Quick answer
Carry your Char Dham registration and photo ID, a two-piece raincoat rather than an umbrella, warm layers for Kedarnath and Badrinath nights near freezing, broken-in trekking shoes and woollen socks for cold temple floors. Seniors should add a doctor's fitness note and double their regular medicines. Buy a walking stick and poncho at Gaurikund or Janki Chatti instead of packing them.
Documents & money
- Char Dham registration printout or QR — Registration on the Uttarakhand Tourism portal is mandatory and checked along the route.
- Aadhaar or other photo ID, plus copies — Use the same ID you registered with.
- Helicopter tickets (if flying to Kedarnath) — Sold only through IRCTC's HeliYatra portal at the time of review; ignore social-media agents.
- Doctor's fitness note for seniors — Useful at health screening points if you have heart, lung or BP conditions.
- Cash in small notes — ATMs in Sonprayag, Guptkashi and Badrinath run dry in peak weeks.
- Printed hotel bookings and emergency contacts
Clothing
- Thermal innerwear
- Fleece or sweater
- Padded or down jacket — Kedarnath, at 3,583 m, drops close to 0°C at night even in May and October.
- Two-piece raincoat — Umbrellas are useless on a windy trail.
- Quick-dry trousers, two pairs — Avoid jeans; they stay wet after rain.
- Woollen cap, gloves and muffler
- Woollen socks, several pairs — Temple floors and queues are on cold stone.
- Shawl or stole for darshan
- Spare set of clothes in a dry bag
Footwear & trek gear
- Broken-in trekking shoes with grip — The Kedarnath path is paved but slippery with rain and pony dung.
- Floaters or slippers — For hotels and the hot springs at Yamunotri and Badrinath.
- Walking stick (buy at the trailhead) — Sold cheaply at Gaurikund and Janki Chatti.
- Daypack, 20–25 litres, with a rain cover
- Knee support — The descent is harder on knees than the climb.
- Headlamp or torch — For pre-dawn starts and power cuts.
- Ziplock bags for phone and documents
Health & medicines
- Regular medicines, double the quantity, with prescription
- Paracetamol, antacids and ORS
- Glucose powder or tablets
- Motion-sickness tablets — Hill drives from Rishikesh run 7–10 hours a day.
- Pain-relief spray or balm
- Plasters and blister pads
- Acetazolamide (Diamox) — Only on a doctor's advice; rest if you get a headache at Kedarnath.
- Sunscreen and lip balm
Temple & puja
- Small offerings budget in cash
- Sealed bottle for Ganga jal — Sealed cans are also sold at Gangotri.
- Cloth belt and wallet — Some temple queues ask you to leave leather items outside.
- Cloth bag for prasad
- Puja items (buy locally) — Thalis, flowers and prasad are sold outside every temple.
- Socks you can wear inside — Shoes stay at the free footwear counters.
Electronics & extras
- Power bank
- Phone with offline maps
- Thermos flask
- Dry fruits, glucose biscuits and energy bars
- Reusable water bottle
- Rubbish bag — Bins are scarce on the trek; carry waste down.
What weather should you pack for on the Char Dham route?
The temples usually open in late April or May and close around Diwali. In May and June, Haridwar and Rishikesh run at 35°C or more, while Kedarnath (3,583 m) and Badrinath (about 3,300 m) fall close to 0°C at night. July and August bring monsoon landslides and road closures; September and October are clearer and colder. Pack for both ends: cottons for the plains, thermals and a padded jacket for the shrines.
Pack light, because you carry it up
The Kedarnath trek is about 16 km each way from Gaurikund, and Yamunotri is about 6 km from Janki Chatti. Leave your suitcase at the hotel in Guptkashi, Sonprayag or Barkot and walk up with a 20–25 litre daypack holding rain gear, a warm layer, spare socks, medicines, snacks, water and ID. Ponies, palkis and porters are booked at official counters at the trailhead.
Registration and helicopters
Registration on the Uttarakhand Tourism portal is mandatory, and it is checked along the route. Carry the printout or QR with the same photo ID you used. Kedarnath helicopter seats are sold only through IRCTC's HeliYatra portal at the time of review; ignore agents on social media offering "confirmed" tickets.
For senior travellers
Carry double your regular medicines with a prescription, plus a doctor's fitness note if you have heart, lung or blood pressure conditions; health screening points have operated on the route in recent seasons. A raincoat, knee support and walking stick help more than any gadget.
What to buy locally
Walking sticks, ponchos, woollen caps and puja thalis are sold cheaply at Gaurikund, Janki Chatti and outside every temple, so there's no need to carry them from home.
See when each temple opens, consider travel insurance for the trek, and find more packing lists.
Frequently asked questions
Is registration mandatory for the Char Dham Yatra?
What should I wear for the Kedarnath trek?
What medicines should senior citizens carry for Char Dham?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.