Kedarnath Dham Yatra 2025

Kedarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimages of Lord Shiva situated in Rudraprayag district of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath is one of the Char Dham in Uttarakhand and the most important dham among Panch kedar. Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of 3586 mts, in the lap of the majestic mountain peaks and near the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Kedar meaning powerful is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. The beautiful ambiance around the temple looks like quite peace on heaven causes a beautiful place to do meditation.The main attractions here is the Shiva Temple, which is a popular Hindu shrine and pilgrimage, attracting devotees from all over the world. The travel and tourism scope here is strengthened by factors like natural beauty and religious zest.

Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions - love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the area itself, the most important one is Kedarnath.

About Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand

Kedarnath Dham, situated in Uttarakhand, is a revered pilgrimage site and one of the Char Dham destinations. Renowned for its ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, it provides spiritual enrichment amid the breathtaking Himalayan scenery. Discover its history, significance, best visiting times, and tips for pilgrims.

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple is the most revered shrine of Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The Mandir was built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya. It is adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. Kedarnath is one of India’s most famous temples (more than 1000 years old temple) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Kedarnath Temple complex is being rehabilitated after 2013 Kedarnath floods. New facilities include helipads, helipad and new guest houses. Online facilities for Kedarnath booking are also there. Kedarnath Puja can be book online and no physical presence of devotees needed. Some pujas could be book on the internet or in person. The daily pooja rituals at the Kedarnath temple start early morning, around 4.00 am with Maha Abhishek and end at around 7.00 pm with the Shyam aarti. The Kedarnath temple opens for darshan for the general public around 6 am.

Kedarnath Dham History

Legend goes that, “Nara and Narayana performed severe penance in front of a Shivalingam fashioned out of earth”. Kedarnath is a well-known shrine for Lord Shiva devotees and Kedarnath temple history is almost more than 1000 years-old. Legend says they requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode as Jyotirlingam. Kedareshwar is a place where the Pandavas sought Shiva’s blessings.

According to another legend, Goddess Parvati worshipped Kedaeshwar to unite with Shiva as Ardhanareeswarar. Bhairon is a temple dedicated to Bhaironathji who is ceremoniously worshipped at the opening & closing of Kedarnath Temple. The belief is that Bhairavnathji protects this land from evil during the time when the temple is closed. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or the cosmic light.

The temple is over a thousand years old and is located in the Rudra Himalayas, northern India. It is home to the world's highest Jyotirlinga the Kedarnath lingam.

Kedarnath Dham Route

The Kedarnath Trek is a 16km medium to steep trek which requires a good level of physical fitness. Before going for the trek every pilgrim has to get themselves checked that whether they are capable of trekking or not. The Kedarnath Trek facilities include the services of Palki/Dandi, Kandi & Mule/Ponies. Anyone can book these services from the booking counter at Gaurikund/Sonprayag.

Kedarnath Popular Route : Delhi → Haridwar (206 kms) → Rishikesh (24 kms) → Devaprayag (70 kms) → Srinagar (35 kms) → Rudraprayag (34 kms) → Tilwara (9kms) → Agastamuni (10 kms) → Kund (15 kms) → Guptkashi (5 kms) → Phata (11 kms) → Rampur (9 kms) → SonPrayag (3 kms) → Gaurikund (5 kms) → Kedarnath (16 Kms).

Kedarnath Trek Route Map Start from Gaurikund : Gaurikund (6 kms) → Rambara Bridge (4 kms) → Jungle Chatti (3 kms) → Bheembali (4 kms) → Linchauli (4 kms) → Kedarnath Base Camp (1 kms) → Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath New Route

Following the terrible flood in the Kedarnath region in 2013, the original road was totally washed away, with little scope for repairs or reconstruction. NIM team members built and maintain the new route to Kedarnath Temple. Various teams are attempting to keep the best path to Kedarnath in good condition.

A major route to Kedarnath trek is the new route via Rambara and Linchauli. Rambara was fully submerged in the 2013 floods. Rambara is now only accessible via a freshly built bridge. This route will take you from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, a distance of about 15-16 kilometres. The NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering) has recommended this route because the route between Rambara and Kedarnath has been entirely wiped away.

Yatra Tips

Things to Remember Before Going on the Kedarnath Trek Essential items for your Kedarnath Dham Yatra: Stay prepared with the right gear, clothing, and essentials to ensure a safe, comfortable, and spiritually enriching journey in 2025.

Do get a health check up before going on the trek to Kedarnath.
People with Respiratory disorders and High Blood Pressure should not trek to Kedarnath.
If you want to travel through Kandi, Ponies and Palki make sure that the prior booking is done at Gaurikund/Sonprayag booking counter.
Trek between 04:00AM to 01:30PM as this is the only time when pilgrims are allowed to trek to Kedarnath.
In case you won’t be able to cover the trek till late evening you can take Palki or Ponies to reach to your destination.
You can also stay in the camps which are set up in between the trek at Jungle Chatti, Bheem Bali and Lincholi for a night and start journey next morning.