Uttarakhand · North
Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga
Kedarnath sits at 3,583 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas, its grey stone shikhara among the highest of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the Char Dham. Tradition credits Adi Shankaracharya with restoring the shrine in the 8th century over an earlier structure linked to the Pandavas of the Mahabharata. Built from massive undressed stone slabs without mortar, the temple's construction let it survive the catastrophic 2013 Kedarnath flood almost undamaged, while surrounding structures were destroyed; a large boulder that deflected the debris flow still rests behind the sanctum. Reachable only via a 16-kilometre trek or helicopter after the mountain reopens in spring, Kedarnath is both an engineering puzzle for historians and the terminus of one of Hinduism's most physically demanding pilgrimages.
Art & Architecture
- Massive grey stone masonry built to withstand Himalayan snow load
- Undressed monolithic slabs fitted without mortar
- Conical roof and pyramidal shikhara at 3,583m altitude
- Survived the 2013 flash flood largely intact, sheltered by a boulder
Best Season
Festivals
Akhand Jyoti lighting · Kedarnath opening ceremony · Badri-Kedar Utsav
Journeys Featuring This Temple
Planning your visit
Nearby
Guesthouses and dharamshalas near the temple often take walk-ins. Confirm a single-occupancy rate when you call.
- Rajasthan Bhawan82 m
Rated 4.3 on Google Maps from 78 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Kedarnath Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
Rated 4.1 on Google Maps from 133 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Kedarnath Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Kedar Bhairav Camp176 m
Rated 4.5 on Google Maps from 186 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Kedarnath Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- New Himachal House41 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
- Hotel GS Palace and Restaurant 146 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
- Somaya Hotel and Restaurant159 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
Listings drawn from third-party maps are not verified by us and may be out of date. Please confirm directly before you travel.
Sources