Siar Baba Waterfall, Reasi — the falls in the hills beyond Bhimgarh
Siar Baba Waterfall near Reasi, also written Sihar or Sihaad Baba: a tall falls in the hills about 30 km and 50 minutes from Katra by road, best after rain.
Jammu and Kashmir⛰ 875 m3 itineraries
Katra
Katra, base for the Vaishno Devi yatra: registration and the yatra card, the walk to the Bhawan and Bhairon, trains to Srinagar, Reasi day trips, IMD weather.
Katra is a small town in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, at about 875 m at the foot of the Trikuta hills. It is the base for the walk to the Vaishno Devi shrine, the cave of the Mother Goddess high on the Trikuta mountain. Wikipedia puts the Bhawan at about 1,585 m, and the Shrine Board reported 9.52 million pilgrims in 2023. From Delhi it is about 642 km by road. Free-flow routing says 8.5 hours, and traffic usually adds several more; most people come by train.
Every pilgrim registers in Katra first. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board issues a free RFID yatra card at its counter near the bus stand, or online. The card must cross the first check post at Banganga, about 1.5 km from the counter, within 6 hours of being issued. From there it is a walk of 12 to 14 km up the hill, with ponies, battery cars on part of the way, and helicopters from Katra to Sanjichhat for those who cannot walk. Our Vaishno Devi yatra guide goes through it step by step.
Katra is also a railway town. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station has trains from across India, and since 6 June 2025 Vande Bharat trains run on from Katra to Srinagar, over the Chenab Rail Bridge, 359 m above the river bed and the highest rail bridge in the world. Away from the shrine, Reasi, the old seat of the hill kings, has Bhimgarh Fort, and the Siar Baba waterfall is in the hills beyond it. See things to do in Katra, the best time to go, and copy the two-day yatra plan or the Reasi day out.
Photos: Periogaurav (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Billjones94 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Shubham Sharma (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Lillottama (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Plans that include this
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A day out from Katra — Bhimgarh Fort, Reasi and the Siar Baba falls
Day plan · Family · Temples & heritage
A one-day plan from Katra: Bhimgarh Fort on its hill over Reasi, the Siar Baba waterfall and lunch in Reasi on the Chenab, all within an hour. Free to copy.
Best Mar–Apr · Sep–Nov
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Vaishno Devi yatra in two days — up from Katra, a night at the Bhawan, Bhairon and down
1 night · 2 days · pilgrims · pilgrimage
A two-day Vaishno Devi plan from Katra: the yatra card at Banganga, 12 km up in about 6 hours, a night at the Bhawan, Bhairon temple and the walk down. Copy it.
Best Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov
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Katra in three days — the Vaishno Devi walk in a day, a rest, and Reasi's fort
2 nights · 3 days · First visit · pilgrimage
A three-day Katra plan: the yatra card and a night walk to Vaishno Devi, Bhairon and the descent, then Bhimgarh Fort above Reasi on the Chenab. Free to copy.
Best Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov
See the plan →Going together
No one has started a group going to Katra yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Places worth the drive
Bhimgarh Fort, Reasi — the old hill fort above the Chenab town
Bhimgarh Fort, the Reasi Fort: first raised in clay by Raja Bhim Dev, rebuilt in stone and strengthened 1817–1841 under Gulab Singh, 42 minutes from Katra.
Vaishno Devi Temple — the cave shrine on the Trikuta mountain above Katra
The Vaishno Devi shrine above Katra: the cave of the three pindis at 1,585 m, the yatra card, the 12–14 km walk from Banganga, Bhairon, and when to go.
On the map
Open the Katra map →The places a Katra day reaches, with the road time from town. Each opens on the map with its plans and pages beside it.
Before you go
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Vaishno Devi yatra from Katra — the yatra card, the walk, Bhairon and the other ways up
The Vaishno Devi yatra from Katra step by step: the free RFID yatra card, the 6-hour rule at Banganga, the 12–14 km walk, Bhairon, ponies, ropeway, helicopter.
Things to do in Katra — the yatra, Bhairon, Reasi's fort, Siar Baba and the train to Srinagar
Things to do in Katra: the Vaishno Devi yatra and Bhairon, Bhimgarh Fort at Reasi, Siar Baba Waterfall, Shiv Khori, and the Vande Bharat over the Chenab.
How to reach Katra — by train, by road from Delhi and Jammu, and on to Srinagar
How to reach Katra for Vaishno Devi: SVDK station and the Vande Bharat to Srinagar, Delhi 642 km by road, Jammu station and airport, with measured times.
Best time to visit Katra and Vaishno Devi — month by month, from the IMD normals
When to go to Katra and Vaishno Devi: IMD 1991–2020 highs, lows and rain for every month, the mild spring and autumn, hot May–June and the wet monsoon.
Nearby destinations
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Questions people ask
How far is Vaishno Devi from Katra?
The Bhawan is 12 to 14 km above Katra on foot; Wikipedia gives both figures, depending on the route. Registration is at the counter near the bus stand, and the walk starts at the Banganga check post, about 1.5 km from it. Ponies, battery cars on part of the way and helicopters to Sanjichhat are the other ways up.
Do I need to register for the Vaishno Devi yatra?
Yes. Every pilgrim needs the Shrine Board's free RFID yatra card, from the counter near the Katra bus stand or online, with a photograph taken at the counter. The card must cross the Banganga check post within 6 hours of being issued, and pilgrims without one are turned back there.
How do I reach Katra by train?
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station (SVDK) is on the Jammu–Baramulla line, open to trains since 2014, with direct trains from many Indian cities. Since 6 June 2025 Vande Bharat trains run from Katra to Srinagar over the Chenab bridge. Check current trains and timings with Indian Railways before you plan around them.
What is the best time to visit Katra and Vaishno Devi?
March–April and October–November are mild at Katra, with days of about 23 to 29°C by IMD normals. May and June are hot, and July and August are the wettest months, with 514.3 mm and 666.0 mm of rain. Winter days are mild in town and colder at the Bhawan.
Photographs by Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA), resized; each picture is credited on its own page.