Kedarnath sits at 3,583 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas and is home to one of the holiest Hindu shrines in India. The Kedarnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The stone temple is believed to date from the eighth century and was built by Adi Shankaracharya, whose memorial samadhi stands directly behind it.
The temple is reached by a 16-kilometre trek from Gaurikund, climbing steeply through forests and alpine meadows with views of the Mandakini valley. Ponies, palanquins and helicopter services are available for those who cannot walk. The shrine opens around late April and closes after Diwali in early November, remaining snowbound through the harsh winter months.
In June 2013, devastating floods struck the Kedarnath valley, destroying much of the town. The temple itself survived, protected by a large boulder that diverted the floodwaters. The area has been substantially rebuilt, though the landscape still bears visible scars. The breached Chorabari Lake above the town was the source of the flood and is now a strange high-altitude walk.