Rishikesh to Kedarnath cab
Fare, distance and the road itself — written by the people who drive it.
A retired Indian Army officer who founded Shiv Ganga Travels in Haridwar in 2010 and pioneered the zero-commission model for Char Dham operators here. About us
Fares and road notes on this page reviewed July 30, 2026.
Starting from Rishikesh shaves about 25 km and a little traffic off the Haridwar run to Kedarnath — handy if you are already doing yoga or rafting here. The road is the classic Mandakini-valley route through Rudraprayag and Guptkashi. Your cab reaches Gaurikund; from there it is the 16 km trek, pony or a helicopter hop from Phata. A Guptkashi overnight is the comfortable way to do it.
Rishikesh to Kedarnath taxi fare
One-way bands by vehicle for the 210 km (to Gaurikund) run from Rishikesh to Kedarnath, 8–9 hrs behind the wheel. Fuel, driver, tolls, state taxes and parking are already inside the number.
| Vehicle | Seats | One-way fare |
|---|---|---|
| Swift Dzire | 4 | ₹2,800–₹3,600 |
| Ertiga | 6 | ₹4,000–₹4,800 |
| Innova Crysta | 6 | ₹4,000–₹5,200 |
| Tempo Traveller | 12 | ₹5,600–₹7,200 |
Indicative 2026 bands for Rishikesh–Kedarnath. We confirm one fixed all-in price on enquiry — no per-km meter, and no hill surcharge appearing halfway up. The fare covers the drive as far as Gaurikund. Round trips with an overnight halt are quoted as a package.
Exactly what the Rishikesh–Kedarnath fare covers
What the Rishikesh–Kedarnath fare does and does not cover, both columns, before you book rather than at the end of the trip.
- Fuel for the whole journey
- Driver charges, his food and his night halt
- All tolls, state border taxes and green tax
- Parking at temples and viewpoints
- Green Card and trip permit for hill routes
- Oxygen cylinder on board above 2,500 m
- Basic first-aid kit
- GST
- Your hotel or lodge — we can book it, billed separately
- Meals for passengers
- Pony, palki, porter or helicopter charges
- Temple pujas, VIP darshan or aarti tickets
- Anything caused by a landslide, roadblock or weather halt beyond the planned days
- AC in the hills — ₹2,000 extra if you want it running above the valleys
Where you actually stop
Birthplace of the Ganga at the Bhagirathi–Alaknanda sangam.
Mandakini joins the Alaknanda; turn up the Kedarnath valley here.
Best overnight base (1,319 m) before the trek.
Last motorable town; shared jeep from here to Gaurikund.
Trek start (1,982 m). Hot spring, then 16 km up to Kedarnath.
Rules of the road up here
Hill routes in Uttarakhand run on rules that catch first-time visitors out. None of these are ours — they are the administration's, and they shape how the trip has to be planned.
Vehicle movement on the Char Dham roads is banned between 10 PM and 4 AM by the district administration. We plan every pickup so you reach your halt in daylight — anyone promising to drive you through the night is planning to be stopped at a checkpost.
Every commercial vehicle on a Char Dham route needs a Green Card (a fitness certificate specific to hill driving) plus a trip card for the journey. Ours are current on every vehicle we send. Without them you get turned back, usually at Rishikesh or Sonprayag.
All four dhams need a biometric registration before darshan. It is free and done online at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, or at the counters in Haridwar and Rishikesh. We do it for you as part of the booking if you send us your ID details.
Private vehicles stop at Sonprayag. The last 5 km to Gaurikund runs on a timed one-way shuttle with slots assigned by the police. Your driver parks at Sonprayag and waits — the main luggage stays with the vehicle.
The vehicle for the Rishikesh–Kedarnath run
Kedarnath sits at 3,583 m, and the last stretch is where clearance starts to matter. We lead with the Scorpio on this route, especially in April and October when diversions leave the surface unpredictable.
Mahindra Scorpio / XUV
What we send in April and again in October, when landslide diversions leave the road surface unpredictable.
- Seats
- 6 + driver
- Luggage
- 3 large + 2 cabin bags
- Best for
- Higher clearance for early and late season
- Availability
- On request, no surcharge
- High ground clearance
- Strong on rough diversions
- AC in the plains
Cancellation, in plain terms
Plans change, and a 8–9 hrs mountain drive is the kind of thing weather rearranges. The Rishikesh–Kedarnath booking runs on the same terms as every other cab we send out.
We do not take payment online. Most bookings run on a small advance over UPI and the balance to the driver at the end of the trip, so there is rarely anything to refund. Full cancellation terms.
What our passengers say
Booked after comparing four operators. What sold me was that the person who answered the phone was the person who ran the trip. Hotels, vehicle and darshan slots were exactly as quoted. The Kedarnath trek support was the strongest part — our guide walked at my father’s pace the whole way and never once made it feel like a problem.
Eight of us, including my parents at 72 and 69. Palki was arranged for both at Kedarnath without any fuss. Ramesh bhai, our driver, was calm on roads that frightened me and knew every tea stop worth stopping at. Ground-floor rooms at every hotel, as promised.
The price I was quoted in February was the price I paid in May. After what I read about agent markups, that alone was worth it. Badrinath darshan was handled well and Tapt Kund before the 4:30 AM slot was something I will remember for a long time.
Rishikesh to Kedarnath, answered
About 210 km to Gaurikund, the last motorable point, then a 16 km trek. Driving is 8–9 hours, so an overnight at Guptkashi is standard.
The Rishikesh to Kedarnath run is operated by us directly — our vehicle, our driver, no broker taking a cut in between.
Direct operator — our own vehicles and our own drivers, no broker in between, operating from Haridwar since 2010. Registration, fleet and credentials.
Related routes and guides
Book your Rishikesh → Kedarnath cab
Send us your date and how many of you there are. You get one fixed all-in fare for the Rishikesh–Kedarnath run, 8–9 hrs of driving, usually inside two hours.