Delhi to Badrinath and Kedarnath

[rishi_kapoor]

HI Guys, travel bug is starting to itch again. Its almost been a year that I drove from Mumbai to Delhi, and then ofcourse a small drive to Lucknow couple of moths ago.

We are planning (self, wife, 4 yrs old son and 3yrs old son) to drive to Badrinath and Kedarnath next month (2nd week of June). Any info on route to take, places to stay and preparation to make would be appreciated.

We are planning to take our Petra on this drive and have one week in hand.

I have driven till Shivpuri (A little away from Rishikesh) several times so route from rishikesh onward would help me. Please also suggest how much distance can be covered each day.

Thanks in advance.

[iraghava]

Rishi - Can provide you the exact route but by next weekend since my mum has just left for Badrinath/Kedarnath today!

Also will be able to update you with the road conditions etc.

[rishi_kapoor]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Rishi - Can provide you the exact route but by next weekend since my mum has just left for Badrinath/Kedarnath today!

Also will be able to update you with the road conditions etc.

Thanks Buddy...that would be a lot of help.

[hvkumar]

I drove to Badrinath and Kedaranth in 2005 and 2006. Road is good, but since it is a mountainous road, always allow for those occasional landslides. Both my drives were in Sep-Oct, when weather conditions are very stable and the roads in best form. I am told that July is a terrible month becaus eof the monsoons with very frequent landslides. June can be very crowded since both the temples are open, height of holiday season.

I did Rishikesh-Badrinath the same day, with 1 stop-over at Deoprayag, and I managed to catch the last Joshimath gate (since Joshimath-Badrinath is a regulated road) at 430 pm. If you are not very fast, you may miss it and have to stay in the foothills. hence, if you wish to do it the same day, ensure that you leave early from Rishikesh (500 am on), have only one stop-over (ether Deoprayag or Rudraprayag, cover the second one on the way back) and reach Joshimath before 400 pm.

GMVN Hotels are the best bet, I have recorded in my detailed log books their exact locations, almost every 30 kms on teh entire route. Please check out their web-site. Best locations, best value for money and good service.

In Badrinath too, I found GMVN the best place to stay in, a mere 5 minutes walk from the temple.

Ex-Badrinath, you can plan trips to Manas/Vasundhara falls, Valley of Flowers (best in Jul/Aug)(2-3 day walking affair) and Auli.

I have also driven to Kedarnath from Badri. Same situation, lots of places to stay at. You have to walk the last 14 kms from Gaurikund. Alternatively, take ponies (recommended) or palaks (miserable).

Please remember that all these roads are closed after 800 pm, regulated through check points/ gates. Happily, there is a GMVN hotel near every CP.

You can easily do the Badri-Kedar sector in 1 week ex-Delhi.

Roads are twisty, hence ensure that anyone with weak heads takes suitable medicines so that they can be spared teh misery.

Petrol pumps are there at every large town (in my log book, I have recorded exact locations), but please do not come down below quarter tank at any point in time.

There is heavy tarffic during the next 2 months because of the pilgrimmage season and the taxis who ply in this route drive recklessly, please take care especially round curves.

Food is no problem, almost all only vegetarian, but ideally visit the GMVN hotels en route whenever you want to take a food break.

Make sure that you have spare tubes with you. There are a few garages en route, but I did not see any in Badri (there are several in Joshimath).

The Kedar route is narrower.

Ideally,
Day 1 - Delhi-Hardwar-Rishikesh, or somewhere en route like Deoprayag
Day 2 - Rishikesh/Deoprayag-Badrinath
Day 3 - Badrinath
Day 4 - Badrinath-Kedarnath
Day 5 - Kedarnath
Day 6 - Kedarnath-Rishikesh-Delhi (?)

Above is indicative, you can space out your itinerary and come to any one of the towns en route and stay at the GMVN hotels. Please note that Kedar is a 14 km walk, so you may need a full day. In my case, I did a fast-track trip up, returned by afternoon and left the same day.

Kumar

[scooby05]

A 6 day return trip-- delhi-Badrinath-kedarnath-delhi,
is too too tight in self drive!!
If you want to Enjoy the Holiday/pilgrimage, must plan 8 days return trip!!
we did it in 2005 in early May when the temples had just opened and did it in 8 days, it was fun!!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by scooby05

A 6 day return trip-- delhi-Badrinath-kedarnath-delhi,
is too too tight in self drive!!
If you want to Enjoy the Holiday/pilgrimage, must plan 8 days return trip!!
we did it in 2005 in early May when the temples had just opened and did it in 8 days, it was fun!!

Well, you can do it if you want:
My 2005 trip went like this:
Day 1 - Delhi-Rishikesh
Day 2 - Rishikesh-Deoprayag-Badrinath
Day 3 - Badrinath-Ghangaria (Valley of Flowers)
Day 4 - Valley of Flowers-Ghanagariya-Gaurikund
Day 5 - Gaurikund (Kedaranath)-Tehri, en route Gangotri

But, yes, if your trip is more easily paced out, maybe it would be best with a 8-dayer, although I would still swear by a 6-dayer, since a Delhiite could drive beyond Rishikesh the same day to Deoprayag or Rudraprayag, and even turn around from Badrinath the same day (instead of staying there overnight) and stay somewhere en route Kedarnath on Day 2 itself (or Day 3 if you stay overnight at Badrinath). Flexible planning is possible beacuse of teh numerous GMVN hotels en route, so that you can beat the check point gate timings between Joshimath and Badrinath.

Kumar

Kumar

[rishi_kapoor]

Thanks a lot hvkumar and scooby05 for your replies. I have 2 young kids...hope this would not be problem due to altitude? Any other suggestion that you might want to give me?

HV, I have tubeless tyres so i would carry a tubeless repair kit with me.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Thanks a lot hvkumar and scooby05 for your replies. I have 2 young kids...hope this would not be problem due to altitude? Any other suggestion that you might want to give me?

HV, I have tubeless tyres so i would carry a tubeless repair kit with me.

No, kids should not have any special problems, in case they have nausea problems, just let them doze off with the usual Avomines or such like. High attitude should not cause any problems - the highest you will get to is 3,000 metres, the altitude at both Badri and Kedar. We had 3 kids (5, 11, 12) during my last trip, the only probelms they had was an uncomfortable jump seat in the rear of the Scorpio, the altitude did not affect them much (although teh 5-year did fall sick, more out of "habit", as her mother - my friend's wife - told me than high altitude).

Carry a standard medicine kit. Carry lots of tissue papers, wet towels, cloth towels, just in case.

Food is no problem, the standard rotis and dal-chawals are excellent. Milk, curd is also available. Carry your best woollens since even a small drizzle can bring down temperatures drastically even in mid-summer.

Yes, carry a tubeless repair kit, since I am not sure whether all the guys en route are experienced with tubeless tyres.

Carry some spare fuses along. Keep your car manual readily available. Check your PUC and insurance validity. Carry RC/License originals. Refrain from rechecking tyre pressure too many times since most tyre air machines are manual and often calibration is not good. Carry an extra jack if you have one since if you have a puncture on a gradient, a second jack would give you that extra stability. Carry a good flash light.

GMVN hotels normally take credit cards, but carry cash along. In case you are a SBI account holder, interesting that SBI has 2 ATMS in Badrinath. Mobile connectivity is good.

Kumar

[Tarun]

Thanks Mr. Kumar.
Your detailed information has indeed been a lot of help on Badrinath / Kedarnath trip. Since you also mentioned about your log book, but i could not find that. Can you share the same.
I am leaving tonite for the same trip , so it will be of great help. Any other suggestions, pls. feel free to post them.

Tarun.

[rishi_kapoor]

Hi Tarun, PM me your mail id, i would send you my triplog for this trip.

[akshay1234]

with your kids im not sure your want to drive straight from shivpuri to badrinath.

i did this last year. i stopped in shivpuri at a place called camp panther. did some white water rafting etc. then i drove to rudra prayag i think and stayed in the monal resort for the night. then i drove on to joshimath and spent a night in auli. then got the 6am gate to badrinatha and stayed at the park inn over there. its by far the best hotel in badrinath.

if you want to spend some time in shivpuri also look at glasshouse on the ganges. the drive from badrinath to shivpuri was about 9 hrs.

i suggest you do a similar thing

hvkumar - i have no clue how you liked the gmvn places. IMO they were terrible. most didnt have electricity forget clean rooms.

[googly]

Friends, i am planning a trip to jalandhar-haridwar-badrinath-kedarnath-jalandhar, will be leaving from jalandhar alone and my parents me join me in haridwar, though i have drove on shimla/dharamshala/katra (vaishno devi route) earlier without any difficulties and quite an ease, i am little apprehensive about the road conditions in uttranchal and since it will be first time my parents will abe with me on such hilly routes with me at the wheels. i need a road guide and itinary for the trip, should i plan for a week or it will take more time?? waiting eagerly for your advice and suggestions.

oh, forgot to add...i will be travelling im my wagonR, will it be comfortable on such a long journey or should i go for the package tours available at haridwar?

[zenx]

One alternative I think may work is going from Meerut towards Kotdwar - Pauri - Srinagar instead of the usual Rishikesh route. More time in the hills, and way lesser traffic. If you're so inclined - spend a night at Khirsu - its a right turn a few kms before Pauri, and there's a scenic road from there towards Khankra beyond Srinagar.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by googly

Friends, i am planning a trip to jalandhar-haridwar-badrinath-kedarnath-jalandhar, will be leaving from jalandhar alone and my parents me join me in haridwar, though i have drove on shimla/dharamshala/katra (vaishno devi route) earlier without any difficulties and quite an ease, i am little apprehensive about the road conditions in uttranchal and since it will be first time my parents will abe with me on such hilly routes with me at the wheels. i need a road guide and itinary for the trip, should i plan for a week or it will take more time?? waiting eagerly for your advice and suggestions.

oh, forgot to add...i will be travelling im my wagonR, will it be comfortable on such a long journey or should i go for the package tours available at haridwar?

A well-travelled route. Check out dates of opening of the temples. Be prepared to face heavy traffic and occasional dislocations thanks to landslides (same situation whether you are driving your own car or in a taxi).

Ideal plan would be:
Day1: Hardwar-Deoprayag (stop for darshan at Raghunathji Mandir)-Pipalkoti/Joshimath
Day 2: Pipalkoti/Joshimath-Badrinath
Day 3: Badrinath-Chamoli-Ukhimath-Kedarnath
Day 4: Kedarnath
Day 5: Kedarnath-Ukhimath-Rudraprayag (stop for darshan at temple)-Deoprayag-Hardwar

This means you can have a relaxed darshan at both places.

Parking could be a serious problem at Gaurikund (last motorable pointt for Kedarnath).

Roads can be expected to be good to moderately bad in stretches.

From Jalandhar, you can easily drive down to Hardwar in a day: Jalandhar-Ludhiana-Ambala-Kurukshetra-Yamuna Nagar-Saharanpur-Hardwar

Will be happy to PM you details of my route plan.

[hvkumar]

Log Book of my Uttarakhand trip, covering both Badrinath and Kedarnath from Hardwar.

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Uttaranchal, Sep 2005

Log Book of my Uttarakhand Trip, also covering Badrinath, via Nainital and Gwaldam

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Uttaranchal, North India, Oct 2006