Best time
March to June and mid-September to November are the best months for most of Uttarakhand. The Char Dham temples usually open in late April or May and close around Diwali, with September and October drier than the monsoon weeks; July to mid-September brings landslides on the hill roads, and December to February is for snow at Auli and Chopta.
- March to June, 15 to 30°C in the hills: The main season: pleasant days in Mussoorie, Nainital and Auli while Haridwar and Rishikesh turn hot; the Char Dham temples usually open in late April or May, and May and June are the busiest weeks.
- July to mid-September, 18 to 30°C: The monsoon: green hills but heavy rain and landslides on the mountain roads, rafting at Rishikesh usually stopped and most of Corbett closed; the yatra runs, but travel days can slip.
- Mid-September to November, 8 to 28°C: Clear skies and the best Himalayan views; rafting reopens, Corbett's zones open again from about mid-October, and the yatra's second season runs until the temples close around Diwali and Bhai Dooj.
- December to February, -5 to 15°C: Winter: snow at Auli and Chopta and the odd snowfall in Mussoorie and Nainital, cold nights everywhere; the Char Dham temples are closed until spring.
What to pack
Light cottons and a sun hat for Haridwar and Rishikesh from April to June, with a light jacket for the evenings in Mussoorie and Nainital. From November to February: thermals, a padded or down jacket, gloves and a woollen cap, and waterproof shoes with grip for the snow at Auli and Chopta. On the yatras, good walking shoes, a rain jacket or poncho in every month, warm layers for the night at Kedarnath, a small torch, a refillable bottle, your own medicines and a photo ID for the registration. Modest clothes suit the temples and ghats.
Getting there
From Hyderabad, fly or take the train to Delhi, where most of our Uttarakhand trips start, or fly to Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport, between Dehradun and Rishikesh, for the trips that begin in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun. The group yatras leave Delhi on an overnight bus in the evening, so a flight that lands in Delhi by the afternoon works.
From Bengaluru, fly to Delhi and join the trip there, or fly to Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport for the trips that start in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun. The rest of the journey is by road, and the group yatras board their overnight bus in Delhi in the evening or join at Rishikesh.
From Chennai, fly or take the train to Delhi, the start of most trips, or fly to Dehradun for the ones that begin in Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun. Everything after that is by road; the group yatras leave Delhi on an overnight bus or start at Rishikesh.
Permits and fees
As of 2026 the Char Dham yatra needs a registration for every pilgrim, done online at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in, on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand app or at the counters in Haridwar, Rishikesh and on the route, and the checkposts ask for it with a photo ID. The group yatras include the yatra permits (limited and subject to availability), and the private Char Dham trip includes help with the registration. Corbett jeep safaris run on permits the park issues per zone and slot, which sell out on weekends and holidays; confirm the rules before you book.
