SM
Operations Manager & Content Lead, Shiv Ganga Travels
🗓️ Last updated: May 30, 2026 · Officially verified
2026 Official Dates at a Glance
Yamunotri Opens
Apr 19, 2026
Apr 19 opens
Gangotri Opens
Apr 19, 2026
Same as Yamunotri
Kedarnath Opens
Apr 22, 2026
8:00 AM
Badrinath Opens
Apr 23, 2026
6:15 AM
Kedarnath Closes
Nov 11, 2026
Bhai Dooj
Badrinath Closes
Nov 13, 2026
Last to close
Each Dham — Opening Dates, Access & Best Season
🏔️Yamunotri
Goddess Yamuna · 3,291m
April 19, 2026
7:30 AM (Akshaya Tritiya)
Yamunotri is the westernmost and first shrine in the Char Dham circuit. Motor road ends at Janki Chatti — a 6km trek leads to the temple. The Surya Kund hot spring (90°C) at the temple is used to cook rice as prasad.
📅 Closes
November 7, 2026 (Bhai Dooj – 1)
🚗 Access
Janki Chatti → 6km trek or pony (₹1,200 one way). Motor road from Haridwar: 175km, 5–6 hours.
☀️ Best Time
May–June (flowers, clear trails), October (post-monsoon clarity)
👥 Crowds
Low in April–early May, high May 10–June 20, very low in October
How dates are decided: Announced on Basant Panchami by temple priests at Kharsali village
🌊Gangotri
Goddess Ganga · 3,415m
April 19, 2026
8:00 AM (Akshaya Tritiya)
Gangotri is unique among the four dhams — motor road reaches all the way to the temple. No trekking required. The Bhagirathi river flows directly past the temple. Gaumukh glacier (20km trek) is an optional extension.
📅 Closes
November 7, 2026 (Bhai Dooj – 1)
🚗 Access
Motor road from Haridwar: 265km, 7–8 hours via Uttarkashi. No trek required.
☀️ Best Time
May–June, September–October. Avoid July–August (NH108 rockfall risk)
👥 Crowds
Moderate throughout season — lower than Kedarnath/Badrinath
How dates are decided: Announced on Basant Panchami by Gangotri temple committee, Uttarkashi
⛩️Kedarnath
Lord Shiva (Jyotirlinga) · 3,583m
April 22, 2026
8:00 AM (official Mahabhishek ceremony)
Kedarnath is the highest, most challenging, and most revered of the four dhams. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Survived the 2013 floods while most of the town was destroyed. The 16km trek from Gaurikund is the most iconic pilgrim route in India.
📅 Closes
November 11, 2026 (Bhai Dooj)
🚗 Access
Gaurikund → 16km trek (5–7 hrs) or pony (₹3,000–5,000 one way) or helicopter from Phata/Sersi helipad (₹7,000–9,000 one way via IRCTC)
☀️ Best Time
May (post-snowmelt), September (clearest skies)
👥 Crowds
Highest of all 4 dhams — arrives at daily limit (15,000–17,000) on peak May days
How dates are decided: Announced on Maha Shivratri by Kedarnath temple priests at Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath
🕌Badrinath
Lord Vishnu · 3,133m
Badrinath is the final dham in the clockwise circuit. Motor road reaches the temple directly at 3,133m — the only Char Dham accessible entirely by vehicle. The Tapt Kund hot spring (55°C) just below the temple is used for the traditional pre-darshan bath.
📅 Closes
November 13, 2026 (longest season)
🚗 Access
Motor road from Haridwar: 320km, 8–9 hours via Joshimath. No trek required.
☀️ Best Time
May–June, September–October
👥 Crowds
Second-highest after Kedarnath — daily limit 20,000 pilgrims
How dates are decided: Announced on Basant Panchami by Raj Purohit at Joshimath
Month-by-Month Season Guide — When to Go
| Month | Temp at Dhams | Crowds | Road Conditions | Verdict |
|---|
| April 19–30 | 0–8°C | Very low | Snow on some sections | Great for quiet darshan — cold but peaceful |
| May 1–20 | 5–15°C | Building up | All routes open | Excellent — best weather, pre-peak |
| May 21–June 15 | 8–18°C | Peak | All open — best maintained | Busiest period — book 60 days ahead |
| June 16–30 | 10–20°C | High | Good | Good but approaching monsoon |
| July–August | 12–20°C | Low | Landslide risk | Not recommended — NH108 (Gangotri) risky |
| September | 8–18°C | Moderate | Excellent post-monsoon | Best overall — clear skies, thin crowds |
| October 1–25 | 2–12°C | Low–moderate | All open | Excellent — golden season |
| Late October–Nov | −2–8°C | Very low | Watch for early snow | Cold but uncrowded. Closing season. |
Booking Timeline — When to Book for Each Month
May departure
Book by March 15. Hotels at Guptkashi (Kedarnath base) fill by end of March. Char Dham Yatra registration opens March 6.
June departure
Book by April 20. June is slightly less crowded than May — still book 6 weeks ahead.
September departure
Book by July 15. September is post-monsoon — book 6–8 weeks ahead. October is the ideal casual booking window.
October departure
Book by August 20. October is the sweet spot — great weather, thin crowds, 4–6 weeks booking lead time is sufficient.
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Book Char Dham Yatra 2026 — Season Still Open
Packages available May–October 2026. Direct operator from Haridwar. +91-7817996730
Char Dham Closing Dates 2026 — When All 4 Dhams Close
The 2026 Char Dham season closes in November as temperatures drop and snowfall makes the high-altitude routes inaccessible. Closing dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar — Gangotri and Yamunotri close on Diwali/Bhai Dooj, Kedarnath two days after Diwali, and Badrinath approximately 2 weeks later.
| Dham | Closing date 2026 | Occasion | Winter abode (deity moved here) |
|---|
| 🌿 Gangotri | November 10, 2026 | Diwali | Mukhba village, Uttarkashi |
| 🌊 Yamunotri | November 11, 2026 | Bhai Dooj | Kharsali village, Uttarkashi |
| 🏔️ Kedarnath | November 11, 2026 | Bhai Dooj (Bhai Duj) | Ukhimath — Omkareshwar Temple |
| 🕌 Badrinath | November 13, 2026 | ~2 weeks post-Diwali | Pandukheshwar / Joshimath |
What happens at closing: Each dham has a Kapat Band (door-closing) ceremony. At Kedarnath, Lord Shiva's Panchmukhi Doli (five-faced palanquin) travels from Kedarnath to Ukhimath over 4 days. Before the doors seal, the priest lights the Akhand Jyot — an eternal flame that burns inside the locked temple for all 6 winter months. When the doors reopen in April, the flame is still burning. Thousands of pilgrims attend the closing ceremony specifically for this moment.
💡 October visits — last chance with best conditions: October is arguably the best month to visit Char Dham. Crowds are 70% lighter than peak season, prices are lower, and post-monsoon skies are crystal clear. The dhams are all still open through October. See our October Char Dham guide →
SM
Operations Manager & Content Lead, Shiv Ganga Travels
Sumit Mishra manages day-to-day operations at Shiv Ganga Travels and has personally accompanied pilgrim groups on the Char Dham circuit since 2015. He handles route planning, hotel pre-blocking during peak season, and yatra coordination for 500+ pilgrims annually. Everything published on this site is written from first-hand experience on these routes.
✓ 10+ years on Char Dham routes✓ 500+ pilgrim groups coordinated✓ Native Uttarakhand — Haridwar based
🙏Plan Your Yatra — Shiv Ganga Travels, Haridwar · Est. 2010
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