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Kedarnath is the seat of Lord Shiva. It is one of the twelve "Jyotirlingas" of Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 m at the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimage for the Hindus. It is no wonder that Adi Guru Shankaracharya - a great scholar & saint, chose to enshrine Lord Shiva in this land, where the unholy becomes oly and the holy becomes holier. It is the place where Lord Shiva absolved Pandavas from the sin of killing their own cousins Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra. The origin of the revered temple can be found in the great epic Mahabharat. At Kedarnath there are several Kunds (pools, tanks) that are known for their religious significans - shivkund, Retkund, hanskund, Udakkund, Rudhirkund are the most important. A little away from Kedarnath is a temple dedicated to Bhaironathji who is ceremoniously worshipped at the opening & closing of Kedarnath. The belief is that Bhairavnathji protects this land from evil during the time when temple of Kedarnath is closed. Besides its affiliation with Shiva, Kedarnath is also believed to be the site of Shankaracharya's samadhi (achievement of beatified afterlife). The actual temple is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. No specific family of pujaris supervises rituals at Kedarnath, which focus around veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple.

An imposing sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the exquisitely architecture Kedarnath temple is considered to be more than 1000 years old. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut gray slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs had been handled in the earlier days. The temple has a "Garbha Griha" for worship and a Mandap, apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

Altitude 3,235 metres above sea level

Best Time To Visit : The best time to visit Yamunotri is between May-June and September to October.

Climate : Summer-Cool during the dayy and cold at night. Winter - Snow bound. Touching sub-zero.

Language : Hindi, Garhwali & English

Clothing : Summer - Light woolens. Winter - Very heavy woolens.

Eating Out : Only local eating houses (dhabas) are available. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are prohibited in Yamunotri.

Dharamshalas, Ashrams, Cottages and Tourist Rest House are the options. There are several private hotels and Dharmashalas that offer cheap accommodation, but with minimal facilities.

Kedarnath By Air : The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is about 239 km from Kedarnath. Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is a domestic airport located at about 20 km away from city center of Dehradun. Taxi cabs are available from Dehradun airport to Kedarnath. The airport operates daily flights to Delhi. Nearest International airport is Delhi.

Kedarnath By Train : Nearest railhead at Rishikesh, 221 km away from Kedarnath. Prepaid taxi services are available in the railway station. One has to travel 207 km by road and the rest 14 km by foot to reach Kedarnath.

Kedarnath By Bus : Kedarnath is well connected through road. The National Highway from Delhi to Mana (538 km) is accessible throughout the year. Kedarnath can be accessed by foot from GauriKund. Gaurikund is connected by state buses to Rishikesh, Dehradun, Kotdwara, Haridwar and other hill stations of Kumaon and Garhwal Hills. The bus charges are not fixed. It will vary depending on season.

Shankaracharya Samadhi : The Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya is located just behind the Kedarnath temple. It is said that after establishing four sacred Dhams in India, he went into his samadhi at an early age of 32 years.

Chorabari (Gandhi Sarovar) : Only 1 km trek away from Kedarnath. Floating-ice on the crystal clear waters of the lake fascinates the visitors.

Gaurikund : It is the base for a trek to Kedarnath and serves as a roadhead. The village has a temple dedicated to Gauri and hot water springs. This is one among the famous pilgrim centers en route to the Kedarnath shrine, which lies at an altitude of 1982 meters. This holy place houses an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Like all other renowned temples, Gaurikund temple also holds an interesting legend. Gaurikund also holds a hot water spring by the same name. The devotees believe that a dip in this pond makes them pure and after that a holy darshan in the shrine would fulfill all their wants. So all those who are on a holy trip to Kedarnath shrine stop here for a while.

Trijuginarayan : According to legend, this was the place where the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized. In front of the Shiva Temple is an eternal flame, which is said to be a witness to the marriage. It can be reached by a 12 km drive from Sonprayag.

Ukhimath : Winter home of the deity at Kedarnath temple and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath. Connected by bus services to Rudraprayag and other major centres.

Agastyamuni : The temple of sage Agastya is the main attraction here.

Vasuki Tal : One of the holiest places in India Kedarnath is famed for its innumerable number of shrines. All most all the nook and corner there is a temple. Besides these holy shrines, Kedarnath proffers a pictorial ambiance that grabs lots of tourists towards it. Bounded by the lofty mountain peaks of the majestic Himalayas, the landscapes in this holy city present picture book sceneries. Vasuki tal is one of the prettiest sights in Kedarnath, which is liked for its glittering waters. A lake at an altitude of 4135 meters in the midst of snowy mountains is a breath taking sight. Apart from its awesome beauty, this pictorial lake provides the charming view of the neighboring Chaukhamba peaks. A most sought after place of challenge lovers, Vasuki Tal offers an ideal trek for the courageous tourists. To get in touch with this gorgeous natural lake one has to cross the Chaturangi Glacier and Vasuki Glacier. These Glaciers are filled with crevasses and crossing them demands enormous stamina and courage

Sonprayag : Lies at an altitude of 1829 meters Son Prayag holds a captivating appeal that grabs large number of tourists each year. This tiny hamlet situates at the convergence of two majestic rivers, Mandakini and Basuki. Bounded by lofty snow clad peaks, this place offers an unruffled calmness. Adorned with all that is pretty and beautiful, this lovely locale catches anybody’s attention. The hoary mountain peaks and the gushing waters in the rivers attribute a majestic charm to this tranquil location. Apart from its pictorial appearance, this popular tourist location is a much-revered religious place. The devotees believe that a simple dip in the rivers would fetch them with high rewards.