Jyotirlinga 5 of 12 · Uttarakhand

Kedarnath

केदारनाथ

Location: Kedarnath (Rudraprayag district), Uttarakhand

Swayambhu (self-manifest)Online booking

Darshan timings

04:00–15:00, 17:00–21:00 IST (yatra season only)

Average wait

2–6 hours (peak); 30 mins (VIP ₹2,100)

Best season

May–June, September–October (closed Nov–Apr)

Daily visitors

15,000–25,000 in yatra season (May–Oct only)

Signature ritual

Maha Abhishek (water + milk + ghee)

Time: 04:00 IST

Highest Jyotirlinga (3,583 m). Part of Char Dham yatra. 5th in canonical order.

Pandavas sought Shiva for absolution post-Kurukshetra. Shiva took bull form to escape; his hump remains here, other parts at Panch Kedar sites.

16 km trek from Gaurikund (or helicopter from Phata/Sersi/Guptkashi). No road access.

Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Dehradun (240 km road + 16 km trek)

Nearest railway: Rishikesh (220 km road + 16 km trek)

GMVN guesthouses + tents at Kedarnath base; pilgrim camps in Gaurikund.

Abhishekam fee

₹1,100 Sapt Rishi Pujan; ₹4,200 Maha Abhishek

VIP darshan

₹2,100 (Badri-Kedar Mandir Samiti)

What to offer: Bel patra, ghee, panchamrit, locally grown brahma kamal flower

Dress code

Warm clothes mandatory (temple sits at 3,583m); traditional inside sanctum

Photo policy

No phones inside sanctum; outdoor photography allowed

Rebuilt post-2013 floods. Online booking via shrikedarnathji-uk.com — slots fill 60 days ahead in peak season.

Cannot travel? Book a remote puja with video proof at this Jyotirlinga. Or join the full 12 Jyotirlinga circuit.