Delhi to Kedarnath: By Road, Train or Air, and Where to Break the Journey
Delhi to Kedarnath by road, train or flight: the route through Haridwar or Dehradun, how many days it really takes, and where to sleep on the way up.
There is no way to reach Kedarnath from Delhi in one day, and planning as if there were is the most common mistake on this trip. The temple stands at about 3,580 m at the end of a 16 km walk from Gaurikund, and Gaurikund is a long mountain day beyond Haridwar. Whichever way you leave Delhi, by car, train or plane, the plan that works has two nights on the way up: one in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun, and one in the Mandakini valley before the trek.
Delhi to Kedarnath distance and time
By road, Delhi to Gaurikund is roughly 450 to 480 km depending on the route, and then 16 km on foot. Delhi to Haridwar is the easy part, about five to six hours on the expressway and the plains highway. Haridwar or Rishikesh to Guptkashi or Sonprayag is the hard part: a full day on hill roads through Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag, where an average of 25 to 30 km an hour is normal. Count on three days from Delhi to the temple door, and two to come back.
By road from Delhi
Most families drive or hire a car and driver. Leave Delhi early, sleep in Haridwar or Rishikesh, and set off up the hills at first light the next morning. Sleep in Guptkashi or Sitapur, then drive to Sonprayag, where private vehicles stop, take the shared jeep to Gaurikund and walk up. Buses from Delhi run to Haridwar and Rishikesh through the day, and from Rishikesh, buses and shared taxis go on towards Sonprayag in the yatra season.
Two things save the most time. Cross the plains before the traffic builds, and do not drive the hill roads after dark: landslide debris, cattle and oncoming buses are much harder to see.
By train from Delhi
There is no railway to Kedarnath. Trains from Delhi run to Haridwar, Rishikesh's Yog Nagar station and Dehradun, including fast day trains, and Haridwar has by far the most choice. The usual plan is an early train to Haridwar, a night there or a car straight on to Rishikesh, and the hill drive the next day. A train saves the tiring plains drive and puts you in Haridwar rested.
By flight from Delhi
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant at Dehradun, about an hour's flight from Delhi. From the airport, Rishikesh is close and the road to Guptkashi follows the same hill route as everyone else, so flying saves the plains, not the mountains. If you land late, sleep in Dehradun or Rishikesh and start up the valley in the morning.
For the last stretch, helicopters fly to Kedarnath from helipads in the valley at Phata, Sersi and around Guptkashi. Tickets are sold on the official booking portal and the seats go quickly; the helipad on the ticket decides where you sleep the night before. Our Kedarnath helicopter guide explains how it works.
A workable plan from Delhi
- Day 1: Delhi to Haridwar or Rishikesh by road or train. Evening Ganga Aarti.
- Day 2: Up the Alaknanda and Mandakini valleys to Guptkashi or Sitapur.
- Day 3: Early to Sonprayag, shuttle to Gaurikund, trek to Kedarnath. Sleep near the temple if you can.
- Day 4: Darshan at dawn, walk down, sleep in the valley.
- Day 5: Back to Haridwar or Rishikesh, or on to Badrinath; see our Do Dham Yatra plan.
- Day 6: Haridwar to Delhi, with a spare day kept for road closures.
Before you leave Delhi
- Register. Yatra registration is required for every pilgrim and is checked on the road; our registration guide covers it.
- Book the valley night first. Rooms in Guptkashi, Sitapur and Sonprayag fill sooner than those in Haridwar.
- Pack for cold. It can be hot in Delhi and near freezing at the temple on the same trip.
- Check the season. The temple opens in late April or May and closes around October or November, and the monsoon months bring landslides.
Where to stay on this route
- Behl AshramKedarnathfrom ₹2,000
- Kumbh Mela Luxury Camp by Pulp Hotels — Bairagi Camp, HaridwarHaridwarRates on request
- Kumbh Hotel Stays near Har Ki Pauri by Pulp HotelsHaridwarRates on request
- Kumbh Mela Luxury Camp by Pulp Hotels — RishikeshRishikeshRates on request
Before you go
- Plan three days from Delhi to the temple and two to come back, with one spare day.
- Private vehicles stop at Sonprayag; a shared jeep runs to Gaurikund, where the 16 km walk begins.
- Book the helicopter before the room: the helipad on the ticket decides where you sleep.
- Register for the yatra before you leave Delhi and carry the slip with your ID.
Good to know
- Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and stands at about 3,580 m.
- Devprayag, on the way up, is where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet to form the Ganga.
- In winter the Kedarnath deity is worshipped at Ukhimath, across the valley from Guptkashi.
- Jolly Grant at Dehradun is the only airport with scheduled flights near the Kedarnath route.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kedarnath from Delhi?
Roughly 450 to 480 km by road to Gaurikund, depending on the route, and then about 16 km on foot to the temple.
Can I go from Delhi to Kedarnath in one day?
No. Plan three days: Delhi to Haridwar or Rishikesh, then up to Guptkashi or Sitapur, then the trek from Gaurikund.
Is there a train from Delhi to Kedarnath?
There is no railway to Kedarnath. Take a train to Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun and go on by road.
What is the nearest airport to Kedarnath from Delhi?
Jolly Grant at Dehradun, about an hour's flight from Delhi. The rest of the way is by road, or by helicopter for the last stretch.
Where should I stay between Delhi and Kedarnath?
Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun on the first night, and Guptkashi, Sitapur or Sonprayag on the second, before the trek.
About the author
Pulp Hotels Team
The Pulp Hotels Team is the desk that runs Pulp Hotels and the verified properties on this route — Barkot, Uttarkashi, Harsil, Guptkashi, Joshimath, Badrinath and the Kedarnath valley. We deal with the owners of those hotels, and with the pilgrims staying in them, through every day of the season, and these guides are written and corrected from that work and from the official notices each season brings. Fares and opening dates change every year, so we leave them out on purpose and point you at the source instead.
Related guides
- Do Dham Yatra: Kedarnath and Badrinath Without the Other Two
Do Dham Yatra for Kedarnath and Badrinath in six or seven days: the route, where to sleep, registration and when to go, from Haridwar or Rishikesh.
- A 10-Day Char Dham Itinerary, Written Around Where You Sleep
Ten days, nine nights, four shrines — planned backwards from the beds rather than forwards from the temples, which is why it holds together.
- Starting the Char Dham from Haridwar: The First Day Nobody Plans For
Haridwar is where the yatra begins for most pilgrims, and day one out of it is longer and harder than anyone expects. Here is what the road actually does.
- International Yoga Festival Rishikesh 2027 (9–15 March): Dates, Venue and Where to Stay
The International Yoga Festival returns to Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh from 9 to 15 March 2027. What the week is like, how to register, and which part of Rishikesh to stay in.
- Char Dham Yatra for Senior Citizens: Planning It So They Finish It
Two of the four shrines can be reached by car. The other two decide whether an older pilgrim completes the yatra or turns back at the trailhead.
- Altitude on the Char Dham Yatra: The Numbers, and What to Do About Them
All four shrines sit above the height where thin air starts to matter. The itinerary decides how hard that lands on you.