Anand to Kedarnath - 5 Day Itinerary in July 2023

1. Day 1: Haridwar
   3 hours 35 minutes (174 km) from Anand
   10:00 AM: Visit Har ki Pauri Ghat, one of the holiest ghats in India. Take a dip in the Ganges and attend the evening aarti.
   1:00 PM: Head to Rajaji National Park, home to tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. Take a jungle safari to see them in their natural habitat.
   7:00 PM: End the day with a visit to the Mansa Devi Temple, located atop the Bilwa Parvat. Enjoy the panoramic views of Haridwar from here.
2. Day 2: Rudraprayag
   6 hours 18 minutes (160 km) from Haridwar
   9:00 AM: Begin the day by visiting the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Take a trek through the sanctuary to spot some rare Himalayan birds.
   1:00 PM: Head to the Koteshwar Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located near the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers.
   7:00 PM: End the day by visiting the Guptkashi Temple, one of the oldest temples in Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
3. Day 3: Gaurikund
   1 hour 19 minutes (35 km) from Rudraprayag
   9:00 AM: Start the day by trekking from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, a distance of 16 km. The trek takes around 6-8 hours and offers breathtaking views of the Himalayas.
   4:00 PM: Reach Kedarnath and visit the Kedarnath Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Attend the evening aarti and take part in the Rudra Abhishek puja.
   7:00 PM: End the day with a visit to the Shankaracharya Samadhi, located near the Kedarnath Temple. The samadhi is dedicated to the 8th-century philosopher and theologian, Adi Shankaracharya.
4. Day 4: Badrinath
   9 hours 10 minutes (240 km) from Gaurikund
   9:00 AM: Start the day by visiting the Vasuki Tal, a high altitude lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The trek to the lake is around 8 km from Kedarnath.
   1:00 PM: Head to Badrinath and visit the Badrinath Temple, one of the holiest shrines in India. Take a dip in the Tapt Kund, a natural hot spring near the temple.
   7:00 PM: End the day with a visit to the Mana Village, the last village on the Indian side of the Indo-China border. Explore the village and visit the Vyas Cave and Ganesh Gufa.
5. Day 5: Rishikesh
   9 hours 40 minutes (294 km) from Badrinath
   9:00 AM: Start the day by visiting the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, located in the Pauri Garhwal district. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated at an altitude of 1,330 metres.
   1:00 PM: Head to Rishikesh and visit the Triveni Ghat, a confluence of three holy rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Attend the evening aarti and take a dip in the river.
   7:00 PM: End the day by visiting the Beatles Ashram, also known as the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram. The ashram was once used by the Beatles to practice Transcendental Meditation and is now abandoned.

Recommendations

If you have some extra time, you can consider visiting the Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh shrine located near the Hemkund Lake. The shrine is at an altitude of 4,632 metres and can be reached by trekking. You can also consider visiting the Valley of Flowers, a national park known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora. To maximize your fun, you can also try river rafting or bungee jumping in Rishikesh. Lastly, it is recommended to carry warm clothes and rain gear as the weather can be unpredictable in the region.

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