How to plan a trip to Rudraprayag will be one of the very first questions you might have if you made up your mind to visit the Rudraprayag in Garwhal district of Uttarakhand.
Therefore, based on my travels to Rudraprayag district I am curating this blog keeping aspects like commute, stay options, places to visit, things to do in mind. So lets get started on how to plan a trip to Rudraprayag.
How To Plan A Trip To Rudraprayag – A Comprehensive Rudraprayag Travel Guide
Situated at comfortable altitude of 690 m, Rudraprayag is one the five prayags of Uttarakhand and district headquarters of Rudraprayag district.
Of course, there is much more to do in Rudraprayag district as whole apart from Rudraprayag town. From ancient temples to rolling meadows, Rudraprayag has a lot to offer. For Best Landscapes visit Rudraprayag post monsoon and early Autumn.
So here is a handy guide for folks wanting to experience the beauty of Rudraprayag district. By the way, if its your first time to Uttarakhand, here is a handy list of things to pack for a trip to Uttarakhand.
How to Reach Rudraprayag ?
Rudraprayag has an easy access for national capital and main towns of Uttarakhand. Although there is no direct bus from Delhi, but if you break your journey
I have a whole blog on how to reach rudraprayag to help you if you are first timer. But I’ll mention in brief about reaching Rudraprayag from cities like Delhi, Haridwar & Rishikesh.
- No direct bus from Delhi. An Overnight UTC bus will drop you Srinagar. Rudraprayag is just an hour away.
- From Haridwar buses and shared cabs to Rudraprayag start as early as 4 AM. The distance is around 163 km.
- Like Haridwar buses and shared cabs to Rudrparayag start very early. The distance is around 139 km.
Of course, The main town of Rudraprayag acts as a gateway and a place from where you can get further commute options to other destinations in Rudraprayag district like Kedarnath, Tungnath etc.
Itinerary for Rudraprayag
There is no dearth of things to do and places to visit in Rudraprayag district. Therefore, I would suggest you at least keep a week for Rudraprayag. The more days you can spare the better it will be.
Here is super detailed 12-day itinerary for Rudraprayag. Feel free to add or remove destinations as per your convenience.
Here is the Rudraprayag trip itinerary in brief in case you don’t want to read the whole blog and have a quick glance.
| Day 1
Board evening bus to Srinagar for ISBT Kashmiri Gate. |
| Day 2
Reach Rudraprayag from Srinagar. Explore the local temples and Confluence site. Overnight At Srinagar. |
| Day 3
Depart from Sonprayag and reach Triyugi Narayan. Explore the temple and the village. Overnight stay at Triyugi Narayan. |
| Day 4
Start Early leave For Gaurikund. Start the hike to Kedarnath. Overnight in Kedarnath. |
| Day 5
Descend early from Kedarnath and head to Ukhimath. Explore the Temple. Stay at Ukhimath for the night. |
| Day 6
Depart from Ukhimath and head towards Ransi. Explore the village. Overnight stay in Ransi. |
| Day 7
Start early from Ransi and head towards Madhmaheshwar. Overnight in Madhmaheshwar. |
| Day 8
Descend early from Madhmaheswar and head back to Ukhimath. Head towards Chopta. Overnight in Chopta |
| Day 9
Start early and head towards Tugnath. Reach Sari village by evening. Overnight at Sari. |
| Day 10
Explore Sari village. Head to Deoriatal. Overnight at Sari. |
| Day 11
Leave for Kanak Chauri and head to Karthik Swami Temple. Overnight at Srinagar. |
| Day 12
Leave for Delhi and Reach by evening. |
Places to visit In Rudraprayag & Things To Do In Rudraprayag
Here is a list of things to do and places to visit in Rudraprayag. Trust me, Rudraprayag has a lot to keep occupied during your trip. But relaxing while soaking in the surreal beauty is a very good option as well.
Visit The Ancient Temples Of Rudraprayag
Ancient temples in Rudraprayag really make it absolutely worth it. Temples like Omkareshwar temple, Triyugi Narayan Temple, Kalimath Temple, Makku Math, Karthik Swami.
While Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath acts as a winter abode to Lord Kedar and Lord Madhmaheshwar as the temples remain closed to the devotees during winters. The temple is said to be several thousand years old.
Triyugi Narayan temple near Sonprayag is said to be the place where Shiva and Parvati got married while Kalimath temple dedicated lord Kali is a Shaktipeeth.
Makku Math acts as a winter abode for Lord Tungnath while Karthik Swami is dedicated to Lord Kartikeya the son of Lord Shiva.
Final flight of stairs leading to Karthik Swami which is also blessed with insanely scenic views of Himalayan peaks.
Embark On An Odyssey To The 3 Kedars In Rudraprayag
Five kedars in Uttarakhand have a tremendous religious significance and are blessed with majestic vistas of lofty himalayan peaks. Out of 5 Kedars, 3 of them are located in Rudraparayag.
The first Kedar is basically Kedarnath which needs no introduction and is one of the most pious sites for Hindus. The second Kedar is Madhmaheshwar starting from the village of Ransi. And the Third is Tugnath in Chopta valley, one of the most famous pilgrimages.
If you are going as a traveler to any of the Kedars, please ensure that you maintain their sanctity and keep the places clean.
3rd Kedar, Tugnath Mahadev, The highest Shiva Temple in the world.
Hiking & Trekking Trails That Will Leave Awestruck
From rolling meadows to high-altitude lakes, from day hikes to multi-day trek Uttarakhand has it all. Some of the easy hikes along with Pilgrim trails include Kedarnath, Madhmaheswar, Tugnath, Sari to Chopta, Deoriatal, Rohini Bugyal etc.
Some of the more difficult treks include Bisudi Taal, Kanchani Taal, Chaumasi to Kedarnath etc.
Deoriatal perched above Sari village is absolutely stunning provided clear weather prevails.
Majestic Chopta Valley Is Absolutely Worth It
Perched at an altitude of 2600 m, chopta valley is one of the most famous destinations in the Garwhal Himalayas and Uttarakhand in general.
Surrounded by Beautiful meadows, Pin trees, Lofty peaks, Chopta valley majestic beauty is just otherworldly to say the least. Rhododendron bloom during springs is a sight to behold and one of the reasons why Rudraprayag is famous
Hazy views from the Chandrashila Peak.
Go Village Hopping To Witness Life In Garwhali Locales Up Close
Visiting Rustic Villages has been one of favourite things to do in Himalayas in general. And Rudraprayag has beautiful rustic villages perfect for observing the day to day life in Garwhal Himalayas.
Sari, Triyugi Narayan, Ransi, Chaumasi, Makku Math are a few villages of Rudraprayag which you should visit. A few homestays have also come up in lesser-frequented villages of Rudraprayag so do ask about them to the locals if interested.
I personally spent a few days in Sari village and it was just a blissful experience.
Sari village as seen from the trail to Deoriatal
Where To Stay In Rudraprayag ?
The main town of Rudraprayag has plenty of options to stay in terms of hotels and guesthouses. So that should not be a problem. But I am sure you’ll be exploring places further in the district which also have basic accommodation options.
Villages like Sari, Ransi, Triyugi Narayan, Chaumasi, Kanak Chauri, Makku Math will have basic stay options in the form of Guesthouses or Homestays. While market towns like Ukhimath, Guptkashi, Sonprayag also have hotels and guesthouses.
Luxury camping along with basic guesthouses and hotels are also available in Chopta-Tungnath area. Basic stay options are available in pilgrim places like Kedarnath, Madhmaheshwar, Tungnath during summer months.
If you are a solo traveler who loves backpackers hostels you’ll be disappointed as there are no major hostels or hostel chains in Rudraprayag and Garwhal division in general. Dorm beds might be available in GMVN properties.
Where to Eat In Rudraprayag ?
Again sorry to break bubble but if you were expecting cafe like food in Rudraprayag you’ll be disappointed. Of course Srinagar has cafes so if you are craving cafe-like food, Srinagar is the place just an hour away Rudraprayag.
In the villages and pilgrim places expect basic North India cuisine. Basic Restaurants and Dhabas are widespread. Although few cafes do exist in places like Sari village which is now a popular tourist attraction
Food is fairly economical in Rudraprayag, but in high altitude pilgrim places or destinations the food might be a bit expensive. If you stay at homestays or guesthouses you get food taken care off most the times.
Mobile Network & Internet Connectivity in Rudraprayag
Mobile network & Internet connectivity have certainly improved from what it was back in the day. Villages like Sari, Ransi, Triyugi Narayan have decent connectivity along with all the market towns like Ukhimath, Guptkashi, Sonprayag, Rudraprayag.
There is some of sort of connectivity in Kedarnath. Tugnath also has mobile network and internet connectivity but connectivity is very patchy in Chopta market, Baniyakund. I am not sure about Madhmaheshwar.
But overall yes internet connectivity and mobile network is decent. And you can work remotely from any of the villages without much issues to be honest.
To sum it up, I hope you are now confident and have a fair idea on how to plan a trip to Rudraprayag. Trust me, Rudraprayag is full of surreal destinations and will one your finest trips in the Himalayas.
In case of any queries regarding how to plan a trip to Rudraprayag, please reach out to me in the comments below and I’ll be happy to help.
