Jyotirlinga Tour Packages: Visit the 12 Sacred Shiva Temples of India

India has been a place of total divine faith since the beginning of human civilisation. You will always find an abode for a specific God, whatever place or region you visit in this country. It is because India is the cradle of gods and goddesses. And Lord Shiva among them is the most sacred god for Hindus. Lord Shiva, also Mahadev, blesses his devotees with salvation. Hindus visit all famous places dedicated to him on their own or with dedicated Jyotirlinga tour packages.

In this post, learn briefly about the 12 Jyotirlingas with their location, entry timings, best time to visit, and how to access them.

What Is a Jyotirlinga?

The term Jyotirlinga is made of two Sanskrit words: jyoti and linga. Jyoti means light while linga means Lord Shiva’s symbolic form. Together, Jyotirlinga means the Radiance of Lord Shiva or the symbolic light of Lord Shiva.

According to Hindu mythology and beliefs, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light. This divine form has no beginning or end. The 12 Jyotirlingas are taken as the holy manifestation of this radiance light form. They are present as Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Baidyanath (also Vaidyanath), Nageshwar, Rameshwaram, and Grishneshwar.

Explore the 12 Sacred Shiva Temples of India with Jyotirlinga Tour Packages    

The 12 Jyotirlingas are present at the twelve different locations in India. Here is a list of all the 12 Jyotirlingas with their locations:

1. Somnath Temple (Somnath Jyotirlinga)

The Somnath Temple is the first and most ancient among all 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. It lies at the confluence of three rivers: Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati rivers. This Shiva temple is a powerful symbol of enduring faith. It has a rich history of destruction and reconstruction.

• Location: Prabhas Patan, Veraval, Gir Somnath District, Gujarat. 
• Best Time to Visit the Somnath Jyotirlinga: October to February.
• Famous for: Shrine Eternal and as the first Jyotirlinga.     
• Temple Timings: Open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm on all days, Morning Aarti – 7:00 am, Rajbhog Aarti – 12:00 pm, Evening Aarti – 7:00 pm, Sound & Light Show – 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  

How to Reach Somnath Temple

You can fly to the Keshod Airport to reach the Somnath Temple. This airport is about 50 kilometres away. Otherwise, you can take a flight to Diu, Rajkot, or Ahmedabad Airport. You can board a train to Veraval Railway Station from major hubs like Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and Delhi for a rail journey. Upon arrival at the airport/railway station, you can use public transport or a private taxi.

2. Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga (Mallikarjuna Temple)

The Mallikarjuna Temple has nicknames like Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, Srisailam, etc. It is the 2nd Jyotirlinga in India. This temple features huge fortification stone walls, intricate carvings, and gopurams. This Jyotirlinga has a close association with Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The term Mallikarjua represents Goddess Parvati as Mallika and Lord Shiva as Arjuna. It is famous as dual energy because of the presence of a Jyotirlinga and a Maha Shaktipeetha within a single complex.

• Location: Srisailam, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh.  
• Best Time to Visit Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga: October to February.
• Mallikarjuna Temple Timings: 4:30 am to 3:30 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Morning Aarti – 5:30 am, Abhishekam – 6:30 am, Kalyanam – 7:30 pm, Evening Aarti – 6:00 pm. 

How to Reach Mallikarjuna Temple

To reach the Mallikarjuna Temple, you can take a flight to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. The airport is about 200 km away. You can board a train to Markapur Road Railway Station from Hyderabad, Secundarabad, or Vijayawada Junction for a rail journey. After your arrival in Hyderabad, you can use public transport or a car rental in Hyderabad for a smooth drive to the Mallikarjun Jyotirlinga.

3. Mahakaleshwar Temple (Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga)

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It is famous for its Bhasma Aarti, Dakshinamukhi (south-facing orientation) and self-manifested lingam. This Lord Shiva temple lies on the bank of the Shipra River and is a symbol of cosmic liberation, time, and destruction.

• Location: Mahakal Marg, Jaisinghpura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
• Best Time to Visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple: October to March.
• Famous for: Early morning Bhasma Aarti.
• Mahakaleshwar Temple Timings: 4:00 am to 11:00 pm on all days. Bhasma Aarti – 4:00 am to 6:00 am, Dadyodak/Bal Bhog Aarti – 7:00 am to 7:45 am, Bhog Aarti – 10:00 am to 10:45 am, Sandhya Aarti (Evening) – 7:00 pm to 7:45 pm, Shayan Aarti (Night) – 10:30 pm to 11:30 pm.

How to Reach the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

You can fly directly to Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, which has good connectivity with daily domestic flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. The airport is approximately 55 km from the Mahakaleshwar Temple. For a rail journey, you can board a train to Ujjain Junction. Use public transport or a private taxi service to easily reach this Lord Shiva Temple.

4. Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga (Omkareshwar Temple)

The Omkareshwar Temple lies on the Mandhata Island, which shape is like the holy “Om” (ॐ) symbol. Its nicknames include Amareshwar, Mamleshwar, and Omkara. This shrine is one of the 12 sacred Shiva temples of India and holds a significant place among Hindu pilgrims.

• Location: Mandhata Island, the Narmada River, Khandwa District, Madhya Pradesh.  
• Best Time to Visit the Omkareshwar Temple: October to March. 
• Omkareshwar Temple Timings: 5:00 am to 12:20 pm, 1:15 pm to 4:00 pm, 4:15 pm to 9:30 pm for morning, afternoon, and evening darshans respectively. The temple is closed from 12:20 pm to 1:15 pm and 4:00 pm to 4:15 pm for food and rituals.

How to Reach the Omkareshwar Temple

To reach the Omkareshwar Temple, you can either fly to Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indoor or board a train to Indoor Junction/Khandwa Junction. You can use public transport or hire a cab for a smooth journey to this temple after arriving at the airport or railway station.

5. Kedarnath Temple

The Kedarnath Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. It serves as a core part of the Char Dham Yatra and Panch Kedar circuits. This Shiva temple lies at an altitude of 3,580 metres above sea level and is open only for 2-3 months for Hindu devotees, last April to June. It is hard to reach, especially for the old or people with physical disabilities. As a Hindu devotee, you can explore it with a dedicated Kedarnath Jyotirlinga pilgrimage tour.

• Location: Garhwal Himalayan range, the Mandakini River, Rudraprayag District, Uttarakhand.  
• Best Time to Visit the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga: May to June and September to October. 
• Kedarnath Temple Timings: 4:00 am to 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The temple is open for general darshan from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It is closed from November to early April.

How to Reach the Kedarnath Temple

You can take a flight to the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. The Dehradun Airport is about 240 km from Gaurikund, the place where trekking to the temple starts. A direct private helicopter can take you close to this temple and help you avoid the 16-km trekking. You can board a train to a railway station in Dehradun, Rishikesh, or Haridwar if you love travelling by rail. Book a cab or car rental service to reach Gaurikund, the beginning place of trekking to the temple.

6. Baidyanath Temple (Baidyanath Jyotirlinga)

The Baidynath Temple is also called Baba Baivyanath Dham and is also spelt as Vaidyanath Temple. This temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India and has close association with Ravana’s devotion to Lord Shiva. Its name Vidyanath is also connected to Shiva’s role as a healer. It is a prime Siva pilgrimage in eastern India.

• Location: Deoghar, Jharkhand. 
• Best Time to Visit the Baidyanath Temple: October to March.
• Baidyanath Temple Timings: 4:00 am to 3:30 pm 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Mangal Aarti – 4:00 am, Morning darshan and early rituals – 4:10 am to 3:30 pm, Midday rest & cleaning – 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Evening darshan – 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Evening aarti – 8:00 am to 9: 00 am.

How to Reach the Baidyanath Temple

You can either fly to the Deoghar Airport or board a train to Jasidih Junction or Baidyanath Dham Station to reach this Shiva temple of India. The airport and the railway station are well connected to nearby and major hubs like Patna, Ranchi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. You can hire a private cab or car rental service or use public transport after arriving at the airport or railway station.

7. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga (Nageshwar Temple)

The Nageshwar Temple is a famous Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the sacred 12 Shiva temples of India and lies near Dwarka in Gujarat. This temple has a close link to a legend of defeating demon Daaruka. It features a huge 25-metre tall seated Lord Shiva statue.

• Location: Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat. 
• Best Time to Visit the Nageshwar Temple: October to March.
• Nageshwar Temple Timings: 6:00 am to 12:30 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for general darshan. The temple is closed from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Temple ritual time, Maha Bhog – 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm, Evening Aarti – 7:00 pm.

How to Reach the Nageshwar Temple

To reach the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, you can take a flight to Jamnagar or Porbandar Airport. The Jamnagar Airport is around 135 km away, while the Porbandar Airport is about 105 km away. You can board a train to Dwarka Railway Station from Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, and Mumbai. As you arrive at an airport or railway station, you can use public transport or a private car for a hassle-free journey to the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.

8. Trimbakeshwar Temple (Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga) 

The Trimbakeshwar Temple is one of the 12 Shiva temples of India. Peshwa Balaji Bajirao built this Jyotirlinga temple in the 18th century. It features a unique three-faced lingam, which represents Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Its architecture includes dark black basalt stone in the classic Hemadpanthi style.

• Location: Trimbak town, about 28 kilometers west of Nashik city, Maharashtra.
• Best Time to Visit the Trimbakeshwar Temple: October to February.  
• Trimbakeshwar Temple Timings: 5:30 am to 9:00 pm with a break in the afternoon from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Morning puja & aarti from 7:00 am to 8:30 pm. Evening puja & aarti 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

How to Reach the Trimbakeshwar Temple

You can either fly to Nashik Ozar Airport or Mumbai Airport to reach the Trimbakeshwar Temple. The first is about 55 km away while the second is around 170 km away from this Shiva temple. You can board a train to Nashik Road Railway Station from Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. If you land in Mumbai, you can use a car rental in Mumbai for your comfortable journey to this Jyotirlinga.

9. Ramanathaswamy Temple (Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga)

The Ramanathaswamy Temple has a key place among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It is a part of the elite Char Dham circuit and is the place where Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva after defeating and killing Ravana. Visiting this temple with a dedicated Jyotirlinga tour package can help you spot Ram setu while bathing in the Indian Ocean, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

• Location: E Car St, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
• Best Time to Visit the Ramanathaswamy Temple: October to March. 
• Ramanathaswamy Temple Timings: Morning darshan 5:00 am to 1:00 pm, afternoon break 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, and evening darsha 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 

How to Reach the Ramanathaswamy Temple

To reach Ramanathaswamy Temple, you can take a flight to Madurai International Airport. The airport is around 175 km away. For a rail journey, you can board a train to Rameswaram Railway Station from Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thanjavur, and Bangalore. After your arrival in Madurai, you can use a Madurai to Rameswaram car rental to easily access this Shiva temple.

10. Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga)

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is home to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar constructed the current structure of this Shiva Temple in 1780. This temple lies on the western bank of the holy Ganga River.

• Location: Vishwanath Gali, Lahori Tola, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. 
• Best Time to Visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple: October to March. 
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple Timings: Morning darshan 4:00 am to 11:15 am, afternoon darshan 12:20 pm to 7:15 pm, and evening darshan 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm. The temple is closed for rituals 11:15 am to 12:20 pm and 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. So, darshan is not allowed for general devotees.

How to Reach the Kashi Vishwanath Temple

You can fly to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport or board a train to Varanasi Junction. The airport is approximately 25 km away, while the railway station is around 6 km away. Upon arrival, you can use a car rental in Varanasi to reach the temple and move around the city.

11. Bhimashankar Temple

The Bhimashankar Temple is a highly popular Hindu place of worship. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and lies in the dense forests of the Sahyadri mountains in Maharashtra. This Shiva temple in India houses one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. It draws thousands of pilgrims, hikers, and nature lovers each year.

• Location:Bhorgiri village (Khed Taluka), Pune district, Maharashtra.
• Best Time to Visit the Bhimashankar Temple: October to February. 
• Bhimashankar Temple Timings: Darshan 7:00 am to 9:30 pm with a short break from 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm. The timings may differ from time to time. 

How to Reach the Bhimashankar Temple

To reach the Bhimashankar Temple, you can either fly to Pune Airport or board a train to Pune Junction. The airport is around 125 kilometres away while the railway station is about 110 km away. After your arrival in Pune, you can use public transport or a private taxi to reach the temple and move around the city smoothly.

12. Grishneshwar Temple 

Built very earlier and faced several destructions by the Delhi Sultanate during the 13th and 14th centuries, the Grishneshwar Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It features intricate carvings of Hindu deities and allows devotees to touch the lingam directly. This Shiva temple features red volcanic stones.

• Location: Verul village, close to Ellora Caves, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District (formerly Aurangabad), Maharashtra.
• Best Time to Visit the Grishneshwar Temple: October to March. 
• Grishneshwar Temple Timings: Morning darshan – 5:30 am to 12:00 pm, afternoon break – 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, Evening darshan 1:00 pm/4:00 pm to 9:30 pm. These timings may vary a little depending on season and temple rituals.

How to Reach the Grishneshwar Temple

You can take a flight to Aurangabad Airport (also known as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Airport) to reach the Grishneshwar Temple. The airport is about 35 km away and has good connectivity to Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. For a rail journey, you can board a direct or connecting train to Aurangabad Railway Station from the one close to you. You can use public transport or hire one of the best car rental services after your arrival in Aurangabad.

How to Choose the Right Jyotirlinga Tour Package

The 12 Jyotirlingas or Shiva temples of India span across the country. Therefore, you need to be very careful in selecting a tour package for your pilgrimage to these shrines.

Here are some practical steps to choose one of the best Jyotirlinga tour packages:

Select the region of temples you want to visit in a single pilgrimage. You can start with the two temples in Gujarat, Somnath and Nageshwar. Otherwise, you can opt for a customised Maharashtra tour package that covers its all three Jyotirlingas: Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar. Madhya Pradesh has Omkareshwa and Mahakaleshwar that you can visit with an Mahakaleshwar & Omkareshwar temple tour.

Explore the tour package thoroughly or request a tour operator for a customised package for the Shiva Temples you choose. It should include transportation, comfortable accommodation, local transfers, temple entry tickets (if applicable), and meals. 

Choose the best time to take the pilgrimage to any of these 12 Jyotirlingas. Except for the Kedarnath Temple, you can visit most temples from October to February/March. The Kedarnath Temple remains open from last April to June. Its open time varies a lot every year. 

Start preparing earlier.       

Visit All 12 Jyotirlingas/Shiva Temples of India with Cholan Tours 

Cholan Tours is a reliable tour operator approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. With well-maintained vehicles, experienced travel professionals, and strong destination knowledge, we help travellers plan smooth and comfortable pilgrimage journeys across India.

For devotees who want a longer and more complete spiritual experience, Cholan Tours also offers the 27-Day All-India Jyotirlinga and Sacred Pilgrimage. This itinerary covers major Jyotirlinga shrines and sacred destinations across India, including Dwarka, Somnath, Srisailam, Rameswaram, Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Varanasi, Deoghar, Kedarnath, Haridwar, and Rishikesh.

We can also curate a personalised Jyotirlinga tour package based on the temples you wish to visit, your travel dates, preferred accommodation, transportation needs, and local transfer requirements. Contact Cholan Tours to discuss your pilgrimage plans and create a journey that suits your comfort and convenience.

FAQs

Q1. How many Jyotirlingas are there in India?

There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India. These Jyotirlingas are sacred manifestations of Lord Shiva and span across the country.

Q2. How many days do I need to visit all these 12 Jyotirlingas?

There is no fixed duration for a 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra. A circuit requires several days to weeks. You can travel to them by region or state. For example, you can visit the Ramanathaswamy Temple and the Mallikarjuna Temple in a single pilgrimage. Similarly, you can visit Kashi Vishwanath, Baidynath, and Kedarnath on another trip, as these three lie in the north and east regions of the country.

Q3. Which Jyotirlinga is the most difficult to reach?

The Kedarnath Temple is the most difficult to reach. It is, as the shrine lies at an altitude of 3,580 metres from the sea level.

Q4. Whom should I contact for a personalised Jyotirlinga tour package?

You can contact Cholan Tours for booking a Jyotirlinha tour package. We will help you ease your pilgrimage through arranging everything, from transportation to accommodation, entry tickets, and local transfers.