Here’s a complete journey guide providing you information on different ways to travel from Udupi to Kedarnath.

About Udupi

Udupi (or Udipi or Odipu) is a coastal city in Karnataka state of India. It is one of the fastest-growing cities of the state. The total area of is 3,582 sq km. Being famous for its vegetarian cuisine and South Indian restaurants all over India, the place also attracts a lot of tourists because of its ancient temples and beautiful beaches. Apart from that, Manipal, the educational hub of Mangalore, is also located in here. It attracts many students from India and internationally.

The famous hill stations Kudremukh, Kollur and Kodachadri Hills are also lies near Udupi. Some famous tourists places are Sri Krishna Temple, Ananteshwar Temple, Malpe Beach, Malpe Beach, Anegudde Vinayaka Temple etc. The total distance between from Udupi to Kedarnath is 2810 km.

About Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath temple is a famous ancient sacred temple situated in the Rudraprayag district of Uttrakhand state of India. It is located at a height of 3,583 m. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and located near the Mandakini river. The place is surrounded by a pleasant mountain beauty, stunning sights of nature and greatness of Lord Shiva can be feeled around the whole Kedarnath area. The temple is visited by millions of devotees all over the world each year during Chardham yatra.

It is not known that when exactly the temple was built, but it is believed that an ancient temple site was built by the Pandavas, from the Mahabharata. And the temple of the present day was built by Adi Shankaracharya in he 8th century AD.

The last road head is 16 km away, at Gaurikund. From there, the trekking journey for the temple starts. The closest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun and closest railway station is in Rishikesh.

How to travel from Udupi to Kedarnath?

Udupi to Kedarnath via Own Car

The total distance between from Udupi to Kedarnath by road is 2810 km. If you are planning to travel by your own car, you can start your journey from Udupi -> Hubbali -> Vijayapura -> Solapur -> Jalna -> Khandwa -> Guna -> Shivpuri -> Gwalior -> Agra -> Aligarh -> Gajraula -> Kotdwar -> Pauri -> Rudraprayag -> Agustyamuni -> Guptkashi -> Sonprayag -> Gaurikund -> Kedarnath.

Udupi to Kedarnath via Bus

There is no direct bus service from Udupi to Kedarnath. So, if you are planning to travel by bus, the best route to go New Delhi is through Navi Mumbai. Firstly, take a bus from Udupi to Navi Mumbai, then after reaching Navi Mumbai, you have to switch the bus for Kashmiri Gate Bus Terminal in New Delhi. Buses for Dehradun are easily available there. Another option available is you can book a taxi or a cab.

After reaching Dehradun, you have to take a bus to reach Sonprayag. Once you reach Sonprayag, the distance to Gaurikund is only 5 km. You can easily find a taxi there and the ride will only take around 15-20 minutes. From Gaurikund, the trekking route starts which is 16 km and generally takes 6 to 8 hours. The whole trekking duration depends on your speed and weather conditions.

Udupi to Kedarnath via Air

If you are planning to travel from air then, there is no direct flight between Udupi to Kedarnath. So, if you are thinking about flight, then reach the Mangalore Airport, take the flight to New Delhi. Then take another flight to reach Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. After that, take a bus to reach Sonprayag. The last road head to the temple is only 5 km from there.

Note : You can also take other available flights to travel by checking IRCTC Air website.

Udupi to Kedarnath via Train

There is no direct train from Udupi to Kedarnath. You have to take train to reach the nearest railway station to Kedarnath, i.e. Rishikesh Railway Station. The train operates on every Friday per week from Udupi. After reaching Rishikesh, you can take a bus or cab to Sonprayag.

Note : You can also check other trains available for by clicking on IRCTC website.

Weather Conditions in Kedarnath Area

Kedarnath remains open for only 6 months, from the month of late April to November. Other 6 months, from November to March, the temple remains closed due to extreme cold conditions. During summer, the temperature in the area varies from 10°C to 20° C. During winter, cold is at extreme high level leads to heavy snowfall. Best time to visit temple is May to June or September to October. Monsoon season causes heavy rainfall, which leads to floods and landslides in the hilly region.

Other tourists spots to visit near Kedarnath

Bhairavnath Temple
Vasuki Tal

Shankaracharya Samadhi
Chandrashila
Triyuginarayan Temple
Chorabari Tal
Tungnath Temple
Rudranath Temple
Madhyamaheshwar Temple
Kalpeshwar Temple
Mayali Pass Trek
Deoria Taal
Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi

Tips while travelling/trekking to Kedarnath

1. Avoid to visit the temple during monsoon. Heavy rainfall in hilly areas causes floods and landslides.
2. Don’t forget to carry your aadhar card or any ID, raincoat, medical kit, power batteries.
3. Avoid to trek during night time, there are black bears in Kedar Valley.
4. Carry some light weighted winter wears as the weather there may be cold.
5. Last minute bookings don’t work always, make sure to book hotels in advance.
6. The hilly area has network problems. Only BSNL and Jio sim works there.
7. If you are not able to walk such distance while trekking, you can opt for pony or helicopter service which is easily available.

Note : You can also check our group packages and private or individual tour packages.

FAQs

Q1. How to go from to Kedarnath ?
A1. You can travel from Kedarnath by your own car, by bus, by air or by train. All options are available.
Q2. Which town is nearest to Kedarnath ?
A2. Gaurikund is the nearest town to Kedarnath. After that, the trekking route starts.
Q3. What are Kedarnath Temple darshan timings ?
A3. When the shrines of the temple are open, the darshan timings are
Morning from 5 AM-1:30 PM
Evening from 5:30 PM-10 PM
Q4. Is there any rail connectivity in Kedarnath?
A4. Haridwar Junction is the nearest railway station from Kedarnath. Haridwar is located at a distance of 238 km and is connected with all the major cities of other states.
Q5. How is the food facility available in Kedarnath?
A5. After the disaster of year 2013 took place, Kedarnath have limited hotels and restaurants now.
A6. What is the age of Kedarnath ?
A6. It is still not known how old exactly is the temple. But as said by the Hindu legends, it is concluded that the temple is about 3,000 years back which is known as the minimum age.
Q7. Who built Kedarnath temple ?
A7. According to old ancient theories and research work, it is believed that Adi Shankaracharya had built this temple in 8th century.
Q8. Which year Kedarnath tragedy took place ?
A8. In 16th June 2013, about 7:30 pm, due to heavy rainfall in the Uttarakhand, floods took place. A loud thunder and crashing was heard, after which everything, everywhere in Kedarnath got destroyed.