Yatra Season 2026
Char Dham Temple Timings 2026 – Opening, Closing & Daily Darshan Schedule
Char Dham temples open between 19 April and 24 April 2026 (Akshaya Tritiya for Yamunotri/Gangotri) and close in mid-November around the Bhai Dooj festival. Each shrine follows its own daily darshan schedule with morning and evening aartis, midday closures for rituals, and VIP/special darshan options at extra cost.
Char Dham 2026 opening & closing dates
| Temple | Opening Date | Closing Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | 19 April 2026 (Akshaya Tritiya) | 11–13 Nov 2026 |
| Gangotri | 19 April 2026 (Akshaya Tritiya) | 10–11 Nov 2026 |
| Kedarnath | 22 April 2026 | 11 Nov 2026 |
| Badrinath | 23-24 April 2026 | 13 Nov 2026 |
Closing dates fall around Bhai Dooj, which is the second day after Diwali. After closing, the deities of Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri are formally moved to their winter abodes – Kedarnath idols travel to Ukhimath, Yamuna ji to Kharsali, and Ganga ji to Mukhba.
Daily darshan schedules at each Char Dham temple
| Temple | Morning Aarti | Morning Darshan | Evening Darshan | Evening Aarti | Midday Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM | 3:00 – 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 2–3 PM |
| Gangotri | 6:00–7:30 AM | 6:15 AM – 2:00 PM | 3:00 – 9:00 PM | 6:30–7:30 PM | 2–3 PM |
| Kedarnath | 4:00–7:00 AM | 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM | 5:00 – 7:00 PM | 6:00–7:30 PM | 3–5 PM |
| Badrinath | 4:30–6:30 AM | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 4:00 – 7:00 PM | 7:00–8:30 PM | 1–4 PM |
Important: Timings may shift slightly during festivals, on weekends and during heavy snowfall or rain. Always confirm the day’s schedule with your tour operator or the temple committee on arrival.
VIP and special darshan pricing (2026)
VIP and special-puja darshan pricing for Char Dham temples in 2026 (per person, peak season may push numbers higher):
| Temple | VIP Darshan (₹) | Special Puja Examples (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | 2,000 – 5,500 | Aarti / Darshan: 3,500–5,500 |
| Gangotri | 1,500 – 5,000 | Puja: 3,000–5,000 |
| Kedarnath | 5,500 – 12,000 | Rudrabhishek: 5,500–7,200 |
| Badrinath | 4,500 – 9,000 | Abhishek: 4,101 · Aarti: 151–351 |
| Helicopter VIP Package | ₹1,70,000+ per person (all four dhams included) | |
For a deeper dive on what VIP darshan includes and how to book it, see our complete Char Dham VIP Darshan guide.
Planning around the schedule
The single biggest scheduling decision is when to do Char Dham. The best windows are May-June (just after opening, weather is clear, fewer landslides) and September-October (post-monsoon, crisp visibility). The monsoon months of July and August are high-risk – heavy rain disrupts helicopter services and triggers landslides on the road route. If you are planning by air, see our 5N/6D Char Dham helicopter package which is built around these timings.
