Yamunotri itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Yamunotri

1. 01

   Day 1: Janki Chatti to the shrine and back

   This works only if you sleep at Janki Chatti or Barkot the night before. Start the 6 km walk at first light, taking a pony or palki if needed. Spend about an hour at the shrine, the Surya Kund hot spring and the Divya Shila rock, then start down by early afternoon. Have a simple meal at Janki Chatti and, if you have energy, cross to Kharsali to see the village. Drive back to Barkot or onward only if the road and weather allow.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Janki Chatti	Overnight, or 1–2 hours as a pause	Moderate	May–June, September–October
   Barkot	Overnight	Easy	Year-round as a stop; May–June for yatra season
   Surya Kund	20–30 minutes	Easy	Morning, before the crowds; May–June and Sep–Oct
   Divya Shila	5–10 minutes	Easy	Early morning, before the darshan queue builds
   Kharsali	1–2 hours	Moderate	Morning; May–June and Sep–Oct

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Janki Chatti: Janki Chatti sits at roughly 2,600 m, so the first night here helps the body adjust. The village is mostly on a slope with steps and uneven lanes, and a few lodges are a short walk from the road. Check whether your lodge has a lift or ground-floor rooms; most do not.

   With parents at Kharsali: The village is reached on foot across a bridge and has uneven lanes with some steps. It is small enough to see slowly. Older visitors may find the climb to the temple area tiring at altitude, so go at a relaxed pace.

Plan 02

2 days in Yamunotri

1. 01

   Day 1: Barkot to Janki Chatti

   Drive from Barkot to Janki Chatti in the morning, leaving time for road delays. Settle into a lodge or the GMVN rest house, rest at altitude, and take a short walk beside the river. If the hot springs here are open for bathing, use them in the evening.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Barkot	Overnight	Easy	Year-round as a stop; May–June for yatra season
   Janki Chatti	Overnight, or 1–2 hours as a pause	Moderate	May–June, September–October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Janki Chatti: Janki Chatti sits at roughly 2,600 m, so the first night here helps the body adjust. The village is mostly on a slope with steps and uneven lanes, and a few lodges are a short walk from the road. Check whether your lodge has a lift or ground-floor rooms; most do not.

2. 02

   Day 2: The walk, the shrine and Kharsali

   Start up the trail at first light. Visit the temple, Surya Kund and Divya Shila, then come down by early afternoon. After lunch, walk across to Kharsali to see the village and the Shani Dev temple, then start the drive back.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Kharsali	1–2 hours	Moderate	Morning; May–June and Sep–Oct
   Surya Kund	20–30 minutes	Easy	Morning, before the crowds; May–June and Sep–Oct
   Divya Shila	5–10 minutes	Easy	Early morning, before the darshan queue builds

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Kharsali: The village is reached on foot across a bridge and has uneven lanes with some steps. It is small enough to see slowly. Older visitors may find the climb to the temple area tiring at altitude, so go at a relaxed pace.

Plan 03

3 days in Yamunotri

1. 01

   Day 1: Drive to Barkot

   Take the road from Dehradun or Mussoorie to Barkot and stay overnight. The lower altitude is a gentle start, and the town has shops and chemists if you need supplies.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Barkot	Overnight	Easy	Year-round as a stop; May–June for yatra season

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Janki Chatti and the climb

   Drive on to Janki Chatti early, check in, and rest. If you are fit and the weather is clear, begin the climb that afternoon only if you can return before dark; otherwise keep it for the next morning and use the afternoon for a short walk and early night.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Janki Chatti	Overnight, or 1–2 hours as a pause	Moderate	May–June, September–October

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Janki Chatti: Janki Chatti sits at roughly 2,600 m, so the first night here helps the body adjust. The village is mostly on a slope with steps and uneven lanes, and a few lodges are a short walk from the road. Check whether your lodge has a lift or ground-floor rooms; most do not.

3. 03

   Day 3: Yamunotri, then Kharsali

   Climb at first light, visit the shrine, hot springs and Divya Shila, and descend. Spend the afternoon in Kharsali, then drive back toward Barkot.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Kharsali	1–2 hours	Moderate	Morning; May–June and Sep–Oct
   Divya Shila	5–10 minutes	Easy	Early morning, before the darshan queue builds
   Barkot	Overnight	Easy	Year-round as a stop; May–June for yatra season

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Kharsali: The village is reached on foot across a bridge and has uneven lanes with some steps. It is small enough to see slowly. Older visitors may find the climb to the temple area tiring at altitude, so go at a relaxed pace.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Yamunotri trip for parents and children

• Do not go straight from the road to the shrine; sleep a night at Barkot or Janki Chatti first so the body can adjust to the altitude.
• Consider a pony, palki or doli for the 6 km climb. Book through official counters and agree arrangements before you set off.
• Start at first light and plan to be back at Janki Chatti by afternoon, before cloud, rain and cold arrive.
• Carry a rain jacket, warm layer, walking stick, water and your regular medicines, and tell a companion if you feel breathless or dizzy.
• If you have heart, lung or blood pressure conditions, speak to a doctor first and keep the Kharsali village walk as a gentler alternative to the shrine.
• Avoid July and August, when landslides can close the road and make the trail slippery.

Yamunotri with elderly parents: the full guide →