Bike on rent for Chardham Yatra, starting from Rishikesh
Rishikesh is kilometre zero for the Chardham Yatra by road — the last real town before the highway starts climbing toward Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Most riders doing the circuit by motorcycle start here, and most of them are renting rather than bringing their own bike from Delhi or further.
This is the most thorough page on our site because it's the trip where getting the details wrong costs you the most — a bike that can't handle the road, a schedule that doesn't account for altitude, or missing a registration requirement that turns you back at a checkpoint.
The full circuit at a glance
| Dham | Distance from Rishikesh | Altitude | Road condition | Trek |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | ~215 km | ~3,293 m | Good to Hanuman Chatti, then steep to the trekhead | ~6 km on foot or pony |
| Gangotri | ~250 km | ~3,100 m | Good tarmac most of the way, some landslide-prone stretches | None — ride to the temple |
| Kedarnath | ~216 km to Sonprayag | ~3,583 m | Good to Sonprayag, then closed to vehicles | ~16 km on foot, pony, palki or helicopter |
| Badrinath | ~297 km | ~3,100 m | Good, with a seasonal one-way convoy system near Joshimath | None — ride to the temple |
Figures above are working distances by road from Rishikesh — verify current numbers before you travel, since diversions and road work shift them year to year.
Which bike — honestly
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: strongly recommended. Built for exactly this. 825 mm seat height, 17 litres tank, and enough ground clearance to handle the rough patches between Ukhimath and Chopta or the landslide-repair sections toward Badrinath without you thinking twice.
Royal Enfield Classic 350: workable, with caveats. Comfortable over long tarmac stretches, but the lower ground clearance means you ride more cautiously on the rougher sections, and the smaller tank means more fuel stops. Fine for Badrinath and Gangotri where the road stays mostly good; more of a compromise toward Kedarnath.
A scooty: no. We won't rent one for this and we'll say so plainly if you ask. Tank range, ground clearance and luggage capacity all fall short, and a breakdown in a fuel-gap stretch on a scooty is a genuinely bad place to be.
What our Chardham package includes
- Unlimited kilometres — no daily cap to watch
- Luggage straps or a saddle stay fitted before you leave
- A spare clutch cable and basic tool kit
- Full pre-trip check: chain, brakes, tyres, clutch — see our Royal Enfield page for the full service list
- Our number, answered by the shop, for the whole trip
- Route and timing guidance before you go, based on the season you're travelling in
Multi-day rates for Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and Royal Enfield Classic 350 are on the Royal Enfield rates table — call or WhatsApp for the specific Chardham package price, since it varies with trip length and route.
If this is your first Chardham trip
Most first-timers underestimate two things: how much slower hill roads run than the distance suggests, and how much a single bad-weather day can reshuffle a tight schedule. Build a buffer day or two into whatever itinerary you settle on, confirm your registration well before you leave Rishikesh rather than at the last checkpoint, and don't schedule your first-ever long mountain riding day as the same day as a major trek — arrive the evening before, sleep, and start the trek fresh. If you're still weighing whether to do this at all, see our honest take on is Chardham by bike a good idea.
Suggested 10-day itinerary
| Day | Route | Night halt |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishikesh → Barkot | Barkot |
| 2 | Barkot → Yamunotri trek → Barkot | Barkot |
| 3 | Barkot → Uttarkashi | Uttarkashi |
| 4 | Uttarkashi → Gangotri → Uttarkashi | Uttarkashi |
| 5 | Uttarkashi → Guptkashi | Guptkashi |
| 6 | Guptkashi → Sonprayag → Kedarnath trek | Kedarnath (guesthouse) or Gaurikund |
| 7 | Trek down → Guptkashi | Guptkashi |
| 8 | Guptkashi → Joshimath | Joshimath |
| 9 | Joshimath → Badrinath → Joshimath | Joshimath |
| 10 | Joshimath → Rishikesh | — |
Add 1-2 buffer days if you can — weather and road closures are common enough in the hills that a fixed 10-day plan with zero slack tends to fall apart at the first landslide diversion. See our full circuit route page for a 12-day version with more breathing room.
Registration and permits
Uttarakhand requires yatra registration for Chardham, and both the process and the portal have changed from year to year. Confirm the current requirement and register before you travel — this is a state government requirement, not something we control, so check the official source close to your travel dates rather than relying on last year's process.
Realistic warnings
- Monsoon (July–mid September): landslide risk rises sharply on the higher stretches, especially toward Kedarnath and Badrinath. Many riders push their trip to avoid this window entirely — see our best time to visit post.
- Kedarnath's last 16km is a trek, not a ride. Budget real time and real fitness for it, or arrange a pony, palki or helicopter — the bike stays parked at Sonprayag either way.
- Altitude. Badrinath and Kedarnath both sit above 3,000m. Take the first day at altitude slowly.
- Fuel gaps. Pumps thin out past Uttarkashi and Joshimath — fill up whenever you see one below half a tank, don't wait for empty.
- Mobile network gaps. Coverage drops in stretches of all four routes. Tell someone your rough plan before you head into a low-signal stretch.
What you must carry
Original driving licence and ID, the yatra registration confirmation, warm layers even in summer (nights above 3,000m are cold year-round), rain gear, a basic first-aid kit, and cash — card machines are unreliable past the larger towns.
Ask us for the current Chardham package rate and route notes for your dates.
Route pages for each leg
Further reading: what a Chardham bike trip actually costs, riding safety on mountain roads, and our full FAQ.
Frequently asked
Do I need to register for Chardham Yatra in advance?
Yes — Uttarakhand requires yatra registration, and the process and portal have changed in recent years. Check the current official requirement before you travel; we can point you to the latest portal when you book, but rules are set by the state, not by us.
Can a rented bike actually make it to Kedarnath?
Not all the way — no bike can. The road ends at Sonprayag/Gaurikund, and the last 16km to the temple is on foot, pony or palki. See our Kedarnath route page for exactly how that works and where you leave the bike.
Is a scooty ever acceptable for Chardham?
No, and we'll say so at the counter even if you ask. Ground clearance, tank range and luggage capacity all fall short on mountain roads with fuel and food gaps.
What if the bike breaks down between towns?
Our number is on the key tag and on a card we give you at handover. For Chardham bookings we talk through a breakdown protocol before you leave — which towns have mechanics, and what to do if you're between them.
How many days does the full circuit take?
Realistically 10-12 days for all four dhams from Rishikesh, including the trek legs at Yamunotri and Kedarnath. See the day-by-day breakdown below.
What's included in the multi-day price?
Unlimited kilometres, luggage straps or a saddle stay, a spare clutch cable and basic tool kit, and our number for the whole trip. Fuel, food, stays, and any pony/porter/helicopter costs at Kedarnath are on you.
Is monsoon a bad time to go?
Yes, generally. July to mid-September brings landslide risk on the higher stretches, particularly toward Kedarnath and Badrinath. See the seasonal breakdown below and our best time to visit post.
Can I do just Kedarnath and Badrinath without the full circuit?
Yes, plenty of riders do a shorter loop covering just those two. Ask us for a shorter package rate when you call — it's not fixed to the full 10-12 day circuit.