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| TL;DR : Per-temple VIP and special-puja darshan in 2026 ranges from roughly ₹1,500 at Gangotri up to₹12,000 at Kedarnath. A full helicopter package that bundles VIP entry at all four dhams starts around ₹1.7lakh per person. | People often ask for one flat "VIP price" for Char Dham. There isn't one, because each temple sets its own rates and special-puja options.

The per-temple breakdown

Based on 2026 season figures, here is the honest range. Prices can shift slightly during peak weeks. • Yamunotri: VIP / special darshan roughly ₹2,000 - ₹5,500, with aarti or special darshan slots at ₹3,500 - ₹5,500. • Gangotri: VIP darshan roughly ₹1,500 - ₹5,000, puja around ₹3,000 - ₹5,000. • Kedarnath: VIP darshan roughly ₹5,500 - ₹12,000, rudrabhishek ₹5,500 - ₹7,200. • Badrinath: VIP darshan roughly ₹4,500 - ₹9,000, abhishek around ₹4,101, aarti from ₹151 - ₹351. The full per-temple table with notes lives here: https://saffronchariot.com/char-dham-vip-darshan/

How the package price compares

Add up four separate VIP visits and you also have to schedule four trips, work around daily quotas, and still complete the road trek between dhams over 10 to 15 days. A helicopter package from about ₹1.7 lakh per person folds VIP entry at all four temples into roughly six days, plus accommodation, meals and transport. For many families the bundled price is the simpler decision once travel and lodging are counted.

FAQ

Q: Which temple has the most expensive VIP darshan? A: Kedarnath, where VIP darshan can reach around ₹12,000 and rudrabhishek runs ₹5,500 - ₹7,200. Q: Are these prices fixed all season? A: No. They can move slightly during peak weeks, so treat them as ranges. Q: Is the package price per person? A: Yes, full helicopter Char Dham packages are quoted per person, from around ₹1.7 lakh.

TL;DR: Char Dham Yatra by helicopter compresses the 10-12 day road pilgrimage across Uttarakhand into 5-6 days, removing long mountain drives and the steep Kedarnath trek. It has become the default choice for senior pilgrims, families on limited leave, and NRIs visiting India for a short window.

What is Char Dham Yatra by helicopter? Char Dham Yatra by helicopter is a guided pilgrimage that flies devotees to all four Himalayan shrines of Uttarakhand - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath - instead of covering the circuit by road. Saffron Chariot, a Haridwar-based travel company founded in 2020, has flown more than 4,000 pilgrims on this circuit, the oldest of them 82 years of age. Why pilgrims switch from road to air? The traditional road Yatra is beautiful but demanding: 1,600+ km of mountain driving, daily hotel changes,and for Kedarnath a steep 16 km trek from Gaurikund. For three groups, that cost is too high:

What a well-run helicopter Yatra includes? A serious operator covers helicopter sectors, hotels near the helipads, all meals, ground transfers and VIP darshan arrangements at each temple. Flights operate on DGCA-compliant aircraft flown by licensed Non Scheduled Operator Permit holders, and every reputable company will tell you plainly: schedules are subject to weather and regulatory clearance. Mountain weather changes fast, and buffer time in the itinerary is a feature, not a flaw.

The season Temples open in April and close around November. May-June and September-October offer the most stable flying weather, and helicopter seats for peak weeks sell out months ahead. If you are weighing the options for 2026, start with the detailed itineraries in these Char Dham Yatra by helicopter packages - they spell out day-by-day routing, inclusions and honest weather caveats.