Phata is quaint little town en-route to Kedarnath in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. This town is generally famous because it has a helipad from where you can book a helicopter ticket to Kedarnath. There are many pilgrims who are journeying to Kedarnath book themselves for a helicopter ride and enjoy flying above those towering mountains. Some people also take a break from their journey here since it is the ideal place to get refreshments and overnight stay. This place also serves as a center point to many other beautiful places so who want to explore the Uttarakhand culture more then, they can visit various popular destinations connected to this place.
Below guide will give you a brief description about the best time to visit this place, how to reach this place, and the must-visit places near this town.
Phata is known for having an open ground that is being used as a helipad by the helicopter companies and is located at a distance of 32 kms from the main Dham of Kedarnath. Some pilgrims choose to spend their night in Phata during their helicopter Yatra to Kedarnath before proceeding to Kedarnath and use this opportunity to freshen themselves up. The journey to Kedarnath from Phata takes just 8 minutes to cover in a chopper. Pilgrims going on this journey have the option of choosing from various different helicopter provider companies like Pawan Hans, pinnacle air among others which offer 5 to 7 seats. You also have the option of browsing, selecting and booking your seat, online, way before the commencement of the Yatra in advance. Various helicopter services are also present from Augustmuni however the Phata helipad reduces the flying time by 20 minutes and is also much preferred by the pilgrims.
Phata – Kedarnath Helicopter Charges:
Return cost for Phata to Kedarnath – Rs.8000/- per person (approximately). During the helicopter Yatra you will be given ample amount of time of almost 2 to 3 hours for Darshan and exploration of the places located in its vicinity.
Kedarnath Temple is one of the most sacred sites for Hindu religion and thereby, attracts millions of devotees every year. This temple town is only 14 km away from Phata so it is a very must visit place near Phata. The temple also exhibits a very eye-catching background full of snow-capped mountains which are sure to make your journey memorable. It is believed to be housing one of the 12 famous Jyotirlingas of India and always visited by millions with the wishful thinking of attaining salvation after death.
Gaurikund is yet another beautiful place to visit near Phata which is only 15 km away from it. This small village is famous for its Gauri Devi temple because it seems to have some great spiritual powers of answering people’s prayers. According to legends, Goddess Parvati had prayed at this site to win Lord Shiva as her husband. After many years of her prayers, Lord Shiva answered her wish and married her.
Vasuki Tal is a very beautiful glacial lake located at an altitude of 14,200 feet above sea level. So, it sure is on every adventure traveler’s list because it would be one of the most mesmerizing journeys you will be looking forward to. If you want to see this lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains then you should visit this place in December or March.
Augustmuni
Augustmuni is another beautiful town somewhere in the downward slopes of Phata so you will be driving 38 km in the downward direction in order to visit this town. The town is located on the banks of River Mandakini and is famous for Agastyamuni temple which is believed to be a site where saint Augustmuni meditated for a period of one year. The temple has some beautiful carvings of many Lords and Goddess so you can enjoy the deep Indian culture here.
Because Phata is a place surrounded by towering mountain ranges, that is why this place receives a fair amount of snowfall during the winter season. So, visiting this town during the winters will not be such a good idea but if you are adamant of witnessing snowfall in this area then you can think of going in December for once. Otherwise, you cannot reach the village from January to March because the area generally enters the red alerted zone during that time.
So, the ideal time to visit Phata is from April to June and September to November. It will also be not a good idea to visit it during monsoon. Because Uttarakhand receives heavy rainfall during monsoon so getting yourself stuck all day in your hotel room.
Phata is located about 517 km away from Delhi and 235 km away from Dehradun. And for which transportation form to take, below description will sure be enough to make up your mind.
By Air
The nearest airport to Phata is Jolly Grant Airbase of Dehradun (235 km away from Phata) and after reaching Dehradun Airbase, you have two options to choose from one is a private taxi and the other one to hop on a Volvo bus. Instead of reaching out to taxi services outside of the Airbase, firstly talk to the taxi services available at the airbase because they always have a better chance of providing you the utmost security.
By Train
The nearest Railway station to Phata is Dehradun (235 km away from Phata) so book your tickets accordingly. From there, you can either book a private taxi or can hop on a Volvo bus for onward journey. And the road journey will be one of the most picturesque journeys for you because you will be driving alongside those great mountains in a zig-zag manner.
By Road
The road journey is the most thrilling and mesmerizing adventure out of all. Phata is about 517 km away from Delhi and it will give you a chance to travel alongside those beautiful mountain ranges. You will also get as many chances to take breaks along this journey as many you want if you are traveling via your own car so don’t forget to savor all those beautiful sites in your mind.
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