One of the Panch Prayags (five confluences) of the Alakananda River, Karnaprayag is a pilgrimage town in Chamolidistrict of Uttarakhand. Pindar River, that originates from the Pindari glacier and the Alakananda River meet at Karnaprayag. The town is situated on en route Badrinath, which is about 125 km southwest.
Karnaprayag falls on National Highway 58 (connects Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh with Mana and Badrinath in Uttarakhand) making it an important stopover for tourists and pilgrims. It is an extremely important religious site for Hindus. Ganga, the biggest and the holiest river in India, starts its journey to the plains from Karnaprayag.
Karnaprayag is believed to be the place where Karna of Mahabharata worshipped the Sun God. The ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Uma and the mythological importance of the town attracts tourists from all over the country. Swami Vivekananda, along with his disciples, meditated at Karnaprayag during a visit to the Himalayas.
Located in the Himalayan ranges, the pilgrim town is known for its salubrious climate and is an excellent summer getaway. Situated at an altitude of over 4760 ft, Karnaprayag is surrounded by towering peaks like Nanda Devi (25634 ft), Drona Giri, Narad Ghunti, Maiktoli, Trisul and Mrigathuni. Besides Karnaprayag, Devprayag, Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag and Rudraprayag are the other four confluences of the river.
Karnaprayag is also known for the many adventure activities it offers. Adventure sports enthusiasts can indulge in white water rafting, kayaking, etc. There are several trekking trails in Karnaprayag too.
There are quite a few accommodation options in Karnaprayag. There are budget and mid range accommodation located near the new bus stand. There are no luxury hotels in Karnaprayag.
Karnaprayag, being a temple town, is predominantly vegetarian. Most of the restaurants and street stalls serve vegetarian food. Only few hotels have in-house restaurants that serve non vegetarian delicacies. Restaurants also serve Chinese and Continental cuisine.
Karnaprayag can be visited all round the year but the best time to visit is between January and April. Monsoon should be avoided because of the landslide threats.
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Badrinath is as given below. The best time to visit Badrinath is also specified.
