Kedarnath helicopters are back for the yatra’s second phase, as a landslide hits the footpath

Update — 22 October 2026: winter closing dates

Badrinath closes for the winter at 9:37pm on 16 November, as announced at the temple on Vijayadashami (ETV Bharat, 20 October). Kedarnath’s closing date was also fixed that day and is reported as 11 November; we have not yet seen the temple committee’s notice, so confirm before planning a late trip.

Update — 16 October 2026: the last helicopter window has sold out

IRCTC opened Kedarnath helicopter bookings for 16 October to 9 November on 9 October, and all seats sold out within hours. Direct helicopter flights from Dehradun airport have been cancelled for the season. Book only on IRCTC’s official heliyatra site (UNI, 9 October). The date the temple closes for winter has not yet been announced.

Update — 25 September 2026: the footpath is open, and October helicopter bookings have opened

The Gaurikund–Kedarnath footpath reopened on the afternoon of Tuesday 15 September after a three-day closure caused by the landslide near Chirbasa, PTI-Bhasha reported. Debris was cleared near the Chirbasa helipad, about 2.5 km above Gaurikund, and 7,350 pilgrims had been escorted safely across the damaged section, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre figures it cited.

Helicopter bookings for Kedarnath for 1–15 October opened on IRCTC’s authorised heli-booking portal on 22 September at 3pm, and for Hemkund Sahib for 1–10 October at 5pm, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority chief executive Prateek Jain told Dainik Bhaskar. We have not checked how many seats remain. Book only on the IRCTC portal. Our report of 15 September follows unchanged.

The helicopters are flying again

Helicopter services to Kedarnath resumed on 15 September, the start of the second phase of the Char Dham Yatra, after a monsoon break of about two and a half months. The date and details come from Amar Ujala’s report that day. Flights operate from three helipads in the Kedar valley, Guptkashi, Phata and Sirsi, and only when the weather allows. Amar Ujala says nine aviation companies are contracted. BW Travel names eight operators flying: Trans Bharat and Chipsan at Guptkashi; Thambi, Rajash, United and Pilgrim at Phata; and Himalaya and Aero at Sirsi.

Amar Ujala reports these round-trip fares per passenger: ₹12,762 from Guptkashi, ₹10,164 from Phata and ₹6,390 from Sirsi, with ₹11,834 for Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib. The report does not say whether GST is included. Take the fare IRCTC shows at booking as the authoritative one. Bookings are made only through IRCTC’s official heli-yatra website, and pilgrims are warned against unauthorised booking sites.

Availability is tight. According to the same report, tickets up to 30 September are already fully booked, and bookings for 1–15 October open on 22 September on the IRCTC website.

A landslide on the walking route

The footpath has been disrupted. On Sunday 13 September a landslide near the Chirbasa helipad, about 2.5 kilometres above Gaurikund, partially damaged the Gaurikund–Kedarnath stretch and made it impassable, The Tribune reports. It also reports that one local resident died after being struck by a boulder. On Monday more than 6,500 pilgrims were guided across the damaged section in phases, along with 600–700 horses and mules. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra told ETV Bharat that “safety of passengers is the top priority of the administration” and that the area is being continuously monitored.

Reports on the route’s current state do not fully agree. ETV Bharat says pilgrims are being allowed to move “only keeping in mind the road conditions and weather”. Amar Ujala reported on 15 September that the footpath was still closed, and that falling rocks near Chirbasa had injured a horse handler and a muleteer on 14 September. We have not been able to confirm that normal, unescorted movement has resumed. Treat the walking route as open only under the administration’s control, and subject to weather.

What pilgrims should do

If you are planning Kedarnath in October, especially with older family members, decide early. The helicopter is the easier option, but seats to the end of September have gone, and the 1–15 October release on 22 September is likely to sell quickly. If you will walk, build a spare day into the itinerary and follow the instructions of the district administration and the State Disaster Response Force on the route. Amar Ujala also reports that the ₹1,100 VIP darshan fee at Badrinath and Kedarnath has been suspended. Our Uttarakhand pages cover the wider region.

Sources

This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.

• चारधाम यात्रा का दूसरा चरण आज से, केदारनाथ हेली सेवा भी शुरू (Char Dham second phase begins; Kedarnath heli service starts) — Amar Ujala, 15 September 2026
• Landslide On Kedarnath Dham Yatra Route Near Chirbasa Helipad, Over 6,500 Pilgrims Rescued — ETV Bharat, 14 September 2026
• Over 6,500 pilgrims rescued near Kedarnath after landslide — The Tribune
• Helicopter Services Resume On Kedarnath Route — BW Travel
• Kedarnath walking route reopens, pilgrimage resumes after three days — ThePrint Hindi (PTI-Bhasha), 15 September 2026
• केदारनाथ और हेमकुंड के लिए फिर खुली हेली बुकिंग: कल से IRCTC पोर्टल पर मिलेंगे टिकट — Dainik Bhaskar, 21 September 2026
• All heli tickets for Kedarnath sold within few hours — UNI, 09 October 2026
• 16 नवंबर को बंद होंगे बदरीनाथ धाम के कपाट — ETV Bharat, 20 October 2026