Badrinath at a glance
Badrinath, also known as Badri Vishal or Badrinarayan, is a Vishnu shrine in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It stands beside the Alaknanda at around 3,100 m, below the snow peaks of the Neelkanth. It is one of the four Char Dham sites and is open only in the warm half of the year. In 2026 the doors opened on 23 April, and the committee has announced the winter closing for 16 November.
The village is reached by road from Rishikesh or Haridwar, a drive of roughly 300 km and 10 to 12 hours. Nearby you can visit Mana village, the Vasudhara Falls and the hot spring of Tapt Kund. This guide covers the temple, the yatra, the paperwork and the trips around it. Prices appear in Indian rupees (INR) with the year they apply to, and they can change.
Our picks: Badrinath tours
Both are multi-day yatras that include the Badrinath temple. The 10-day private-car tour suits pilgrims who want a fixed route from Delhi, Dehradun or Haridwar, while the 9-day tour offers hotels or camps, two meals a day and local guides at each Dham.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
10-day Char Dham Yatra by private car
- Yamunotri to Badrinath route
- Private car transport
- English or Hindi guide
Ten days through all four Dhams, with the Badrinath temple on day 9. Ask whether registration and entry fees are included before you book.
Check availability →
9-day Char Dham tour from Delhi
- 8 nights in hotels or camps
- Local guides at all four Dhams
- Temple entries
Sold as a winter yatra, with breakfast and dinner included. The Kedarnath helicopter, porter, pony and doli cost extra, and you should check that your dates fall within the temple season before you book.
Check availability →Badrinath and Char Dham tours
Yatra tours, day trips and Himalaya experiences with live prices and availability.
What this guide covers
Pick the topic that matches your next planning step.
Badrinath tours and Char Dham packages
Do Dham and Char Dham packages and what a price should cover.
The Char Dham Yatra
The four shrines, the usual order and how Badrinath fits in.
Char Dham registration
Online and offline steps, documents and the QR letter.
Opening and closing dates
The 2026 season, the winter closing and the winter shrine.
Darshan, aarti and puja
Puja amounts, time windows and the rules at the temple.
Helicopter to Badrinath
Charter flights from Dehradun and the Kedarnath shuttle.
Mana village
Bheem Pul, Vyas Gufa and the Saraswati, 4 km from the temple.
Vasudhara Falls
The walk beyond Mana and what to plan for.
Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib
Multi-day treks via Govindghat and Ghangaria.
Joshimath and Auli
The road town, skiing and the ropeway situation.
Tapt Kund and Brahma Kapal
The hot spring and the riverbank rituals.
Weather and best time
How to weigh early season, monsoon and late season.
Where to stay
Hotels, dharamshalas and rest houses by type.
Rishikesh to Badrinath
Route, distance, buses, taxis and the airport at Dehradun.
History and legends
Adi Shankaracharya, Vishnu and the temple committee.
A few things to know before you go
These points shape most itineraries.
The 2026 season dates
The temple opened on 23 April 2026. The winter closing is announced for 16 November 2026 at 21:37 IST.
Opening and closing dates →Entry rules for visitors
New rules apply in 2026 for who may enter the temple if they are not followers of Hinduism; how they will be applied is still open. If you are not a Hindu, find out before you travel whether and how you can enter the temple.
Registration and access →Puja amounts
A Mahabhishek costs 4,300 to 5,500 INR per person in 2026; confirm the amount when you book. Registration for the yatra, puja, lodging and transport are four separate steps.
Darshan and puja →Helicopters serve Kedarnath on a shuttle
The shuttle tickets on the IRCTC HeliYatra portal are for Kedarnath. For Badrinath, charter helicopters fly from Dehradun.
Helicopter guide →The Auli ropeway
The gondola between Joshimath and Auli has been closed since January 2023. Plan the 14 to 16 km road instead.
Joshimath and Auli →Roads are not always open
"All-weather road" does not mean the route is open every day. In late September 2026 the yatra was paused for two days after heavy rain alerts, and Hemkund Sahib and trekking stopped too. Keep a spare day in your plan.
Weather and best time →Plan a Badrinath yatra in four steps
A simple order that avoids the usual gaps.
Fix the dates
Badrinath is closed in winter. Choose travel days inside the 2026 season, between the opening on 23 April and the announced closing on 16 November, and keep a spare day for rain.
Register
Register travelers and the vehicle on the official Tourist Care portal or app, then download the letter with the QR code. Keep a valid ID with it.
Plan the road
The route runs from Rishikesh or Haridwar through Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag and Joshimath to Badrinath. Long drives and altitude call for a slow pace.
Add a puja only if you want one
A puja is optional. It is booked separately on the committee's own service and needs a mobile number from India.
Around the temple, Mana village lies 4 km away, and the Neelkanth peak rises above the valley. In winter the temple is closed, and the snow season belongs to skiing at Auli and not to the yatra.
Badrinath Temple: frequently asked questions
Is this the official Badrinath website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), Uttarakhand Tourism or any authority, and it is not connected to a tour operator, helicopter operator or hotel.
When does Badrinath Temple open and close in 2026?
The doors opened on 23 April 2026. The winter closing is announced for 16 November 2026 at 21:37 IST. The opening date changes every year, so check it before you plan a later season.
Do I have to register for the yatra?
Yes. The official Tourist Care portal asks travelers and vehicles to register before the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib, and the registration is checked at the shrines. For travelers it costs 0 INR. Our registration page explains the steps.
How far is Badrinath from Rishikesh?
The road distance is about 300 km from Rishikesh and 320 km from Haridwar, with a drive of 10 to 12 hours. Treat it as a planning figure, because road works and weather change it.
Can I fly to Badrinath?
Charter helicopters fly to Badrinath from Dehradun. The airport at Dehradun (Jolly Grant) is also the airport used for a road transfer, about 317 km from the temple.
What is the best time to go?
The temple is open from late April or May until November. Early and late season avoid the heaviest rain, while July and August bring monsoon risks on the road. See the weather page for how to weigh the months.