Kedarnath Dham Opening and Closing Dates

Kedarnath Dham is unarguably one of the holiest and the most sacred shrines of the holy Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. The temple is set against the backdrop of the incredible Kedarnath dome which is perfect for a holiday option if you’re like travelling to the hills with a spiritual and deeply moving experience. As it is known the temple, being a crucial part of the holy Char Dham Yatra, remains open for a limited duration of just 6 months before shutting down for the remaining 6 months. Knowing the right time to visit Kedarnath and planning your visit accordingly is an extremely significant part of this journey which takes place not only externally but internally as well.

The surrounding natural beauty in its pristine untouched form and the gushing river Mandakini on one side and being dotted with numerous places of tourist interest on all sides is what makes a visit here totally worth every ounce of effort you make to reach here.

Here are the Opening and Closing Dates for Kedarnath Temple:

Opening Date:

The gates of Kedarnath Dham is opened with much enthusiasm and zeal after having the devotees wait for a period of around 6 months. Generally, keeping in coordination with the Char Dham Yatra Darshan, the gates for Darshan is opened for the Yatris during the auspicious eve of Akshay Tritiya with the dates of opening being decided and announced on Vasant Panchami. It is vital for you to make all your transportation and accommodation bookings done way beforehand. This year the doors are set to open around the end of April which also marks the onset of the summer season. It will be the best option for you to visit Kedarnath during the peak tourist season to ensure a vibrant and peaceful journey devoid of any hassles or unexpected weather changes.

Closing Date:

Although this marks the end of the holy Char Dham Yatra for the season this ritual is also done with great vibrancy and enthusiasm amongst the devotees and pilgrim goers. The prospective time of closing is around the month early November which is tentative this year. The closing ceremony involves loud devotional music, celebration and dance behind which the idol is transferred to its winter home in Ukhimath where it stays for the rest of year before the time of opening. Pilgrims can easily offer their prayer here to Kedarnathji as a part of their winter Char Dham Yatra as well. This event generally takes place during the evening and is attended by a lot of devotees from all over the world.

Best Time to Visit:

Kedarnath Dham being located on a hilly region and on a higher elevation it is advisable for one to visit during the peak pilgrimage and summer season months which includes the time of around late April to early July i.e. just before the beginning of the monsoon months. One must not travel on the hills during this time since the region remains prone to unexpected landslides and sudden weather changes as well. Around this time the weather is very pleasant and clear and creates the perfect opportunity for sightseeing options as well to some nearby and far away places. It is vital for you to plan your trip keeping the weather conditions in mind so that it doesn’t cause a hindrance to your travel plans in anyway.