The two helicopter services
| Kedarnath Dham | Hemkund Sahib | |
|---|---|---|
| Helipads | Guptkashi, Phata or Sersi, to the Kedarnath helipad | Govindghat to Ghangaria (Govind Dham) |
| Flight | A few minutes from Sersi to about a quarter of an hour from Guptkashi | About 8 minutes for the 14 km of trail |
| After landing | The temple is about 500 metres from the helipad | About 6 km on foot or by pony up to the Gurudwara, at about 4,632 m |
| Return | Same day, or after a night halt at Kedarnath | Usually after one or two nights at Ghangaria |
| Baggage in flight | 2 kg; overweight charges above 85 kg | One small pack of up to 2 kg |
| Tickets | Only on IRCTC HeliYatra, after yatra registration | On IRCTC HeliYatra after yatra registration, or ₹4,000 one way with our package, subject to availability |
The Hemkund Sahib helicopter does not fly to the Gurudwara itself: the last stretch from Ghangaria is a steep climb, so plan a night at Ghangaria and an early start. The Valley of Flowers is also reached from Ghangaria, in season.
How to book the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib helicopter
- Register for the yatra. Chardham & Shri Hemkund Sahib Yatra registration with Uttarakhand Tourism is mandatory, and you need it before you can book either helicopter.
- Wait for the booking window. IRCTC opens booking in phases, each for a range of travel dates, and announces when each phase opens. Popular dates sell out within minutes, so be signed in and ready.
- Book both on heliyatra.irctc.co.in. The Kedarnath sectors and the Govindghat–Ghangaria sector are on the same site. Choose the helipad, date and slot, add the passengers, and pay there. Taking our Hemkund Sahib package? We can arrange that seat for you instead.
- Keep the tickets with the registration and a photo ID. The ticket shows a reporting time, which is not the flight time. Expect to wait at the helipad, and longer in poor weather.
Which Kedarnath helipad to pick, and the reporting rules on the day, are in the Kedarnath helicopter tickets guide.
Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib in one trip: a 6-day plan
The two shrines are in neighbouring valleys, a long day's drive apart through Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Joshimath. Six days leaves room for both darshans without racing the weather:
- Day 1: Drive from Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun to Guptkashi or Sitapur. Stay the night near your Kedarnath helipad.
- Day 2: Report at the helipad, fly to Kedarnath, darshan, and fly back. Night in Guptkashi or Sitapur.
- Day 3: Drive to Govindghat, or to Joshimath for more hotel choice.
- Day 4: Helicopter from Govindghat to Ghangaria. Rest and get used to the altitude.
- Day 5: Early start to Hemkund Sahib on foot or by pony, darshan, and back to Ghangaria. The Valley of Flowers adds a day.
- Day 6: Helicopter back to Govindghat, then on to Badrinath, about 25 km away, or start the drive home.
Keep a spare day. Both shuttles stop for cloud and rain, and a missed flight moves everything after it.
When can you do both?
Hemkund Sahib opens later and closes earlier than Kedarnath: its portals open in late May and close around the second week of October, while Kedarnath stays open into October or November. The window for both is therefore late May to early October. Late May, June and September usually give the clearest flying; in July and August the monsoon cancels flights and closes roads more often.
Prefer a private helicopter?
From Dehradun, a chartered helicopter can fly you to Kedarnath and Badrinath without the shuttle queues: see the Do Dham Yatra by helicopter, the same-day Do Dham or a private Badrinath charter. For the shuttles themselves, our Kedarnath stay package and Hemkund Sahib package arrange the hotels, transfers and pony around your IRCTC tickets.