Helicopter Pilgrimage vs. Road Journey: Pros and Cons

Every pilgrim who is going to Chardham Yatra has the crossroad--or rather, the crossroad of the road and sky. After being in that crossroad myself, I knew that the way you go to the Abode of the Gods will alter the nature of your prayer itself.

You may be off on a char dham yatra package from Jaipur, you may be going north on a Chardham Yatra from Jabalpur, or you may be putting a char dham yatra from Indore, but this is my level-headed view of the fight between the rotor and the road.

The Traditional Road Journey: Chardham Yatra

The Chardham yatra by road is somehow romanticised. The way of the ancestors is slow, meandering and hard.

Advantages: It is much more cost-effective. You can observe the vegetation that changes and every lalli dhaba or wayside shrine.

Disadvantages: The Landslide Zone does exist. It can easily be a 10-day trip, becoming a 14-day one because of the road closures. When you get to the fourth dham, physical fatigue from 12-hour bus trips can be too much to mask the spiritual pleasure.

The Modern Ascent: Helicopter Pilgrimage

When the road is concerning the struggle, the helicopter is concerning the "Darshan."

Advantages: Time is the last luxury. A trip that would take 10 days on the road takes only 5 or 6 days by air. In the case of elderly people or people with health limitations, the 16km walk to Kedarnath is a blessing. You come in fresh, and only then is your mind able to concentrate on meditation instead of the aches in the muscles.

Disadvantages: You will be at the mercy of the mountain weather, and the 5kg limit will force you to leave your heavy suitcases behind.

Which One Should You Choose?

When you are an independent backpacker who has weeks to kill, the road provides a grit that is rewarding to some. But when you are going to such cities as Indore or Jaipur, or even if you just want to get the most out of your time at the shrines, and you do not want to spend your time on a bus stop, then the sky is the only way to travel. A Chardham Yatra is usually a one-time venture. 

My Personal Conclusion

I have been through the trials of both, and I am bound to say that I will never take up the long road hauls again. Only the fact that I was not exhausted allowed me to have the clarity of mind I had during my last trip. I even booked my flight slots with Vaayu Aviation, and the personalised care that they offered made the logistics invisible. They actually knew that this was not only a trip to me, but a spiritual milestone. In case you are interested in going to the next level in your yatra (literally), and you need a team that does its work with the perfect touch in the mountains, I would strongly suggest you contact them. 

Contact them today and make your trip as smooth as the sky in the Himalayas.