Overview
Often referred to as the Bada Char Dham Yatra covering the Greater Four Holy Adobes, a famous pilgrimage circuit established by Adi Shankara. Explore the four sacred locations in India’s four cardinal directions: Badrinath (North), Dwarka (West), Puri (East), and Rameshwaram (South). As all these sacred sites are geographically scattered across the subcontinent, this 15 days tour requires a multi-modal transport system, with road trips similar to the first Tempo Traveller segment, long train journeys, and domestic flights to cover thousands of kilometers efficiently. The itinerary has rigorous and exhaustive travel days intermingled with local excursions.
Day 1: Delhi to Rishikesh Transfer
The Bada Char Dham Tour begins by road, joining Rishikesh, the “Yoga Capital of the World,” and the gateway to the Himalayan Dhams. The journey on Tempo Traveller is comfortable and air-conditioned, taking approximately 6 to 7 hrs. Upon arrival, check into the hotel. In the evening, the time is utilized for acclimatization, exploring the Ganga ghats, and sightseeing of the important landmarks that Rishikesh has to offer, like Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula. Prepare for the long, serpentine mountain journey ahead.
Day 2: Badrinath Transfer
Reaching Badrinath, requires 10 to 12 hrs. of travel over the Himalayas. The tempo traveller travels tough mountainous roads, often crossing major confluences or Prayag, like Rudraprayag and Devprayag. The focus of the day would be to cover the long distance. On arrival at the high-altitude Badrinath, the group should check in and take rest for sometime to recover from the fatigue and acclimatize themselves to the chilling altitude air.
Day 3: Badrinath Sightseeing
The day is reserved for a trip to the Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The pilgrims get up early in the morning to take a holy dip in the naturally hot spring, Tapt Kund, before entering the temple for Darshan. Post major ritual, the tempo traveller is used for group local sightseeing tours. Usually, the local sightseeing includes a visit to the adjacent holy sites like Mana settlement – India’s last settlement before the border Vyas Gufa and the confluence of Saraswati and Alaknanda rivers.
Day 4: Rishikesh Transfer
This is another long day of travel, as the group returns from the high altitudes of Badrinath to the spiritual base camp of Rishikesh. Today, the tempo traveller takes you on a 10-hour journey. The major goal is to safely descend the mountain road. When the group arrives in Rishikesh, relax and frequently attend the tranquil nighttime Ganga Aarti, which particularly concludes the northern leg of this tour.
Day 5: Haridwar – Delhi – Dwarka
The journey from the Northern to the Western Dhams does involve a significant amount of travel charge. The morning trip begins with a short road transfer from Rishikesh to Haridwar, and then embarks on a road/train journey back to Delhi. There, the group boards a flight westward to a hub like Ahmedabad or Jamnagar, culminating in a final road trip by local vehicle to Dwarka in Gujarat. This is an extremely long, multimodal travel day intended to smoothly transition the group across the country.
Day 6: In Dwarka
The day is dedicated to visiting Dwarkadhish Temple, also known as Western Dham, one of the seven ancient towns in India and related to Lord Krishna. Devotees attend morning Darshan at the main temple. The rest of the day is spent exploring other local attractions, like the Rukmini Devi Temple, dedicated to Krishna’s queen, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the 12 famous Jyotirlingas and potentially, Dwarka Beach or a short boat trip to Beyt Dwarka.
Day 7: In Dwarka
The second day at Dwarka allows for an in-depth tour of the region and nearby sacred places; very often, this includes a visit to Somnath, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. A dedicated vehicle is very often used in travelling to and from Somnath. Exploring both Dwarkadhish Temple and Somnath Temple is considered a lifetime spiritual event in the West.
Day 8: Puri Transfer
The long journey as the group must transition from western to eastern India to reach Puri, Odisha. The challenges are a long journey, including Rajkot to Ahmedabad airport, then a domestic flight to reach Bhubaneshwar, the next major airport. The group will meet our tour representative and receive a warm welcome in Bhubaneshwar. Enjoy a smooth drive to Puri, about 2 hours by road, with check-in to the hotel for some well-deserved rest.
Day 9: Puri – Bhubaneshwar – Chennai
The day’s listing indicates a distinct scheduling quirk or an optional/alternative route planning for the eastern and southern dhams. The inference here is that the main Puri darshan is reserved for a later date; this day is utilized for a quick Bhubaneshwar to Chennai transfer by air. From checkout at the Puri hotel, the group proceeds to the Bhubaneshwar airport to get a connecting flight to Chennai in order to be closer to the final South Dham at Rameshwaram.
Day 10: In Puri
Imagine a flexible schedule, the party either returns to Bhubaneshwar or travels to Puri from Chennai; most likely, the itinerary indicates that the group did not fly on day 9 and instead stayed in Puri. The day is therefore devoted to the Jagannath Temples. A visit to the famous temple of the 12th century becomes a must for the devotees, while in the itinerary, even a visit to the nearby Konark Sun Temple and the wonderful Puri Beach may be included.
Day 11: Chennai Transfer via Bhubaneshwar
This is the day for the southward journey to begin. The group travels by bus from Puri to Bhubaneshwar and then boards a flight to Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The repositioning exercise by air across large distances is vital to bridge the gap between the East Coast and the Deep South. Chennai will be an important transportation point before the last trip to the Southern Dham.
Day 12: Rameshwaram Transfer
The final leg of the journey is by road, from Chennai to Rameshwaram – a long drive of around 10 to 12 hrs. The extended road trip takes the group through the state of Tamil Nadu. The spectacular Pamban Bridge, a historic rail and road bridge connecting the mainland to Rameshwaram Island, is a highlight of the trip. When the group arrives on the island, they check into their accommodations.
Day 13: In Rameshwaram
This day is devoted to the Rameshwaram Temple, the Southern Dham of Lord Shiva and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Bathing is a sacred practice performed by pilgrims in the temple complex’s 22 Theerthams, holy water reservoirs. Other famous destinations include Dhanushkodi, claimed as the starting point of Rama Setu, and the five-faced Hanuman Temple.
Day 14: Madurai Transfer
The group now travels by road to Madurai, taking 4 to 5 hours. Madurai is a major cultural and transportation hub in South India. Most pilgrims spend their day visiting the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple, a spectacular example of Dravidian architecture, and a cultural culmination to the trek.
Day 15: Departure
The last day comprises a transfer from Madurai to the local airport or railway station for further onward travel. This ends the 15 days Bada Char Dham Yatra, which travelled across the length and breadth of India to visit the four cardinal abodes.