The Char Dham Pilgrimage in Uttarakhand, also known as the Chota Char Dham Yatra, is a highly revered Hindu pilgrimage destination in India. Every year, thousands of pilgrims plan their spiritual journey to Uttarakhand to complete the Char Dham circuit. Many do not visit all the 4 shrines, but rather conduct Do Dham or Ek Dham Yatra. The 4 shrines of Char Dham Yatra are - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. The Badrinath Temple is also a part of the larger Char Dham Yatra circuit, which encompasses the Jagannath Temple in Orissa, Dwarkadish Temple in Gujarat and Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu.
All the Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand are located in high altitudes, where they get covered by ice during winters. Therefore, the Char Dham Yatra are conducted only through certain months of the year. The dates of opening and closing of doors of all the 4 shrines are conducted on fixed occasions every year. The temples are opened on the day of Akshay Tritiya in April and closed on Bhai Dooj in October or November. The dates might vary every year, but the auspicious days remain the same. The registration for the Char Dham Yatra can be done online and starts before the opening dates of the yatra.
All the Char Dham Temples are dedicated to different Hindu Gods -
• Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the Badrinath Temple. • Lord Shiva is the residing deity of the Kedarnath Temple. • Gangotri Temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga • Goddess Yamuna is worshipped in the Yamunotri Temple.
Opening Dates for Char Dham Yatra 2026
• Yamunotri Dham Temple: April 19, 2026 • Gangotri Dham Temple: April 19, 2026 • Kedarnath Temple: April 22, 2026 • Badrinath Temple: April 23, 2026
The online registration has already begun from March 6, 2026, but the offline registration will be conducted from 17th April, two days prior to the yatra opening date. The counters for the offline process of registration will be done at Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun. Pilgrims must carry their valid ID proof during the registration process.
Planning for the Char Dham Yatra
Since the Char Dham shrines are located at high altitudes, reaching the temple usually requires long treks. For this, you need to prepare yourself quite early to acclimatize to the weather and physical exhaustion. If you are planning for the first time, you can also opt for Char Dham Packages to avoid any travel and registration-related inconveniences. Additionally, you must also consider the following points while planning for your Char Dham Yatra.
• Start with light workouts to build stamina and breathing exercises. • Book your travel, hotels, and registration in advance to avoid last-minute stress. • Start your journey from Haridwar, Rishikesh, or Dehradun, as they are the main base points. • Carry warm clothes, medicines, and comfortable shoes for the journey. • Keep some buffer days in your plan due to weather or road delays. • Stay hydrated and travel slowly to avoid altitude sickness.