Located only 1 km from the bus stand, Maaji Vaishno Palace Yatri Niwas offers AC, non AC rooms and meal facilities. They also have a complimentary clo...
1.2 km from the bus stand and 500 meter from Ban Ganga checkpoint, Hanuman Mandir Dharamshala offers AC and non AC rooms at affordable prices. The ca...
Located 1.5 km from the bus stand, Baba Banda Bahadur dharamshala offers AC and non AC rooms. The rooms are clean, spacious and ideal for families. I...
1.5 km from the bus stand and 2.7 km from the Ban Ganga checkpoint, Mangal Bhawan Dharamshala offers family rooms and dormitories for families only. F...
Located only 750 meter from the bus stand, Katra - YD Stay 82001 (Hotel The Taranant) offers RTwo, Three, Four Bedded AC and Non AC r...
Located only 600 meter from the Katra Bus Stand, Katra - YD Stay 82002 (Josh Guest House) offers two and three bedded Non AC rooms. Vaishno...
Located just 800 meter from the bus stand and 1 km from the Ban Ganga checkoint, Shri Multan Seva Sadan offers four bedded AC and non AC rooms and is ...
Located only 600 meter from the Katra Bus Stand, Katra - Narayani Dharamshala offers three bedded Non AC rooms.Meal Facility Avail...
Located 1.2 km from the bus stand and about 1 km from the Ban Ganga checkpoint, Annapurna Charitable Trust has affordable rooms for families. Meals ar...
Located barely 100 meter (Opposite side) from the Counter No.2 Bus stand, Yatri Niwas offers two, three and five bedded rooms as well as dormitories. ...
Navdurga Bhavan is Just 1 km from the bus stand, Nav Durga Vaishno Devi Mandir Trust offers two and four bedded rooms at affordable prices. Ideal for ...
800 meter from the bus stand, Hotel Saraswati (Tourist Bungalow) offers two-bedded AC and non AC rooms. Meals are available here. Katra is the starti...
Finding accommodation in Katra can be very easy. Vaishno Devi Bhawan online room booking, managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board can be done on the website. These include Shakti Bhawan and Trikuta Bhawan in Katra. Dormitory in Katra can also be booked. Hotels and lodges near the Vaishno Devi temple trek starting point are available. Government houses in Katra include state-run Yatri Niwas and hotels. The spiritual growth center in Katra was created to address the spiritual needs of devotees and has excellent facilities. The Ashirwad complex (Bhawan) in Katra provides rooms and dormitory accommodation.
The Vaishno Devi Aarti is done twice a day. In the morning just before sunrise, and immediately after sunset in the evening. Devotees have to remain outside the sanctum during the Aarti. Vaishno Devi Shrine board registration can be done online. Vaishno Devi darshan ticket known as ‘Parchi’ can be booked online on the official website and printed out. Mata Vaishno Devi darshan guide is also on the website. Vaishno Devi Darshan packages are also available. Vaishno Devi VIP darshan can be booked on the Shrine Board’s website. There are a number of options available which can include Darshan, accommodation, a helicopter ride to the temple, meals, and Puja. Mata Vaishno Devi live Attka aarti allows you to participate after booking in advance. Vaishno Devi Gufa Darshan Timing is available on the official website.
Banganga, 1 km from Katra comes within the Vaishno Devi travel plan. Nau Devi, 9 km from Katra is a beautiful cave temple. Shivkhori, 72 km from Katra is a cave shrine dedicated to Mahadev. Taxi fares from Katra to Shivkhori start at Rs.2000/- (Round Trip, subject to change) Some hill stations near Katra are - Mcleodganj, Patnitop, Sanasar, and Dalhousie. Sightseeing in Jammu - Katra to Jammu distance is about 50 km. There are plenty of tourist sites in Jammu worth visiting.
The best time to visit for the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra is from March to October. The temple is open throughout the year. Crowds are excessive during Navratri. Winter months are freezing but less crowded. Jammu Airport to Katra distance is 55 km. Jammu to Katra train is also available. Taxis and buses are also available. Taxi fares can be negotiated. Delhi to Vaishno Devi by flight - Delhi - Jammu Airfares start from Rs. 2500/- Katra-Vaishno Devi helicopter fares start from Rs1500/- (fares are subject to change).
The trek distance from Katra to Vaishno Devi Temple (Bhawan) is 13 km. The important points along the route are - Banganga - Charan Paduka - Ardhkuwari - Sanjichhat - Bhawan. Bhairon Ghati is a further 1.5 km from Bhawan. Vaishno Devi Electric Car Booking is available between Ardhkuwari and Bhawan. Ponies are available for the entire route. Vaishno Devi Ropeway is now available from Bhawan to Bhairon Ghati (Rs.100/-). Helicopter rides are available from Katra Helipad. Bookings can be done on the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board’s website or through private operators. Helicopter ticket prices start from approx Rs.1500 (one way) and are subject to change.
Some of the best stays in Katra are Dharamshala Baba Banda Bahadur, Yatri Niwas, Katra, Maaji Vaishno Palace Yatri Niwas, Yatri Niwas tourist Retaining Center and Mangal Bhavan Dharamshala.
Some of the best accommodations/guest- houses in Katra near Ban Ganga checkpoint is - Katra Nav Durga Vaishnodevi Mandir Trust, Sadhu Dharam Sthal (Hanuman Mandir Dharamshala), Shri Annapurna Mandir Charitable Trust, Shri Chintamani Mandir Trust Yatrik Niwas Katra, Shri Multan Sewa Sadan Dharamshala Katra and Pooja and Prem Yatri Nivas. All these are 0.5 to 1 km from the Ban Ganga checkpoint.
Most yatris like to book rooms near Banganga checkpoint and the Katra bus stand for convenience in the Vaishno Devi yatra.
For hiring registered ponies, pithoos, or Palkis, yatri has to contact the contractor’s office at Bhawan (Vaishno Devi) or Katra. Rates for ponies, palkis and pithoos are fixed and approved by the government.
Before starting the journey it is compulsory for yatris to get themselves registered at the Yatra Registration Counter at the Katra bus stand. A yatra slip (parchi) will be issued to the yatri/yatris upon registering. This slip is easily obtained from the registration counter, which is open from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The yatra slip obtained will be verified first at the Banganga slip check post and then at Bhawan (Vaishno Devi) slip check post. On arriving at Bhawan a new group number is allotted to the yatris and stamped on the slip issued at the counter in Katra. This number is necessary for darshan at Bhawan.
The holy cave is 12 km from Darshan Deodi, the starting point of the trek in Katra. The time required for the trek depends on your physical condition. An average person takes four to five hours on foot.
The service starts at Katra and will drop you at Sanjichhat near Bhawan. The cost is Rs.1045 for a one-way ride. (Fare subject to change)
The distance from Katra to Shiv Khori is 74 km and takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.