Peak Season
Yamunotri in May
Uttarakhand, India
May opens Yamunotri. The temple opens with ceremony (date varies, usually first week of May). The Char Dham season launches. Pilgrims from across India begin the trek from Janki Chatti â 6km uphill gaining 600m altitude, along the Yamuna gorge. The hot springs near the temple allow pilgrims to cook rice in boiling water as prasad. Temperatures at 2-15°C at the temple. The Yamuna at its source runs clear and cold.
The May story
May opens Yamunotri and the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The temple opening â attended by priests, government officials, and the first rush of devotees â has ceremony and emotion: six months of closure end with the deity returning from Kharsali. The 6km trek from Janki Chatti in May is at its most comfortable: clear weather, manageable cold (2-15°C), and the trail at peak condition. The first sight of the hot springs â steam rising from rocky ground beside a glacier-fed river â is dramatic. The Surya Kund cooking tradition: pilgrims tie rice and potatoes in cloth, dip them in the boiling water, and distribute the cooked prasad. The temple darshan itself is quick (the temple is small) but the setting â hot springs, cold river, mountain walls, glacier above â is the real pilgrimage. Hotels at Janki Chatti âđ800-2,000, book ahead for opening week. May is Yamunotri's most energetic month.
Why May scores 5/5
Weather
Temple open, best weather 8-20°C. Char Dham season peak. 6km trek from Janki Chatti comfortable. Hot springs at temple.
Roads & Access
self drive: Possible to Janki Chatti. Then must trek. road condition: Mountain road to Janki Chatti â narrow, landslide-prone. Then 6km trek. public transport: Buses from Dehradun/Rishikesh to Hanuman Chatti. Shared taxis to Janki Chatti. Palki/pony for trek. from nearest city: Dehradun â 230km, 9hr to Janki Chatti. Barkot â 50km, 2.5hr. last km difficulty: extreme
Safety & Emergency
Safety: 2/5. rescue: SDRF Uttarakhand, ITBP â helicopter in extreme cases. helpline: 100, 1077 (UK disaster). ambulance: Temple committee pony/stretcher. No motorized ambulance on trek. police station: Janki Chatti outpost â seasonal. nearest hospital: PHC at Janki Chatti â first aid only. Barkot CHC â 36km. Dehradun â 230km for serious cases
Network
VI: No, JIO: No, BSNL: Yes, NOTE: Yes, AIRTEL: No. BSNL only at Janki Chatti â very patchy. NO signal on trek route or at temple
Kids
Not ideal for kids â Pilgrimage significance for Hindu families
Elevation
3,293m â Moderate altitude
Who should go
- âTravelers with basic fitness
- âTemple opening-week pilgrims wanting the first darshan of the season
- âChar Dham circuit starters beginning the four-temple journey
- âHot springs experience seekers wanting the rice-cooking tradition
- âFirst-time Yamunotri visitors in optimal May conditions
Who should think twice
- âThose with mobility issues
- âCrowd-averse visitors during opening week â busy
- âThose unable to walk 6km uphill at altitude
- âLuxury seekers â accommodation is basic
- âLate-May monsoon-early visitors â weather may deteriorate
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0/5 | Temple closed. Extreme snow at 3,300m. Trail from Janki Chatti buried. Idol shifted to Kharsali for winter worship. |
| February | 0/5 | Temple closed, snowbound. Deepest snow of the year. Trail impassable. Village Kharsali hosts winter puja ceremonies. |
| March | 0/5 | Temple closed. Snow melting slowly at lower elevations. Trail still buried. Opening depends on weather â usually late April. |
| April | 1/5 | Temple may open late April (Akshaya Tritiya). 2-12°C. Trail clearing. Early pilgrims if road opens. Snowpatches remain. |
| Mayviewing | 5/5 | Temple open, best weather 8-20°C. Char Dham season peak. 6km trek from Janki Chatti comfortable. Hot springs at temple. |
| June | 4/5 | Full season 10-22°C. Temple busy with Char Dham pilgrims. Trek trail in good condition. Hot springs popular. Book ponies. |
| July | 2/5 | Monsoon rain makes 6km trek trail slippery and dangerous. Landslides block Janki Chatti road. River in spate. Risky. |
| August | 1/5 | Peak monsoon. Trek trail waterlogged. Multiple landslides on approach road. Temple accessible but journey dangerous. Avoid. |
| September | 3/5 | Monsoon clearing 6-16°C. Autumn trek window. Trail drying. Temple still open. Fewer pilgrims. Peaceful darshan. |
| October | 4/5 | Last month before closure 4-12°C. Temple closing ceremony (Yama Dwitiya). Autumn colors on trail. Final pilgrims. |
| November | 0/5 | Temple closed for winter. Idol shifted to Kharsali. Snow arriving. Trail shutting down. 6-month closure begins. |
| December | 0/5 | Temple closed. Deep snow. Trail buried. Janki Chatti base quiet. Winter worship continues at Kharsali village only. |
Practical Details
How to reach
Dehradun â 230km, 9hr to Janki Chatti. Barkot â 50km, 2.5hr. Roads: Mountain road to Janki Chatti â narrow, landslide-prone. Then 6km trek. Self-drive: Possible to Janki Chatti. Then must trek. Public transport: Buses from Dehradun/Rishikesh to Hanuman Chatti. Shared taxis to Janki Chatti. Palki/pony for trek. Last stretch: extreme
Elevation
3,293m
Difficulty
moderate
Budget tier
budget
Nearby in Uttarakhand scoring high in May
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