I would like to go to the temple in Kedarnath, and I have been researching and finding out ways to reach the place. Apparently, there are no direct flights or buses which go from Delhi to Kedarnath, which means the only way to reach the place is by car. There will be three of traveling, so what options do I have to go from Delhi to Kedarnath? If the only way of reaching Kedarnath from Delhi is by car, what kind of costs do you think I would incur if getting a taxi?
Hello there! Barring air journey, you can only rely on road journey to reach Kedarnath from Delhi. However, you cannot directly reach Kedarnath as the last approachable road to it is in Gaurikund. From Delhi to Gaurikund, the distance is about 456 kilometres, depending on the traffic encountered and the delays along the way. This is the approach you need to take: Delhi > Transportation to Gaurikund > Pilgrimage to Kedarnath The distance between Gaurikund and Kedarnath is about 16 kilometres. But first, let us highlight your different options to reach Gaurikund from Delhi. Transportation Options from Delhi to Gaurikund 1. By Direct UTC Bus - There is actually a direct bus from Delhi to Gaurikund. There is only one schedule per day and you need to book it directly in the Uttarakhand Roadways Office in ISBT Kashmiri Gate. This bus departs from ISBT and takes a day halt at Rishikesh before starting the journey again for Gaurikund. With this direct bus, reaching Gaurikund has been easier for many pilgrims. Direct Bus Service from Delhi to Gaurikund (UTC) BusDepartureArrivalUTC Delhi to RishikeshDelhi - 8:00 pmRishikesh - 4:00 amUTC Rishikesh to GaurikundRishikesh - 2:00 pmGaurikund - 12:30 pmFare would be around Rs. 945 per passenger. You need to wait out a bit in Rishikesh though as the halt is a bit long. You can stay in a hotel or just do some sightseeing around. 2. By UTC Bus - If the above schedule or the halt doesn't appeal to you. You can reach Rishikesh first and from there, board another bus going to Gaurikund. You would need to change buses in Rishikesh for this but you might reach Gaurikund quicker this way since you won't need to halt for a whole day at the former. Bus Services from Delhi ISBT to Rishikesh (UTC) Bus TypeDeparture TimeArrival TimeFareSemi-Deluxe 16:15 am12:45 pmRs. 319Semi-Deluxe 27:00 am1:30 pmRs. 319Semi-Deluxe 39:30 pm4:00 amRs. 319Ordinary6:30 am1:30 pmRs. 255Volvo9:00 pm4:00 amRs. 778As mentioned above, these buses depart from Delhi ISBT Kashmiri Gate. There are different types of buses that you can choose from and you can book a bus in advance from the Uttarakhand Transport Corportation website. These government buses are cheaper and also more efficient. From Rishikesh, go to the Sanyukt Bus Stand located in Adarsh Gram. There are early morning buses leaving from this bus stand going to Gaurikund. But you need to reach the bus stand as early as 5:00 am because the last bus usually leaves at 6:00 am. 3. By Private Bus - Another option for you would be private buses which depart from ISBT Delhi as well. They are more expensive though so not suitable for those who are in a budget. Private Bus Services from Delhi to Rishikesh Bus Company and TypeDeparture TimeArrival TimeFareAG Holidays (Tata AC Seater)21:456:00Rs. 424Adventure Booking Center (AC Seater/Sleeper)23:356:00Rs. 399International Tourist Center (AC Seater/Sleeper)23:405:20Rs. 348Blue World Tourist Company (AC Seater)23:005:40Rs. 349Regal Cruiser Travels (AC Seater/Sleeper)21:005:30Rs. 360Kings Holiday Tours (AC Seater)22:555:30Rs. 500You can book any of these buses in advance from the RedBus website. From Rishikesh, you have the same option posted above, in number two. 4. By Hired Cab - From Delhi to Gaurikund, you can also hire a cab to directly reach the latter. The lowest rate, for a small car, is at Rs. 8 per kilometre. So the minimum fare that you would have to pay is at Rs. 3,648, this is without any halts or delays. So on average, for a small car like an Indica without air-conditioning, expect to pay around Rs. 3,648 to Rs. 3,800. For an air-conditioned small car, fare would be around Rs. 4,200 to Rs. 4,800. For a bigger car, expect to pay around Rs. 5,928 to Rs. 6,578. In addition, for a small car, you'd have to pay an additional Rs. 200 for the driver's fee and for a bigger car, an additional Rs. 300 for the driver's fee. So let's have a look at your route again: Delhi > Transportation to Gaurikund > Pilgrimage to Kedarnath Trekking to Kedarnath After reaching Gaurikund, you can now start your journey for Kedarnath. There is a newly opened trekking route too, after the disaster flood in 2013 that washed away Rambara. Now though, a bridge has been constructed over Rambara and the new route is: New Trekking Route - Gaurikund > Rambara Bridge > Linchauli > Kedarnath. This route is about 16 kilometres long. It can take about two days for you to reach Kedarnath with this one. The ascent can be a bit difficult though for those who are not physically fit. Aside from walking by foot, you can get the aid of other transportation options to reach Kedarnath. Rates for Different Transport Options to Kedarnath Transport TypeHorse (Up to 70 Kilograms)Kandi (Up to 50 Kilograms)Palki (Up to 70 Kilograms)Gaurikund to KedarnathRs. 1,000Rs. 1,000Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 3,000Kedarnath to GaurikundRs. 500Rs. 600Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,500Gaurikund to Kedarnath to GaurikundRs. 1,200Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 1,800Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 6,000Gaurikund to RambaraRs. 400Rs. 400Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000Rambara to GaurikundRs. 400Rs. 400Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000Gaurikund to Rambara to GaurikundRs. 550Rs. 550Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000Every kilometre or so, there are also shops catering to the needs of the pilgrims. There are also some accommodation options near the temple. Back then, before the flood, there are many hotels around Rambara but they have all been washed away by the flood. And by the way, the route is only open from May to November so if you haven't done it yet, you might have to reschedule your pilgrimage for next year. Good luck.
