Helicopter yatra cancellation and refund rules, in plain words
What you get back if you cancel, reschedule, or the weather stops the flying. The rules for each kind of package, in plain words.
Helicopter yatras are booked months ahead and flown in mountain weather, so plans do change. Before paying, it is worth knowing exactly what happens if you cancel, if you need to move your dates, or if the weather stops the flying. Here are the rules, package by package. The full wording is always in the booking terms, which take precedence over this summary.
How much is refunded if you cancel?
It depends on the package and on how far ahead you cancel.
Chardham, Do Dham 3 nights and same-day Do Dham. These packages follow the Chardham and Do Dham booking terms:
- An administrative fee of 5% of the package cost applies to any cancellation after confirmation.
- Up to 30 days before departure: 30% of the package amount is charged.
- Up to 20 days before departure: 50% is charged.
- Within 14 days of departure, and for a no-show: no refund.
- A credit note is issued for a cancelled confirmed booking, subject to these charges.
Single-dham and Kedarnath Badrinath packages. Packages such as the Badrinath fixed departure, the Kedarnath same-day yatra and the Gangotri, Yamunotri and Hemkund packages show their own cancellation table on the package page:
| Notice before departure | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more | 10% of the total tour cost |
| 29 to 22 days | 25% |
| 21 to 16 days | 60% |
| 15 days or less | 100% |
Always check the table on the page of the package you book: that is the one that applies.
Can you change your dates instead?
On the Chardham and Do Dham packages, a booking can be moved to a later date, subject to availability, on payment of 20% of the cost, if the request is made at least 15 days before the journey. With less than 15 days to go, a change is treated as a cancellation and a fresh booking is made, subject to availability. Rescheduling is often the better choice when the reason is a change of plan rather than a cancelled trip.
What if bad weather stops the flying?
On the Chardham and Do Dham packages, if weather stops flying on a day of the tour, the team tries to complete the darshan the next day. If a dham cannot be visited at all because of the weather, the flying cost of about INR 20,000 per dham per seat is refunded. If the tour cannot start from Dehradun because flying is not possible there, a 5% service charge and any services already used, such as hotels and transport, apply, and you can move to the next available date with the unused amount carried over.
Two things are not covered: extra costs such as hotels, meals or road travel caused by a delayed or cancelled flight, and leaving the tour early by choice, for which no refund applies. If weather holds a group at Badrinath overnight, the hotel is at the guests' own cost. The article on why helicopter schedules move explains how these flying decisions are made.
What about the Kedarnath shuttle ticket?
The shuttle between the base helipads and Kedarnath is booked on IRCTC in each pilgrim's name, and its fare is paid there. If the shuttle is cancelled for weather or a technical reason, its fare is refunded by IRCTC under IRCTC's own rules, separately from the package.
How to protect your booking
- Read the cancellation table for your exact package before paying.
- Book a spare day into mountain trips, so weather becomes a wait rather than a lost darshan.
- Consider travel insurance, which the packages do not include.
- Ask for any terms you are unsure of in writing before you confirm.
Questions about a particular package? Ask us before you book, and compare the Chardham Yatra by Helicopter and Do Dham packages.