Char Dham Yatra Emergency Numbers, Hospitals and Medical Facilities

Char Dham yatra emergency numbers to call 108 for an ambulance or 112 for an integrated emergency response involving police, fire, ambulance or rescue assistance. For landslides, floods, road closures or other disasters, contact the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operation Centre on 1070.

Save these numbers on every traveller’s phone and carry a printed copy because mobile connectivity can be unreliable along parts of the Char Dham route.

Emergency information last verified: August 2026

Char Dham Yatra Emergency Numbers

The official Uttarakhand Tourist Care portal currently lists 1364, 112 and 108 as its principal tourist, general-emergency and medical-emergency numbers. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority lists 1070 and state control-room landlines for disaster support. Uttarakhand Tourist Care, USDMA

What Should You Do in a Medical Emergency?

Call 108 immediately when a traveller experiences a serious medical problem. If the incident also requires police, fire services, rescue assistance or coordination among different departments, call 112.

When the call connects, clearly provide:

• Patient’s age and present condition
• Main symptoms or type of injury
• Exact location or nearest identifiable landmark
• Name of the road, town, temple route or hotel
• Direction in which you are travelling
• Number of people requiring assistance
• Your vehicle number, if relevant
• A working callback number

Do not describe the location only as “near Kedarnath” or “on the Badrinath road.” Give the nearest village, market, checkpost, bridge, hotel, parking point, helipad or kilometre marker whenever possible.

Keep the phone available after making the call. Emergency teams may need to contact you again for directions or updated information.

When Should You Call 112 Instead of 108?

Call 108 when the primary problem is medical and an ambulance is required. Call 112 when the emergency involves an accident, fire, crime, rescue requirement, missing traveller or an immediate threat to life requiring a coordinated response.

If you cannot determine which service is required, call 112 and explain the situation.

When Is a Health Problem an Emergency?

Char Dham Yatra involves high-altitude travel, cold conditions, long road journeys and physically demanding walking routes. Do not ignore symptoms simply because the traveller wants to complete darshan.

Seek urgent medical assistance for:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Severe or worsening breathlessness
• Loss of consciousness or repeated fainting
• Confusion, unusual behaviour or inability to remain alert
• Blue or grey lips
• Sudden weakness on one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking
• Seizure
• Severe headache accompanied by vomiting or confusion
• Inability to walk steadily
• Serious bleeding
• Major fall or suspected fracture
• Rapid deterioration in an existing heart or lung condition

The AIIMS Rishikesh Char Dham health handbook advises travellers to recognise symptoms early, avoid further ascent when altitude-related symptoms appear and descend if symptoms worsen while resting at the same elevation. Medication for altitude illness should only be taken on appropriate medical advice. AIIMS Rishikesh Char Dham Handbook

What to Do While Waiting for Medical Assistance

After contacting emergency services:

1. Keep the patient at rest.
2. Protect them from cold, rain and moving traffic.
3. Do not force them to walk or continue the pilgrimage.
4. Keep prescribed medicines and medical records ready.
5. Follow the instructions given by the emergency operator.
6. Send one person to a visible landmark if an ambulance needs help locating you.
7. Inform the driver, hotel, tour manager or local police post.
8. Keep the route clear for emergency personnel.
9. Do not give unfamiliar medicines based on advice from other travellers.
10. Do not attempt to drive rapidly down a mountain road without official or medical guidance.

If the patient becomes unresponsive or stops breathing normally, follow the emergency operator’s instructions while professional assistance is dispatched.

Medical Facilities on the Char Dham Yatra Route

Healthcare along the Char Dham route is provided through district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, seasonal medical units, ambulances and referral hospitals.

The level of care is not the same at every location. A small health post may provide initial assessment and basic treatment, while a serious condition may require transfer to a community health centre, district hospital, government medical college or AIIMS Rishikesh.

Seasonal facilities and staffing can change during the Yatra. In an emergency, call 108 instead of attempting to select or reach a distant hospital independently. The ambulance control team can identify an appropriate operational facility based on the patient’s location and condition.

Hospitals on the Yamunotri Route

The Yamunotri journey passes through Uttarkashi district. Travellers generally approach the shrine through Barkot, Hanuman Chatti and Janki Chatti before continuing on the walking route.

Important government medical facilities in the wider district include:

• District Hospital Uttarkashi
• Community Health Centre Naugaon
• Community Health Centre Purola
• Community Health Centre Chinyalisaur
• Government health facilities serving the Barkot area
• Seasonal medical units operating closer to the pilgrimage route

Medical support near a trekking route may be limited compared with a district hospital. Travellers with serious symptoms should not continue towards Yamunotri while waiting to see whether the condition improves.

Call 108 for the nearest available ambulance or medical unit.

Hospitals on the Gangotri Route

Gangotri is also located in Uttarkashi district. The road route passes through Uttarkashi, Bhatwari and Harsil before reaching Gangotri.

Relevant medical support in the wider district includes:

• District Hospital Uttarkashi
• Government health facilities around Uttarkashi and Bhatwari
• Health units serving settlements towards Harsil and Gangotri
• Seasonal medical posts deployed during the pilgrimage

Facilities become more limited as travellers move farther from Uttarkashi. Anyone with persistent chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, confusion or other serious symptoms should seek help before proceeding to a higher location.

Hospitals on the Kedarnath Route

The Kedarnath route lies in Rudraprayag district. Road travellers generally pass through Rudraprayag, Agastyamuni, Guptkashi, Phata, Sonprayag and Gaurikund before beginning the trek.

Important medical facilities in the district include:

• District Hospital Rudraprayag
• Community Health Centre Agastyamuni
• Community Health Centre Jakholi
• Government health facilities serving Ukhimath and the Guptkashi area
• Seasonal medical relief posts along the Kedarnath pilgrimage route

Medical posts closer to Kedarnath are intended for initial assistance and stabilisation. Serious cases may require evacuation or referral to a larger hospital.

The existence of helipads or emergency helicopter services does not mean that an air evacuation can be requested or guaranteed on demand. Any evacuation depends on clinical need, weather, visibility, aircraft availability, government coordination and operational clearance.

Hospitals on the Badrinath Route

Badrinath lies in Chamoli district. The main route passes through Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli, Pipalkoti and Joshimath before reaching Badrinath.

Important facilities in the district include:

• District Hospital Gopeshwar
• Sub-District Hospital Karnaprayag
• Community Health Centre Joshimath
• Community Health Centre Gairsain
• Community Health Centre Tharali
• Community Health Centre Pokhari
• Government and seasonal health units serving the Badrinath route

For an emergency between Joshimath and Badrinath, call 108 and provide the closest identifiable location. Do not assume that driving independently to a distant hospital will be quicker than contacting the emergency response service.

Medical Facilities by Route

These are practical route reference points, not guarantees that every speciality or diagnostic service will be available at all times. Call 108 for current medical direction.

What If There Is No Mobile Network?

Mobile coverage can be weak or unavailable at certain locations. Every family should therefore carry emergency details in both digital and printed form.

If you cannot make a call:

• Inform the nearest police post or checkpost.
• Approach a government medical post.
• Ask the hotel reception to contact emergency services.
• Inform the driver or tour manager.
• Approach an authorised Yatra registration or verification counter.
• Ask local officials to relay your location to the control room.
• Send a responsible person to the nearest connected location when safe.

Avoid sending an unwell traveller alone to search for mobile connectivity.

Travel Vaidya recommends that families share their day’s route, hotel and driver details with one emergency contact who is not travelling with the group.

Emergency Planning for Senior Citizens

Senior citizens and travellers with existing medical conditions should prepare before leaving home rather than depending entirely on facilities along the route.

Carry:

• Adequate prescribed medicines for the complete tour
• Additional supply for possible travel delays
• Original prescriptions or a doctor’s note
• Recent and relevant medical reports
• Details of allergies
• Blood group information
• Emergency family contacts
• Treating doctor’s number
• Clearly labelled medicine pouches
• Any monitoring device recommended by the treating doctor

A family member should know what medicines the traveller takes and where they are stored. Essential medicines should remain in the daily bag, not inside luggage that may be inaccessible during the journey.

Travellers with diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, lung disease or other significant conditions should consult their doctor before undertaking high-altitude travel. The Uttarakhand Health Department publishes a dedicated Char Dham health advisory for pilgrims. Uttarakhand Health Department

Information to Share With Your Tour Operator

Before departure, inform your tour operator about any condition that could affect the journey, especially when travelling with senior citizens.

Share only information that is relevant to travel coordination, such as:

• Mobility restrictions
• Requirement for regular medication
• Need for timely meals
• Difficulty using stairs
• Requirement for a wheelchair
• Previous difficulty at high altitude
• Emergency family contact
• Any doctor-imposed travel limitation

A tour operator cannot replace a doctor, ambulance or government rescue service. However, the team can assist by identifying the current location, communicating with the driver, coordinating with the hotel and helping the family follow the revised travel plan.

As a Dehradun-based Char Dham tour operator, Travel Vaidya can respond to route changes and assist its travelling guests with local coordination. In a medical emergency, however, passengers should contact 108 or 112 first rather than waiting for the tour operator to arrange medical care.

Emergency Preparation Before Starting the Yatra

Complete these steps before departure:

• Save 112, 108, 1070 and 1364 on every traveller’s phone.
• Keep the numbers printed in each day bag.
• Download the official Tourist Care Uttarakhand application.
• Save a copy of the Yatra registration.
• Carry identification documents.
• Keep medicines and prescriptions accessible.
• Share the itinerary with a family member at home.
• Save the driver, hotel and tour-operator numbers.
• Carry a charged power bank.
• Keep one emergency contact card for every senior citizen and child.
• Check official weather and road updates before leaving each hotel.
• Do not continue travelling when authorities have stopped movement.

Can Helicopters Be Used for Medical Evacuation?

Uttarakhand has helicopter emergency medical capabilities, and AIIMS Rishikesh has been associated with helicopter emergency and remote-health initiatives. However, helicopter evacuation is not a standard on-demand facility for every sick or injured pilgrim.

Deployment depends on:

• Medical urgency
• Weather and visibility
• Safe landing conditions
• Aircraft availability
• Government and medical coordination
• Operational clearance

Travellers should first call 108, 112 or the relevant disaster-control service. Do not contact commercial helicopter operators expecting them to conduct an emergency evacuation.

What to Do During a Landslide or Road Closure

For a landslide, flood, road collapse or major route blockage, call 1070, 1077 or 112.

While waiting for instructions:

• Do not cross an active landslide zone.
• Do not stand beneath unstable slopes.
• Keep the vehicle away from falling-rock areas where possible.
• Follow police and district-administration instructions.
• Do not move past a barricade.
• Keep food, water and prescribed medicines accessible.
• Inform the hotel or tour operator about the delay.
• Avoid sharing unverified route information with other travellers.

Road reopening times cannot be predicted accurately. Travellers should follow official instructions rather than relying on social-media updates or estimates from passing vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ambulance number for Char Dham Yatra?

Call 108 for a medical ambulance anywhere on the Char Dham Yatra route.

What is the main emergency number in Uttarakhand?

Call 112 for an integrated emergency response involving police, fire, ambulance or rescue services.

Which number should be called during a landslide?

Call the State Emergency Operation Centre on 1070. You may also call 112 for immediate assistance or 1077 for the District Emergency Operation Centre.

What is the Uttarakhand tourist helpline?

The official Uttarakhand Tourist Care helpline is 1364. The portal also lists 0135-3520100 as a contact number.

Are hospitals available near all four Char Dham temples?

Government health units and seasonal medical posts support the Yatra, but the level of treatment varies. Serious cases may require transfer to a community health centre, district hospital or higher referral centre.

Should I call a hospital directly or call 108?

Call 108 during an active medical emergency. The emergency team can identify the nearest suitable and operational facility based on the patient’s location.

Is helicopter evacuation guaranteed during Char Dham Yatra?

No. Air evacuation depends on medical need, weather, visibility, aircraft availability and government clearance.

Can a tour operator arrange emergency medical treatment?

A tour operator can assist with location details and local coordination, but medical response must come through authorised emergency services and healthcare professionals.

Keep These Numbers Accessible Throughout the Journey

The four numbers every Char Dham traveller should remember are:

• 112 — General emergency
• 108 — Medical ambulance
• 1070 — State disaster assistance
• 1364 — Uttarakhand tourist support

Save them on each traveller’s phone and carry a printed copy. In a serious medical emergency, contact the official service first, provide an accurate location and stop further travel until the patient has been assessed.

Emergency numbers and public-service arrangements can be updated by the authorities. Verify them through the official Uttarakhand Tourist Care, Health Department and USDMA portals before departure.