7-Day Charidham Yatra Itinerary for Shoestring Budget in September 2023

1. Day 1: Yamunotri
   2 hours 30 minutes (37 miles) from Dehradun Airport

   Visit the Yamunotri Temple and take a bath in the natural hot water spring at Janki Chatti. Enjoy a scenic trek to Surya Kund and Divya Shila in the afternoon. Attend the evening aarti at Yamunotri Temple.

2. Day 2: Gangotri
   6 hours 30 minutes (129 miles) from Yamunotri

   Start early morning and reach Gangotri by lunchtime. Visit the Gangotri Temple and take a dip in the holy Bhagirathi river. Explore the picturesque Harsil village in the afternoon. Attend the evening aarti at Gangotri Temple.

3. Day 3: Kedarnath
   5 hours 10 minutes (100 miles) from Gangotri

   Start early morning and reach Sonprayag by lunchtime. Then trek 20 km to reach Kedarnath Temple. Take a dip in the holy Mandakini river and visit the Shankaracharya Samadhi in the evening. Stay overnight at Kedarnath.

4. Day 4: Guptkashi
   4 hours 45 minutes (31 miles) from Kedarnath

   Start early morning and visit the Triyuginarayan Temple, which is believed to be the wedding place of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Later, drive to Guptkashi and visit the ancient Vishwanath Temple. Attend the evening aarti at Ardhnarishwar Temple in Guptkashi.

5. Day 5: Badrinath
   3 hours 50 minutes (79 miles) from Guptkashi

   Start early morning and reach Badrinath by lunchtime. Take a holy dip in Tapt Kund and visit the Badrinath Temple. Explore the Mana Village, the last village before the Indo-Tibetan border, in the afternoon. Attend the evening aarti at Badrinath Temple.

6. Day 6: Rudraprayag
   4 hours 20 minutes (94 miles) from Badrinath

   Start early morning and drive to Rudraprayag, the meeting point of river Alaknanda and Mandakini. Visit the Rudranath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Explore the Koteshwar Mahadev Temple and the Chamunda Devi Temple in the evening.

7. Day 7: Rishikesh
   4 hours 40 minutes (107 miles) from Rudraprayag

   Start early morning and drive to Rishikesh. Visit the Trimbakeshwar Temple and the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple on the way. Explore the local markets and take part in the evening Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh.

Recommendations

It is advisable to carry comfortable walking shoes, warm clothes, and raincoats as the weather can be unpredictable. Consider taking a dip in the holy water at all four dhams even if you are not religious. You can also visit the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib as a side trip. Do not forget to try the local delicacies such as Kumaoni Raita and Kaphli (black soybean) ki daal.