddess Ganga's brass idol is carried in a Doli (palanquin) from Gangotri to Mukhba — a 25km journey through the Bhagirathi valley. The Bhog (offering) ceremony takes place at sunrise, after which the temple doors are sealed. Thousands of devotees attend to witness the final aarti before the kapat closes.

💡 October tip: Last-chance visits in October see crystal-clear autumn skies and dramatically fewer crowds than May–June. The post-monsoon visibility from Gangotri is often the best of the entire season.

Yamunotri

Closes November 11, 2026

The 6km trek from Jankichatti to Yamunotri is done one final time by the officiating priests and a core group of devotees. Goddess Yamuna's idol is moved to Kharsali by Doli. The closing ceremony at Yamunotri includes the last Bhog, the last Aarti, and the symbolic sealing of the doors as winter descends on the valley.

💡 October tip: Yamunotri is the least-visited of the four dhams and the most underrated in October. The Surya Kund hot spring (88°C) near the temple is uniquely atmospheric with morning mist and autumn colours on the surrounding hillsides.

Kedarnath

Closes November 11, 2026

The most significant closing ceremony of the four dhams. Lord Kedarnath's Panchmukhi (five-faced) Doli leaves Kedarnath on a 4-day ceremonial journey to Ukhimath, stopping at Phata, Guptkashi, and Kund along the way — with celebrations at each village. Before the doors close, a priest lights the Akhand Jyot (eternal flame). This flame burns continuously inside the locked temple for all 6 months of winter. When the doors reopen in April, the flame is still burning — one of the most powerful symbols in Hindu pilgrimage.

💡 October tip: October at Kedarnath is the closest thing to a perfect visit. Temperatures are 2–10°C, crowds are 70% fewer than May, the snow has not yet arrived, and the Himalayan peaks visible from the temple are at their sharpest. We recommend October for returning pilgrims.

Badrinath

Closes ~November 13, 2026 (tentative)

The closing ceremony (Kapat Band) at Badrinath begins with the early morning Narada Kund bath, followed by the final Abhishek of Lord Vishnu's idol. The Narad Shila (a rock beside the temple) is symbolically worshipped as a farewell gesture. Lord Vishnu's idol is dressed for winter and moved in a ceremonial procession to Pandukheshwar/Joshimath. The Akhand Jyot at Badrinath is also lit at closing time.

💡 October tip: Badrinath closes last among all four dhams and is often accessible well into November. Late-season Badrinath visits combine cold, clear weather, empty roads, and the possibility of early snowfall on the surrounding peaks — a striking visual.

The Akhand Jyot — Kedarnath's Eternal Flame

Before the Kedarnath temple doors close for winter, the chief priest performs a final ritual: lighting the Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) inside the Garbha Griha (inner sanctum). This flame burns continuously for the entire 6 months while the temple is locked under 20–30 feet of snow. No human enters. No one tends it. When the doors reopen in April to the sounds of Vedic chanting and the first darshan of the season, the flame is still burning.

For Hindu pilgrims, this is not merely symbolic — it is understood as evidence of the continuous divine presence at Kedarnath regardless of human access. Many pilgrims who attend the closing ceremony specifically come for this moment: the lighting of the Akhand Jyot and the sound of the doors sealing. It is, by many accounts, more moving than the opening ceremony.

Planning a Last-Season Visit? Book October

October is genuinely the best month for Char Dham Yatra — a fact that experienced pilgrims know but first-timers rarely consider. The monsoon has ended, the roads are freshly cleaned, the Himalayan skies are crystal clear, and pilgrim numbers drop by 70% from peak season. Hotels that are ₹3,000/night in May are ₹1,200–1,500 in October. Pony and palki availability is better. Darshan queues are shorter.

The single consideration: temperature. Kedarnath in October reaches -2°C at night. Pack accordingly — thermals, a heavy jacket, and gloves. This is the trade-off, and for most pilgrims it is easily worth it.