Delhi to Rajkot by Air, Onward to Somnath

Morning report at IGI Terminal 3 for the direct flight to Rajkot. On arrival, meet the road coordinator for the four-hour transfer south through the Junagadh belt to Somnath. Check into the hotel near the temple precinct. Evening darshan at Somnath Jyotirlinga, the first of the twelve, revered as the eternal shrine. Attend the sound and light show on the temple lawns after aarti, which narrates the temple’s rebuild chronology across nine centuries. Overnight in Somnath.

Somnath to Dwarka via Porbandar

Pre-breakfast darshan at Somnath and a photo stop at the Triveni Sangam behind the temple. Drive north along the coastal highway with a short halt at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Reach Dwarka by late afternoon. Evening arti at Dwarkadhish temple on the Gomti ghat. Free time to walk the ghat lanes. Overnight in Dwarka.

Nageshwar Darshan, Jamnagar Airport, Fly to Mumbai, Drive to Nashik

Sunrise darshan at Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, twelve kilometres from Dwarka town, home to the towering statue of Lord Shiva visible from the highway. Quick Bet Dwarka boat visit if the tide permits. Drive to Jamnagar for the afternoon flight to Mumbai. On arrival at CSMIA, take the coordinated cab up NH-160 to Nashik, arriving late evening. Overnight in Nashik.

Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Onward to Aurangabad

Early morning drive to Trimbakeshwar for the Jyotirlinga darshan and viewing of the three-faced linga representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Return to Nashik for a quick Panchvati stop at the site linked to the Ramayana. Drive to Aurangabad by evening via the Nashik-Aurangabad highway. Check in and rest for the Grishneshwar early morning darshan next day. Overnight in Aurangabad.

Grishneshwar, Ellora Optional, Onward to Pune

Morning darshan at Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga near Ellora village, the last of the twelve Jyotirlingas in chronological order per the Shiva Purana. Quick visit to Ellora Cave 16, the Kailasa monolithic temple, on the way back for those interested. Drive to Pune via Ahmednagar. Check in and rest for the pre-dawn Bhimashankar run next morning. Overnight in Pune.

Pune to Bhimashankar Return, Fly to Hyderabad

Predawn drive to Bhimashankar through the Sahyadri ghat road. Darshan at the temple built in the Nagara style, quick walk in the surrounding wildlife sanctuary if time permits, and return to Pune. Afternoon flight from Pune to Hyderabad. Check in near the airport for the early morning Srisailam start next day. Overnight in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad to Srisailam Return, Mallikarjuna Darshan

Early departure from Hyderabad through the Nallamala forest belt to Srisailam. Darshan at Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga on the banks of the Krishna. Visit the Bhramaramba Devi shrine adjacent to the main temple. Late afternoon return to Hyderabad. This is a long road day but avoids adding an overnight in Srisailam, which has limited hotel inventory. Overnight in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad to Madurai by Air, Onward to Rameshwaram

Morning flight from Hyderabad to Madurai. On arrival, meet the coordinator for the road transfer across the Pamban bridge to Rameshwaram island. Check into the hotel near the Agni Teertham beach. Evening walk to Ramanathaswamy temple for the Palliyarai darshan slot. Overnight in Rameshwaram.

Rameshwaram Darshan, Dhanushkodi, Back to Madurai

Predawn 22-teerth bathing ritual inside Ramanathaswamy temple, coordinated with a local pandit who guides the sequence. Full darshan at the Jyotirlinga sanctum. Post breakfast, drive to Dhanushkodi ghost town on the tip of the island for a brief stop. Return to Madurai in the afternoon. Evening visit to Meenakshi Amman temple if energy permits. Overnight in Madurai.

Madurai to Varanasi by Air (via connection)

Morning flight from Madurai to Varanasi, usually via Delhi or Chennai depending on the day of week. Check into the hotel near Assi Ghat or Godowlia. Evening attendance at the Ganga Aarti at Dasashwamedh Ghat, either from the ghat itself or from a shared boat on the river. Overnight in Varanasi.

Kashi Vishwanath Darshan, Sarnath

Pre-dawn Mangala Aarti at Kashi Vishwanath temple, accessed via the new corridor from the ghat side. Sparsh darshan by prior slot booking. Post breakfast, half-day trip to Sarnath, where Buddha delivered his first sermon, to see the Dhamek Stupa and the archaeological museum. Return for a rest afternoon. Optional evening return to the ghats. Overnight in Varanasi.

Varanasi to Deoghar by Air, Baidyanath Darshan

Morning flight from Varanasi to Deoghar (DGH), which opened to commercial traffic in 2022 and now handles the pilgrim inflow directly. On arrival, transfer to the hotel and proceed to Baidyanath temple for darshan. Kanwariyas walk this route in monsoon; October arrivals see a calmer temple courtyard. Overnight in Deoghar.

Deoghar to Delhi to Dehradun by Air, Onward to Rishikesh

Morning flight from Deoghar back to Delhi, then a connecting hop to Dehradun in the same afternoon. On arrival, road transfer to Rishikesh for an overnight halt at the foothills. Early sleep is important because the Guptkashi road starts before dawn. Overnight in Rishikesh.

Rishikesh to Guptkashi

Long mountain drive up the Rudraprayag-Guptkashi route through Devprayag and Srinagar Garhwal. Photo stops at the Panch Prayag confluences en route. Reach Guptkashi by late afternoon. Rest early for the Kedarnath departure next morning. Guptkashi sits at 1,319 metres, and altitude acclimatisation begins here. Overnight in Guptkashi.

Guptkashi to Kedarnath by Helicopter, Return

Early morning transfer to Phata or Sersi helipad depending on carrier assignment. Helicopter shuttle to Kedarnath, followed by the priority darshan queue at the shrine. Return flight to Guptkashi within the same window. Pony and palki options are also arranged for pilgrims who prefer the traditional trek from Sonprayag. Overnight in Guptkashi.

Guptkashi to Haridwar, Fly to Indore, Onward to Ujjain

Morning drive down to Haridwar, dropping altitude gradually. Late afternoon flight from Dehradun to Indore. On arrival, road transfer to Ujjain and check in near the Mahakaleshwar temple. Rest early for the pre-dawn Bhasma Aarti slot the next morning. Overnight in Ujjain.

Bhasma Aarti, Mahakaleshwar Darshan, Omkareshwar Excursion

Predawn attendance at the Bhasma Aarti inside Mahakaleshwar temple, a slot arranged in advance. Full darshan of the Jyotirlinga in its Dakshinamurti form. Post breakfast, day trip to Omkareshwar, the island shrine on the Narmada shaped like the Om symbol. Boat crossing to the temple, darshan, and return to Ujjain by evening. Overnight in Ujjain.

Ujjain to Indore, Fly to Delhi

Morning at leisure or optional visit to the Kal Bhairav temple and Harsiddhi Peetha in Ujjain. Post lunch, road transfer to Indore airport for the evening flight back to Delhi. Arrival at IGI concludes the 12 jyotirlinga trip package from delhi.