Kedarnath
How to Reach Kedarnath
Every leg of the journey — nearest airport and railhead, the road to Sonprayag and Gaurikund, and the final stretch up to the temple.
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant, Dehradun
- Nearest railhead
- Rishikesh / Haridwar
- Road ends at
- Gaurikund
- Final stretch
- 16 km on foot / pony / helicopter
Reaching Kedarnath is a journey in three stages: getting to Uttarakhand, driving up to Gaurikund where the road ends, and then covering the final 16 km on foot, pony, palki or helicopter. Here’s how each stage works.
By air
Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest major airport, with regular flights from Delhi and other major cities. From there it’s roughly 240-250 km by road to Gaurikund. A separate helicopter service also operates directly from helipads at Phata and Guptkashi for those who want to skip the trek entirely.
By rail
Haridwar and Rishikesh are the nearest well-connected railway stations, both roughly 220-245 km from Gaurikund by road, and both well served by trains from Delhi and other major cities.
By road
From Rishikesh, the drive to Sonprayag and Gaurikund is around 220 km, typically 8-9 hours, usually broken with an overnight stop around Guptkashi or Sonprayag. Private vehicles are allowed only as far as Sonprayag or Gaurikund depending on current traffic management — onward transport to the trailhead is sometimes shuttled locally.
The final 16 km
From Gaurikund, the temple is reached only by trail:
- On foot — typically 7-9 hours, the most common option
- Pony or mule — reduces physical effort; book ahead in peak season
- Palki — carried by porters, for those unable to walk or ride
- Helicopter — the fastest option, booked separately and weather-dependent
See our full Kedarnath trek guide for what the trail itself is actually like.
