Most tourists begin their Kedarnath Yatra journey from Haridwar or Rishikesh. If you are planning to do so, you are in the right place. In this blog, we are going to inform you about the Rishikesh to Kedarnath journey. A detailed guide includes distance, route, things to carry, how to reach Kedarnath from Rishikesh and accommodations throughout the journey route.
How to Reach Kedarnath from Rishikesh?
You can reach Rishikesh by road, train and air. There are various places where these facilities are available but you have to trek to Kedarnath from Gaurikund.
By Road
The nearest city to Kedarnath, where all facilities are available, is Rishikesh. One can reach Rishikesh by any means. You can get buses or drive a car to Rishikesh.
From Rishikesh, you can get direct buses or hire a car to reach Gaurikund.
There are GMOU buses, UPSRTC buses and other private buses available. From Gaurikund, you have to trek to Kedarnath. One can drive a car to Gaurikund as well.
Distance from Rishikesh
In the table below, you can find the distances from the cities to Rishikesh. This will help you choose the medium of travel to Rishikesh.
| City | Distance from Rishikesh(Approx) |
|---|---|
| Delhi | 240 km |
| Jaipur | 540 km |
| Jodhpur | 780 km |
| Udaipur | 1,000 km |
| Mumbai | 1,700 km |
| Pune | 1,650 km |
| Nagpur | 1,500 km |
| Kolkata | 1,400 km |
| Durgapur | 1,250 km |
| Siliguri | 650 km |
| Chennai | 2,200 km |
| Coimbatore | 2,400 km |
| Madurai | 2,400 km |
| Bengaluru | 2,100 km |
| Mysuru | 2,300 km |
| Mangalore | 2,200 km |
| Hyderabad | 1,700 km |
| Warangal | 1,500 km |
| Karimnagar | 1,400 km |
| Ahmedabad | 1,200 km |
| Surat | 1,300 km |
| Vadodara | 1,100 km |
| Pune | 1,650 km |
| Nashik | 1,300 km |
| Aurangabad | 1,450 km |
| Chandigarh | 240 km |
| Ludhiana | 380 km |
| Amritsar | 480 km |
| Haridwar | 20 km |
By Train
The nearest station to reach Kedarnath temple by train is Rishikesh. One can reach Rishikesh by train, as there are trains from major states in India.
From here, you will get a bus or hire a car to Gaurikund.
You can book your train to Rishikesh on the IRCTC website.
By Air
The Kedarnath route has the nearest airport at Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. From where Rishikesh is 21.7 km. You can reach Dehradun airport from any city by taking a flight or connecting flight. After that, you can take a bus or car to reach Gaurikund.
By Helicopter
You can book a seat in a helicopter to reach the destination. So, you can take a helicopter from Dehradun, Haridwar, or Rishikesh to reach Phata Kedarnath. Helicopter bookings can be done through their official site.
From Dehradun
You can travel from Dehradun to the Shastradhara Helipad in Dehradun. Within 40 minutes, the helicopter will deliver you to your destination.
From Rishikesh
Take a cab from Rishikesh to Phata, which is around 200 km and 195 km away from the two cities, respectively, if you intend to fly to Kedarnath from Rishikesh.
Also, Check Kedarnath Helicopter Booking
Rishikesh to Kedarnath Distance with Route
The Kedarnath walk or trek starts from Gaurikund. At Sonprayag, there is a parking space. You cannot take your personal vehicle from Sonprayag to Gaurikund. There are sharing autos available there. You have to travel to Gaurikund with these vehicles.
The Kedarnath Trek route of 16 kilometres is as follows:
Rishikesh(0 km) – Devprayag(72.2 km) – Srinagar(35.9 km) – Rudraprayag(32.3 km) – Phata(55.4 km) – Sonprayag(16 km) – Gaurikund(5.2 km) – Kedarnath (16 km)
The route goes through beautiful Himalayan landscapes, including forests, waterfalls and rivers.
| Halt Point | Approximate Distance from Rishikesh |
|---|---|
| Rishikesh (Starting Point) | 0 km |
| Devprayag | 75 km |
| Srinagar | 112 km |
| Rudraprayag | 140 km |
| Agastmuni | 154 km |
| Guptkashi (Base for Kedarnath) | 181 km |
| Sonprayag (Base for Kedarnath) | 212 km |
| Gaurikund (Starting point of the trek) | 220 km (varies) |
| Bhimbali | Varies (Trekking point) |
| Rambara | Varies (Trekking point) |
| Linchauli | Varies (Trekking point) |
| Kedarnath (Main Temple) | Varies (Trekking point) |
Also, Visit Kedarnath Trek Distance with Route
Rishikesh to Kedarnath Distance Table with Route
Here is a distance table showing the distance from previous places, considering the starting point of the Rishikesh-Kedarnath route.
| Location | Distance from Previous Location (Approx.) |
| Rishikesh | 0 km |
| Devprayag | 72.2 km |
| Srinagar | 35.9 km |
| Rudraprayag | 32.3 km |
| Phata | 55.4 km |
| Sonprayag | 16 km |
| Gaurikund | 5.2 km |
| Kedarnath | 16 km |
Rishikesh to Kedarnath Distance, Route & Stays
The Kedarnath Yatra starts in Gaurikund. The trek starts here and there are several halt points throughout the trek.
Route From Rishikesh to Kedarnath
Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Agastamuni – Guptkashi – Phata – Sonprayag – Gaurikund – Jungle Chatti – Bhimbali – Lincholi – Kedarnath base camp – Kedarnath temple
Rishikesh to Kedarnath Route Map
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is the starting point of the Kedarnath trek yatra. Whether you are travelling to Kedarnath by road, by train, or by air, Rishikesh is the place you will end up reaching. From Rishikesh, you will get buses or private cars to reach Sonprayag. From Sonprayag, there are shared vehicles available to reach Gaurikund.
Devprayag
Devprayag is about 72.2 km from Rishikesh, where the rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet and continue their flow as the Ganga. Devprayag is one of the Panch Prayags. There are several ancient temples here, including the Raghunathji Mandir.
A unique feature of Devprayag is the Nakshatra Ved Shala by Pandit Chakradhar Joshi. The Ved Shala has modern telescopes as well as ancient equipment and a library with more than 3000 rare manuscripts dating to the 16th and 17th centuries CE.
Srinagar
Srinagar is about 112 km from Rishikesh on the Kedarnath route, situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River. It was the capital of the Garhwal Kingdom. Srinagar has several temples and sacred spots worth visiting and comfortable accommodation is easily available here.
Dhari Devi Temple
Dhari Devi temple is about halfway between Srinagar and Rudraprayag. The temple goddess is a form of Kali Mata. Dhari Devi is the guardian deity of Uttarakhand. An interesting feature of this temple is that it is home to only the upper half of the goddess. The lower half is enshrined in Kalimath. Dhari Devi Temple is one of the 108 Shakti Sthalas of India.
Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag is one of the Panch Prayags located on the Rishikesh-Kedarnath route, where the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers meet. There are some temples here. Many other worthwhile places, like Basukedar, Tungeshwar Mahadev, Agastamuni, Kartik Swamy Temple and Koteshwar, are located near Rudraprayag.
Guptkashi
Guptkashi, 181 km from Rishikesh along the Kedarnath path, gets its name from the belief that Mahadev was hiding here when the Pandavas came looking for him in the form of a bull. Here in Guptkashi, they ended up identifying him.
There are two historic temples located in this beautiful town. The Vishwanath Temple is the oldest, whereas the Ardhanareshwar Mandir is the second one. It is important to schedule bookings in advance, even though accommodation is easily found here.
Phata Kedarnath
Phata is located 192 km from Rishikesh. One who wanted to travel to Kedarnath by helicopter ended up here. You have to travel to Phata by bus or car from Rishikesh or Haridwar. For Dehradun, they can visit Kedarnath by Sahastradhara helipad. From Phata, you can travel to Kedarnath by helicopter.
It is advisable to book your seat in the helicopter.
Sonprayag
Sonprayag is on the Rudraprayag-Kedarnath route. It is around 208 km from Rishikesh. Once, it was the starting point of the Kedarnath trek. Now the Gaurikund is the entrance. Sonprayag and Gaurikund are around 6 km away. One can stay at Sonprayag, as there are several accommodations available.
Kedarnath Trek Route From Gaurikund (By Walk)
| Starting Point | Destination | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Gaurikund | Jungle Chatti | 4 km |
| Jungle Chatti | Bhimbali | 3 km |
| Bhimbali | Lincholi | 4 km |
| Lincholi | Kedarnath Base Camp | 4 km |
| Kedarnath Base Camp | Kedarnath Temple | 1 km |
Kedarnath Route Map
Gaurikund
It is the starting point of the Kedarnath trek yatra. From Gaurikund, the Kedarnath temple is 16 km away. The route has its ups and downs but the beautiful scenery will surprise you.
Jungle Chatti
From Gaurikund, the second stop is at Jungle Chatti by the Rambara Bridge. The distance between these two is around 4 km. You can use the Pony and Palki services to complete the journey.
Bhimbali
From Jungle Chatti, Bhimbali is 3 km away. The next stop after Bhimbali is at 4 km. So eat light and stay hydrated. You will find plenty of facilities, like GMVN tents, free drinking water, free restrooms and free wifi, available here.
Lincholi
From Bhimbali, the next stop is at Lincholi, at 4 km. Lincholi is only 2 halts away from your destination. You’ll get a soul-satisfying view of the highlands where the River Mandakini originates. There are medical facilities, along with private and GMVN tents, available here.
Kedarnath Base Camp
On your way further to Lincholi, Kedarnath base camp is there at 4 km. It is the last stop from Kedarnath Temple. You can see the temple from here. You will find the GMVN camp here, in this base camp and reservations may be made there through their official website.
Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath temple, the destination of your trek, is 1 km from Kedarnath base camp. Take the blessings of this divine temple of Lord Shiva. Along the route, there are glaciers and a mesmerising panorama.
In summary, find the best route and accommodations for your journey from Rishikesh to Kedarnath with us. Plan a hassle-free Yatra to Kedarnath with our detailed guide, including distances, routes, how to reach and places to stay all along the route. Safe travels!!
Will i get buss to kedarnath from rishikesh?
Buses and Taxis are available from important spots like Rishikesh to Gaurikund. From Gaurikund there is a 16km trek to Kedarnath temple.