Do Dham Yatra: A Soulful Journey to Kedarnath and Badrinath

Just hearing the name “Kedarnath” brings peace to the soul, doesn’t it?

And when such a journey is taken with people close to your heart, even the toughest moments turn into unforgettable memories.

🗓 10 May 2025 – The Journey Begins

I along with my travel partner Dr. Neeta Ma’am, led a group of 12 amazing people on this sacred tour as their guides.

A few days before our departure, there was tension due to the India-Pakistan conflict. Many group members were scared and suggested postponing the trip to June or July.

But Dr. Vidya and Dr. Vinod Patil, along with his wife Vidula, their 2.5-year-old son Mivaan, and their 12-year-old daughter, encouraged everyone. They said, “Things will settle. There’s nothing to fear. We’re sticking to the plan.”

Dr. Vidya agreed, and her confidence reassured the group. Despite doubts, we decided to move forward as scheduled.

✈️ From Mumbai to Haridwar via Delhi

Our flight from Mumbai to Delhi was early morning. We all gathered at the airport by 3:30 AM and reached Delhi by 8:00 AM.
From there, two cars took us to Haridwar. After some rest at the hotel, we headed to Har Ki Pauri in the evening to attend the sacred Ganga Aarti.

The experience was divine—so absorbing that we didn’t even notice when it began raining lightly. The atmosphere was magical, and it felt like a blessing.
After the Aarti, we returned to the hotel, had dinner, and rested for the night.

🚌 Haridwar to Guptkashi – The Long Ride

The next morning, we began our 200 km journey to Guptkashi by bus. We arrived late in the evening.

The important twist: three of our guests had booked helicopter rides to Kedarnath. However, a day before the trek, we got unexpected news: all helicopter services were cancelled due to a recent crash.

Everyone was disappointed. We spent the entire day coordinating with the service provider, especially Namita, but the final word was a firm no.

We explained the situation to our guests, and thankfully, they agreed to continue the journey on horseback or by porters (pithu).

After dinner, everyone rested, preparing for the challenging day ahead.

🥾 The Trek to Kedarnath – A Test of Spirit

We woke early and traveled from Guptkashi to Sonprayag, and then joined the long queue for a taxi to Gaurikund.
The queue was overwhelming, and exhaustion was setting in. Since we had little Mivaan with us, Neeta Ma’am ran ahead to secure a taxi. But some other people jumped in, and a small argument broke out 🤣.
Still, we understood—they had a baby too. So we let them be and managed another ride.

At Gaurikund, we arranged a pithu for Mivaan since carrying him through the trek was not feasible.

Half the group went by horse, while the rest—including me and Neeta Ma’am—started the 18 km trek on foot, beginning at 8:30 AM.

We walked steadily, stopping for snacks, enjoying the majestic Himalayan views. Surprisingly, we felt no major discomfort. Even Neeta Ma’am was doing great!

With 3 km left, we considered hiring horses—but they were quoting very high prices. So we decided to finish what we started. “Only a little more left, we’ve got this.”

And finally—at midnight—we saw the temple lights in the distance. Our hearts filled with joy.
“Yes, we did it!” It was a moment of pure happiness.

Everyone had already reached the rooms. We were the last to arrive. Tired and frozen, we went straight to bed—grateful, but absolutely exhausted.

❄️ Kedarnath Darshan & the Descent

The next morning, it was so cold that even brushing our teeth felt like a task. Still, we got ready and visited the Kedarnath temple.
Everyone clicked photos and I made a few reels. Oxygen levels were low, and Neeta Ma’am felt breathless, so she returned to rest.

By then, half the group had already descended. We decided to go down on horseback, with Mivaan riding with me.

Halfway through, our horse stumbled dangerously. We nearly fell off. Mivaan got scared and refused to ride again.
We shifted him to a pithu, and thankfully he calmed down.

We took a lunch break and finally reached the base by 5 PM.
Another queue awaited us for the taxi to Guptkashi, where our bags and hotel rooms were.

Some guests asked for soup—so I decided to prepare it myself.
I had already told the hotel staff to keep the vegetables ready. After a quick shower, I entered the kitchen and made hot soup for everyone.

They loved it. That moment—seeing our guests warm, happy, and cared for—was pure satisfaction.

🚗 Guptkashi to Badrinath via Joshimath

The next day, we left for Badrinath, around 200 km away.
On the way, we stopped at the Narsingh Temple in Joshimath. Mivaan enjoyed himself, and we clicked lots of photos.

By evening, we reached Badrinath and rested after dinner.

Next morning, we visited the Badrinath temple, followed by a trip to Mana Village—India’s last village and believed to be the path taken by the Pandavas on their way to heaven.

The atmosphere there was mystical and serene.

🌊 Winding Down in Rishikesh

From Mana, we headed to Rishikesh.

The next morning, Dr. Vinod and Vidula went for river rafting, so Neeta Ma’am and I stayed back with Mivaan.
Some others visited the Neelkanth Temple.

We took Mivaan to a café, played with him, and he remained calm.
By afternoon, everyone returned. In the evening, we all went to Ram Jhula and then to Triveni Ghat for the evening Aarti—a perfect moment of peace.

After that, while others returned to rest, Neeta Ma’am and I went for a leisure walk.
We had some street chaat, sat quietly by the river, and enjoyed the stillness.

On our way back, we met a young man from Chandigarh doing a dandavat yatra to Kedarnath—bowing with each step.
He said it would take three more months to reach. We were stunned by his devotion. Neeta Ma’am spoke to him, and we walked back feeling truly inspired.

🏁 Back Home, But Forever Changed

The next day, we flew from Delhi at 9:30 AM and landed in Mumbai by 11:30 AM.
We reached home by around 1:30 PM—tired, but glowing with memories.

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🌟 Final Reflections

This wasn’t just a trip.
It was a journey of faith, endurance, and soul-connection.

From shivering mountain nights to warm soup moments, from temple bells to toddler tears, from divine Aartis to chance encounters—it was all perfectly imperfect.

As tour guides, there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing our guests happy and content.
Their peace is our reward.

Har Har Mahadev 🙏

Jai Badri Vishal 🙏