Travel Diary: Journey to Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar

I have visited many times the Mahavatar Babaji’s cave in Kukuchina, Dunagiri in  Dwarahat range of Uttarakhand. What a privilege to sit inside the cave where Babaji initiated  Lahiri Mahasaya  “science of Kriya Yoga“.  After reading the book  Paramahansa Yogananda’s autobiography this pilgrimage was truly divine.

• Mahavatar Babaji cave from Rishikesh: If you are a Kriyaban (a Kriya Yoga practitioner), you must visit Babaji’s cave at least once in your lifetime. You might even follow in the travel footsteps of Paramahansa Yogananda to visit this sacred place.
• Yoganandaji  Started his journey to Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar via  Rishikesh- Devprayag- Rudraprayag- Karnprayag- Gainsain – Dwarahat- Mahavatar Babaji Cave- and Sri Badrinath Temple.

Suggested Read:  Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Rishikesh: How to reach there.

Day 1: Departure from Tapovan Rishikesh

• We started our trip for Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar at 7:30 pm from Tapovan where I live. My friend, Mr. Prem Prakash Singh, came with me.
• We took a shared auto rickshaw to the Rishikesh bus station. It took 25 minutes. Then we got on a public bus to Haridwar, which took around 45 minutes.
• When we got to Haridwar, we had to wait for our sleeper night train to Kathgodam. It left at 12:15 am.

Day 2: Arrival in Kathgodam  to Ranikhet 

• We arrived at Mahavatar Babaji cave nearest railway station is  Kathgodam railway station at 7 am. From there, we took a shared taxi to Ranikhet, which took about 4 hours.
• The taxi ride was tough because it was small and tight, and the roads were zig-zaggy in the mountains. The old jeeps used for the ride were really packed.

Ranikhet to Kathgodam

When we got to Ranikhet, we took another shared taxi to Dwarahat, which was a 1-hour ride. The ride was hard, with lots of turns and cramped space. Some people were even getting sick during the 3-hour ride from Kathgodam to Ranikhet. But the beautiful views made me happy and reminded me of my visit to Ranikhet in 1995.

 Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Ashram (YSS)

Finally, we reached the Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Ashram (YSS) in Dwarahat. This peaceful ashram is only for YSS devotees or true spiritual seekers, especially followers of Paramahansa Yogananda. People who are not devotees need to book a room in advance by email, as tourists can’t stay there.

The whole journey (  Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar ) took about 11 hours, and it was hard, but reaching the quiet town of Dwarahat was worth it. It was tough to find and arrange shared taxis during the off-season, and we often had to wait a long time. Despite the challenges, the calm atmosphere of the YSS ashram and the spiritual feeling made it all worthwhile.

Our Trip to Babaji’s Cave ( Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar )

The Next Day:

The next day, We  went with four other Kriyabans  who also practice Kriya Yoga. We took a shared taxi from the YSS ashram to Kukuchina. The nice people at the ashram helped us with the taxi and gave us a basket with lunch.

On the Way:

The ride to Kukuchina was about 50 minutes long. The driver kept honking the horn a lot, even when the road was empty. It was super loud, and we felt uneasy , wanted to stop him but not really!

Walking to the Cave:

When we reached Kukuchina, we got out of the taxi and started walking to the cave. The walk took 50 minutes, and the views were really pretty.

At Babaji’s Shrine:

Before we reached the cave, we saw the cave structure called Babaji’s shrine, made by the Self Realization Fellowship. It was built where Babaji made a golden palace for his friend, Lahiri Mahasaya.

In the Cave:

Many people visit the cave every day. There were a lot of Kriya Yogis there, following different teachers but all connected to Lahiri Mahasaya. Before going inside the cave we  took off our shoes and found nice spots to sit and meditate. It was very peaceful for an hour.

After the Cave:

After the cave, we  followed the trail to climb up the hill to Pandukholi  There, we saw the Pandavkholi Dharamshala and Mandir. While getting down we took another trail that ends up at Kuckuhina village near Joshi Guest house.

• Do not take the trail which starts from Mahavatar Babaji cave during rain it is highly risky trail. Take the trail from Kukuchina village is easy and safe to go up and come down.

How to Reach Mahavatar Babaji Cave in Kukuchina

From Haridwar / Rishikesh: ( Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar )

1. Rishikesh to Haridwar: Take a public bus from the main bus stop to Haridwar (45 min).
2. Haridwar to Kathgodam: Catch the night train to Kathgodam, which departs daily at 12:15 am. This is the only train per day (7 hours) in the Night.

• DDN JANSHTB Express #12091 Departs on: S-M-T-W-T-F-S – Departs from Haridwar around 5:20 PM from – Journey Hours 6h15m – Distance in Km 284- Arrival 11:35 PM at Kathgodam Railway Station.

1. Kathgodam to Ranikhet: Take a shared taxi from Kathgodam to Ranikhet (4 hours).
2. Ranikhet to Dwarahat: From Ranikhet, take another shared taxi to Dwarahat (2 hours). The shared taxi from Kathgodam to Dwarahat costs around 350-400 rupees.
3. Dwarahat to Kukuchina: From Dwarahat market, take a shared taxi to Kukuchina (50 minutes) for about 50-100 rupees.
4. Kukuchina to Babaji’s Cave: Walk up the mountain to reach the cave, about a 50-minute trek. The walk is not particularly difficult but be mindful of the altitude and go at a pace that suits your capacity.

Babaji Cave location in Google Maps.

Babaji Cave
Dwarahat Range,
Uttarakhand 263656,
India
Google Maps Link

Where to Stay to Visit Babaji’s Cave

1. Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Ashram (YSS)

• If you are a Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) member or a Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) member, staying at the Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Ashram is highly recommended.
• The ashram is just a 15-minute walk from the Dwarahat market. From the ashram, you can take a shared taxi to the cave, which is about a 50-minute ride.
• It is not for touristy place please do remember.

2. Dwarahat

You can also stay in Dwarahat itself. Many Kriyabans from the Hariharananda tradition stay in hotels here. Prices starts from  1000 to 5000 rupees per night. From Dwarahat, you can take a shared taxi to the cave, a 50-minute journey.

3. Joshi Guest House in Kukuchina

• Another great option is to stay at Joshi Guest House in Kukuchina. From here, you can walk to the cave whenever you want. The hike is about an hour and offers beautiful scenery.
• The guesthouse provides good accommodations, but I do not like it due to lack cleanliness very basic room and I felt always uncomfortable at Joshi Guest house.
• It think it has good location that ‘why people give good review to Joshi Guest House.  I prefer to stay Shree Homestay in Dwarahat instead of Joshi Guest in Kukuchina.

4. Pandavkholi Dharamshala

For a more rustic experience, you can stay on top of the hill above Babaji’s Cave at the Pandukholi Dharamshala. This simple shelter for pilgrims offers very basic accommodations but with friendly people and incredible surroundings.

• But here the Sadhus smokes not for family I think. I do not recommend this place to anyone.

5. Vanprastha Luxury stay

For a more luxury experience, you can stay just below the  Babaji’s Cave in Kukuchina. This is for those who love to stay neat and clean stay  with  the best  accommodations facilities  with friendly people and incredible surroundings.

5. Dunagiri Retreat

For super luxury retreat experience, you can stay just 5 km before from the  Mahavatar Babaji  Cave in Kukuchina village. This is for those who love to stay for retreat with mountain view  with  the best  accommodations facilities  with friendly people and incredible surroundings.

Conclusion

We always prefer the route of Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar via Rishikesh Devprayag for  Mahavatar Babaji Cave from Haridwar, why ? because this route runs along the Ganges river and later Alakandnda river and you feel blessed when you stops for Devprayag Rudraprayag, Karnprayag , Adi Badri Temple .