Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham are the two major religious destinations for any devout Hindu. These two religious sites are a part of the Chota Chardham Circuit of pilgrimage. The other two revered sites included in the Chota Chardham Yatra Circuit are Yamunotri and Gangotri. Kedarnath Dham is cradled at an altitude of nearly 11,755 feet above the sea level while the Badrinath Dham is cradled at an altitude of 10,279 feet above the sea level and is set along the banks of River Alaknanda. Kedarnath Dham is an abode of Lord Shiva or Kedara and comes within Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district while the Badrinath Dham is an abode of Lord Vishnu or Lord Badrinath and comes within Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. When a pilgrim covers the distance between Kedarnath to Badrinath, he or she is actually moving from the abode of Lord Shiva to the abode of Lord Vishnu. In the Chota Chardham Yatra Parikrama or circumambulation Kedarnath Dham happens to be the first stop followed by Badrinath Dham as the next and last stop.
Visited by several pilgrims from across the globe, these two prominent religious sites are also quite popular amongst the community of trekkers. As the total Kedarnath to Badrinath road distance is replete with huge natural beauty mingled with an absolutely spiritual experience. This is indeed a soulful, memorable sojourn everyone needs to make.
Those who are planning to visit just Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines are actually planning to embark on the Do Dham Yatra. The route to Badrinath from Kedarnath paves the way for a journey towards immense spiritual enlightenment and throws open the doors towards moksha for a die-hard Hindu.
Which Is the Starting Point of the Journey towards Badrinath from Kedarnath
To reach Badrinath Dham from Kedarnath one has to first reach Sonprayag. The idyllic hamlet of Sonprayag is one of the ‘Panch Prayags’ and is situated at the point where River Mandakini meets River Basuki. The famed Triyuginarayan temple is located in vicinity to Sonprayag.
From Kedarnath, one has to first trek back to Gaurikund. It will be an 18km long trek. From Gaurikund, one can travel to Sonprayag across distance of 5.2kms. Shared taxis may be used to travel back to Sonprayag from Gaurikund. Though the road running from Gaurikund to Sonprayag is broad enough and well-maintained, no vehicle from outside is allowed to ply on this road.
Routes to Reach Badrinath from Kedarnath
From Sonprayag you have the option to travel towards Badrinath via two routes.
The two routes are as follows:
Sonprayag to Badrinath shrine via Ukhimath
Sonprayag to Badrinath shrine via Rudraprayag
Here is a comparison table below to help you decide which route to choose:
| Sonprayag to Badrinath shrine via Ukhimath | Sonprayag to Badrinath shrine via Rudraprayag |
| 211 Kilometers (Distance) | 220 Kilometers (Distance) |
| Shorter Route | Larger Route |
| Narrower Road | Broader Road |
Road Map for each route
Route 1
Sonprayag to Ukhimath (45 Kms)
Sonprayag-Sirsi-Phata-Narayankoti-Guptakashi-Ukhimath
Ukhimath-Chopta (30 Kms)
Ukhimath-Mastura-Makku Bend-Duggalbitta-Baniyakund-Chopta
Chopta-Mandal (25 Kms)
Mandal-Gopeshwar (16 Kms)
Gopeshwar-Chamoli (11 Kms)
Chamoli-Joshimath (52 Kms)
Chamoli-Birahi-Pipalkoti-Dwing-Hailang-Nagrasu-Joshimath
Joshimath-Badrinath (46 Kms)
Joshimath-Vishnuprayag-Govind Ghat-Pandukeshwar- Lambagad-Hanuman Chatti-Badrinath
Route 2
Sonprayag-Kund (37 kms)
Sonprayag-Sirsi-Phata-Narayankoti-Guptkashi-Kund
Kund-Rudraprayag (36 kms)
Kund-Kakda-Bhiri-Chandrapuri-Agastmuni-Tilwara-Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag-Karnaprayag (33 kms)
Rudraprayag-Ratura-Gholtir-Gauchar-Karnaprayag
Karnaprayag-Nandaprayag (21 kms)
Karnaprayag-Langasu-Nandaprayag
Nandaprayag-Chamoli (12 kms)
Nandaprayag-Maithana-Chamoli
Chamoli-Joshimath (52 kms)
Chamoli-Birahi-Pipalkoti-Dwing-Hailang-Nagrasu-Joshimath
Joshimath-Badrinath (46 Kms)
Joshimath-Vishnuprayag-Govind Ghat-Pandukeshwar-Lambagad-Hanuman Chatti-Badrinath
How much is the distance from Kedarnath to Badrinath & how long does it take
It takes nearly 7 hours 33 minutes to reach Badrinath via road from Sonprayag.
The net distance between Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham is nearly 243 Kilometers. This distance includes the distance covered during the trek to Kedarnath and journey from Gaurikund to Sonprayag.
What are the two options to reach Badrinath from Kedarnath?
There are two main options to reach Badrinath from Kedarnath:
By Road
If you are planning to travel to Badrinath by road you can get a bus or taxi from Sonprayag. But for that you have to reach Sonprayag first.
By Air
When we talk about traveling to Badrinath from Kedarnath by air, we are actually talking about the helicopter trip. It is an expensive mode of transportation but works best for people who have a time crunch issue. There are helipads at Sersi, Guptakashi and Phata. You can book your Helicopter tour online by visiting the various websites of aviation companies such as Arrow Aircraft, Pawan Hans, Aryan etc.
Things to consider before traveling to Badrinath from Kedarnath
Pilgrims who have decided to embark on the Do Dham Yatra and have a private vehicle of their own could choose any route they wish for. But they should consider the distance and the time required to cover that distance and the time consumed before opting for any one route. Solo pilgrims who are traveling to Badrinath Dham from Kedarnath Dham on their own are advised to travel via the Rudraprayag route as regular taxis and buses are easily available from the Sonprayag to the Rudraprayag destination. The distance between Kedarnath Dham and Badrinath Dham is to be covered by noon time because buses and taxis are available on this route until noon only. If you start early in the morning, you can cover the distance within that time slot.
Traveling to Badrinath through the Rudraprayag route may cause you to make a break journey. First you need to hire a cab to take you to Rudraprayag and from Rudraprayag you need to board a bus or cab to reach Badrinath Dham.
Kedar-Badri Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Haridwar & Haridwar-Guptakashi
Reach Haridwar by bus or train. It is from Haridwar that your journey towards Kedar-Badri commences. You can freshen up at Haridwar and then hire a cab or take a bus to Guptakashi. On reaching Guptakashi check into hotel. Later you may go for a medical checkup that will give you permission for next day’s Yatra to Kedarnath Dham. Overnight at Guptakashi.
Day 2: Guptakashi-Gaurikund-Kedarnath
Next morning check out and move to Gaurikund. From Gaurikund your trek to Kedarnath Dham starts. You can hire pony or palki or can simply walk on foot. On reaching check into cottage or tent for night stay.
Day 3: Kedarnath-Gaurikund-Guptakashi
Next day early morning visit the Kedarnath shrine and pay a tribute to the revered Lord. After Darshan trek back to Gaurikund and then drive back to Guptakashi. On reaching check into the hotel for overnight stay.
Day 4: Guptakashi-Joshimath-Badrinath
Start from Guptakashi and move towards Badrinath en-route Joshimath. On reaching Badrinath, finish hotel check-in and later proceed to visit the Badrinath shrine. Post Darshan come back to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 5: Badrinath-Joshimath-Rudraprayag
Next morning visit the Badrinath shrine again for morning Aarti and puja. In the afternoon make a return journey to Joshimath. From Joshimath, head towards Rudraprayag en-route Karnaprayag. On reaching Rudraprayag, check into hotel for night stay.
Day 6: Rudraprayag-Rishikesh-Haridwar
Next morning proceed towards Rishikesh. On reaching Rishikesh, go for a local sightseeing tour after which you’ll move towards Haridwar rail station for your onward journey.
When Should You Undertake This Journey?
Ideal time to travel to Badrinath from Kedarnath is summer season; i.e. between months May and June. During that time the temperature ranges between 11 degree centigrade and 22 degree centigrade. In other words, in the summer months the weather remains quite tolerable. Do not undertake this journey in the monsoons as it might turn out to be fatal as during the monsoon months the area becomes quite prone to landslides. The monsoon months start from July and continue till September. In the winter months starting from November until March, temperatures generally drop below 0 degree and are unfit for travel. It snows heavily during the winter months.
Do’s And Don’ts of the Kedar-Badri Tour
The trails to Kedar-Badri are pretty challenging. So, you need a fit body to travel on that mountainous route. Get yourself medically checked-up prior to travel. You must eat healthy and do regular strength building exercises to enhance your physical strength and prepare your body for a difficult journey.
Traveling to Kedarnath and Badrinath as told earlier, involves a lot of challenges. The Himalayan routes are pretty dangerous and the weather too is unpredictable and unfriendly. So, to travel safely and pick a deep, enlightening spiritual experience, it is always advised to travel through a reputed travel agency or operator. They can do the tour planning the best possible way and let you travel in a hassle-free manner.
Do not forget to carry a medical kit. The medical kit that you carry should have ample stocks of cough lozenges, antibiotics, painkillers, iodine ointments, antiseptic gels, pills for fever, cold and stomach upsets. While traveling to a higher altitude one may start feeling light-headed, dizzy and may come to suffer from AMS or acute mountain sickness. In those areas you won’t get many hospitals, clinics or pharmacies. So, carrying a proper medical kit may be of great help.
You must carry ample woolens and warm garments. Clothing like jackets, coats, sweaters, mufflers, caps, socks, woolen hand gloves are a must.
