Seven days covers one group at a comfortable pace, or two groups when the link between them is a night train. This page sets out what each group takes and which sets of groups fit in a week.
There is no official order, so this is not a day-by-day route. Start from the group nearest you and put the groups in whatever order suits you.
Every day count on this page is our own planning estimate, not an official schedule. Travel times and temple hours change with the season.Data check pending
Days inside the group only, our estimate. The low end is the compressed pace, the high end the comfortable one. Temples are listed by stotram number.
| Group | Temples | Days, our estimate |
|---|---|---|
| North | Kedarnath, Kashi VishwanathKedarnath alone takes the better part of two days once the road and the climb are counted. Open only part of the year. | 2 to 3 days |
| West | Somnath, Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Nageshwar, GrishneshwarTwo coast temples, three hill temples, and the long leg between Gujarat and Maharashtra. | 5 to 6 days |
| Central | Mahakaleshwar, OmkareshwarTwo temples a short leg apart, both served from Indore. | 2 days |
| East | BaidyanathOne temple. A night in Deoghar is the comfortable version. | 1 to 2 days |
| South | Mallikarjuna, RameshwaramThe two temples sit far apart, so the leg between them is the main cost. | 2 to 3 days |
Each set is groups that link without doubling back. The day range adds the group estimates; each link between groups adds up to a day more unless it is a night train or an early flight.
Groups are listed in no particular order. The links on each card are the ones that join that set; which end you start from is up to you.
A week suits a first yatra, a family with school-age children, or anyone who wants one or two temples a day rather than a transit day every other day. The west group alone fills it; the smaller groups pair up.
If your week covers two groups, the link between them decides the shape of the week. Book it before the hotels, because the rail option and the air option often leave from different towns.
Temple towns fill first on a weekend or a festival date. The temple guest houses are the closest and the cheapest, and they are also the first to go.
Most of the twelve run a walk-up queue. The Mahakaleshwar bhasma aarti is the slot that has to be booked ahead.
Data check pending