Two days in Badrinath — Pandukeshwar, the temple and Mana
Two easy days at Badrinath. The first goes 42 minutes down the valley to Pandukeshwar, whose Yogabadri temple is named in one account as Badrinath's winter seat, and comes back for the Badrinath Temple in the late afternoon. The second morning starts by the temple's ponds and goes up to Mana for the caves and Bheem Pul. For a walk, add the Vasudhara day. See things to do in Badrinath.
Photos: Ms Sarah Welch (CC0) · Shitha Valsan (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Billjones94 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Pilgrims and families who want two unhurried days, with the old temples below Badrinath as well as the shrine itself.
Day by day
Day 1Pandukeshwar, then the temple at evening
2 stops · 41 min on the road
Pandukeshwar, then the temple at evening
Down the valley to the old Yogabadri temple, and back for the temple.
- 10:00PandukeshwarFour early medieval temples, among them the Dravida-style Yogabadri, named in one account as Badrinath's winter seat.
- ↓ 41 min by road · 23 km16:00Badrinath TempleThe shrine in the late afternoon. Carry your yatra registration and an identity card.
Day 2Narad Kund and Mana
4 stops · 24 min on the road
Narad Kund and Mana
The springs and ponds by the temple in the morning, then the last village on the road.
- 07:30Narad KundOne of the two small ponds at the temple, beside the Tapt Kund springs.
- ↓ 5 min by road · 3 km09:30ManaThe last village before the Mana Pass, 7 minutes up the road; walk up through the lanes.
- ↓ 16 min by road · 8 km11:00Ganesh GufaOne of the caves above the village lanes, close to Vyas Gufa.
- ↓ 3 min by road · 2 km11:45Bheem PulThe rock across the Saraswati that legend says Bhima threw for Draupadi.
Getting there
Badrinath is about 291 km by road from Rishikesh and 43 km from Joshimath; Pandukeshwar is on the same road, so it can also be the stop on the drive up. See the hub guide.
Where to stay
Both nights in Badrinath; Pandukeshwar is a round trip of about 42 minutes each way.
Know before you go
- Landslides after cloudbursts can close the road below Badrinath in the rains; ask before driving down to Pandukeshwar.
- The temple is open only from late April to early November; out of season, Pandukeshwar is where the deity is worshipped.
- Carry your yatra registration and an identity card, which Wikipedia notes is required at the temple.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Badrinath itineraries →
More places nearby
All of Badrinath →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
Why go to Pandukeshwar?
Its Yogabadri temple, built in the southern Dravida style around 850 to 1000 CE, is named by Wikipedia's Pandukeshwar article as where Badrinath's image of Vishnu is worshipped while the high temple is closed in winter. With three Nagara-style temples beside it, it is a rare place where both old styles stand together, 42 minutes from Badrinath.
Is two days enough for Badrinath?
Two days cover the temple, Pandukeshwar and Mana without hurry. If you want to walk to Vasudhara Falls, add a third day, since Wikipedia calls it a three-hour trek from Mana each way. Most people also need a night at Rishikesh or Joshimath on the long road up.
Can Pandukeshwar be the stop on the drive up?
Yes. It is on the road from Joshimath, about 42 minutes below Badrinath, so you can stop there on the way in and keep the first full day for the temple and Mana. This plan keeps it as a round trip from Badrinath so that both nights are in the town.