Most pilgrims stay at Janki Chatti (closest to the trek head), Barkot (the main town with hotels and lodges, roughly 45-50 km away) or Hanuman Chatti. Janki Chatti offers GMVN rest houses, budget hotels and dharamshalas; small ashrams and rooms near the temple charge only a few hundred rupees a night, often for 2-3 people. At the shrine itself only very basic overnight options exist, so most people trek up and down in a single day and sleep lower down.
There is very little accommodation at the shrine itself, so pilgrims sleep lower down and climb for the day. Janki Chatti, at the trek head, is the closest base and has GMVN (state tourism) rest houses, budget hotels, dharamshalas and pony stands, making it the practical choice for an early start.
Barkot, about 45 to 50 km back toward the highway, is the main town of the area with a wider range of hotels and lodges and better food options; many yatra packages overnight here. Hanuman Chatti, between Barkot and Janki Chatti, offers simpler guesthouses and is another common halt.
Near the temple, only very basic ashram rooms and small lodges exist, often just a few hundred rupees a night and shared between two or three people, with limited facilities at altitude. Book ahead in the peak May-June rush, carry cash, and plan to trek up and back in a single day rather than counting on a comfortable bed at the top.
← Back to the full Yamunotri darshan guideCompiled from public sources including Wikipedia: Yamunotri · Wikipedia: Chota Char Dham · Holidify: Yamunotri travel guide · Wikimedia Commons: Yamuna at Yamunotri image. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.