Kedarnath Dham Winter Closure 2026: Kedarnath Dham temple will be closed on 11th November 2026. On this day, which falls on Bhai Dooj, the temple gates will be closed at 8:30 am.
The Panchmukhi Utsav Doli of Lord Kedarnath will be transported to their winter home at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. Devotees will still be able to worship Baba Kedar at the Omkareshwar Temple.
Kedarnath Dham Winter Closure 2026
Kedarnath Temple will be closing on 11th November 2026 at 8:30 am.
- Closure Date: 11th November 2026
- Day:Wednesday (Bhai Dooj)
- Closure time: 8:30 am
- Winter Home: Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath
- District: Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
- Pilgrimage season: 22nd April – 11th November 2026
Where Will Lord Kedarnath Be Worshipped In Winter?
Just because the Kedarnath Temple will be closing doesn’t mean there will be no worship of Lord Shiva for 6 months.
On 11th November, after the closure rituals have been carried out, the Panchmukhi Utsav Doli containing the ceremonial idol of Baba Kedar will be moved from the shrine.
The idol will then be transported according to the following schedule:
- 11th November: The ceremonial procession will take place from Kedarnath to Rampur.
- 12th November: The Doli will be moved from Phata and Narayankoti to Shri Vishwanath Temple in Guptkashi.
- 13th November: The procession will set off from Guptkashi at around 8:30am to Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
Once the installation has been completed, the normal winter worshipping will take place.
Ukhimath will become an important stop for devotees wanting to receive the blessings from Baba Kedar.
Can Devotees visit Kedarnath before 11th November?
Yes they can. Pilgrims should plan their visit ahead of the closure date.
However, November can be a tough time to travel in the mountains with temperatures dropping and possible snow. This could cause issues with the trekking routes.
The Char Dham pilgrimage in 2026 has seen an increase in the number of devotees visiting.
According to The Times of India, Kedarnath Temple has seen an increase in visitors. The 4 Char Dham temples in Uttarakhand have seen around 56 lakh pilgrims visit. This has increased from the previous record of 52 lakh in 2023. Kedarnath has seen around 17.6 lakh pilgrims visit.
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Other Temples in Uttarakhand closing in November 2026
Kedarnath will not be the only temple in the mountains to close for winter. Other famous temples such as those relating to the Char Dham and Panch Kedar will also close.
- Gangotri Dham: 10th November 2026 at 12:05pm
- Yamunotri Dham: 11th November 2026 at 10:28am
- Kedarnath Dham: 11th November 2026 at 8:30am
- Badrinath Dham: 16th November 2026 at 9:37pm
- Tungnath Temple: 6th November 2026
- Madhyamaheshwar Temple: 16th November 2026
When Will Kedarnath Temple Reopen in 2027?
Normally Kedarnath Temple opens again in April or May. The auspicious date to reopen for 2027 has not been officially announced. It is traditionally announced on Mahashivratri at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
