Devi Darshan Trek
Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 2,756 m
- Days
- 4 days
- Distance
- 15 km
- Difficulty
- Easy
A road circuit from Rishikesh with three short temple walks of about an hour each way; the steepest is the 3 km climb from Kaddukhal to Surkanda Devi at about 2,750 m. Long drive days on mountain roads are the main effort.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Rishikesh → Rishikesh (Muni Ki Reti)
370 m → 370 m
Day 2
Rishikesh → Chandrabadni (drive via Devprayag, walk to the temple and back)
370 m → 2,277 m → 2,050 m
Day 3 · highest point
Chandrabadni → Dhanaulti (drive to Kaddukhal, walk to Surkanda Devi and back)
2,050 m → 2,756 m → 2,250 m
Day 4
Dhanaulti → Rishikesh (drive to Hindolakhal, walk to Kunjapuri, drive down)
2,250 m → 1,676 m → 370 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Rishikesh (Muni Ki Reti)
at 370 mLoading forecast…
High point · Surkanda Devi Temple
at 2,756 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Rishikesh (Muni Ki Reti)
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Rishikesh to Chandrabadni via Devprayag (about 112 km by road, per the operator itinerary); Chandrabadni to Kaddukhal (about 87 km), then Kaddukhal to Dhanaulti (about 7 km); Dhanaulti to Hindolakhal (about 64 km), then down to Rishikesh
- Drive
- About 1 h from Dehradun
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹6,000–14,000
With an operator
₹7,500
Per person, ex-Rishikesh. Only one published guided price was found (October 2026): Divine Uttarakhand's 4D/3N 'Devi Darshan and Trek Tour' on TourTravelWorld at ₹7,500 per adult with all meals; prices vary by date. Self-guided is an estimate: a hired taxi for the three-day road circuit shared by a small group, two or three nights in GMVN rest houses or guesthouses (Rishikesh, near Chandrabadni, Dhanaulti), meals and temple offerings.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 29
Monsoon months (Jun): pack everything in plastic or a dry bag and wear shoes with good grip.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Mobile signal in Rishikesh, Dhanaulti and at the main road heads; not confirmed on every forest stretch, so do not rely on it.
- Last ATM
- Rishikesh and Devprayag on day 2; Mussoorie and Chamba on the Dhanaulti side. Carry cash for the temple walks.
- Nearest hospital
- AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases; Narendranagar near Kunjapuri and Landour Community Hospital, Mussoorie near Surkanda for first care.
- Water
- No reliable springs on the temple paths; carry water. Shops at the road heads sell packaged water and prasad.
Highlights
- Darshan at three Siddhpeeths of Maa Durga in Tehri Garhwal - Chandrabadni, Surkanda Devi and Kunjapuri - set on hilltops in a triangle, each visible from the others
- Surkanda Devi at about 2,756 m, revered as the place where the head of Mata Sati fell, with a wide view of the Garhwal Himalaya
- Chandrabadni on Chandrakoot hill (about 2,277 m), where the badan of Mata Sati fell; the shrine holds a Shri Yantra carved on stone, and a large mela is held each April
- The forest walk of about 5 km from Hindolakhal to Kunjapuri, looking over Rishikesh, Haridwar and the Doon valley to Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch and Chaukhamba
- Drive past Devprayag, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet to form Maa Ganga
Risks
- Most of the circuit is driving on narrow mountain roads; in the July-September monsoon landslides can block roads and the stone paths turn slippery.
- December-February can bring snow and icy wind at Surkanda Devi and Dhanaulti; carry warm layers.
- Distances on the walks vary by source (Chandrabadni is given as 1 km to 2 km from the road head); check locally before setting out late in the day.
Know before you go
Questions
Is Devi Darshan a real trek or a temple tour?
It is mainly a road circuit. Uttarakhand Tourism lists it as a 4-day trek from Rishikesh, but the walking is three short temple climbs: about 2 km to Chandrabadni, about 3 km from Kaddukhal to Surkanda Devi, and an optional forest path of about 5 km from Hindolakhal to Kunjapuri. Operators describe each walk as about an hour from the nearest motor head.
Which temples does the Devi Darshan circuit cover?
Three Siddhpeeths of Maa Durga in Tehri Garhwal: Chandrabadni (near Devprayag), Surkanda Devi (near Dhanaulti) and Kunjapuri (above Rishikesh). They stand on hilltops in a triangle and each can be seen from the others.
Can beginners, children or elderly pilgrims do it?
Yes, if they can walk 2-3 km uphill on stone paths. Every temple can also be reached by road to a nearby car park, and Surkanda Devi has a ropeway from Kaddukhal, so the walking parts can be shortened.
How many days does it take and where does it start?
Both Uttarakhand Tourism and the operator itinerary run it in 4 days from Rishikesh: day 1 in Rishikesh, day 2 Chandrabadni, day 3 Surkanda Devi with a night in Dhanaulti, and day 4 Kunjapuri before returning to Rishikesh.
Do I need a permit?
No permit was mentioned by any source we read for these temple walks. Temple rules and timings vary by season, so check locally.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: Tehri GarhwalUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases; Narendranagar near Kunjapuri and Landour Community Hospital, Mussoorie near Surkanda for first care.
- Last ATM
- Rishikesh and Devprayag on day 2; Mussoorie and Chamba on the Dhanaulti side. Carry cash for the temple walks.
- Phone network
- Mobile signal in Rishikesh, Dhanaulti and at the main road heads; not confirmed on every forest stretch, so do not rely on it.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Devi Darshan
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Devi Darshan Trek — Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (official)
- Devi Darshan and Trek Tour (4 Days Rishikesh Budget Tour Package) — Divine Uttarakhand (via TourTravelWorld)
- Surkanda Devi — Wikipedia
- Chandrabadani Devi — Wikipedia (Chandrabadani Devi)
- Kunjapuri — District Administration Tehri Garhwal (official)
Photos: आर्या जोशी, CC BY-SA 4.0; Daamansingh, CC BY-SA 3.0; Travel & Shit from Brighton, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
