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Gaurikund to Kedarnath trek full journey information
Gaurikund to Kedarnath trek distance is 16km. It was an earlier 14 km trek but after the flood of 2013, new routes were developed and now it was converted into 16 km. You will find several stoppages where you can halt during the trek.
You don’t have any option of bus or taxi to reach there till Kedarnath temple. Gaurikund is the last motor stop and from Gaurikund you need to trek up to reach Kedarnath Ji.
There are three ways to complete the trek of Gaurikund to Kedarnath –
- By Helicopter
- By Horse and palki
- By trek
To make this trek easy, if you are not so comfortable trekking, you can opt for the option of Horse Palki or Kandi services from Garurikund. Else if you are having a good budget, you can book the helicopter ride as well.
In this article, we are going to know what are all the possible ways, and how to reach Kedarnath from Gaurikund in detail.

First Option, Gaurikund to Kedarnath by horse –
Many of the pilgrims come from different states or from different countries to visit the holy shrine of Kedarnath. Ponies and horse service are available to climb up the steep path. Price charges of these horses and ponies depend upon the nature of the trip, distance, uphill/downhill journey, same day or next day return, and weight of the passenger.
Horse charges from Gaurikund to Kedarnath-
From | To | Distance
(Km) | Price |
Gaurikund | Kedarnath | 14 | 2300 |
Gaurikund | Lincholi | 11 | 1600 |
Gaurikund | Bhimbali | 6 | 700 |
Gaurikund | Sonprayag | 5 | 550 |
Bhimbali | Kedarnath | 8 | 1200 |
Kedarnath | Sonprayag | 19 | 1700 |
Kedarnath | Gaurikund | 14 | 1500 |
Kedarnath | Bhimbali | 8 | 800 |
Kedarnath | Lincholi | 3 | 500 |
Lincholi | Kedarnath | 3 | 550 |
Lincholi | Gaurikund | 11 | 900 |
Bhimbali | Gaurikund | 6 | 700 |
Lincholi | Sonprayag | 18.5 | 1400 |
Choti lincholi | Sonprayag | 14 | 1100 |
Gaurikund | Choti Lincholi | 9 | 1100 |
Choti lincholi | Gaurikund | 9 | 800 |
Option 2, Palki and Doli from Gaurikund to Kedarnath
Palki is another option you can opt for to reach Kedarnath from Gaurikund. It is a type of carrier where passengers have to sit and four-person will carry it on their shoulders. its prices vary from the situations like the weight of the passenger, Uphill or downhill ride, etc.
Here is the price list for Palki from Gaurikund to Kedarnath-
From | To | Distance in
(Kms) | Upto 75kgs
( In INR) | Upto 90 kgs
(In INR) | 90+ kgs
(In INR) |
Gaurikund | Kedarnath | 16 | 4550 | 5550 | 6550 |
Gaurikund | Kedarnath and return | 32 | 7950 | 8950 | 10650 |
Kedarnath | Gaurikund | 16 | 3950 | 4950 | 5850 |
Gaurikund | Lincholi | 12 | 3550 | 4550 | 5350 |
Lincholi | Gaurikund | 12 | 2950 | 3950 | 4650 |
Lincholi | Kedarnath | 4 | 1550 | 2550 | 2950 |
Kedarnath | Lincholi | 4 | 1350 | 2350 | 2700 |
Lincholi | Kedarnath and return | 48 | 2350 | 3350 | 3900 |
Note: The above rates are subject to change without any notice.
Read here the complete article for Horse and palki charges in Kedarnath
Option 3 by trek-
First, you need to reach Gaurikund –
By Air – Jolly Grant airport is the nearest airport to reach Gaurikund from where Gaurikund is about 224 km
Railway – The Nearest railway station to reach Gaurikund is situated in Rishikesh on NH 58 which is 203 km away from Gaurikund.
Road Way – Gaurikund is the end of the road which leads to Kedarnath.
After this, the trek of Kedarnath will start.
The first Stoppage is Jungle Chatti –
From Gaurikund to Jungle Chatti is about 4 km of trek by the Rambara bridge. You can cover the trek of this 4 km by walking or use the pony service and palki service.

The second Stoppage is BheemBali –
Then from Jungle Chatti to BheemBali is all about 3km of trek. You will find a free drinking water facility, free toilet facilities, free wifi facilities, and GMVN tents also available.
The Stoppage is Linchauli –
Then there is a trek from Bheembali to Linchauli of 4 km. It will give you a soul-satisfying view of the mountains from which the Mandakini river flows. You will find private tents and GMVN tents also, and medical facilities are also available.
The fourth Stoppage is Kedarnath base Camp –
Then Linchauli to Kedarnath base camp is about 4 km. You will find an eye resting views and many different glaciers along the way.
Finally Kedarnath Ji-
Then from Kedarnath base camp to Kedarnath temple is 1 km. At Kedarnath base camp you will find the camp of GMVN which you can book online by their official website.
How safe?
The trek route is all safe but being a revered pilgrimage site, Kedarnath is generally flocked by pilgrims and tourists every year. So it is advisable to avoid monsoon season for the trek because roads leading to Kedarnath are prone to landslides and there is always a danger of cloud bursting.
Facilities and Medical assistance during the trek
The Uttrakhand government ( GMVN) has made medical facilities for pilgrims visiting the Kedarnath shrine. Some of the medical facilities for the pilgrims include a makeshift medical camp at Kedarnath with portable medical stock and oxygen cylinders.
Time is taken to reach Kedarnath from Gaurikund
You can reach Kedarnath only after covering a trek of 16 kilometers on a paved road by walking or you can take a pony or palki. The total time to reach Kedarnath by walking will take 5-6 hours of a continuous trek.
Sonprayag to Kedarnath distance by walk
The distance between Sonprayag to Kedarnath is all about 22.8 kilometers approx which is covered by waking in about 5 to 5.5 hours.

Most important Things to carry while doing a Kedarnath trek.
- Warm clothes
In Kedarnath temple, the weather is very cold during the whole year. In winter sometimes you can face rainfall and snowfall which leads to a decrease in temperature.
- Light and torches
During the Kedarnath, Temple trek is most important that you should not carry extra stuff with you. You should keep the minimum things which require during a Kedarnath Temple Trek.
- Medicines
As we all know that Kedarnath temple is situated at an altitude of 3587 meter. So you should carry some medicine for your stomach and for vomiting.
- Water bottles
If you treking at noon time it prevents you from dehydration. We would like to refer you to carry hot water with you.
- Packed food
You should carry lightweight food which keeps you warm from the inside and gives you energy. As you must walk around 18 Km during the Kedarnath temple trek.
- Umbrella
During the trek, you can carry an umbrella which is most important for trekking. Some months of the year have very heavy rainfall so it’s useful to carry an umbrella with you.
- Good quality boots
During the Trek, we would prefer you to carry good trekking boots because you have to walk 18 km.
- BSNL/JIO sim card
Bsnl and Jio networks are the strongest network, we should prefer you to carry them with you while trekking.
- Power bank Or extra batteries
We should prefer you to carry extra batteries and power banks with you in case of emergency or for your own use.
Halt points from Haridwar to Kedarnath
Haridwar – Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Agastamuni – Guptkashi – Phata – Sonprayag – Gaurikund – kedarnath.
Halt points from Gaurikund to Kedarnath
Gaurikund – Jungle Chatti – Bheembali – Lincholi – Kedarnath base camp – Kedarnath temple.
In case of landslides during monsoon time, local administration can divert the routes.
You can read these articles for full-paced information so that you can better plan your trip
Direct buses to Kedarnath from Haridwar and Rishikesh
Horse and Palki charges from Gaurikund
Helicopter booking for Kedarnath
FAQ Gaurikund to Kedarnath Trek
Q. Where is Gaurikund ?
Ans. Gaurikund is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttrakhand state. It is the starting point of the trek to Kedarnath.
Q. Where is the nearest airport from Gaurikund?
Ans. Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport to Gaurikund.
Q. Where is the nearest railway station from Gaurikund?
Ans. Rishikesh Railway Station is the nearest railway station.
Q. Why this place is called Gaurikund?
Ans. This place is named after Goddess Parvati, wife of lord Shiva. And a temple is also situated here named as Gauri.
Q.What is the distance from Gaurikund to Kedarnath?
Ans. There is a total of 16 km of distance from Gaurikund to Kedarnath.
Q. What is Gaurikund famous for?
Ans. It is famous for its natural hot water spring and temple of goddess Gauri.
Q. What is the height of Gaurikund?
Ans. It is situated at a height of 1982 meters above sea level.
Q. How much time does it take from Gaurikund to Kedarnath?
Ans. It will take at least 7 hours to reach Kedarnath.
Q. What is the best time to visit Kedarnath?
Ans. The best time to visit Kedarnath is during the month of May when the temple reopens during September – October.
Q. What kind of weather is there in Kedarnath?
Ans. From March to June, there are summers with pleasant temperatures and a cool climate. Monsoon can be seen from June to October. Winters are from November to last February.
Q. Are there any ATM facilities available in Kedarnath?
Ans. No , there is no ATM machine in Kedarnath since the 2013 disaster.
Q. Are there any taxi services available in Kedarnath?
Ans. As Gaurikund is the nearest road to Kedarnath, after that the trek starts. You can book your taxi in Gaurikund to visit other places.
Q. Can I book a helicopter to visit to Kedarnath?
Ans. Yes, you can directly book a helicopter to reach Kedarnath.
Q. What is the darshan timing at Kedarnath?
Ans. Morning: 5 AM – 1:30 PM
Evening: 5:30 PM – 10 PM
Q. How much dandi, kandhi, or mules cost from Gaurikund?
Ans. For different distances, there are different rates. Gaurikund to Kedarnath,Dandi cost is 4550/- , Kandi will cost 3350/- , and pony costs 4100/-.
Q. Is there any medical facilities available on the trek from Kedarnath to Gaurikund?
Yes, there are many first aid facilities available on the trek.
Q. What kind of facilities are there available on the trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath?
Ans. There are facilities like Medical and first aid, resting places, night stays, and restaurants.
Q. Is there any place for rest for tourists?
Ans. Yes, there are several GNVN guest houses in Kedarnath any many hotels in Gaurikund.
Q. Which is the most comfortable way to reach Kedarnath?
Ans. The most comfortable way to reach Kedarnath is via helicopter.
This blog is very informative
Thanks!