Char Dham Closing Dates 2026 Announced: Badrinath Closes Last, on 16 November

The temple committees of the Char Dham have fixed this year's winter closing dates. On Navami, 19 October 2026, the Gangotri Temple Committee announced that Gangotri will close at 12:05 pm on 10 November, the day of Annakut. On Vijayadashami, 20 October, the Yamunotri Temple Committee set 10:28 am on 11 November (Bhai Dooj) for Yamunotri, and the dates for Kedarnath (11 November, 8:30 am), Tungnath (6 November) and Madmaheshwar (16 November) were announced in Rudraprayag district. At Badrinath the same day, Rawal Amarnath Namboodri announced that the temple will close last, at 9:37 pm on 16 November, on a date reckoned from the panchang by the dharmadhikari in the presence of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.

The closing dates at a glance

After each closing, the deity's utsav doli is carried down to its winter seat over one to three days, and worship continues there through the winter. Kedarnath's doli travels by way of Phata and Guptkashi to Ukhimath; Tungnath's halts at Chopta and Bhanakund; Madmaheshwar's goes through Gaundar, Ransi and Giria. At Badrinath the five days of panch puja begin on 12 November with the closing of the Ganesh temple, and on 17 November the doli of Uddhav and Kuber, with Adi Shankaracharya's gaddi, leaves for the winter seats.

What it means for your trip

With the dates fixed, the last three weeks of the season can be planned to the day. Gangotri's last full day of darshan is 9 November, and Kedarnath's and Yamunotri's is 10 November, since both close on the morning of the 11th. Badrinath stays open until the night of 16 November, so a late trip can still end there. Diwali falls just before, so expect the final weekend to be busy, with pilgrims who want a last darshan and families travelling for the festival.

• Early November is cold. Nights at Kedarnath and Yamunotri are below freezing, and snow can come early; carry proper warm layers and keep a spare day for the road.
• Services thin out in the last days. Some shops, dhabas and pony operators wind down before the closing, so do not count on the full summer set-up.
• The closing day is a sight in itself. Crowds gather to see the doli leave; if you want to be there, sleep at or near the shrine the night before.
• Missed the season? Darshan continues at the winter seats. Our winter Char Dham guide covers Ukhimath, Mukhba and Kharsali, and how the dates are decided explains why they move each year.

Where to stay in the last weeks

For Kedarnath, base yourself at Guptkashi, or at Ukhimath, which is also where the deity spends the winter. For Gangotri, Harsil is a short drive from Mukhba and Uttarkashi is the larger town lower down. For Yamunotri, Barkot is the usual night before the walk. For Badrinath, stay in Badrinath itself or at Joshimath, the winter home of its worship. Higher hotels close soon after their shrine does, so book the lower towns if your dates are near the end.

Sources

Gangotri: Amar Ujala and ThePrint Hindi (Bhasha), 19 October. Yamunotri: Amar Ujala and ETV Bharat, 20 October. Kedarnath, Tungnath and Madmaheshwar: ETV Bharat and Amar Ujala (Tungnath, Madmaheshwar), 20 October. Badrinath: Amar Ujala and ETV Bharat, 20 October; Amar Ujala's round-up also confirms Kedarnath on 11 November.