🗓️ Last updated: July 30, 2026
Most people believe the Char Dham simply shuts for six months. It does not. When Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri close in November, each deity is carried down in procession to a winter seat in a lower village, where the same priests perform the same daily rituals until the doors reopen in Late April to early May 2027. Those four villages — Ukhimath, Joshimath, Mukhba and Kharsali — are the Winter Char Dham, and visiting them is a complete yatra in its own right.
The honest case for going in winter
You will not get the postcard. Kedarnath temple against the snow peaks is a summer photograph and no winter itinerary can give it to you. What you get instead is the same deity, the same rawal, the same rituals — with nobody queueing behind you. In June you shuffle past Kedarnath in nine seconds. In January at Ukhimath you can sit down.
Where Each Deity Spends the Winter
| Summer shrine | Closes | Winter seat | Altitude | From Haridwar |
|---|
| Kedarnath | 11 November | Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath | 1,311 m | About 200 km, 7–8 hrs |
| Badrinath | 13 November | Narsingh Temple, Joshimath | 1,875 m | About 275 km, 9–10 hrs |
| Gangotri | 10 November | Mukhba (Mukhimath) | About 2,620 m | About 230 km via Uttarkashi, 9–10 hrs |
| Yamunotri | 11 November | Kharsali (Khushimath) | About 2,675 m | About 200 km via Barkot, 8–9 hrs |
Note the altitudes. The summer shrines sit between 3,000 and 3,600 metres and two of them need a trek. The winter seats are between roughly 1,300 and 2,700 metres and every one has a road to it. For anyone who cannot manage the Kedarnath trek — which is a great many pilgrims — the winter yatra is not a lesser option. It is the accessible one.
The Four Seats
Ukhimath is where Kedarnath actually is for half the year. The daily worship does not pause when the doors shut at 3,583 m — it moves down here, and the same rawal and priests perform it. Pilgrims who assume Kedarnath is simply closed from November to April have the wrong idea of how the shrine works.
Access: Road-accessible all winter. This is the easiest of the four to reach.
Joshimath is one of the four maths established by Adi Shankaracharya, which makes it a major seat in its own right rather than merely a winter address. The Narsingh idol here carries the legend of the thinning arm — when it finally breaks, tradition says the Badrinath route will close and the deity will be worshipped at Bhavishya Badri instead.
Access: On the main Badrinath highway, open through winter barring snow closures above Chamoli.
Mukhba sits in the Harsil valley, which is among the most beautiful places in Garhwal and almost empty in winter. The Ganga you queue to see at Gangotri in June is here, in a village temple, with nobody else in the room.
Access: Harsil valley. Genuinely snow-affected in January and February — call before you commit.
Kharsali also holds what is widely described as one of the oldest Shani Dev temples in India — a multi-storey stone and timber structure in the traditional Garhwali style. Yamuna is Shani's sister in the tradition, so brother and sister spend the winter in the same village. That is not a coincidence anybody planned; it is why the place matters.
Access: Reachable via Barkot and Janki Chatti. Snow can close the last stretch.
A 9-Day Winter Circuit from Haridwar
| Day | Route | Night |
|---|
| 1 | Haridwar → Barkot | Barkot |
| 2 | Barkot → Kharsali (Yamuna) → Barkot | Barkot |
| 3 | Barkot → Uttarkashi → Harsil | Harsil |
| 4 | Mukhba (Ganga), Harsil valley | Harsil |
| 5 | Harsil → Uttarkashi → Srinagar | Srinagar |
| 6 | Srinagar → Ukhimath (Kedarnath) | Ukhimath |
| 7 | Ukhimath → Chopta → Joshimath | Joshimath |
| 8 | Narsingh Temple, Joshimath → Pandukeshwar → Auli | Joshimath |
| 9 | Joshimath → Haridwar | — |
The reason this takes nine days rather than five is geography, not padding. Kharsali and Mukhba are in the western valleys; Ukhimath and Joshimath are in the eastern ones. There is no short road between them and in winter you do not want to be hunting for one.
The short version, if you have four days
Do Ukhimath and Joshimath. They hold Kedarnath and Badrinath, they are on main highways, and they are reliably open all winter. Add
Chopta in the snow between them and it is one of the best short trips in Garhwal. Leave Mukhba and Kharsali for a longer visit or a milder month.
What Winter Actually Demands
- Proper cold-weather clothing. Layers, a real jacket, gloves, wool cap, and footwear with grip. Mukhba and Kharsali are sub-zero at night through January and February.
- Flexibility on the itinerary. A snow day closes a road. Build in a spare day rather than booking a flight home for the evening you return.
- Modest expectations of accommodation.These are villages. Homestays and small guesthouses, wood heating, hot water in buckets. Clean and warm, not luxurious.
- Short daylight. Dark by 5:30 PM in December. Mountain driving after dark is something we do not do, so days start early.
- A phone call before you commit. Winter road status changes weekly. Ask us what the Harsil road is doing before you book anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you do the Char Dham Yatra in winter?
Not the high shrines — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri all close in November and stay shut until late April. But the deities do not stop being worshipped. Each one is carried down to a winter seat in a lower village where the same priests continue the same daily rituals for six months. Visiting those four villages is the Winter Char Dham Yatra, and it is a genuine pilgrimage rather than a consolation prize.
Where do the four deities go in winter?
Kedarnath goes to the Omkareshwar Temple at Ukhimath. Badrinath goes to the Narsingh Temple at Joshimath, with Uddhav and Kubera to Pandukeshwar. Ganga goes from Gangotri down to Mukhba near Harsil. Yamuna goes from Yamunotri to Kharsali, opposite Janki Chatti. All four are road-accessible villages at between 1,300 and 2,700 metres, rather than the 3,000-plus of the summer shrines.
When exactly do the dhams close in 2026?
Gangotri closes on 10 November 2026 on Diwali, Kedarnath and Yamunotri on 11 November on Bhai Dooj, and Badrinath on 13 November. The winter seats begin receiving pilgrims within days of those dates and continue until the doors reopen in late April or early May 2027. Our closing-dates guide has the ceremony details for each shrine.
Is the winter yatra actually worth doing?
It depends what you want. If you want the photograph of Kedarnath temple against the peaks, no — go in September. If you want to stand in front of the same deity with nobody else in the room, be recognised by the priest because you are the only visitor that morning, and drive roads that are empty rather than jammed, then yes, and it is not close. The winter seats receive a tiny fraction of the summer footfall.
Are the roads open in winter?
Mostly, with real caveats. Ukhimath and Joshimath are on main highways and are reliably reachable all winter. Mukhba in the Harsil valley and Kharsali above Barkot are higher and genuinely snow-affected in January and February — the last stretch to either can close for days at a time. This is the part where you should call and ask rather than trust a website, including this one.
How cold does it get?
Ukhimath and Joshimath sit around 1,300 to 1,900 metres and are cold but manageable — think single digits by day, near or below freezing at night. Mukhba and Kharsali at roughly 2,600 to 2,700 metres are properly cold, with sub-zero nights through January and February and snow on the ground. Pack as you would for a Himalayan winter, not for a hill station.
How many days does the Winter Char Dham take?
Seven to nine days from Haridwar covers all four seats without rushing, because the Harsil and Yamuna valleys are in the opposite direction from Ukhimath and Joshimath. If you only have three or four days, do Ukhimath and Joshimath together — they are the accessible pair and they hold Kedarnath and Badrinath between them.
Is the government promoting this?
Yes. Uttarakhand has been actively developing the winter yatra as a way of extending the tourist season and supporting hill villages that earn nothing for six months of the year. That is a good thing for the villages, and it does mean the winter seats are becoming better known — the emptiness described on this page is a current condition, not a permanent one.
Sources & official references
Plan a winter yatra
We run the winter seats from Haridwar and we will tell you honestly what the roads are doing that week. Four days or nine, your call.