Overview
Kedarnath temple is located at 30.7352° N, 79.0669° E at an altitude of 3,583 m in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It sits at the head of the Mandakini river valley, flanked by the Kedarnath peak (6,940 m) and the Kedar Dome (6,940 m). No motorable road reaches Kedarnath — the nearest road ends at Sonprayag (30 km away). Access is by 16 km trek from Gaurikund or by helicopter from three helipads.
| Location | Coordinates | Altitude | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kedarnath Temple | 30.7352° N, 79.0669° E | 3,583 m | Trek end / helicopter landing nearby |
| Gaurikund | 30.6553° N, 79.0575° E | 1,934 m | Trek start point, road end for buses |
| Sonprayag | 30.6314° N, 79.0423° E | 1,829 m | Registration checkpoint, shared jeep to Gaurikund |
| Phata Helipad | 30.6308° N, 79.0553° E | 1,900 m | Main helipad, most operators |
| Guptkashi | 30.5267° N, 79.0817° E | 1,319 m | Base town, hotels, ATMs |
| Rudraprayag | 30.2847° N, 78.9814° E | 895 m | Nearest major highway junction |
| Triyuginarayan | 30.7117° N, 79.0272° E | 1,980 m | Shiva's wedding site, 22 km from Sonprayag |
Planning
Kedarnath trek route map — key waypoints (Gaurikund to Kedarnath):
- 0 km — Gaurikund (30.6553, 79.0575, 1,934 m): Trek registration check, horse/doli booking, hot spring kund. The trail begins at the far end of the Gaurikund bazaar.
- 4 km — Jungle Chatti (approx. 30.6680, 79.0590, 2,100 m): First major rest stop. Dense forest trail. Tea stalls, glucose biscuits, basic snacks.
- 7 km — Bheembali (approx. 30.6900, 79.0610, 2,400 m): GMVN canteen. Mid-point meal stop. Medical post. Horse resting point.
- 9 km — Linchauli/Rambara (approx. 30.7050, 79.0630, 2,800 m): Major rest point. NDRF medical camp. Last treeline before alpine meadows begin. Views of Mandakini valley open here.
- 13 km — Rudra Point (approx. 30.7210, 79.0660, 3,200 m): Kedarnath helipad visible. First view of the Kedarnath temple spire. Alpine zone — above cloud cover on clear mornings.
- 16 km — Kedarnath (30.7352, 79.0669, 3,583 m): Temple complex, GMVN tents, guesthouses, Bhairavnath temple (500 m north), Shankaracharya Samadhi (behind main temple).
Kedarnath temple complex layout:
- Main Kedarnath temple: Centre of the complex — ancient stone structure, circa 8th century CE (rebuilt/reinforced post-2013 floods). Faces south. Mandapa (hall) + Garbha Griha (inner sanctum with Shivalinga).
- Shankaracharya Samadhi: Directly behind (north of) the main temple — the meditation place where Adi Shankaracharya attained samadhi at age 32. A deeply sacred spot.
- Bhairavnath temple: 500 m northeast of the main temple on a raised platform — the guardian deity of Kedarnath. Worth visiting for the panoramic view of the Kedarnath valley.
- Gandhi Sarovar (Chorabari Lake): 3 km north of the temple at 3,900 m — a glacial lake. 1.5 hr walk. Stunning reflection of Kedarnath peak. Not advisable in bad weather.
- GMVN tent camp: 500 m south of the temple — main accommodation cluster.
- Kedarnath helipad: 800 m southeast of the temple — 10-minute walk.
Travel Information
- Google Maps offline download: Before leaving Haridwar/Guptkashi (where you have 4G), open Google Maps → search "Kedarnath" → download offline map covering Rudraprayag district. This covers the full trek route and works without signal. Essential — no mobile signal exists on the trek above Gaurikund (BSNL works partially at Linchauli and Kedarnath).
- GPS apps for the trek: Maps.me (free, works offline, shows the complete Kedarnath trek trail in detail) and OsmAnd (OpenStreetMap-based, detailed trail markers) are better for the actual trek than Google Maps. Download the Uttarakhand offline pack before your trip.
- Kedarnath on Google Maps search: Search "Kedarnath Temple" — Google Maps correctly locates it at 30.7352, 79.0669. You can get directions from Guptkashi that show the driving route to Sonprayag and then the trekking trail.
- Post-2013 flood changes: The 2013 Kedarnath flood significantly altered the topography around the temple. Some older maps (pre-2014) show the Chorabari glacier and Rambara bridge differently. Use maps dated 2014 or later for accurate trail information.
Tips
- Download maps before leaving Guptkashi: Signal disappears entirely above Sonprayag. If you haven't downloaded offline maps in Guptkashi (the last place with reliable 4G), you'll be navigating without maps. The trail is well-marked with signboards but having offline GPS is crucial in fog or snowfall.
- Share your live location before trekking: Share your real-time location (Google Maps or WhatsApp) with a family member or friend before you start the trek from Gaurikund. If there's a weather emergency or medical incident, this allows rescue teams to find your last known position.
- The trek trail and horse trail are the same path: Unlike some Himalayan treks, Kedarnath doesn't have a separate mule trail. The pilgrim trail and pony route are one — the path is wide enough but you must yield to horse convoys (step to the uphill side to let them pass).
FAQs
- What are the GPS coordinates of Kedarnath temple?
- Kedarnath temple coordinates: 30.7352° N, 79.0669° E at 3,583 m altitude. Google Maps search: "Kedarnath Temple" or enter 30.7352, 79.0669. Gaurikund (trek start): 30.6553° N, 79.0575° E. Phata helipad: 30.6308° N, 79.0553° E.
- Where is Kedarnath located on the map?
- Kedarnath is in the Garhwal Himalayas, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand — at the head of the Mandakini river valley. ~223 km northeast of Dehradun, ~220 km from Rishikesh, ~86 km north of Rudraprayag. No road access — nearest motorable point is Sonprayag (30 km away). Access: 16 km trek from Gaurikund or helicopter from Phata/Guptkashi/Sirsi helipads.
- How do I use Google Maps for the Kedarnath trek route?
- Search "Gaurikund to Kedarnath trek" in Google Maps (satellite + hiking layer shows the trail). Download offline map of Rudraprayag district in Guptkashi before trekking — no signal above Sonprayag. Better option: Maps.me or OsmAnd with Uttarakhand offline pack — more detailed trail markers for the full 16 km route.