Best Time to Visit Chardham

Read the detailed and incredible travel guide for the best time to visit Char Dham Yatra in the Himalayas, including weather and climate information for summer, monsoon, and winter seasons.

Timing your journey right, for the four most sacred temples of Uttarakhand, Char Dham, is key to experience the full magic this spiritual odyssey offers. Char Dham is present at an amazingly high altitude in the mountains and serves as one of the most visited pilgrimage circuits in India. Thousands of people complete this enigmatic journey to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath temple every year to attain peace for their souls. The experience of all four temples of Char Dham is altogether wonderful but had to be planned according to the conditions that best fit any individual. This is because the weather at Chardham is totally different at two different points of time in a year. The summertime conditions at Char Dham totally contradicts what you will experience in monsoon or Autumn. Thus, it is necessary to understand the weather at these high-altitude Char Dham destinations.

When is the Best Time to Visit for Char Dham Yatra?

The gates to Char Dham temples itself are opened in the most comfortable season for the Char Dham pilgrimage journey, i.e. Summer. The months between late April to early July are the best time to visit Char Dham. These months offer the best conditions during the daytime for the Char Dham journey. The temperature is warm and the roads are the most accessible. However, the Char Dham journey offers different experiences during different seasons of the year. So, choose the best time for your Char Dham yatra accordingly.

Weather Conditions at Char Dham

All four sacred sites of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit are located at almost comparable altitudes of above 3,000 m. Thus, weather conditions at Char Dham temples are exactly similar whether it is summer, winter, and monsoon season. Char Dham temples open their gate for devotees for a mere six months in a year, while the gates stay closed for another six months. Char Dham are significantly influenced by the weather in the Himalayas throughout the year, thus it is necessary that one must understand the condition of the regions in different seasons, before getting ahead for planning their Char Dham pilgrimage journey.

Summer Season in Char Dham (May to June)

Summer season, the months of May and June, is considered the ideal time to visit Char Dham in terms of the weather conditions. Devotees enjoy pleasant sunny days; however, early morning and night can be cold. The temperature ranges between 6°C and 25°C. Although uncommon, there might be occasional rain showers. Still, it is not a problem whatsoever, if one carries a raincoat or umbrella.

Also, May is the month when the Kapaat (gate) of Char Dham is opened, the most number of devotees visit this month, making it the peak season in Char Dham. Thus, pre-booking of accommodations and transportation is recommended if you are planning to visit in May and June.

Monsoon Season in Chardham (July to September)

Although the gates of Char Dham temples are open during the monsoon, the months of July to September are not a recommended season for Char Dham trekking. This is because the region experiences frequent and heavy downpours which makes trekking a challenging sojourn. However, the mountain landscape takes a unique transformation during the monsoon. The terrain blesses the eyes with lush greenery that you cannot experience except in this season. The temperature during monsoon drops considerably with the range of 10°C to 20°C (around 50°F to 68°F).

Not to forget, the ascending mountain roads in monsoon can make your vehicle and on-foot progress slow. And, the common occurrence of landslides during the months is what makes them unfavorable the most. The overflowing rivers and flooding is a significant reason to worry. Also, the helicopter services may be adjourned at regular intervals in these months due to unfavorable weather and climate.

Still, monsoon is the best season for avid trekkers who are completely precautious, experienced and love nature at its best. Moreover, you can get various discounts on hotels and transportation in the monsoon.

Autumn Season in Char Dham (October to November)

The transformation period between monsoon and winter, Autumn (October and November) is the end of the six months of Char Dham opening for the year. It is a beautiful time to visit Char Dham temples. The landscape is adorned with post-monsoon greens and flowers blooming. You may also experience occasional rain or snow if lucky. The closing date of Char Dham temples is observed either in October or November, as decided by the temple committee every year. These months are the last time you can visit the temples and have a darshan.

Monsoon showers usually subside till this time and the temperature significantly drops at temple altitudes. The temperature ranges between 0°C to 10°C (32°F to 50°F) while sometimes it may get even below zero degrees Celsius.

Winter Season in Char Dham (November-March)

Winters are the extremely harsh period in Himalayan regions, as they receive heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions. If not impossible, the accessibility to the Char Dham Temples becomes adversely difficult in winter. The mercury may even dip below zero and the lowest temperature in all four Char Dham temples ranges between -5°C to -15°C.

Due to inaccessibility, all Char Dham temples stay closed during these six months of winter which is between November to March/April. This is to ensure the safety of both pilgrims and the sacred sites. However, the landscape is thoroughly covered in a blanket of white snow which looks picturesque from afar.