What is the total road distance for the Char Dham Yatra circuit?

The complete Char Dham Yatra starting and ending in Haridwar or Rishikesh (covering Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath) covers approximately 1,350 to 1,450 kilometers on mountain roads, typically requiring 10 to 12 days.

Does GPS navigation work in the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand?

GPS works reliably via satellite, but cellular mobile data frequently cuts out in deep mountain gorges. Travelers should always download offline Google Maps areas for Uttarakhand before commencing travel.

Uttarakhand Tourist Map – Interactive 13-District Maps & Travel Circuits

Q: How many districts are there in Uttarakhand?

Uttarakhand has 13 administrative districts divided into two main divisions: Garhwal Division (7 districts: Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, and Rudraprayag) and Kumaon Division (6 districts: Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar).

Interactive Visualizer

Explore Uttarakhand's 13 Districts

Click on any district to inspect its official cartographic boundary map, key tourist destinations, altitude ranges, and transit connections from Delhi and Dehradun.

Select a District

Garhwal Division

Dehradun District

Home to the state capital in Doon Valley and the Queen of Hills Mussoorie. Famous for Rajaji National Park, Robber's Cave, Sahastradhara, Forest Research Institute (FRI), and Chakrata Tiger Falls.

HQ Dehradun (Capital)

Altitude 640 m – 2,250 m

Railhead Dehradun Terminal (DDN)

Distance from Delhi 210 km (2.5 hrs via Expressway)

Key Highlights:

Mussoorie, Chakrata, Rishikesh (part), FRI Dehradun

View District Guide

Administrative Geography

Garhwal Division vs Kumaon Division

Uttarakhand spans 53,483 square kilometers divided between two distinct historical and geographical regions, each with its own dialects, architecture, and folklore.

Garhwal Division (7 Districts)

Land of High Glaciers & Sacred Confluences

Encompassing Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, and Rudraprayag. Garhwal is defined by towering vertical peaks (Nanda Devi, Kamet, Chaukhamba), the origin of India’s most sacred rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, Mandakini), and the four shrines of the Char Dham Yatra.

Gateway Railheads: Haridwar, Dehradun, Yog Nagari Rishikesh.
Airport: Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun.

Kumaon Division (6 Districts)

Land of Shimmering Lakes & Pine Ridges

Encompassing Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar. Kumaon is celebrated for its serene emerald lakes (Nainital, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal), dense rhododendron and oak forests, fruit orchards, ancient Katyuri stone architecture (Jageshwar, Baijnath), and Jim Corbett National Park.

Gateway Railheads: Kathgodam (KGM), Ramnagar (RMR).
Airport: Pantnagar Airport (PGH).

Curated Itineraries

Signature Travel Circuits in Uttarakhand

These road circuit maps link iconic tourist destinations into logical, time-efficient travel sequences.

Circuit 1: The Sacred Char Dham Yatra

Duration: 10 – 12 Days | Distance: ~1,400 km

Haridwar → Barkot → Yamunotri → Uttarkashi → Gangotri → Guptkashi → Kedarnath → Joshimath → Badrinath → Rishikesh

The ultimate Hindu pilgrimage undertaken in traditional clockwise (Parikrama) sequence: beginning at Yamunotri, proceeding to Gangotri and Kedarnath, and culminating at Badrinath.

Circuit 2: The Kumaon Lakes & Heritage Loop

Duration: 6 – 8 Days | Distance: ~380 km

Kathgodam → Bhimtal → Nainital → Mukteshwar → Almora → Jageshwar → Binsar → Kausani → Ranikhet → Kathgodam

A leisurely, scenic journey across tranquil high-altitude lakes, 8th-century stone temple clusters in Jageshwar, panoramic views of the Trishul and Nanda Devi peaks from Kausani, and British-era deodar pine cantonments in Ranikhet.

Circuit 3: Wildlife & Tiger Reserve Circuit

Duration: 4 – 5 Days | Distance: ~320 km

Delhi → Ramnagar (Jim Corbett) → Marchula → Kotdwar → Lansdowne → Rajaji National Park (Chilla) → Haridwar

Combining open-jeep tiger safaris in Jim Corbett's Dhikala and Bijrani grasslands with the peaceful pine forest retreats of Lansdowne and Asian elephant tracking in Rajaji Reserve.

Circuit 4: Panch Kedar Pilgrimage Circuit

Duration: 14 – 16 Days | Distance: ~450 km (Road + Treks)

Rishikesh → Kedarnath (Hump) → Madhyamaheshwar (Navel) → Tungnath (Arms) → Rudranath (Face) → Kalpeshwar (Hair) → Rishikesh

The revered Shaivite trail to all five manifestations of Lord Shiva established by the Pandavas across the high meadows of Rudraprayag and Chamoli.

Road Mileage Reference

Inter-City Road Distance Matrix (in Kilometers)

Calculate your driving times across key destinations in Uttarakhand with this comprehensive road mileage table.

From / To	Delhi	Dehradun	Haridwar	Rishikesh	Nainital	Almora	Joshimath	Badrinath	Kathgodam
Delhi	—	210 km	220 km	242 km	310 km	360 km	495 km	540 km	275 km
Dehradun	210 km	—	54 km	42 km	280 km	335 km	295 km	340 km	265 km
Haridwar	220 km	54 km	—	24 km	235 km	290 km	275 km	320 km	215 km
Rishikesh	242 km	42 km	24 km	—	255 km	310 km	255 km	300 km	235 km
Nainital	310 km	280 km	235 km	255 km	—	64 km	270 km	315 km	34 km
Almora	360 km	335 km	290 km	310 km	64 km	—	230 km	275 km	88 km
Joshimath	495 km	295 km	275 km	255 km	270 km	230 km	—	45 km	250 km
Badrinath	540 km	340 km	320 km	300 km	315 km	275 km	45 km	—	295 km
Kathgodam	275 km	265 km	215 km	235 km	34 km	88 km	250 km	295 km	—

Practical Advice

Cartography, GPS & Mountain Route Advice

Navigating the winding roads of Uttarakhand requires practical preparation beyond standard city driving:

Download Offline Google Maps: In steep mountain river canyons (such as between Devprayag and Rudraprayag, or between Dharchula and Gunji), cellular mobile data often experiences complete dead zones. Pre-download the entire Uttarakhand offline map area on your phone before departing Delhi or Dehradun.
Fuel Planning: Petrol pumps and CNG stations are abundant in foothill hubs like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haldwani, and Kashipur. However, in higher elevations (beyond Joshimath on the Badrinath route, or beyond Barkot on Yamunotri), fuel stations are spaced 50 to 80 km apart. Always top up your fuel tank whenever reaching district headquarters.
Average Mountain Speed: While the plains expressways permit 100 km/h cruising, average travel speed on mountain roads is strictly between 25 and 35 km/h. When planning your daily itinerary, allocate 3 hours for every 80 to 100 km of hill driving.
All-Weather Char Dham Road Project: Major sections of the Char Dham highway (NH 7 and NH 107) have been widened into 2-lane paved corridors with slope stabilization tunnels and bypasses, vastly improving road quality and passenger comfort.

Uttarakhand Mountain Road Cartography and Navigation

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Uttarakhand Map

Common queries regarding geography, travel routes, border permits, and district circuits.

Chamoli is the largest district in Uttarakhand with an area of 8,030 square kilometers, hosting Mount Nanda Devi and Badrinath Dham. Champawat is the smallest district with an area of approximately 1,766 square kilometers.

Yes! There are two spectacular internal mountain routes connecting Garhwal and Kumaon:
1. Karnaprayag to Gwaldam & Baijnath/Kausani: A breathtaking mountain road linking Chamoli district (Garhwal) directly with Bageshwar district (Kumaon).
2. Kotdwar – Lansdowne – Pauri – Khirsu – Ramnagar: Connecting central Garhwal with Corbett and Nainital.

Uttarakhand shares international borders with two countries:
• China (Tibet Autonomous Region): Borders Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh districts.
• Nepal: Borders Pithoragarh, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts along the Kali and Sharda rivers.

The Panch Prayags are five sacred river confluences along the holy Alaknanda River in Garhwal:
1. Vishnuprayag: Confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga (near Joshimath).
2. Nandaprayag: Confluence of Alaknanda and Nandakini.
3. Karnaprayag: Confluence of Alaknanda and Pindar rivers.
4. Rudraprayag: Confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers.
5. Devprayag: The most sacred confluence where Alaknanda meets Bhagirathi to officially form the holy River Ganga.