The Char Dham — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — are four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand traditionally visited west to east in a single circuit. The gates open around Akshaya Tritiya in late April or early May and close near Diwali in November, with exact dates announced afresh each year. Kedarnath and Yamunotri require treks of 16 km and 6 km respectively, ponies and helicopters are available, and registration is mandatory for all yatris.
