Misty Mountain views, clouds floating, the abundance of nature, and people cheering “Zor se bolo – Jai Mata Di” all around, pretty much sums up the aura and vibes of one of the most popular and holiest pilgrimages of our times – Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
Popular the world over as the mother who fulfills whatever Her children wish for, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji resides in a Holy Cave located in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains in Jammu and Kashmir. Every year there are lakhs of people visiting this holy place in the Jammu’s Reasi district near Katra to offer prayers to Mata Vaishno Devi.
The shrine is considered the holiest sojourn and is among the 108 Shakti Peethas. Shri Mata Vaishno is the incarnation of Goddess Durga, believed to be an abode of the goddess, the holy cave is located at an altitude of 5,200 feet above sea level.
History of Mata Vaishno Devi:
Legend has it that, in Treta Yug, when the earth was suffering from the evil rule of demons, “Vaishnavi” was created to protect it. Goddess Vaishnavi was the combination of energies of three goddesses- Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati.
As goddess Vaishnavi helped others, she was approached by Baba Bhairav Nath, who was a disciple of a local saint. Goddess Vaishnavi took shelter in a cave, to escape from Baba Bhairav Nath and meditated there for 9 months.
Later, when Baba Bhairav Nath found her whereabouts, Goddess Vaishnavi took the form of Kali and beheaded Bhairav. The place where his head fell off, later took the form of Bhairav Baba Temple, which is few meters ahead of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.
Goddess Vaishnavi later took the form of 3 rocks which reside here till date in the shrine, known as “Pindi“. Each rock represents Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali.
It is believed that your journey remains incomplete if you don’t visit Bhairav Baba Temple after visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.
Now, there are two ways to reach Bhairo Gahti (Bhairo Nath Temple) from Vaishno Devi: Hiking and ropeway.
While hiking takes about 3 hours, the Vaishno Devi Ropeway takes you to Bhairo Valley within 5 mins. The ropeway is newly opened and it has helped in reducing the time taken drastically.
How to reach Mata Vaishno Devi Temple:
Mata Vaishno Devi Temple can be reached from Katra, which is the base town for Vaishno Devi. The distance from Jammu to Katra is approx. 50 km which can be covered easily by local cabs. Katra is located at the base of the Trikuta Mountains. Katra is well connected to all the major cities of the country by train.
The distance between Katra and Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan is approx. 12 km which can be covered by hiking on well-maintained Mountain roads, by ponys, by battery auto, or by Himalayan Heli’s helicopter services – which are all operated under the authority of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Facilities like accommodation, food, ATMs, parking, and medical attention are available all around Katra. The infrastructure facilities at this holy shrine are like nowhere else!
Mata Vaishno Devi by Foot:
Katra is the basecamp for Mata Vaishno Devi shrine which is approx. 12 km of distance, which can be covered in 5-6 hours.
The route taken for the same is:
Katra – Ban Ganga – Charan Paduka – Ardhkuwari – Bhawan (Temple)
Ardhkuwari is the midpoint of the journey. There are multiple pit stops on the way to eat, to take rest, with clean public toilet facilities. The route is well built and maintained by the Shrine Board.
Mata Vaishno Devi by Helicopter:
Visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine by Helicopter is one of the easiest and most convenient options available. Helicopters operate from the base camp at Katra to Sanjichat helipad near Bhawan.
We, at Himalayan Heli, are operating in this region since 2014. Earlier, Himalayan Heli had operated briefly at Katra, in 2007/08 as well. With approx. With approx. 8+ years of experience at this holy shrine, flying with exceptionally trained and experienced pilots, engineers and a ground support team, we are proud to be touted as the best Helicopter Services provider for Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
Mata Vaishno Devi Shuttle Services Fare:
- – Same Day Return Ticket (Katra – Sanjichat – Katra) : INR 3,600/- per seat (Inclusive of taxes)
- – Next Day Return Ticket (Katra – Sanjichat – Katra) : INR 3,600/- per seat (Inclusive of taxes)
- – One Way Ticket (Katra – Sanjichat) : INR 1,800/- per seat (Inclusive of taxes)
- – One Way Ticket (Sanjichat – Katra) : INR 1,800/- per seat (Inclusive of taxes)
For more information about Himalayan Heli operations in Vaishno Devi, Shuttle Tickets price and Itinerary, etc. you can go through our webpage: https://www.himalayanheli.com/vaishno-devi-yatra.php
Shuttle Tickets Online Booking:
Mata Vaishno Devi online helicopter shuttle tickets can be booked in advance from the official website of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board: https://www.maavaishnodevi.org/
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board recently launched a Mobile App for the devotees as well. The Mobile App is easily available on the Google Play Store and on the iOS Apple App Store. The devotees can book helicopter shuttle tickets and various other facilities available on the Shrine Board App.
How to Book Tickets for Helicopter Services:
- – Tickets can be booked online on the official website of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
- – Online tickets can be booked a maximum of 120 days and a minimum of 4 days in advance.
- – Online booking opens exactly 120 days in advance at 10 am every day.
- – Current Bookings of tickets (only on the date of travel) are available on the ticket counter of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board at Niharika Bhawan.
- – One-way tickets for the sector SanjhiChat- Katra are available at the counter near the Sanjhichat helipad and at Bhawan ticket counter.
Helicopter Shuttle Services Timings:
Helicopter Shuttle service starts from Katra to Sanjichhat at approx 7:00 am and it takes 4 to 5 minutes to reach Sanjichat Helipad. The last Helicopter ride takes off 30 minutes before sunset, and is also subject to the weather conditions. There are Helicopter flights every 8-10 minutes from Katra and Sanjichhhat – both sides.
Helicopter Charter flight Service from Jammu Airport:
Apart from Shuttle Services, Himalayan Heli also provides exclusive Charter Services Ex- Jammu Airport, which can be book at INR 2,78,000/- (Inclusive of all taxes) for up to 6 passengers. This is perfectly suited for VIPs and exclusive travelers for a swift same-day journey from Jammu Airport.
Route: Jammu – Sanjichat – Jammu
You can book and check more about our exclusive charter service from Jammu Airport here: https://www.himalayanheli.com/vaishno-devi-charter.php
Best time to visit:
Mata Vaishno shrine is open for visitors throughout the year and Navrataras are the peak time to visit. For a smooth and comfortable journey, one can visit during the summer months, i.e. between March to October. In between, the monsoon season (July to August) is also there, which may not be the ideal to visit Mata Vaishno Devi if you are planning to travel by helicopter. Winters can be a little challenging with snow but equally charming to visit there. One can expect snowfall from December to February.
Timings of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple:
The temple is open 24×7 for the visitors. However, the aarti happens twice a day at fixed things, once before sunrise and the second after sunset. The duration of the aarti is 1.5 hours.
Other Pilgrimage Heli Service by Himalayan Heli:
Established in 1998, Himalayan Heli is touted as India’s leading Pilgrimage Helicopter Tour and Shuttle Services operator. It’s indeed the safest and most experienced, especially in High altitude regions.
Apart from Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, there are other Himalayan Heli’s Charter and Shuttle Services available for the following destinations:
- – Chardham Yatra
- – Shri Kedarnath Ji
- – Shri Amarnath Ji
- – Hemkund Sahib
- – Valley of Flowers
- – Customized Heli-Tours and Private Charter Services.
You can read more about these here: https://www.himalayanheli.com/index.php
COVID Safety by Himalayan Heli:
Himalayan Heli being one of the oldest and the most experienced Helicopter Service provider in India, is known for its reliability, efficiency, and passenger-friendly services. Even in this pandemic, Himalayan Heli is making sure to deliver the best!
The safety and health of our crew and passengers are always the top priority for us.
At Himalayan, we adhere strictly to the Covid19 safety protocols.
- – All passengers are required to carry a Negative RTPCR Report, not older than 48 hours. However, Covid testing can also be done at Jammu/ Katra train station and at Jammu Airport for people coming without Covid report.
- – Passengers are provided with PPE Kits, face masks, and sanitizers before boarding the flight.
- – Social Distancing is assured.
- – Wearing Masks is compulsory at all times.
- – Post flight, helicopters are sanitized and fumigated.
- – We strictly follow all the state/ city COVID Safety guidelines.
- – On top of safety protocols that we follow, temperature checks, wearing masks inside the aircraft, disinfecting, social distancing at the Base, further reduces the risk of virus transmission between the flyers and the Himalayan Heli crew.
We closely monitor the information and follow all SOP issued by the center and state government in addition to taking all the precautions mentioned above to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. We remain alert at all times, and are ready to respond to changing conditions.
You can visit this page to read more about Himalayan Heli’s Covid Safety Guidelines: https://www.himalayanheli.com/covid.php
“Chalo Bulawa Aaya hai, Mata ne Bulaya hai” is one popular statement associated with visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. It is said to be a very lucky journey and believed that only destined ones get to visit and do the darshan.
Whenever you plan your journey, Himalayan Heli got you covered. Needless to say, with us, your trip is safe and secure. Especially for elders and kids, who can’t hike a distance of 12 km, the Helicopter ride is perfectly suited.
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Toh fir, Zor se Bolo- ‘Jai Mata Di’ aur Chalo Mata Ke Darbar!!