If you are from Pune of Maharashtra, and have a desire in your heart to visit the holy sites of Char Dham in Uttarakhand, then this blog is for you. Char Dham circuit, known among the most popular pilgrimages, is naturally set amid the Himalayan topography, where altitude is high, the climate is cold, and the pathways are narrow and wavy. Looking at its challenging route, the people living in distant areas of Pune often feel uneasy planning a hassle-free sacred Yatra. Hence, here we are sharing a crisp guide related to Pune to Char Dham trip through which devotees can plan it smoothly and visit this devotional land without any stress.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the historic temples of the Char Dham circuit for residents of Pune lies in May and June in summer and October in the post-monsoon season. Therefore, you should think of visiting this holy land in any of these months.
The reason behind this is the adverse climate of the Himalayan foothills, so the temples remain closed for six months continuously. Every year, the temples open roughly around the holy occasion of Akshay Tritiya, which falls in the month of May. That is why devotees have a 6-month span to commence this religious trip from May to October. In addition, the 3 months of monsoon season from July to September are unfavourable due to unpredictable rainfall and cloud bursting incidents.
Transportation Options
To every category of pilgrims, there are a variety of modes of transportation.
Aerial Mode
- The people aspiring to get a luxurious trip experience on Pune to Uttarakhand journey can access flight services to the Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun.
- From Dehradun Airport onwards, you can avail of helicopter services to all the destinations.
- Your Helicopter journey will begin from the Sahastradhara Helipad of Dehradun.
Railway Mode
- The individuals looking for an affordable mode to travel to this holy pilgrimage from their hometown Pune should choose the train to travel up to Haridwar.
- From Haridwar onwards, you can book a rental taxi or minibus on the basis of your group size.
Road Mode
- The travellers wishing to move by their own vehicle or Bus throughout from Pune to Haridwar can choose road mode to travel.
- The roads on the route of Pune to Haridwar and Rishikesh are flawless and sleek. But the distance between this town of Maharashtra and Uttarakhand is about 1591 Km, which is not coverable in one go. So you should take overnight breaks in between your road trip.
- From Rishikesh onwards, the mountainous region begins, the land starts elevating, and the roads become narrow.
- So you must seek assistance from a skilled driver to drive in hilly areas.
Where to Stay
The hilly towns and hamlets falling on this Tirth Yatra route offers a wide range of stay options for the pilgrims. So if you are coming from Pune and are worried about a safe and comfortable stay, then here is the solution of your concern.
Resorts
- The resorts equipped with luxury facilities are the ideal place to stay for the VIP pilgrims and luxury lovers.
- Generally, these are available at a higher cost but offer an outstanding, comfortable and premium stay with all the amenities and conjuring views of the Himalayas.
Guest Houses
- The Guest Houses, hotels and lodges are the perfect spots to stay for middle-class travellers.
- Here you can get a room at an affordable price.
- Moreover, you will get the basic facilities like hot water, clean room, hygienic washroom and so on.
Homestays
- Homestays are also a budget-friendly option to take an overnight break in this tour.
- The owners provide genuine and essential services like food, hot water, drinking water, blanket, mattress, and others.
Camps
- In some of the places, you will get to see Camps available at a medium cost.
- Adventure lovers must try staying in camps at this high altitude.
- Camping is a completely magical experience, which will double the joy of this trip.
Where to Eat
Nowadays, there are several food outlets on the char dham yatra route, which serve hygienic, fresh and pure vegetarian food at a genuine price. So if you, being a Maharashtrian, are travelling to Uttarakhand in near future then there is no need to worry about food options. From Pahadi food to South Indian food, almost all basic cuisines are available in the restaurants, and cafes.
In addition, there are some Inn and food outlets, which organise Bhandara and distribute lunch packets for free. So you can satiate your hunger by that too.
Registration Procedure
- It is necessary to get registered under the tourism department of Uttarakhand.
- Therefore, you must initiate the registration process before visiting these holy t from
- For that, you should search for the “Char Dham Yatra Registration Uttarakhand” through the browser.
- By tapping on the official website, you will be redirected into the page, where there will be a form to fill.
- You have to fill out the form and submit it.
- After a few days, you will be able to download your Yatra Pass.
Essential Things to Carry
- Documents: Aadhaar Card, Medical Certificate, Yatra Pass, Tickets
- Apparel: Winter Clothes, Gloves, Woollen Cap, Boots, Towel, Comfortable Trouser, Jacket, etc.
- First Aid Kit: AMS medicines, Pain Relievers, Nausea Medicines, Antiseptic, Band Aid, and etc.
- Rain Gears: Rain Coat, Waterproof Cover for gadgets
- Trek Gears: Trek Pole, Hiking Boots, Flashlight
- Snacks: Roasted nuts, Salted Chips, Dry Fruits, etc.
Things to Do
- You must experience the holy bath in Gangotri and Yamunotri.
- It is mystical to witness the Rudrabhishek of Kedarnath Temple.
- Devotees take a dip in Hot water Springs located outside of holy temples.
- To indulge in spirituality, you can attend the Sandhya Aarti of Badrinath Dham.
- Adventure seekers can gain a wonderful experience by trekking from Janki Chatti to Yamunotri Dham.
- To explore the raw beauty of hamlets and culture of Garhwal, you can visit nearby hamlets like Mana Gaon.
- In Brahma Kapal, people offer Pind Daan for the Moksha of their ancestors.
- You can give yourself a treat by visiting the absolutely magical valley of flowers located near the Badrinath Dham.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have seen the important things that you should keep in mind while creating the plan of visiting Char Dham from Pune. From Accommodation options to transportation Options, we have explained everything in a concise manner. To all the devotees of Pune and nearby regions, this blog is an inclusive one stop guide. However, if you are curious to know any other information about this pilgrimage then you can ping us on our social media page.
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