Via Guptkashi · Chopta · Joshimath — updated July 9, 2026
Quick answerKedarnath to Badrinath is 218 km by road from Gaurikund, the Kedarnath roadhead — an 8–10 hour drive via Guptkashi, Ukhimath, Chopta, Gopeshwar, Chamoli and Joshimath. Add the 16 km trek down from the temple to Gaurikund first. Aerially the shrines are just 41 km apart. Most pilgrims split the journey with a night halt at Chopta or Pipalkoti.
Distance at a Glance
Kedarnath Temple → Gaurikund
16 km trek
5–7 hrs down (walk / pony / palki)
Gaurikund → Guptkashi
31 km
1–1.5 hrs
Guptkashi → Ukhimath → Chopta
41 km
1.5–2 hrs
Chopta → Gopeshwar → Chamoli
62 km
2–2.5 hrs
Chamoli → Pipalkoti → Joshimath
40 km
1.5 hrs
Joshimath → Badrinath
44 km
1.5–2 hrs (gated one-way sections)
Total road distance
218 km
8–10 hrs driving
Why the Road Takes a Full Day for 41 Aerial Kilometres
Look at a map and the two temples sit almost side by side — 41 km apart as the crow flies. But the Kedarnath and Badrinath valleys are separated by a wall of 5,000-metre ridges with no motorable pass, so the road drops all the way down the Mandakini valley, crosses over the Chopta ridge, and climbs back up the Alaknanda valley. That detour is what turns 41 km into 218.
The upside is that the detour happens to be one of the prettiest drives in Uttarakhand. The Chopta stretch runs through deodar forest and open meadows at 2,700 m, with Chaukhamba filling the windscreen on clear mornings. Our drivers time the Chopta crossing for daylight whenever the schedule allows — guests who sleep through it on an overnight-style push always regret it.
One-Day vs Two-Day Plan
A one-day Kedarnath-to-Badrinath transfer is possible on paper but rarely pleasant. You would need to leave the temple by 5 AM, reach Gaurikund by 10, and then sit in a car for nine hours after a 16 km downhill trek — with the 10 PM night-driving ban as a hard deadline. Knees and patience both suffer.
The plan that works, and the one we build into our packages: trek down in the morning, drive as far as Pipalkoti (about 6 hours from Gaurikund), sleep at a comfortable 1,260 m, and do the final 75 km to Badrinath early next morning — arriving in time for darshan before the day crowd. Pilgrims who want the Tungnath trek halt at Chopta instead.
Taxi Fare for This Leg
Vehicle
Seats
Sonprayag → Badrinath (approx.)
Swift Dzire (sedan)
4
₹7,500–9,000
Ertiga
6
₹8,500–10,500
Innova Crysta
6
₹10,000–12,500
Tempo Traveller
12
₹14,000–17,000
Fares are indicative for a dedicated one-way transfer with a night halt, verified July 9, 2026. If you are doing the full Char Dham circuit, this leg is already inside our package pricing — booking it separately almost always costs more.
What You Pass on the Way
Ukhimath is where the Kedarnath deity spends the winter — the Omkareshwar temple here is worth twenty minutes even mid-journey. Chopta is the trailhead for Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world, a 3.5 km walk off the road. And from Chamoli onward you are driving beside the Alaknanda through the prayag country — Nandprayag and then the gorge road to Joshimath. Pilgrims doing this drive are, without planning it, seeing more of Garhwal than most tourists ever do.
The questions pilgrims most commonly search on Google about this yatra.
By road it is about 218 km from Gaurikund (the Kedarnath roadhead) to Badrinath, taking 8–10 hours. Add the 16 km trek down from Kedarnath temple to Gaurikund first. Aerially the two temples are only 41 km apart, which is why helicopter transfers take minutes.
Only if you start the trek down from Kedarnath by 5–6 AM. Most pilgrims reach Gaurikund by 10–11 AM and then drive as far as Joshimath or Pipalkoti by evening, doing Badrinath darshan the next morning. Night driving is banned on these routes between 10 PM and 4 AM, so a single-day push is tight.
Gaurikund → Guptkashi → Ukhimath → Chopta → Gopeshwar → Chamoli → Pipalkoti → Joshimath → Badrinath. The Chopta stretch is the highlight — meadows at 2,700 m with Chaukhamba views, and the Tungnath trailhead right on the road.
There is no scheduled shuttle between the two shrines. Charter services connect them during peak season at charter pricing. Most pilgrims fly Kedarnath→Phata/Sersi, then drive to Badrinath the same day.
A dedicated sedan runs roughly ₹7,500–9,000 and an Innova ₹10,000–12,500 for the Sonprayag–Badrinath leg. In a multi-day Char Dham package the leg is already included, which usually works out cheaper than hiring point-to-point.
Chopta if you want mountain scenery and the Tungnath trek, Pipalkoti or Joshimath if you want to be positioned for early Badrinath darshan. Our drivers usually recommend Pipalkoti — lower altitude, better sleep, and only 75 km from Badrinath.