Best Time to Visit Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand

Chardham Yatra is one of the most longed for spiritual journey for any Hindus. We all wish to attain salvation from the cycle of birth and rebirth and that irresistible desire sows in us the seeds of faith which in turn gives rise to reverence for that omnipotent God. Thus, numerous pilgrims make their way to the Dev Bhoomi or ‘land of Gods’ Uttarakhand every year. Their aim remains to pay obeisance to the various Gods and Goddesses residing in the ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and get blessed with Moksha in return. That’s the reason why the four Dhams, namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath are heavily flocked by pilgrims during the travel season.

Best Time for Chardham Yatra, Why do You Need to Know?

Traveling to Chardham is not a child’s play. The road is rugged, takes you over a rocky terrain, causes you to trek for long hours and tests your endurance every moment. Climate of the Himalayas is also quite unpredictable. The weather conditions keep fluctuating every moment, making your journey all the more difficult. Therefore before you plan a Yatra to Chardham, you need to be aware of the best time to visit Chardham. That’ll make your journey hassle-free and safe.

Chardham Weather

Chardham weather undergoes quite drastic changes. The high altitude of the region has a very strong influence upon the weather which actually changes color like a chameleon.  Summer months in Chardham have a pleasant cool weather. Average temperature during the summers remains around 13 degree centigrade. Summer season at Chardham start in the month of May and continue till June. You can do with moderate woolens if you plan to travel to Chardham during the summers. Monsoons arrive at the Chardham around the end of June and continue till middle of September. Occasional downpours and landslides are quite common during that part of the year. Winters arrive at Chardham around the closing of November and extend up to the closing of February. Temperatures drop below zero degree and the entire region is snow clad during that time. It is utterly chilly during the winters. Average winter temperature hovers around 5 degree centigrade. Chardhams are unbearably freezing during the winters and thus become deserted almost.

Temples Opening and Closing Dates

Chardham temples open on the Akshaya Tritiya day each year. Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be a highly auspicious day according to Hindu religion. It falls on the Shukla Paksha and third Tithi of the Hindu month of Vaishakha. Also, Chardham temple closes on the day of Diwali every year. Diwali is another very holy festival for Hindus. It commemorates the victory of good over evil. In other words, one can get access to the Chardham and make a Darshan of the temples only for a span of 6 months every year.

What is the Ideal Chardham Yatra Season?

The best time to visit Chardham is around the months of April, May and first half of June. That marks the pre-summers and summers at the Chardham when weather is pleasant enough to travel. Trip to Chardham needs to be avoided strictly during the monsoon season; i.e. around the months: July, August and September because the region becomes landslide prone and risky during the monsoons. You could also consider visiting Chardham between October to the end of November in order to relish the pre-winter stings of the cold ambiance. The weather during that time is still bearable and travel friendly.

Benefits of Chardham Yatra During the ‘Best Time’:

The key benefits of traveling to Chardham during the best season are:

• Risk-free Yatra
• No unwanted delays
• No un-predictabilities
• Comfortable journey