Kedarnath Trek - Chardham Yatra

The Kedarnath Trek is a meandering trail deep in the Garhwal Himalayas that takes you to the ancient Kedarnath Temple. Located in the Rudrapryag district of Uttarakhand the trek covers a distance of 16 KM in total and starts from the small town of Gaurikund, from here the pilgrims climb up to reach the temple sitting at a height of 3,583 meters from sea level.

Ancient mythology associated with the temple along with the faith of millions of devotees, makes the trek not just an alpine adventure but also a deeply spiritual journey. The Kedarnath means  “lord of fields” ; its name is derived from two Sanskrit words “Kedara” which means ‘fields’ and “Natha” which means ‘Lord’.

The Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva  is also one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and part of the Char Dham. This revered temple said to have been established by the Pandavas attracts thousands of tourists every year. 

Lord Shiva’s Temple Kedarnath : Myths and Legends

The myth of Kedarnath is rooted in the tales of Mahabharata, it is said that after the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas went to seek Lord Shiva to forgive them of their sins. Lord Shiva, displeased by the actions of Pandavas turned himself into Nandi and fled to the Himalayas, the Pandavas followed him. Bhim on finally finding Nandi the bull tried to catch him but Nandi vanished into the ground. Afterwards parts of Shiva emerged from different places, forming the Panch Kedars.

• Kedarnath - Hump

• Tungnath - Arms

• Rudranath - Face

• Madhyamaheshwar - Navel

• Kalpeshwar - Hair

The hump of Nandi emerged at Kedarnath and Pandavas built a temple there. Shiva forgave them.

Where is Lord Kedarnath Worshipped ?

The Idol of Lord Kedarnath is worshipped for six months in the Kedarnath Temple and for another six months in the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. This wonderful tradition is beautiful to witness and one can attend and see the procession of Lord Kedarnath from Ukhimath to Kedarnath and vice versa, during the first and the last day of the opening and closing of temple doors of Kedarnath.

Highlights of The Kedarnath Temple

The Ancient temple of Kedarnath is built by massive stone slabs standing over a large rectangular platform. It is believed that the temple was built by Pandavas and later revived by Adi Shnkaracharya in the 8th century. Inside the temple is an irregular-shaped lingam that is said to be the hump of Lord Shiva in nandi form. Mandakini River The Mandakini river flows right next to the Kedarnath temple and holds great significance in Hinduism The river originates from the Chorabari Glacier which is also known as Gandhi Sarovar, this is about 4 KM from the temple. The river is serene and a symbol of purity, its icy cold water is crystal clear. Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya

The samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya is where Shankaracharya is believed to have attained Mahasamadhi (conscious exit from the body). This is located right behind the Kedarnath Temple. In November 2021, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a 12 foot tall statue of Shankaracharya near the samadhi site. The samadhi site offers a place to sit down and meditate. The feeling of being in the same spot where the great Shankaracharya once was is truly surreal. Bheem Shila Bheem Shila is a massive boulder located right behind the Kedarnath Temple, the boulder gained fame during the 2013 floods, it is said that the boulder miraculously rolled down behind the Kedarnath temple and save the ancient temple from getting damaged.

Kedarnath Trek Distance

At an altitude of 3,583 m (11,755 ft) above the sea level, the Kedarnath Dham is located in the Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand.The motor road to the Kedarnath Temple ends at Gaurikund after which one has to trek for 16 KMs to reach the holy temple which usually takes 6 to 8 hours to complete or one can opt for Helicopter services from Guptkashi, Phata and Sersi. 

Surrounded by high snow peaked mountains, like the Kedar Dome, and next to the glacial river mandakini, the kedarnath temple beautifully stands in the middle of the himalayan wilderness, providing a scenic view to the pilgrims that rejuvenates their spirits after a long trek and leaves them speechless.

Highlights Of The Kedarnath Trek

The Kedarnath trek is a beginner friendly trek and along the way one gets the opportunity to enjoy various other natural and spiritual locations.

• Gaurikund : The trek to Kedarnath begins from Gaurikund. It said that Parvati performed Tapasya here to convince Shiva to marry her.

• Rambara : A midway point on the Kedarnath Trek. Rambara is a scenic location that is surrounded by dense forest and shadowed by tall himalayan mountains. It is a good place to rest and see the mandakini river right next to you.

• Bhairavnath Mandir : 500 m uphill climb from the Kedarnath Temple will take you to the Bhairavnath Mandir, which is known to be the protector of the Kedarnath Valley. The temple also offers a beautiful birds eye view of the entire valley.

• Vasuki Tal : At a distance of 7 KM from Kedarnath it is believed that Lord Vishnu bathed in this crystal clear lake. The Lake offers a great spot to meditate and reflect.

• Gandhi Sarovar : Also known as the Chorabari Tal is a glacial lake at a distance of 3 KM from Kedarnath. Situated at the foot of the Chorabari Glacier, this is the lake where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed. 

Kedarnath Vs Kedarkantha

Best Time to Visit Kedarnath Trek

The doors of the Kedarnath temple remain open to devotees from late April or early March each year, till the first week of November. The temple remains closed during the winters as owing to the altitude the temperature in the Kedarnath Valley reaches below the freezing point. It is also during the winters that the Idol of Lord Kedarnath is brought to the winter seat in Ukhimath.

The period from May to June and September to November is the best time to visit the Kedarnath Yatra Trek whereas Trekking to Kedarnath during the months of July and August poses great difficulty due to the heavy monsoon causing landslides and road blocks. 

The summer period from May to June brings good weather, crisp blue skies and plenty of sunlight.The temperature also remains at a pleasant 10°C to 20°C with low chances of rain.  making it a good time to enjoy the vibrant vistas of the Kedarnath Trek.

September to November is also a good time to trek to Kedarnath. The temperature drops down during these months and remains between 5°C to 15°C, but the cold can be dealt with by donning suitable clothes for the weather. The High himalayan peaks covered with snow are clearly visible during this time making it a favorite of many trekking veterans.

The Monsoon months from July to August bring heavy rains causing landslides and roadblocks in the region, making it difficult to trek up the Kedaranth Dham. The Trek also gets slippery and muddy adding extra difficulty to the trail. During the monsoon the road to Kedarnath trek gets blocked from time to time due the landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. The August month of 2024 also saw a 15 day halt on the pilgrimage due to the landslides blocking the road. It is recommended that you avoid the trip to Kedarnath during these months as it might add a few unplanned days to your itinerary.

Kedarnath trek is a 15 KM trek in the middle of himalayan wilderness away from the comforts of the modern world. It is useful to know about the services and facilities that one might avail for along the way to reach the Kedarnath temple.

• Accommodation- Guest houses and hotels are available at Gaurikund and near Kedarnath Temple. Many people opt for the accommodations near the Kedarnath Temple so that they could attend the morning or evening aarti. 

• Food and Water- You will find plenty of shops selling packaged drinking water and serving freshly made food all along the Kedarnath Trek. The cost of food and water might be higher than normal due to the remoteness of the location.

• Medical Facilities- Medical facilities have improved over the years on the Kedarnath Trek. There is a well equipped base hospital at Guptkashi providing good emergency care and general treatment. You will also find various medical camps along the way set up by Uttarakhand Health Department and Red Cross

• Palki and Pony Services- There is the facility of pony and palki available for elders and people who are unable to trek to the Kedarnath temple, these services can be hired from Gaurikund.

• Mobile Network Coverage- Mobile connectivity on the Kedarnath Temple trek is sparse; but one can get good coverage with the BSNL network, other network services provide an unreliable and patchy signal, only working till Gaurikund.