Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2027 Trip Plan: How to Reach, Where to Stay, 3-Day Itinerary

The Kumbh Mela in Haridwar runs from 14 January to 20 April 2027 on the Ganga, with ten main snan days. The three Amrit Snans fall on 6 March, 8 March and 14 April 2027 at Brahma Kund, Har Ki Pauri. If you are planning a trip to Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela, four decisions shape everything else: which snan day you go for, how you get there, where you stay and how many days you keep. This guide takes them in that order and ends with a 3-day itinerary.

Step 1: Choose your snan day

The date you pick decides the crowd, the weather and how far you will walk.

• Amrit Snan days bring the Akhara processions and the largest crowds. Expect road closures, vehicles stopped well outside the city and long walks to the ghats.
• Other major snan days are busy but far easier to manage, especially with children or elderly parents.
• Weather: January and February mornings are cold, close to freezing at dawn by the river. March and early April are milder.

Our explainer on Amrit Snan and Shahi Snan covers what happens on those days and why they matter. Dates follow the mela administration's announcement and can shift by a day with the tithi, so check the official notice a week before you travel.

Step 2: How to reach Haridwar

By train

Haridwar Junction is on the main line from Delhi, and most trains between Delhi and Dehradun stop there. This is the easiest way in during the Kumbh, because the station is close to the mela area and trains are not caught in road diversions. Book as soon as reservations open for your date; extra trains are usually announced closer to the mela.

By air

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, about 35 km from Haridwar. Allow extra time for the drive on snan days.

By road

Haridwar is about 220 km from Delhi. Outside the main snan days the drive is straightforward. Around Amrit Snans, private vehicles are held at parking areas on the edge of the city, and shuttles or walking take you the rest of the way, so plan the drive to arrive a day early.

Step 3: Where to stay

The main camp areas are Bairagi Camp, Neel Dhara and Daksh Dweep in Kankhal. For camp types, prices and hotels near Har Ki Pauri, see our Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2027 camps and hotels page, where you can also send an enquiry for your dates.

Step 4: A 3-day Haridwar Kumbh itinerary

Day 1: Arrive and see the Ganga Aarti

Reach Haridwar by midday and check in. In the late afternoon walk to Har Ki Pauri and find a place on the ghats or the bridges well before sunset for the evening Ganga Aarti. Spend the evening on the ghats and in the bazaar, and sleep early.

Day 2: Snan and the temples

Leave before dawn for your snan. Brahma Kund at Har Ki Pauri is the main ghat; on busy days the police may direct you to a nearby ghat, and the snan there carries the same merit. After breakfast take the ropeway to Mansa Devi, and if your knees allow, Chandi Devi across the river. In the afternoon visit Kankhal, with the Daksheshwar Mahadev temple and quieter ghats. Our guide to rituals to perform at the Kumbh Mela covers the puja and daan many families add on this day.

Day 3: Rishikesh

Drive about 25 km to Rishikesh. Walk across Ram Jhula, visit the ashrams along the river and stay for the evening aarti at Triveni Ghat or Parmarth Niketan before returning to Haridwar or moving on.

On an Amrit Snan date, keep an extra day in hand: the main snan day is spent almost entirely on getting to the ghat and back.

Travelling with elderly parents or children

• Choose an ordinary snan day and a stay within walking distance of a ghat.
• Agree a fixed meeting point and put a card with your phone number and hotel name in every pocket.
• Use the lost-and-found centres the mela administration sets up if anyone is separated.
• Carry warm layers in January and February, and water and sun protection in April.

Our Kumbh Mela safety guide for families goes through this in detail.

Add a yatra after the Kumbh

Haridwar is the starting point for the Himalayan yatras, though Kedarnath and Badrinath open only from late April or May, after the Kumbh ends on 20 April 2027. If you are coming back in the season, the Do Dham Yatra from Haridwar covers Kedarnath and Badrinath in 6 days, and the Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar covers all four dhams in 10 days.

Plan your Haridwar Kumbh trip

The next Kumbh Melas are Haridwar in 2027, Nashik in 2027 and Ujjain in 2028. If Haridwar is your choice, fix your snan date first, then book your train and stay. Tell us your dates and group size on our contact page and we will help with rooms or camps, transfers and a day plan around your snan.