Season guide
Best time to visit Uttarakhand
May to June and September to October are the two Char Dham windows, either side of the monsoon. The shrines open around late April or early May and close around Diwali. July and August carry serious landslide risk on the pilgrimage roads and are best avoided.
- Char Dham season
- Late April to October, around Diwali
- Best windows
- May to June, September to October
- Avoid
- July and August
- Adi Kailash
- June to September
The two halves of the season
May and June are warm, busy and the peak of the yatra. September and October are cooler and quieter with clearer mountain views after the rain, which many people prefer. The monsoon between them is not a matter of comfort but of road safety.
Registration
Char Dham travel requires registration, and the system and quotas change from year to year. Confirm the current requirement before fixing dates, because it can affect which days are available.
Questions people ask
When do the Char Dham temples open?
Usually around late April or early May, on dates set each year by the temple committees, and they close around Diwali in late October or November.
Is the Char Dham yatra safe in July?
The monsoon brings a genuine landslide risk on these roads and the route has seen serious incidents. Most operators, including this one, steer travellers to May–June or September–October instead.
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Tours that go there
Every one of these is run by our own team, with the drivers and the permits arranged.
Read next
- Best time to visit Himachal PradeshMarch to June is the main season in Himachal, with clear weather and open passes. Late December to February brings snow to Shimla, Manali and Dalhousie. July to mid-September is monsoon, when landslides close hill roads without warning — it is the one window worth avoiding for a road-based trip.
- How to reach KedarnathKedarnath is reached by a 16 km trek from Gaurikund, which is the last motorable point, or by helicopter from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi. The temple sits at about 3,580 metres and opens from around late April or early May until Diwali.
- Tours for senior travellersShimla, Dalhousie and Kashmir suit senior travellers, because they stay below 2,700 metres and the sightseeing can be done without long walks. Ladakh, Spiti and the Kedarnath trek are not advisable without medical clearance, since all three involve sustained altitude or sustained climbing.
- Family tour packages in the HimalayasShimla, Manali and Dharamshala suit families best, because the drives are short, hotels are plentiful and nothing depends on altitude tolerance. Ladakh and Spiti are not recommended for young children or grandparents, since both involve sustained time above 3,500 metres.
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