The pristine abode of Lord Vishnu which is dedicated to the Badri manifestation of the Lord himself is located within the district of Chamoli. Bordered by the holy river of Alaknanda, the temple is perched on an elevation of 3,133 metres above sea level and is set against the mesmerizing backdrop of the snow-clad mountain peaks of Nar and Narayan. The temple can be easily reached via a road journey since the temple is easily connected by a network of roads and can be reached with ease. The vibrant looking temple is a clear contrast to the surrounding lush green beauty of the Himalayas.
How to Reach
Reaching Badrinath Dham is not considered to be a difficult journey since it is well connected to most parts of all the big and small surrounding towns and cities.
- By Road: From Delhi Badrinath is situated at a distance of 525 km and at a distance of 296 km from Rishikesh. Regular buses ply from Badrinath Dham to Delhi, Haridwar/Rishikesh. The most convenient way of reaching Badrinath is by taking a bus service from ISBT Kashmere gate in Delhi or Anand Vihar ISBT. There are several other buses and shared taxi services available which can be availed easily depending on your travel requirement. The road gets narrower after reaching Joshimath and travel journeys are not allowed by road after sunset. If under any circumstance you miss your bus service to Badrinath then you will only be able to go up till Rudraprayag Chamoli or Joshimath and you can avail the bus service for Badrinath early in the morning next day.
- Brief Route Map Badrinath from Delhi: Delhi – Kotdwar – Pauri – Kirti Nagar – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Pipalkoti – Joshimath – Badrinath
- By Helicopter: If you are travelling with a senior citizen, are running short on time or have someone with you who is physically or mentally incapable of making the journey to Badrinath Dham then a helicopter journey of Badrinath is advised. The journey of Badrinath by helicopter kick starts from the Sahastradhara airport in Dehradun and after covering a flying journey of 1 hour you will be landing at the helipad in Badrinath Dham. The helicopter company will arrange for a car service which will take you from the helipad at Badrinath to the main temple of Badri Vishal.
Current Road Condition
If you are planning on making this journey in your private car by road then make sure to remember that you should be used to and comfortable for driving the hilly regions. Remember that all the roads are shut down after sunset. On an average by road you will be covering almost 30 kms per hour. While some stretches of roads are extremely smooth and easy to travel but on the other hand some stretches are extremely sandy, dusty and broken. The Road between Rudraprayag to Joshimath is pleasant to travel on and post-monsoon some parts of this road get damaged or washed away. You will be encountered with some hairpin bends and sharp turns and it is advised not to exceed the speed limit of 30 kmph to have a safe and secure journey.
Best Time to Visit
The temple opens up for darshan for pilgrims during the holy eve of Akshay Tritiya and shuts down during the holy occasion of Vijay Dashmi. The best time where you can visit Badrinath Dham is during the months of April or May to June. Travelling to the Dham shrine during monsoon months is not advised since all the highways remain closed for service and even the helicopter services are suspended during the said time owing to the harshening weather conditions. You can also visit the shrine when the monsoon months end which takes place from late September to November. Remember no matter when you go it would be cold and remember to carry along some winter clothing wear.
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