| Season | Opens | Darshan | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning (open season) | approx 4:00 AM | Maha Abhishek from 4:00 AM; general darshan approx 6:00-7:00 AM | approx 3:00 PM | Open |
| Evening (open season) | approx 5:00 PM | Evening darshan and Shayan Aarti | approx 9:00 PM | Open |
| Winter (approx Nov to Apr) | Closed | Deity worshipped at Ukhimath (Omkareshwar Temple) | Closed | Open |
Kedarnath runs on two darshan windows rather than a single continuous day. The kapat opens around 4:00 AM for the Maha Abhishek, the elaborate morning bathing of the swayambhu lingam. General visitors are usually let in from about 6:00 to 7:00 AM once the priests finish the first rituals. The crucial detail most guides bury: ghee abhishek and physical touch of the conical rock lingam are permitted only in this morning-to-afternoon stretch, up to roughly 3:00 PM.
The temple then closes for a couple of hours while the deity is dressed for the evening. It reopens around 5:00 PM, and from here darshan is view-only; you can see the shringar-decorated lingam but not touch it, closing with the Shayan Aarti before the doors shut for the night around 9:00 PM. All these times drift by 15 to 30 minutes depending on sunrise, weather and how heavy the crowd is.
The bigger timing question is the season itself. Kedarnath is shut for roughly six months. The reopening date is announced at Maha Shivratri and usually falls in late April or early May (in 2026 the doors opened on 22 April); closing is around Bhai Dooj in late October or November. Always reconfirm the year's dates with the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee before booking.
← Back to the full Kedarnath darshan guideCompiled from public sources including euttaranchal.com - Kedarnath opening/closing dates 2026 · WanderOn - How to Reach Kedarnath · Rudraprayag District (Govt of Uttarakhand) - Kedarnath Yatra · euttaranchal.com - Kedarnath tourism. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.