Haridwar-Badrinath-Haridwar ..Possible to make in 3 days?

harimakesh

Dear all,

We intend to make a trip to Badrinath in the first week of October 2008.

Is it possible to visit Badrinath and return back to Haridwar in 3 days time?

Day 1: Leave Haridwar at 04.30hrs
Day1: Arrive at Joshimutt at 17.00hrs
(Day 1 overnight stay at Joshimutt)

Day 2: Leave for Badrinath from Joshimutt at 05.00am
Visit to Badrinath temple, Mana village and back to Joshimutt
Day 2 Over night stay at Joshi mutt

Day 3: Leave for Haridwar departure at Joshimutt at 05.00am
Day 3: Arrive at Haridwar at 17:00hrs, Enjoy evening ganga aarti
Day 3: Departure to Delhi by Mussoorie express at 23:00hrs

Kindly advise me for the following:

1)Is this schedule practically possible in 3 full days?

2)Is it possible/economical to get Sumo jeeps from Haridwar for Badrinath? Or Starting from Dehradun will be better in terms of better prices and jeep availability?
2a) How much is the the price for Haridwar/Badrinath/Haridwar jeep package for 3 days? Any reliable travel agents contact details, e-mails please..

3)Is it reasonably ok and reliable to take a GMVN bus from Haridwar to Joshimutt both ways? How is the frequency and crowd in the bus? Any body can share the experience of bus travel?

3) Is it possible and economical to hire a jeep from Joshimutt to Badrinath and back to joshimutt

Await your valuable suggestions.

Hariharan
Chennai

harimakesh

any suggestions please?

rumasan

Hari,

This is quite a challenging plan. I went to Badrinath in Septenber last year and I can say that this plan is too too ambitious.

Last year we did the following. We started from Rishikesh in the morning. With essential breaks, we managed to reach Birahi aroud 6 PM. The road from Joshimath to Badrinath is not always open. I think the last set of vehicles are allowed to go up around 2 PM or so. We started from Birahi the next day morning, took the 11:00 AM batch from Joshimath to Badrinath. I guess the last exit from Badrinath is also around 1 PM or so.

Also, even if you start from Joshimath in the morning, it would be quite a challenge to make it back to aarti in Haridwar by 5 PM.

Pls do not do Badrinath if you do not have atleast 4 to 5 days. There are many places between Rishikesh and Badrinath. You need to do justice to those places also.

This is my feedback. I will let the others voice their opinion.

harimakesh

rumasan,

Thanks for your reply.

In a way it is an ambitious plan.

I Will arrive into New Delhi on the 01st October 2008 by 05.00hrs
I MUST Leave out of New Delhi on 09th October 2008 by 05.30hrs

Total time I have is 01st Oct to 08th Oct'08 = 8 full days

I must cover New Delhi - Haridwar-Badrinath-Haridwar -within maximum 4 days i.e to leave Haridwar on 05th October '08 by noon for Varanasi by 2328 Upasana express.

Arrive at Varanasi on 06th October '08 Morning by 03:00hrs
Leave Varanasi on 07th October by 17:00hrs for Agra by 4863Maruthar express

Arrive at Agra on 08th October'08 at 08.00hrs visit Taj mahal and Leave Agra for NewDelhi on the same day by 15:00hrs by any passing train.

Arrive at New Delhi on 08th October '08 by 21:30hrs

Leave Out of New Delhi at Mid night of 08th October 2008


Any one can shed light on how is the transportation between tundla junction and agra?? How is Tundla town?


I request IM veterans! Please help by giving your suggestions

Thanks
Hariharan

solo_trekker

Hiya...

Relax...
Your plan to Badrinath can surely work...
Day 1 - Leave Haridwar as early as possible. Buses start at 5.00 a.m. You get to spend the night at Joshimath.
Day 2 - The buses leave for Badrinath starting with the opening of the first 'gate' at 6.00 a.m. First thing you do once you reach Badrinath is get a ticket for the next morning's first bus to Haridwar - a good idea would be to take the ticket and your choice of seat on the very same bus as it would be the same bus which will do the return journey in the morning...! Check into a hotel - After seeing the temple, look up Mana. Evening Aarti at Badrinath temple.
Day 3 - Early morning bus takes you direct from Badrinath to Haridwar - You'll reach by 7.30-8.00 p.m. or so...

For more details about the journey... Do check out the first page of this thread :
Valley of Flowers & Hemkund Sahib

Cheers...!

rumasan

Delhi - Haridwar - Badrinath - Haridwar - Delhi - Varanasi - Agra - Delhi in 8 Days

Boy, you sure are adventurous. Why don't you think of cutting down one place and atleast spend a little more time on the others. Why don't you cut out Varanasi and spend an extra day in Agra. Agra fort is also a good place to visit. It is indeed a sight to see the Taj from Agra fort.

Ashishrjoshi

Hi Hari,

Although others in IM are saying that Haridwar-Badrinath-Haridwar in 3 days is difficult; I feel that’s quite possible if things are planned properly.

In fact we did similar thing in Oct 2007. We did entire Chardham in just 9 days (along with 2 elderly ladies) where ppl say even 11 days are not sufficient. (Badrinath part of the tour was similar to yours). The journey was comfortable & very rewarding. We also experienced snowfall at Kedarnath & that was mesmerizing! Of course we had booked a car (Tavera) for the entire trip & had also done GMVN bookings in advance.

1. Leave Haridwar early morning. 5/5.30 should be ok. You can reach Joshimath in 11-12 hrs. Considering some breaks in between, you should reach by 7 pm. October is not all that peak season, so there would be less traffic, but journey in mountains can be unpredictable at times. So always have buffer time. Have an advance booking done at Joshimath. In mountains, there aren’t 3-4-5 start hotels. Hence Govt GMVN bungalows are best amongst what’s available. You can book them online too. Visit http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/tour/booktrh.asp. You can also visit http://210.212.78.56/50cities/jyotim...d=8&subid=1 2 for other hotels.

2. Next day leave as early as possible if you want to have more time at Badrinath. Leave by 6.00 am. Road ahead of Joshimath is one way & closes by 1 pm for going towards Badrinath. (when it is opened for return journey). You can reach Badrinath by 9/9.30. Visit temple; Mana village, have lunch & make sure you leave before 4.00 pm. They close the road from Badrinath to Joshimath around 4.30 pm at Badrinath. We happened to leave at 5 & got stuck. Had to request a lot to let us go to Joshimath. You should reach by 7.30/8. Night driving in the mountains should be avoided.

3. Leave for Haridwar by 5.00 am. But 5.00 pm Aarti at Haridwar won’t be possible. You will not reach before 7.00 pm. May get caught in evening traffic at Rishikesh. But you can surely catch your late night train from Haridwar.

Answers to your queries:

1. Yes its possible, although little tight.

2. Yes. Cars will be easily available at Haridwar. It’s become a big town nowadays. May not be very economical to have your own car for the entire journey; but if schedule is tight, u gotta do that. But October is not the peak season so it won’t be awfully costly. Consider 6 to 8K for 3days. Don’t consider Dehradun since it does not fall in your route & will only add in the distance & time taken.

3. We had taken car (Tavera for 4 ppl) from Mr. Arjun of Gangotri Travels. Car was very good. Even better was the driver. He kept talking & entertaining us thro’ the entire trip. Contact no: 9319477054 / 9837183468.

4. I won’t suggest to take GMVN bus since your schedule is tight. You have very minimum buffer. & timeliness of Govt buses is well-known.

Happy Journey & do share your exp.

ronsaik

Very much do-able, I would think. The only problem coming your way could be landslides blocking the road, but something like that would be more common in the monsoons (July-Aug-Sep) than in October.

kammaldeep

It seems achieveable .. bt it will be better if u start ur journey from Rishikesh .. as starting from Haridwar

with 3 days .. u will be easy be able to visit badrinath and come back on time

harimakesh

Solo trekker, Ronsaik, Kammaldeep thanks for your suggestions.

Ashish Joshi, Very Many thanks for the detailed info. I am finding myself more confident upon your reassuring experience sharing. Thanks again for your kindness.

Dilliwala

I really wish folks wud bother to get the gate-opening times right for the one-way system rather than speculate. The first gate at both ends is at 6.30 am, the last gate at both ends is at 4.30 pm. A forced halt is at Pandukeshwar, opens 1h 20min after previous one.

Hari, this is a very punishing schedule you have chosen, and if you can stretch it to 4 days, do so. You have absolutely no margin for delay right now, and what happens if there is one? Missed train, missed bus, missed arti.....which wud you prefer?
Nevertheless, if you must do it in 3 days, stay the first night in Rishikesh. Reaching Joshimath next day means a long hard ride (that's without delays) - the 40-min head-start is not to be sneezed at. The GMVNs will offer good and economical staying options (refer your other thread).
And you shud forget going by bus in this case, you will need your own vehicle. It's approx 300 km one way, work with Rs. 10-12/km.

harimakesh

Dilliwala,

Thanks for the Gate timings information.

I will try rescheduling by sacrificing last leg Agra taj visit and try avail some cushion time for mountain journey uncertainities.

Many thanks again.