In Hindu religion, there is an affirmation where they say “nothing can be more pious and religious than taking your parents to Chardham Yatra”. These four pious pilgrimage sites of Hindus are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, which are located in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. This holy journey starts from Yamunotri and ends at Badrinath for about 10 days or less, depending on the mode of transportation.
These holy shrines are open from around May to October. To be precise, the opening dates of the Chardham shrines are decided as per following:
Yamunotri: Opens on the day of Akshay Tritiya every year.
Gangotri: Opens on the day of Akshay Tritiya every year.
Kedarnath: Opening date is announced by the temple authorities on Maha Shivratri every year.
Badrinath: Opening date is announced by the temple authorities on Basant Panchmi every year.
However, things have drastically changed since the Pandemic. Around April 2021, the time when our country was suffering from the second COVID wave, the State government was ordered by the High Court to keep the Chardham Yatra closed for the pilgrims.
It was finally opened for the public around Mid-September 2021, with tight travel restrictions initially.
ABOUT THE CHARDHAM SHRINES:
Yamunotri is said to be the source of the river Yamuna where it is said that if you take a bath in the river then all your sins are absolved into it and you get a new life to start. The accessibility to reach this place is on foot. You need to trek from Janki Chhati where the options for horses or palkis are there for the travelers.
Gangotri evening aarti is one of the things that you should witness, really something to witness. The temple is located at the banks of the Bhagirathi River where Goddess Ganga is worshipped. Since the town is set around the temple, it is not so tough to reach the temple.
Kedarnath is one of the temples which is completely dedicated to Lord Shiva at a high altitude. Initially, post-natural disaster there was a different route for the travelers but later on, it was constructed and formed the new route for the temple. It’s a 14km long trek with steep roads but then you can get the horses or palkis for the trek. Due to seasonal changes this temple opened from around May to October end and closed for the rest of the six months.
Badrinath is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. This is the colorful temple that was founded in the 9th century by famous Indian philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya. The trek for Badrinath is not so tough and can easily be done and one can also visit the village Mana, which is the last village of India on that side.
CHARDHAM YATRA IN 2021:
We can’t overlook the fact that Chardham Yatra holds a significant place in every Indian’s life. But because of the pandemic, most people haven’t been able to visit the Chardhams in the past two years.
As for Himalayan Heli, our helicopter services for the Chardham yatra remained closed during the May-June months, on account of the government guidelines. This was the second consecutive year since the pandemic that the Chardham yatra remained completely closed to the public during the peak May-June season.
However, in 2021, the COVID wave subsided across the country, and the yatra finally resumed Mid-September, with strict travel guidelines. The opening of the yatra was definitely a respite for us and all the pilgrims who were awaiting the Chardham’s opening all year long.
In October 2021, when it seemed completely stable and fit, the government decided to relax the guidelines for the yatris. After the relaxation of guidelines, there was a spike in the demand for Chardham packages as travel became all the more easier for the yatris.
It was truly a smooth yet jam-packed Chardham flying season. And, Himalayan Heli’s Chardham services went on from September 24th till 6th November, 2021 – The day of Bhai Duj, when Kedarnath Ji Dham closes.
The popular Chardham Yatra is the most loved and one of our most-demanded helicopter packages among the yatris, especially the elderly. And we, as an organization, felt content that we were able to successfully deliver the best of our services in 2021, despite several challenges. A special mention for this goes to our highly experienced and trained staff, who never hesitate to go the extra mile to curate the best experience for our passengers.
Here’s the glimpse of our Chardham operations 2021:
CHARDHAM YATRA BY HELICOPTER:
Chardham shrines are best accessible by helicopters – Safe, Fast & most comfortable mode of transport. Himalayan Heli operates the Chardham Yatra Tours by Helicopter in as short as a 1 Night/2 Days trip and a 4 Night/5 Days package. To say the least, Chardham yatra by Helicopter is an experience in itself.
The details of our two most demanded Chardham packages are as below:
1. Chardham 4 Nights/5 Days
For more details, visit: https://www.himalayanheli.com/chardhambyhelicopter.php
2. Chardham 1 Night /2 Days
For more details, visit: https://www.himalayanheli.com/chardhambyhelicopter1N2D.php
These packages are curated for two different types of clients – One who wishes to finish the yatra very fast, and the other who wishes to spend good quality time at each destination. Thus, the choice depends on the Yatris and what package they want to opt for.
The other most demanded package for the Chardham shrines is the DO-DHAM SAME DAY HELI-TOUR, where you get to cover both Kedarnath ji and Badrinath ji in a half day helicopter tour from Dehradun, and Sersi as well.
In the above-mentioned Chardham packages, the helicopter journey starts from Sahastradhara Heliport, Dehradun, and covers all four holy shrines for darshan.
Dehradun is the main base for our Helicopter tours – The starting and ending point of the yatra. Himalayan Heli picks up the yatris from airports or railway stations right when they arrive, and offers complimentary stay as well at Dehradun. The journey is made as smooth and easy by Himalayan Heli, as it can get.
If you travel to the Chardhams by local buses or cars then this may take up to 10 to 12 days or even more, which is a very arduous and painful journey, especially for elderly people and children. Also, the food and lodging is a concern in that case. While with Himalayan Heli, it’s like, the whole yatra is taken care of with the best possible experience and safety promised!
*** Himalayan Heli’s Helicopter tours for Do Dham and Ek Dham yatra can be checked out on our website here: https://www.himalayanheli.com/heli-tours.php ***
Just FYI, Himalayan Heli also provides Shuttle Services from Sersi for Kedarnath ji during the Chardham yatra, which is a per seat helicopter ticket booking for just Kedarnath ji from Sersi/Phata/Guptkashi. The Kedarnath shuttle services in 2021 opened around October 1st, 2021, and the online advance bookings for the same were done through GMVN
portal.
Here’s the glimpse of our Kedarnath operations 2021:
COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS DURING CHARDHAM HELI-TOURS:
Government-provided protocols are strictly adhered to by Himalayan Heli.
- -The PPE kits, masks, and sanitizers are provided to all the passengers whereas after every flight the entire helicopter is sanitized.
- -The regular checkups of passengers as well as for the employees are done during boarding.
- -The helicopters are operational while keeping in mind the lockdown and curfew rules.
Check more about Himalayan Heli COVID-19 precautionary measures here: https://www.himalayanheli.com/covid.php
HIMALAYAN HELI CHARDHAM YATRA IN 2022:
We all know for a fact that the situations and scenarios won’t be the same hence we have to start living with the new normal and follow the rules and guidelines that are shared by health advisory boards and the government.
Keeping that in mind, Himalayan Heli’s Chardham Helicopter tours will be operational for the 2022 season. Everyone at Himalayan Heli, including our pilots, crew members, and operational staff is prepared, and at the same time, VERY excited to take Yatris on their Chardham Yatra with all the safety measures in place.
As we always say, we take pride in being the most trusted and reliable Helicopter services provider in not only the Chardham sector, but the whole country; because safety and experience is our utmost priority.
In 2022, Chardham yatra is opening on 3rd May, 2022. And, bookings are NOW OPEN for our below mentioned Helicopter tours, as per the following details:
So, what are you waiting for now? Get in touch with us for Chardham Yatra 2022 and book your spots before we get fully booked.
Also, we keep sharing our regular updates on our Website, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and you can stay well connected with us there!
Say hello to safe travel with Himalayan Heli!