Kedarnath Temple timings
Kedarnath is open for a season, not a year. For 2026 the doors opened on 22 April at 8:00 AM, a date announced on Maha Shivaratri at the winter seat in Ukhimath. What neither the temple committee nor the Government of Uttarakhand has published is a daily darshan timetable: the state's registration portal says the temple opening and closing time and the aarti and bhog time will be announced soon. What the committee does publish is that the evening aarti starts around 6:00 PM in the summer season.
Photo: Shaq774 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Kedarnath timings through the day
No official source publishes daily timings for Kedarnath that this page could verify. Open for the 2026 season from 22 April 2026, when the doors opened at 8:00 AM; the winter closing date had not been announced by BKTC when this page was checked on 17 September 2026.
Best time for darshan. Because no official daily darshan timetable has been published for 2026, no best hour for darshan can be verified. The only daily times BKTC does publish are early-morning abhishek pujas and an evening aarti at about 6:00 PM in summer. Remember that the walk up from Gaurikund takes 6 to 8 hours on foot, and plan your darshan slot token around that.
Kedarnath aarti timings
Full daily schedule
These are the only daily times the temple committee publishes, and they come from its booking terms for Kedarnath pujas rather than from a darshan timetable. They describe booked, attended pujas, not the general queue.
| Time | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | Abhishek pujas, including Mahabhishek and Rudrabhishek. The slot time is taken at the puja counter one day before | Booked seva |
| About 18:00 | Evening Aarti, in the summer season. Show the aarti receipt at the puja counter 15 to 20 minutes before | Booked seva |
Kedarnath timings during festivals
Maha Shivaratri February/March
The temple is closed for winter, but this is when the opening date is announced at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. In 2026 that was on 15 February.
Opening of the doors Vaishakh (April/May)
The Panchmukhi Doli comes up from Ukhimath and the doors open with rituals. In 2026 they opened at 08:00 on 22 April.
Closing of the doors Kartik (October/November)
BKTC says the shrine usually closes on the first day of Kartik, and Shiva's symbolic statue is carried to Ukhimath for winter.
How to read the Kedarnath schedule
Most pages print an opening and closing time for Kedarnath. The official position for 2026 is that no such daily timetable has been published, and this page does not invent one.
Announced soon Daily darshan hours
The Government of Uttarakhand portal states the temple opening and closing time, and the aarti and bhog time, will be announced soon.
At 8:00 AM 22 April 2026
The doors opened with traditional rituals after the Panchmukhi Doli arrived from Ukhimath on 21 April.
Winter closure Closing date
BKTC had not published the 2026 closing date when this page was checked. Its own page describes the shrine closing around the start of Kartik.
Evening aarti About 18:00
Given by BKTC as around 6 PM in summer, for pilgrims holding an aarti receipt.
Collect it at the Dham Darshan slot
The portal's checklist asks pilgrims to collect a darshan slot token for smooth darshan.
Where worship moves Ukhimath
BKTC states the symbolic statue of Shiva is carried to Ukhimath for the winter and worshipped there until the temple reopens.
Other hours at Kedarnath
The dates that frame the season, and the helpline hours that matter if something goes wrong on the way, are published by the government and the committee rather than by a darshan timetable.
- Panchmukhi Doli leaves UkhimathReached Gaurikund 20 April, Kedarnath 21 April
- 19 April 2026
- Doors opened for 2026With traditional rituals
- 08:00, 22 April 2026
- Uttarakhand tourist helpline0135-2559898, 0135-2552627, 0135-3520100; toll free 1364
- 07:00 – 21:00
- BKTC pilgrim support for online servicesAs stated on the BKTC site
- Monday to Saturday, 10:00 – 17:00
Not verified yet 4 items no official source publishes
- Daily darshan hours, including any midday closure. Not yet published for 2026 by BKTC or the state portal.
- The exact time of morning pujas, which BKTC says is given at the puja counter one day before.
- The 2026 closing date and time.
- Queue and token waiting times, which nobody outside the temple measures reliably.
Know one of these from an official notice? Send it to us and the page is updated with a new date.
What people ask about the schedule
Answered from the published schedule, and marked unverified where it is.
What time does Kedarnath Temple open?
No daily opening time has been officially published for 2026. The state registration portal states the temple opening and closing time will be announced soon, and BKTC publishes none. This page does not fill the gap with a guess.
Where do these timings come from?
The season dates come from the Government of Uttarakhand portal and All India Radio's report of BKTC's announcement. The aarti and puja times come from BKTC's own booking terms for Kedarnath.
When is the evening aarti at Kedarnath?
BKTC states the evening aarti starts around 6:00 PM in the summer season. Pilgrims holding an aarti receipt should show it at the puja counter 15 to 20 minutes before.
When are the morning pujas?
Early morning. BKTC tells pilgrims booked for abhishek pujas to take their slot timing at the puja counter one day before, rather than publishing a fixed time.
What date did Kedarnath open in 2026?
22 April 2026, at 8:00 AM, with traditional rituals.
What is the Kedarnath closing date for 2026?
Not yet published by BKTC when this page was checked on 17 September 2026. Dates that appear elsewhere before BKTC announces it are estimates.
Is Kedarnath open all year?
No. It is open to the public only for part of the year because of the weather. In winter the symbolic statue of Shiva is carried to Ukhimath and worshipped there.
Does the temple close in the afternoon?
Not verified here. No official daily timetable for 2026 has been published, so neither a midday closure nor its absence can be confirmed.
Is there a weekly closed day?
Nothing published by BKTC or the state portal indicates one, but without an official daily timetable this site treats the question as unverified.
How early should I start the trek?
This site does not publish a start time. The state portal estimates six to eight hours for the 16 km trek from Gaurikund, and darshan also needs a slot token collected at the Dham.
What are the helpline hours?
The Uttarakhand tourist helpline runs from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM on 0135-2559898, 0135-2552627 and 0135-3520100, with 1364 as the toll-free number. BKTC's own site gives pilgrim support for online services from 10 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Saturday.
What should I check before travelling?
That your registration is done, and whether BKTC or the state portal has since published daily timings or the closing date. Both sites are linked under the tables on this page.
Back to the whole temple
The dress code, the entry rules and everything else about Kedarnath that has been verified against a published source.