Panch Kedar Yatra

Duration : 17 Nights / 18 days
Destinations Covered : Delhi - Haridwar - Devprayag - Rudraprayag - August Muni - Guptakashi - Gaurikund - Kedarnath - Kalimath- Madmaheshwar - Chopta - Tungnath - Panaragupha - Rudranath - Kalpeshwar - Gopeshwar - Joshimath - Badrinath - Mana Village - Vishnuprayag - nand Prayag - Karna Prayag - Srinagar - Dev Prayag - Rishieksh - Delhi.

Day 1: Delhi - Haridwar (230 kms/6hrs) -
Pick up from airport / Railway Station in the Capital - New Delhi, Meet & Assist further drive to Haridwar. Approx 6 hours drive will take you to the city of temples. Check in at your hotel and later proceed to Visit Har-ki-Pauri for Ganga Aarti in evening. Back to your hotel, Night halt.

Day 02: Haridwar - Guptakashi (195 kms/6hr)-
Start Drive after the breakfast, En route enjoy the beauty of valley Stop at Dev Prayga, The origin point of River Ganga which is the last confluence among five major confluences in Garhwal Himalaya / tributeries of Ganges River Alaknanda & Bhageerathi Rivers. Letter Continue drive to Rudrapryag ( confluence of River Alaknanada and Mandakini, Follow the river Mandakini and reach at Guptakashi. check in at Hotel. Evening visit the ancient temple of Lord Shiva at Guptakashi. Overnight at hotel / camp.

Day 03: Drive Guptakashi - Gaurikund and Trek Kedarnath (1 hour Drive & 14kms Trek)-
Morning drive to Gaurikund, have a holi dip at Hot sulfer water spring / Gauri Kund and start Trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath (3584 mts) on foot or on by pony / Doli are available on direct payment basis. Approx 6 hours trek will take you to the first Shrine of Lord Shiva called Kedarnath. Chek in at your hotel / Ashram. Evening visit Kedarnath Temple for Puja / Darshan / evening aarte ceremoney. Night halt.

Day 04: Kedarnath- Guptakashi (60 kms/4hr)-
Morning trek down to Gaurikund and further drive to Guptakashi fro night stay. Evening is free to visit Temple.Over night at Hotel.

Day 05: Guptakashi - Gaundhar - (17 kms trek /8 hr )-
This day you start a short drive early morning to reach at the trek point and start trek toward madhmaheshwar. trek to Gaundhar approx for 8 hours trek will take you to this beautiful place where camp will be set for night stay.

Day 06: Trek Gaundhar-Madhmaheshwar (17 kms trek / 6 hr )-
After breakfast start trek to reach at the second Panch parayag called Madhmaheshwar. Have a visit at the Temple of Madhmaheshwar and witness the another form of Lord Shiva.

One of Panch Kedars, the temple of Madhmaheshwar is located at an altitude of 3,289 m above sea level, on the slope of a ridge, 25 km northeast of Guptkashi. The trek from Kalimath to Madhmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic beauty and engulfed by Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar at the confluence of Madhmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last settlement Madhmaheshwar the place where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of belly.
Back to the camp fro another Over night stay.

Day 07: Madhmaheswar - Gaundhar -
After breakfast trek down to Gaundhar, your camp will be set an ideal location to stay another overnight at this place.

Day 08: Gaundhar - Jagasu - ( 12 kms trek \ 4 hr )
Start early morning trek down to Jagasu, While reaching check in at Camps. Over night at Camps.

Day 09: Jagasu -Kalimath - Chopta - Tungnath - Chopta ( 50 kms drive & 4 kms trek one side)
After breakfast drive to Chopta. One of the most beautiful place in high ranges famous for its Himalayan Panoramas. Start trek to Tungnath ( 3680 mts.) approx 4 kms trek which may take nearly 2 hours to reach at. Have your Darshan and Puja at the temple and trek back to Chopta for night stay in the camp
The arms of Lord Shiva came out as per the Kedarnath myth at Tungnath. He is worshipped here as one of the Panch Kedars. Tungnath Temple at an altitude of 3,680 m, is the highest Shiva shrine among the Panch Kedars and other major shrines in Garhwal Himalaya. Day 10: Chopta - Sagar - Panargupha - ( 30 kms drive & 10kms Trek \ 8 hr)

Start early morning drive after having breakfast, then drive to sagar , while reaching start trek to Panargupha. Get prepared for a long walk on this day. Crossing dense forest of Oak / Pine and other. Arrive at Panargupha and camp will be set at a nice place fro night stay.

Day 11: Panargupha - Rudranath (12 kms trek /8 hr)-
After breakfast start trek to reach Rudranath ( 2286 mts.) approx 7 - 8 hours trek will take you to third Panch Kedar Shrine called Rudranath. visit the temple and darshan and Prayer back to your camp site fro overnight stay Rudranath offers some of the finest sceneries of the snowy peaks of the Himalayas and at an elevation of 2286 meters, the beholder would be excited to experience the unspoiled beauty of Nature. The thick forest, meadows of aromatic flowerbeds, sparkling lakes and the glittering peaks, Rudranath is endowed with bewitching sceneries.

Day 12: Rudranath - Dumuk - (18 kms trek /10 hr)-
After breakfast pack the stuff and trek to reach Dumuk. visit the temple and Over night at camps

Day 13: Dumuk - Kalpeshwar (14 kms trek /8 hr)-
After breakfast start trek to reach Kalpeshwar Mahadev Temple ( 2134 mts.) . While reaching visit temple, Over night at camps. Kalpeshwar is a beautiful location in the lovely Urgam valley where the nature is ablaze with the magnificent colours of lovely apple orchards and picturesque sceneries. This remote locale at a height of 2134 meters boast of a celebrated myth that has a close link with the mighty Pandavas. In Kalpeswar one can feel the aura of a legendary site since this place is a preferred location of meditating ascetics.

Day 14: Kalpeshwar - Helang - Joshimath (9 kms trek & 30 kms drive / 9 - 10 hr)
After breakfast trek to reach helang. A long day descend trek will take you to the Helang which is the nearest road head to reach at Joshimath check in at Hotels. Overnight at Hotel. Evening you may visist Narsing Temple ( winter seat of Lord Badrinath Ji ) Shankaracharya cave and Parmarth Niketan.

Day 15 - Joshimath - Badrinath - ( 44 kms / 3 hr )
Morning Start drive to Badrinath and check in at Hotel. Latter visit badrinath temple, narad Kund , Sheshnag, Brahmakapal, Viyas Gufa , Mana village, Ganesh Gufa and Bheem Pool, back to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 16: Badrinath - Rudraprayag - (165 kms drive /7 hr
After breakfast drive back to Joshimath and enroute vsisit some of the Panchaprayag called Vishnu Prayag, Nand Prayag, Karna Prayag and Rudraprayag. Check in at the hotel at Rudraprayag and overnight stay.

Day 17 - Rudraprayag - Rishikesh - (165 kms drive /5 hr)-
Morning start drive to reach at Rishikesh, en route visit Dev - Prayag, While reaching check in at hotel. Afternoon visit Luxman Zula & Ram Zula. Over night stay at Rishikesh.

Day 18: Rishikesh - Delhi (235 kms drive / 7 hr)-
morning after breakfast drive to Delhi, approx 6 -7 hours drive will take you to the capital. You will be dropped at the railway station / airport / hotel as per the extended programme if any?

Kedarnath Temple - 1st Panch Kedar Temple :
Kedarnath Temple is the 1st Panch Kedar Temple and it is a holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus. The temple, believed to be very ancient, has been continually renovated over the centuries. The lingam at Kedarnath, unlike its usual form, is pyramidal and is regarded as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Situated at an altitude of 3,581 mts. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. Shiva, is considered the embodiment of all passions-love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism that are expressed through his various forms.

Tungnath - 2nd Panch Kedar :
Tungnath Temple is the 2nd Panch Kedar Temple and it is situated at an altitude of 3,886 meters, Tungnath is the highest temple in India. Legend has it that the arm of Shiva appeared here. Ravana, of the Ramayana, is said to have performed penance at this temple to propitiate Shiva. The high altitude temple is a Seat of Swyambhu Linga or the Lord Shiva Incarnate. The mythology has it that Lord Shiva was enraged at the act of homicide enacted by the Pandavas by killing their brethren in the grand battle of Mahabharata. Aware of Shiva's annoyance, the Pandavas built the temple to please Lord Shiva and for their own salvation. Others claim that the Adi Shankaracharya during his historic visit to the region had got it built. They cite the presence of Adi Shankaracharya's image in the garbha-griha or the sanctum of the temple. A dark left-tilting one-foot high linga is the centre of attraction. The locals describe it as an arm of Lord Shiva. The arm of Lord Shiva is also associated with a legend.

Rudranath - 3 rd Panch Kedar
The face of Lord Shiva is worshipped at Rudranath temple in a natural rock temple as Neelkantha Mahadeva. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Neelkantha. The temple is situated amid thick forest at a height 2286 mtrs. From Gopeshwar 4 kms by car up to village Sagar from where 20 kms. trek leads to Rudranath and can be approached from Joshimath as well, by trekking about 45 kms. One can explore the magnificent view of Hathi Parvat , Nandadevi, NandaGhunti, Trishuli and many other from the Temple.

There are numbers of holy Kunds (Tanks) near Rudranath temple namely Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund etc. The Baitarini, the divine river flows pass behind the temple. Anusuya Devi temple is located on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3km. This is the only temple in India where the image of Shiva is worshipped as a symbol of his face, a sublime, tender aspect of Shiva, unusual, serene and beautiful indeed to behold.

Devotees come to Rudranath to offer ritual obeisance to their ancestors, for it is here, at Vaitarani river (the water of salvation), that the souls of the dead cross when changing world.

Madhyamaheshwar - 4th Pancha Kedar :
The stomach of Shiva is believed to have emerged at Madmaheshwar. The temple of Madmaheshwar is located at an altitude of 3,289 m. above sea level, on the slope of a ridge, 25 km northeast of Guptakashi. There is a motorable road from Guptakashi to Kalimath. The best statue of Har Gauri in India measuring over a metre high is found in the Kali temple. The trek from Kalimath to Madmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic beauty and engulfed by Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar at the confluence of Madmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last settlement before one reaches Madmaheshwar. Located at the base of Chaukhamba peak at an altitude of 3289 m the classic temple architecture belongs to the North-Indian style. So sanctified is the water here that even a few drops are considered sufficient for ablution. The natural scenery is dramatically wild, with deep gorges & valleys, mountain sides flung upwards towards the skies, the forests where the snow lies thick in winter, only to be replaced by a carpet of greenery in the summer. Kedarnath & Neelkanth peaks are visible from here, the entire ring of mountains associated with the life & times of Shiva. The confluence of Madmaheshwar Ganga just short of the temple, is one of the prettiest spots in the region.

Kalpeshwar - 5th Pancha Kedar :
The hardier tourist may like to trek about 35 km to Kalpeshwar, where the locks (hair) and head, of Lord Shiva are worshipped as JATADHAR.

Located in Urgam Valley at an altitude of 2,134 m. above sea level, the temple is a further 10 km trek from Rudranath to Helong, the motor head on Rishikesh-Badrinath route. The small rock temple of Kalpeshwar is where the Hair appeared. Short of Kalpeshwar is the picturesque valley of Urgam.

It is a favorite location of meditating sages. Legend has it that the sage Arghya had performed austerities here and created the nymph, Urvashi. Rishi Durvasa is also believed to have meditated here under the wish-fulfilling tree, Kalpavriksha. The sage had given Kunti the boon that she could invoke any of the forces of nature and they would appear before her and grant whatever she desired. Known for his quick temper, Rishi Durvasa is often recalled in context of the incident when, along with several disciples, he visited Kunti's sons, while they were in exile. He indicated that he and his disciples expected food. There was not a grain to cook. Lord Krishna who appeared and miraculously solved the problem answered an anxious Draupadi's prayers. After you have sought Shiva's darshan by completing the Panch Kedar, you must go to Badrinath and make Vishnu your witness that you have sought Shiva.