Char Dham Yatra 2026: Registration Opens April 15 — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath Schedule
The portals of all four Char Dhams — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — will open between April 22 and May 4, 2026. Online registration is mandatory; over 40 lakh pilgrims expected this season.
Representative image. Photo: Nationalism News
The Uttarakhand government has announced that online registration for Char Dham Yatra 2026 will begin on April 15, 2026 at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in. Registration is mandatory for all pilgrims — unregistered pilgrims will not be permitted entry beyond the base camps. A daily cap of 20,000 pilgrims per shrine is being maintained to ensure safety following the 2013 Kedarnath flood tragedy.
The opening dates for the four shrines: Yamunotri — April 22 (Akshaya Tritiya), Gangotri — April 22, Kedarnath — April 27 (Auspicious Mahurat), and Badrinath — May 4. All shrines close by mid-November before the winter snowfall.
The Uttarakhand government has invested Rs 2,800 crore in improving infrastructure along the Char Dham route. Major upgrades include: all-weather road connectivity, 12 new helipad landing sites, 24 ropeway stations and real-time pilgrim tracking via GPS-enabled wristbands.
Helicopter services to Kedarnath operate from Phata, Guptkashi and Sirsi helipads. Booking is available on the Heliyatra app or the IRCTC website. One-way ticket prices range from Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,000 depending on the helipad. AYUSH protocols now require pilgrims above 60 years to carry a fitness certificate.
For those taking the motorable route, the all-weather Char Dham Highway Project — which includes ropeways replacing dangerous landslide-prone stretches — is 94% complete. The highway connects Rishikesh, Uttarkashi, Gaurikund and Joshimath with four-lane roads.
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