II Aum Namah Shivaya II CHAR DHAM YATRA 2016 Karnali Excursions Nepal www.karnaliexcursions.com experience the journey of a lifetime Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Yatra overview: India is a big subject, with a diversity of culture of unfathomable depth, and a long continuum of history. India offers endless opportunities to accumulate experiences and memories for a lifetime. Since very ancient times, participating in the Char-Dham Yatra has been held in the highest regard throughout the length and breadth of India. The Indian Garhwal Himalayas are known as Dev-Bhumi, the ‘Abode of the Gods’. Here is the source of India’s Holy River Ganges. The Ganges, starting as a small glacial stream in Gangotri and eventually traveling the length and breadth of India, nourishing her people and sustaining a continuum of the world’s most ancient Hindu Culture. In the Indian Garhwal Himalayas lies the Char-Dham, 4 of Hinduism’s most holy places of pilgrimage, nestled in the high valleys of the Himalayan Mountains. Wearing the Himalayas like a crown, India is a land of amazing diversity. Home to more than a billion people, you will find in India an endless storehouse of culture and tradition amidst all the development of the 21st century! Yatra highlights: A complete darshan of Rishikesh, Haridwar, Yamunotri and Gangotri Darshan of Kedarnath and Uttar Kashi Visit Surya Kund, Divya Shila, Mata Murti Temple, Tap Kund, Narad Kund & Vyash Gupha Yatra facts : Total duration : 15 days Max. Elevation : 3,585m/11,760ft Trip grading : Moderate Best months : May to October Journey starts/ends : New Delhi Accommodation : Hotels Yatra destinations : Delhi - Rishikesh - Barkot - Yamunotri - Uttar Kanshi - Gangotri - Rudra Prayag - Gupta Kanshi - Phata Pipalkoti - Badrinath - Dev Prayag - Haridwar Karnali Excursions Char Dham Yatra 2016 Arrive at the Delhi Airport and transfer to hotel One of representatives of Karnali Excursions will receive at the airport and arrange DAY 01 immediate transfer to hotel. 28 Sep, 2016 Karnali team leader will deliver a detailed briefing on Char Dham Yatra. Overnight in a tourist standard hotel on full board basis. New Delhi - Dehradun - Haridwar Fly to Dehradun for afternoon arrival and drive to Haridwar. On arrival, check into the DAY hotel, dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. We will attend the evening Ganga Arati in 02 Haridwar. 29 Sep, 2016 Rishikesh 24 kilometers from Haridwar. Located in the lap of the lower Himalayas, Rishikesh is surrounded by scenic beauty with the Holy Ganges flowing through it. The whole place is considered to be a sacred tirtha, as it is believed that meditation at this place leads to the attainment of salvation. There are many temples, some ancient, some new, along the river Ganges. Rishikesh is important not only as a pilgrimage center closely associated with the Ramayana, but also as a home for many important centers of Hindu religious thought and spirituality, and as a very great center for learning yoga. There are a great many ashrams and yoga institutes in Rishikesh. Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Haridwar Haridwar, lying at the feet of Shiva’s hills, i.e., Shivaliks, in the Haridwar district of Uttarkhand is the gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas. Prince Bhagiratha of the Surya Dynasty performed penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors, who had perished due to the curse of sage Kapila. The penance was successful and the river Ganges trickled forth from Lord Shiva’s matted hair, and its bountiful water revived the 60,000 sons of King Sagara. In the tradition of Bhagiratha, devout Hindus stand in the sacred waters, praying for salvation of their departed ancestors. It is the doorway to the sources of the Ganges and the Yamuna, Kedarnath and Badrinath, 3,000 to 4,500 meters up into the snowy ranges of the central Himalayas. The ‘Arati’ worship of the Ganges after sunset and the floating ‘diya’ (lamp) is a moving ritual. Karnali Excursions Char Dham Yatra 2016 Rishikesh - Barkot (170 kms drive / 06 hrs) Morning, after breakfast, enjoy local sightseeing in Rishikesh, visit Laxman-Jhula, later DAY drive to Barkot via Dehradun, Mussoorie, and en-route visit Kempty Falls, then drive to 03 Barkot. On arrival at Barkot check into the hotel for an overnight stay. 30 Sep, 2016 Yamunotri - Barkot (42 kms drive / 7 kms trekking) Leave for Janaki Chatti via Hanuman Chatti & Phool Chatti. On arrival at Janaki Chatti, start DAY trekking of 07 kms to Yamunotri. On arrival at Yamunotri, take a holy dip in Garam Kund, 04 then Puja and Darshan of Shree Yamuna Jee. After Darshan and Puja, afternoon trek back 1 Oct, 2016 to Janaki Chatti. On arrival at Janaki Chatti meet with driver and drive back to Barkot for an overnight stay. Hanuman Chatti The confluence of Hanuman Ganga & Yamuna River. Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Divya Shila A rock pillar, worshipped before entering the Yamunotri Temple. Surya Kund There are a number of thermal springs in the vicinity of the temple, which flow into numerous pools. The most important of these is the Surya Kund. Yamunotri Temple Maharani Gularia of Jaipur built the Yamunotri Temple in the 19th Century. It was destroyed twice in the present century and rebuilt again. Barkot-Uttarkashi (Harshil) (82 kms drive / 04 hrs) Morning, leave for Uttar Kashi, a drive of 82 kms. Enroute, we visit Prakateshwar Cave, DAY on arrival in Uttar Kashi check in at the hotel & in the evening visit Vishwanath Temple. 05 Overnight stay at the hotel. Uttar Kashi is situated on the bank of the Bhagirathi Ganga. 2 Oct, 2016 The temple of Lord Vishwanath is located here where a massive iron trident is erected. Karnali Excursions Char Dham Yatra 2016 Harshil - Gomukh (back to Bhoj-Basa for night stay) DAY 06 3 Oct, 2016 DAY 07 Bhoj-Basa - Gangotri Darshan, Harshil/Uttar Kashi Night Stay 4 Oct, 2016 Uttar Kashi-Rudra-Prayag/Gupta-Kashi (165 kms drive) Morning drive to Rudra-Prayag, en route visit Tehri Dam and continue journey towards DAY 08 Rudra-Prayag. Check into the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. 5 Oct, 2016 Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Rudra-Prayag–Gupta-Kashi (Helicopter ride to Kedarnath) Morning, drive to the heli-pad and take a helicopter journey to Kedarnath and then back DAY 09 to Gupta Kashi. 6 Oct, 2016 Kedarnath The Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 Jyotir Lingas of Lord Shiva, is a scenic spot, situated against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath Mountain Range. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty for having killed their own brothers and for redemption, sought the blessings of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva eluded them repeatedly and while hiding from the Pandavas took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed, he dove into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. Karnali Excursions Char Dham Yatra 2016 The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madhmaheshwar and his locks (hair) with head at Kapaleshwar. Kedarnath and the four above-mentioned shrines are known as the Panch-Kedars. Gupta-Kashi–Rudra-Pryag/Pipalkoti (157 km drive/6 hr) After morning Puja and Darshan at the temple, we leave for trekking to Gorikund and DAY drive back to Rudra-Prayag/Pipalkoti. On arrival, check in to the hotel, dinner and 10 overnight stay. 7 Oct, 2016 Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Day-to-day detailed itinerary Rudra-Prayag/Pipalkoti – Badrinath (72 kms) Morning departure for Shri Badrinath, enroute visit Narasimha Temple and then drive DAY to Badrinath. On arrival, we take the Holy Darshan and spend time visiting Mana. Mana 11 Village is the last village before the Tibetan border. Have darshan of the Vyas Gupha, Bhim 8 Oct, 2016 Pul, and Saraswati River. Overnight stay at the hotel. Tapt Kund Natural thermal springs on the bank of the river Alakananda, where it is customary to bathe before entering the Badrinath temple. Karnali Excursions Char Dham Yatra 2016 Narad Kund A recess in the river, near Tapt Kund, forming a pool from where the Badrinath Murti was recovered. Mata Murti Temple Devoted to the mother of Sri Badrinath-ji. Other important temples include Sesh Netra Temple. Mana Village Inhabited by an Indo-Mongolian tribe, it is the last Indian village before Tibet. Bhīma Phul On the other side of Mana Village, a massive rock forming a natural bridge lies over the roaring Saraswati River. It presents a spectacular view of water thundering down through the narrow passage under the rock and is believed to have been placed there by Bhima, the second eldest amongst the five Pandava brothers. Vyasa Gupha (cave) Near Mana Village, this is a rock-cave where Veda Vyasa is believed to have composed the Mahabharata and the Puranic commentaries. Badrinath-Srinagar/Dev-Prayag (270 kms drive/9 hrs) Morning drive to Srinagar/Dev-Prayag. On arrival, check in at the hotel, and overnight DAY stay. Dev-Prayag is a town and a ‘Nagar Panchayat’ in Tehri Garhwal district, in the state of 12 Uttar khand. Dev- Prayag is one of the Panch-Prayags (five confluences) of the Alakananda 9 Oct, 2016 River where the Alakananda and Bhagirathi Ganga rivers meet and from here takes the name Ganga or the Holy River Ganges. Char Dham Yatra 2016 Karnali Excursions Srinagar/Dev-Prayag/Rishikesh (73 kms drive/3 hrs) Morning after breakfast, drive back to Rishikesh.