A Comprehensive Guide For a Family Vacation to Vaishno Devi in 2025!

One of the holiest pilgrimages is Vaishno Devi yatra, and the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is located in the renowned cave abodes of the Trikuta Mountains. Devotees travel from all over the world to this ancient Indian shrine in search of benefits. Here, Maha Kali, Maha Saraswati, and Maha Lakshmi are the three manifestations of the goddess. known by a number of names, including Vaishnavi, Trikuta, and Mata Rani. The 13-kilometre journey to the temple offers breathtaking views at every turn. If you are organising a family vacation to Vaishno Devi, this guide will tell you everything you need to know for your journey.

Ways to do Vaishno Devi Yatra

In fact, more than 1 crore devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi visit Vaishno Devi annually, intending to ascend 12 miles to obtain Mata Rani’s blessings. Let’s offer you a preview of the various options available to you for travelling with your family to Vaishno Devi from Katra to Ardhkuwari and then from Ardhkuwari to Bhawan.

1. Trekking

When choosing trekking as your form of transportation to get from Katra to Bhawan, which is around 13 kilometres away, your family’s excursion to see Vaishno Devi needs to be carefully planned. From Katra to Ardhkuwari, there are two paths, each with a different distance; similarly, there are two routes from Ardhkuwari to Bhawan. A few further km up the Vaishno Devi temple is the Bhairavnath shrine. You can either hike Vaishno Devi to the temple or use one of the many ponies and palkies that are available along the way.

2. Helicopter Ride

A helicopter trip would inject excitement and fun into the entire experience for all the children, adults, and senior citizens. The helicopter flight must be scheduled at least two months in advance for the tourists. Five to six people can ride in the helicopter at once, and the flight takes about eight minutes. The Katra bus station is two kilometres from the Katra helipad, which is situated on Udhampur Road.

It takes around thirty minutes to get to Vaishno Devi Bhawan from Sanjhichhat point. Depending on your preference, you can walk to the temple or use a palki, porter, or pony service. An individual can expect to pay approximately Rs. 1800 for a one-way helicopter journey from Katra to Sanjhichhat and Rs. 3600 for both directions.

3. Ponies and Palanquins

Many pilgrims choose to use various services, such as ponies and palanquins, because walking 12 to 13 miles at a time to go to Vaishno Devi Bhawan may be too much for some devotees. For the convenience of the passengers, the municipal committee oversees the operation of all the palanquins, porters, and ponies. Additionally, before organising your journey to Vaishno Devi from Delhi, make sure you are looking at all of your possibilities.

Temples to Visit on a Vaishno Devi Yatra

On your family vacation to Vaishno Devi yatra, you will be seeing the following renowned temples:

1. Mata Vaishno Devi Temple

Mata Vaishno Devi yatra is devoted to Vaishno Devi and is regarded by Hindus as one of the most significant temples and holy locations. Regarded as one of the 108 Shakti Peethas, the temple is devoted to Durga, who is revered as Vaishno Devi. It is a must-see location for your family’s journey to Vaishno Devi.

2. Ardh Kuwari Temple

At a distance of 6 km, Ardh Kuwari is regarded as the midway point to the main Bhawan of Vaishno Devi yatra. One of the most important temples on the route to the sacred cave is Ardh Kuwari, which translates to “the eternal virgin”.

3. Bhairavnath Temple

Baba Bhairavnath is worshipped at Bhairon Nath Temple, which is only 2 kilometres from Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. The Vaishno Devi goddess is said to have killed Bhairav just as he was ready to attack her by taking on the appearance of Kali and decapitating him. But once he confessed his transgressions, the goddess pardoned him and said that a visit to Vaishno Devi would not be complete without requesting Bhaironnath’s blessings.

4. Charan Paduka

At an elevation of 3380 feet, Charan Paduka is roughly 1.5 kilometres away from Banganga. Charan Paduka is a sacred location where the impressions of the Goddess’ devout feet are thought to be found, imprinted on a slab of rock. After expressing their respects to the Mata’s footsteps, which are inscribed on a block of granite, the pilgrims go on to the yatra.

Also Read: https://blog.zenithholidays.com/07-must-visit-popular-durga-temples-in-india

3 Best Places to Stay in Katra

Only when they are organising a trip to Vaishno Devi yatra will the tourists find a property that is available in Katra. You can arrange your stay at Katra, though. The hotels listed below are situated in Katra and are well-known for providing its visitors with first-rate amenities that make their stay comfortable. Let’s have a look at our carefully chosen selection of Katra hotels for families travelling to Vaishno Devi.

1. Hotel Rama Trident

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra train station is within 14 minutes’ walk from the revitalising hotel, which features modern architecture. You can decide to engage in local activities, including going to the Baba Dhansar Temple, which is only a 24-minute drive away. Eight minutes from the hotel is the Shalimar Garden, where you may take a leisurely stroll. Among the things that guests like are friendly personnel, roomy accommodations, mouthwatering cuisine, and a prime location.

2  AMR Hotel

The hotel is just a four-minute’ walk from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi rail station, which is not far from the hotel and a retail centre. The AMR hotel provides its visitors with a clean and safe atmosphere. There are several types of accommodations offered, including superior, deluxe, and deluxe family rooms.

3. Hotel Hari Resort

The Hotel Hari Resort provides a number of facilities, including air-conditioned rooms, free WiFi, and full-service laundry. The hotel is well-known for setting up preparations for special occasions. The resort offers a variety of room types, such as super deluxe rooms, double deluxe rooms with air conditioning, and double deluxe rooms without air conditioning. Including a stay at this facility in your Katra tour itinerary along with your family’s trip to Vaishno Devi yatra will be a great idea because of its close proximity to important locations.

How to Reach Vaishno Devi

Family vacations to Vaishnodevi can be taken via air, train, or road. The closest train station is the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station, which is 20 kilometres from the revered Vaishno Devi temple. From Jammu Tawi, Amritsar, New Delhi, and other important Indian cities, buses frequently travel to Katra. Another option is to travel to Katra, the yatra’s base camp, which is roughly 50 kilometres from Jammu. All of the major cities have good flights to Jammu, and using the rail is an additional option. Only a small number of trains have been extended to Katra, while several trains run daily and weekly from major towns to Jammu. Planning a vacation to Vaishno Devi from Mumbai is simple because of the options and connectivity.

Best Time to go on Vaishno Devi Yatra

Despite being packed all year round, Vaishno Devi yatra sees the most tourists from March to July because of the warm and cosy weather for devotees. Since the temperature is suitable for darshan—with a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 17 degrees—many tourists choose to arrange their family’s Vaishno Devi yatra vacation during these months.

Even though the weather can be a little harsh during the rainy season, which typically lasts from August to September, many devotees nevertheless choose to travel at this period. The winter months of November through February are when most people do not want to travel because of the severe weather and the difficulty of covering the Vaishno Devi yatra trekking distance at this time.