Yamunotri-Gangotri Tirtha Yatra

Day 01: Commencement of Yamunotri Gangotri Tirtha Yatra

• The “Yamunotri Gangotri Tirtha Yatra” begins with your arrival in Delhi. Once you arrive at Delhi airport / Delhi railway station, you will be assisted for your further journey to Haridwa r.
• Depending on your time of arrival, you can visit the temples in and around Haridwar. A visit to ‘Har-ki-Pauri’ in the evening for aarti and floating the 'diyas' (lamp) in the river is a ritual not to be missed. Haridwar will be your halt for the night.
• Haridwar- the Yamunotri Gangotri pilgrimage yatra / tour begins from this holy place, which is located at the foothills of the Shivalik mountains, The name Haridwar stands for “The gateway to Lord Vishnu”  The place is also called “Hardwar” which means “Gateway to Lord Shiva”. Hence, Haridwar is a place of importance for devotees of both Vishnu and Shiva. The holy Ganga flows through this city making its onward journey to the plains.
• Har ki Pauri: Har ki Pauri is a ghat on the banks of Ganga and is a famous landmark in Haridwar. The place offers an enchanting view at night when golden diyas are seen floating in the river after the evening aarti is performed.
• Chandi Devi Temple: Dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi, the temple is situated on top of the Neel Parvat. The temple can be accessed either by foot or by cable car / ropeway services.
• Mansa Devi Temple: Dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi, the temple is situated on top of the Bilwa Parvat. The temple can be accessed either by foot or by ropeway.

Day 02: To the scenic hill station - Barkot

• Weather: Summers- pleasant with temperatures fr om 25-30 degree Celsius
• Winters- days are pleasantly cool and nights are cold with temperatures dropping from 10 degree to 05 degree Celsius.
• From Haridwar, your drive begins to Barkot via Mussoorie. On the way there will be a pit stop at the beautiful Kempty falls. This will be your destination for lunch. Once you get to Barkot, you will get to relax the rest of the day. Barkot will be your halt for the night.
• Barkot – Barkot is known for its scenic views. It is a hill station, located on the banks of river Yamuna. Barkot offers magnificent view of the snow-clad mountains of Bandar poonch and other mountain peaks of the Himalayan region. The apple orchards, beautiful landscapes and the flowing waters of river Yamuna and Ganga are its major attractions. It is a prime stopover on the way to Yamunotri and Gangotri.

Day 03: To the abode of Goddess Yamuna - Yamunotri

• Early morning, your drive starts from Barkot to Janki Chatti. From this point you have to trek around 6Km to Yamunotri. You can cover this distance either walking or by assistance of a horse / pony or a Doli / Palanquin. You can enjoy the lush valley of the Himalayas as you pass through numerous trees, shrubs and plants of Himalayan origin. On reaching the top, you can prepare “Prasad” at Surya kund -a hot water spring, offer prayers at the Divya Shila, have a holy bath in the warm waters of Jamuna Bai kund and perform “pooja” in the temple of Goddess Yamuna. After spending your time there, you can start your return journey to Janki Chatti, further on to Barkot. Barkot will be your halt for the night.
• Surya Kund: Yamunotri is said to be the origin of river Yamuna. It is also known for its thermal springs and glaciers. This is the place where devotees prepare rice and potatoes in the boiling waters of the kund and take it home as “Prasad” of Goddess Yamuna
• Divya Shila: A place nearby Surya kund that is worshipped before offerings are made to Goddess Yamuna
• Yamunotri Temple: The abode of Goddess Yamuna, the Yamunotri temple is located near the foots of Kalind peak and the side of Bunder poonch (monkey tail) peak

Day 04: To the city north of Varanasi - Uttarkashi

• Your journey to Uttarkashi starts from Barkot. In Uttarkashi, you get to visit temples like Vishwanath Temple and S hakti temples. You get to spend the rest of the day in leisure. Your halt for the night will be at Uttarkashi.
• Uttarkashi: As the name suggests Uttarkashi is situated to the north of the city of Kashi / Varanasi. It is an abode of various temples and ashrams. It lies on the banks of river Ganga and has one of the holiest ghats called Manikarnika Ghat with a temple dedicated to Shiva (Vishwanath).
• Vishwanath temple: Vishwanath temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples and is located in the centre of the town. The temple was constructed in 1857 A.D by the then queen of Tehri- Khaneti Devi.
• Shakti temple: Inside the Vishwanath temple complex lies several other temples, the significant one being Shakti temple. Here, is a trident that stands 19.5 feet tall having Tibetan inscriptions and markings of the Naga dynasty

Day 05: To the abode of Goddess Ganga - Gangotri

• Your journey to Gangotri begins early in the morning. On the way, you will get to take a holy dip in Garam kund at Gangnani. You will pass through the beautiful Harsil Valley which is famous for its scenic beauty, deodar trees, and majestic mountains. On arrival at Gangotri, you can take a holy dip in the sacred river Ganges, also known as Bhagirathi at its origin. You can visit the temple and conduct offerings. After relaxing in the picturesque surrounding you can begin your return journey to Uttarkashi. Your halt for the night will be at Uttarkashi.
• Gangotri Temple: Dedicated to Goddess Ganga, it is situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi. It is surrounded by beautiful deodars and pine trees.
• Submerged Shivling: A natural rock shivling which remains submerged under water during summers, and can only be seen during winters when the water level decreases.

Day 06: To the land of temples and sages - Rishikesh

• Your pilgrimage proceeds to its last holy city of Rishikesh which is known as the “Land of sages” It is now also known as the “Yoga Capital of the World”. It is a spiritual town situated on the banks of Ganga and is surrounded on three sides by the Shivalik mountain ranges.
• Once you have checked in, you can go on to visit the Rishikesh temple and enjoy exploring the beautiful town of Rishikesh which is blessed with nature’s bounty. Sites like – Bharat mandir, Triveni ghat, Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, etc. are a must see for every pilgrim who is on this Yamunotri Gangotri tour. Your halt for the night will be at Rishikesh.
• Bharat Mandir: Bharat Mandir is the most ancient temple in Rishikesh. Doing pilgrimage and worship in this temple on Akshaya tritiya is considered to be equivalent to a pilgrimage to Badrinath.
• Triveni ghat: Triveni ghat next to Bharat mandir is a sacred ghat where aarti in the evening is a view to behold.
• Laxman Jhula: An iron suspension bridge, built in 1929, is a site you must visit on your trip to Rishikesh. This bridge is said to be constructed on the very site where Laxman, the brother of Ram, crossed the river Ganga using a jute rope. The view atop this bridge is breathtaking and the cool breeze flowing is said to carry away your worries, giving you inner peace and tranquility.
• Ram Jhula: Further away from the Laxman Jhula is the Ram Jhula. Built in 1980, Ram Jhula, is a suspension bridge similar to Laxman Bridge, but is larger in size. It connects the two banks of the river Ganga from Swarg Ashram on the western side to Sivananda Ashram on the eastern side. Pilgrims get to experience the flow of the river Ganga below and the splendid surroundings atop the bridge.

Day 07: Conclusion of Yamunotri Gangotri Tirtha Yatra

• On this day, your tour ends, promising you a renewed feeling and a divine experience. For your return journey, you will be driven back to Delhi via Haridwar. You will be dropped at your respective departure points.