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Uttarakhand

Badrinath & Mana

Char Dham shrine at 3100 m with Mana village 3 km on

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Best time to visit Badrinath & Mana

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: May to June and September to October
  • Shoulder: April and November, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: July to August and December to March

Planning a specific month? MayJuneSeptemberOctober

Badrinath & Mana season by season

Winter December to February Do not go

December-March the portals are shut, the deity moves down to Joshimath, and the road above Hanumanchatti is closed by snow.

Summer March to May Prime time

May-June after the spring kapat opening is peak yatra: 5-18C, long darshan queues and every shop in Mana open for business.

Monsoon June to September Prime time

July-August the Alaknanda valley slides; the highway above Joshimath closes for hours or days and the yatra thins right out.

Autumn October to November Prime time

September-October is the best of it: clear Neelkanth peak, short queues, and the portals closing in the second half of November.

What Badrinath & Mana is actually like

Pilgrim town with GMVN and dharamshala beds; walk 3 km to Mana for Bhotia weavers and the Saraswati gorge

Things to do in Badrinath & Mana

The local places worth your time in and around Badrinath & Mana, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Badrinath Temple

    Temple · in town

    Char Dham shrine to Vishnu below Neelkanth peak; the 4.30 am maha abhishek needs a paid booking, doors shut November to April

  • Tapt Kund

    Hot spring · in town

    Sulphur spring at about 45C on the steps below the temple; pilgrims bathe before darshan, separate hours for women

  • Vyas Gufa

    Cave · 3 km out

    Rock cave at Mana where the Mahabharata was dictated; the flaking roof looks like manuscript pages, small entry donation

  • Bhim Pul

    Viewpoint · 3 km out

    Boulder slab bridging the Saraswati where it roars out of a slot at Mana; go before 10 am, yatra jeeps fill the lane

  • Vasudhara Falls

    Waterfall · 9 km out

    About 120 m fall reached by a 6 km walk past Mana over open moraine; no shade or water on the way, start by 7 am

  • Brahma Kapal

    Ghat · in town

    Flat rock on the Alaknanda where pandits perform pind daan for ancestors; rites run from first light, fix rates first

  • Charanpaduka

    Shrine · 3 km out

    Boulder with a footprint of Vishnu, a steep 3 km climb from town; allow two hours return, the air at 3380 m is thin

Getting to Badrinath & Mana

295 km from Rishikesh, 12 h by bus via Joshimath; online Char Dham yatra registration is mandatory

Practical ways in: road

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Busy at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
3115 m
State
Uttarakhand
Coordinates
30.7440, 79.4930

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Badrinath & Mana?

May to June and September to October is peak season in Badrinath & Mana. April and November is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid July to August and December to March. May-June after the spring kapat opening is peak yatra: 5-18C, long darshan queues and every shop in Mana open for business.

How many days do you need in Badrinath & Mana?

2 days is the usual stay. Pilgrim town with GMVN and dharamshala beds; walk 3 km to Mana for Bhotia weavers and the Saraswati gorge.

How do you get to Badrinath & Mana?

295 km from Rishikesh, 12 h by bus via Joshimath; online Char Dham yatra registration is mandatory. Practical ways in: road.

Is Badrinath & Mana expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Badrinath & Mana?

Apr/May: Badrinath kapat opening, date fixed at Basant Panchami. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Badrinath & Mana?

Badrinath Temple, Tapt Kund, Vyas Gufa, Bhim Pul, Vasudhara Falls and Brahma Kapal, and more. Char Dham shrine to Vishnu below Neelkanth peak; the 4.30 am maha abhishek needs a paid booking, doors shut November to April.

Nearby, and where to go next

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