Badari's Perspectives: September 2022

Friday, September 09, 2022

Chardham 2022: Hotels, Restaurants and Travel Times.

13 08 Rishikesh - Barkot - Jankichatti

Started: 0830hrs / Paras Plaza , Opp Bus Adda, Rishikesh (https://goo.gl/maps/KQk7xJH1NKDXvMAG7)

Route: Narendra Nagar> Chamba> New Tehri> Dharasu> Barkot> hanuman Chatti > Janki Chatti

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast @ Roadside Dabha around 1 hr from Rishikesh, Lunch @ Brahmakal (Krishna Jamuna Palace and Restaurant, 8171981307 / 94567 55405)

Arrival: 2000 hrs

Overnight Stay: https://goo.gl/maps/6CT3Hdvh4gpXis2C7 (Don't know the name of the hotel)

14 08 YamunotriBaseCamp - Brahmakamal

Started: 1300

Route: Base Camp > Hanuman Chatti > Barkot > Brahmakal

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast on top at Yamunotri Dham, Skipped lunch, and reached the same hotel at Brahmakal

Arrival: 1800

Overnight Stay: Brahmakal (Krishna Jamuna Palace and Restaurant, 8171981307 / 94567 55405)

15 08 Brahmakamal - DarasuBend - Uttarkashi - Gangotri - Uttarkashi

Started: 0730hrs (Had to fill fuel and hence started to reach nearby fuel station by 0800 hrs)

Route: Brahmakamal > DarasuBend > Uttarkashi > Gangotri > Uttarkashi

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast at Uttarkashi (opp Kashi Vishwanatha Mandir), Lunch at Ishavyasa Ashram on top at Gangotri

Arrival: reached Gangothri by 1200 hrs, spent 3 hrs on top, and returned to Uttarkashi by around 1945. Rushed to a fuel pump to stay filled for the next day

Overnight Stay: Vaibhav Ganga and Restaurant, Gangotri National Highway, Netala (80576 63984, 6399391814, 95480 42369)

16 08 Uttarkashi - Sonprayag

Started: 0830hrs

Route: ( Multiple options available, Since we heard about landslides overnight, we decided to go via Ghansali)

Uttarkashi > Lambgaon > Ghansali > Tilwada> Agastmuni > Narayankoti > Gupt Kashi > Sonprayag

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast (Packed Upma from the hotel where we stayed overnight), Lunch at Bahuguna restaurant, Tilwara (https://goo.gl/maps/YsC1NTuo8tkCtNn17)

Arrival: 1900 hrs

Overnight Stay Hotel JPG Palace, Sitapur.

Dinner: Hotel Devraj and Restaurant (Next to our hotel)

17 08 Trek to Kedarnath Dham,

Overnight Stay Bhopal Bhavan, Kedarnath Dham.

18 08 Trek to Sonprayag

Overnight Stay JPEG Palace, Sitapur

19 08 Gaurikund - Rudraprayag - Joshimath

Started: 0700 hrs

Route: Gaurikund > Gupt Kashi > RudraPrayag (for temple visit) > Nagrasu > Gauchar > KarN Prayag > Gopeshwar > Pipalkot > Joshimath

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast at Chauhan Hotel (below Guptkashi temple bus stop on Main Road ), Lunch at Hotel Him Anand (https://g.page/hotel-him-anand?share)

One of the cheapest and tastiest hotels on this trip!!

Arrival: 2000

Overnight Stay at Hotel Manik Palace (Opp Hotel Dronagiri), just before entering Joshimath. (https://goo.gl/maps/WKTGFBcZk4uT8C2p8)

Dinner: Walked 200 Mtrs towards city center Marwari hotel. (https://goo.gl/maps/cRiFPDquTGV69JD47)

20 08 Joshimath - Badrinath

Started: 0700hrs

Route: Joshimath > Govind Ghat > Pandukeshwar > Badrinath

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast at Himsarovar Restaurant (https://goo.gl/maps/uFgdXNAMkzmJfc54A), Lunch at Sardeshwari (https://goo.gl/maps/uM7SqZm5dUijBXvw9)

Arrival: 1200 hrs

Overnight Stay: Bharath Sree Guest House (https://goo.gl/maps/jL2bJcGNyfBRrDpL7)

One of the best places that I have stayed on this trip

21 08 @ Badrinath

Brunch: Sardeshwari (https://goo.gl/maps/uM7SqZm5dUijBXvw9)

Dinner: Hotel Saket (https://goo.gl/maps/r14shyR5ahXn9xnw5)

22 08 Badrinath - Rishikesh

Started: 0830hrs

Route: Badrinath > Joshimath > pipalkoti > Gopeshwar > RudraPrayag > Srinagar > DevPrayag > Rishikesh

Breakfast, Lunch Stops: Breakfast @ a roadside Dabha, around 1 hr after driving down from Joshimath, Lunch at Srinagar Hotel Devlok (https://goo.gl/maps/crj7amGTXzYvj3EG8)

Arrival: 1700

Overnight Stay: Paras Plaza, Opp Bus Adda, Rishikesh https://goo.gl/maps/KQk7xJH1NKDXvMAG7

Various other eat out

Rishikesh Chotiwala * 2: https://goo.gl/maps/Rs1nKvzS9xPXTERh7

Haridwar Chotiwala: https://goo.gl/maps/HzM8Zj6b9MQcR8QE6

Chardham 2022: The Itinerary

12 08 BLR - DEL - DED - Rishikesh

13 08 Rishikesh - Barkot - Jankichatti

14 08 Yamunotri Trek - YamunotriBaseCamp - Brahmakal

15 08 Brahmakamal - DarasuBend - Uttarkashi - Gangotri - Uttarkashi

16 08 Uttarkashi - Sonprayag

17 08 Sonprayag - Gaurikund - Kedarnath Dham - Ascending Trek

18 08 Kedarnath Dham, Descent Trek Gaurikund

19 08 Gaurikund - Rudraprayag - Joshimath

20 08 Joshimath - Badrinath

21 08 Badrinath - ManaVillage - Badrinath

22 08 Badrinath - Rishikesh

23 08 Rishikesh - Hardwar - Rishikesh

24 08 DED - DED BLR

When we think about CharDham Yatra, the first thing that strikes our mind is the difficulty and the challenge to physical and mental fitness, the weather, the roads, and the facilities that may be (not commensurate to our expectations, especially the non-availability of hot water in cold weather), and the very thought that such adventure (of sorts) is usually for the elders after they have completed their familial obligations.

The majority of these notions are a result of overthinking by uninformed minds. It is not at all difficult to reach there, the road condition is perfectly fine. As a part of the Chardham highway, the roads have been widened to 2 lanes since 2014. And moreover, anyone can go there and they will be definitely mesmerized by the heavenly charm of the places they will visit during the Char Dham Yatra. It's quite a tradition to visit these dhams during the summer months, as you can worship the deities in their moola-sthana. Temples are open for 6 months of summer based on the Hindu panchanga.

Chardham Yatra Opening Dates Closing Dates

Yamunotri Temple 3rd May 2022 24th October 2022 (Tentative)

Akshaya Tritiya Eve of Deepavali

Gangotri Temple 3rd May 2022 25th October 2022 (Tentative)

Akshaya Tritiya Deepavali

Kedarnath Temple 6th May 2022 24th October 2022 (Tentative)

Akshaya Tritiya Eve of Bhai Dooj

Badrinath Temple 8th May 2022 26th October 2022 (Tentative)

Vasantha Panchami / Maharnavami or Bhai Dooj

Kedarnath (17 km) and Yamunotri (7 km) command arduous trekking. If you are particular about vising Goumukh (17kms) from Gangotri that adds to your 2 days of the itinerary. There are not many facilities for treckers in this stretch of trekking path. Those, unable to undertake the enthralling trek can fly to Kedarnath by helicopter. A multitude of camps, budget and luxury hotels, homestays, and guest houses offer comfortable accommodations en route to CharDhams in Uttarakhand.

In the beginning, it was only 6 of us on the team, but SriHari joined at the last minute, and accordingly, we had to revise some of the preparations for the trip.

A medical First Aid kit is pretty much mandatory and here is the list along with other items needed for this trip.

1. 3-4 sets of comfortable wear for the entire travel.

2. One woolen jacket

3. Poncho for rains

4. Woolen Cap + Gloves

5. Small Towel for quick access during your travel/trek.

6. Sweat towels are suggested for easy drying.

7. Winter resistance kind of jacket to withstand more cold.

8. Cotton -to use it in ears

9. Torch or headlight which can be recharged using cells

10. Dry fruits

11. Sunscreen with SPF 50 based on your skin type

12. Nonslippery footwear or normal slippers suitable for travel

13. Shoes for trekking

14. One havai slipper to be carried inside the bag.

Medicines

for headache, mountain sickness tablets (please consult a doctor) loose motion, first aid, vomiting, fever, and cold-related ones with the gastric tablet if required.

Allergy (Citrezine) / Diarrhea (Lomotil, LOMOFEN) / Nausea (Avomine) / Cold (Citrazine) / Cough (Strepsils) / Antacid (gelusil tabs) / PainKiller (Moov + hifenac MR) / PainSpray (VOlini) / Headache (Tilinol) / BugSpray (None) / Antibiotic Ointment (Vicco Turmeric, ODOMAS) / Fever (CALPOL, DOLO650)

ENO, Electral , Enerzal - for replenishing salts during the trek

HAMS >> Diamox

crêpe rolled bandages.small, medium, and large sterile gauze dressings, Cotton,

SPo2 meter, thermometer

Facemask

And most important of all the preparation steps: Yatri Registration is mandatory

registrationandtrouristcare.uk.gov.in