The short answer
Char Dham covers all four Himalayan shrines — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — and needs 10 to 12 days. Do Dham covers Kedarnath and Badrinath and needs 6 to 8 days. Both include the Kedarnath trek and both can start from Haridwar or Delhi.
Side by side
| Programme | Duration | From (per person) |
|---|---|---|
| Char Dham from Haridwar | 9N / 10D | ₹26,900 |
| Char Dham from Delhi | 11N / 12D | ₹32,300 |
| Do Dham from Haridwar | 5N / 6D | ₹17,900 |
| Do Dham from Delhi | 7N / 8D | ₹21,900 |
| Ek Dham — Kedarnath | 3N / 4D | ₹11,500 |
| Ek Dham — Badrinath | 2N / 3D | ₹8,900 |
Rates are per person, vary with hotel grade and group size, and exclude 5% GST.
What the extra four days on Char Dham buy
Yamunotri and Gangotri sit in a different valley system from Kedarnath and Badrinath. Reaching them adds a 5 km trek each way to Yamunotri from Janki Chatti, a day at Gangotri, and — the part people underestimate — the longest single road stretch of the circuit, Uttarkashi to the Kedarnath base sector, which runs 240 km and can exceed ten hours in traffic.
Who should take Do Dham
- Anyone with under a week of leave
- First-time Himalayan travellers — fewer very long driving days
- Families with elderly members, where the Yamunotri trek is the sticking point
- Pilgrims whose priority is Kedarnath and Badrinath specifically
Who should take Char Dham
- Anyone who wants the complete circuit in one journey rather than returning
- Travellers comfortable with 8 to 9 hour mountain drives on several days
- Groups who can take the Delhi-start version, which adds a Haridwar night at the start and a Rishikesh night at the close and is the more relaxed of the two
Ex-Haridwar or ex-Delhi?
The Delhi versions add two nights for roughly ₹4,000 to ₹5,400 more per person. That buys a day of its own for the Delhi–Haridwar transfer instead of bolting it onto the first mountain drive, plus a closing night at Rishikesh. If you are flying into Delhi anyway, it is usually the better-paced choice.
Both include the Kedarnath trek
There is no version of either yatra that skips it — the shrine is roughly 21 km on foot from Gaurikund, or a separately booked helicopter. Every one of our programmes builds in an overnight halt at Kedarnath and a buffer night in the base sector below it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Do Dham and Char Dham?
Char Dham covers all four Himalayan shrines — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — and needs 10 to 12 days. Do Dham covers Kedarnath and Badrinath and needs 6 to 8 days. Both include the Kedarnath trek and both can start from Haridwar or Delhi.
Is Do Dham cheaper than Char Dham?
Yes. Do Dham from Haridwar is 5 nights and 6 days from ₹17,900 per person against ₹26,900 for the 9 nights and 10 days Char Dham from Haridwar. Rates vary with hotel grade and group size and exclude 5% GST.
Which yatra is better for elderly travellers?
Do Dham, in most cases. It has fewer very long driving days, and the Yamunotri trek on the Char Dham circuit is usually the sticking point for families travelling with elderly members.
Should I start from Haridwar or Delhi?
The Delhi versions add two nights for roughly ₹4,000 to ₹5,400 more per person: a day of its own for the Delhi to Haridwar transfer instead of bolting it onto the first mountain drive, plus a closing night at Rishikesh. If you are flying into Delhi anyway, it is usually the better-paced choice.
Does either yatra skip the Kedarnath trek?
No. There is no version of either yatra that skips it. The shrine is roughly 21 km on foot from Gaurikund, or a separately booked helicopter. Every programme builds in an overnight halt at Kedarnath and a buffer night in the base sector below it.
What do the extra four days on Char Dham cover?
Yamunotri and Gangotri, which sit in a different valley system from Kedarnath and Badrinath. Reaching them adds a 5 km trek each way to Yamunotri from Janki Chatti, a day at Gangotri, and the longest single road stretch of the circuit — Uttarkashi to the Kedarnath base sector, 240 km, which can exceed ten hours in traffic.
Can I do just one shrine?
Yes. The Ek Dham Kedarnath itinerary runs 3 nights and 4 days from ₹11,500 per person, and Ek Dham Badrinath runs 2 nights and 3 days from ₹8,900 per person.
