The five big Himachal Devi temples, Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari Devi at Kangra and Chamunda Devi, sit along one road through Bilaspur, Una and Kangra districts. This page gives the order to visit them, the distance of each leg, a day-by-day plan and how to get in and out from Chandigarh, Delhi, Pathankot or Gaggal. The longest leg is the first one: Chintpurni is about 115 km from Naina Devi, according to the Chintpurni temple trust. After that the temples are close together. Tour operators usually sell this Himachal Devi darshan as 3 days and 2 nights, and our plan follows that pattern.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Temples | Five: Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari Devi (Kangra), Chamunda Devi |
| State and districts | Himachal Pradesh: Bilaspur, Una and Kangra districts |
| Route length | About 187 to 207 km from Naina Devi to Chamunda Devi, adding the four legs |
| Days needed | 3 days and 2 nights is the common package; overnight stays at Jwalamukhi and Chamunda |
| Start options | Chandigarh (about 100 km to Naina Devi) or Delhi (about 350 km to Naina Devi) |
| End options | Dharamshala (about 15 km from Chamunda), Gaggal airport (about 25 km) or Pathankot railhead (about 90 km) |
| Best season | Varies by source: March to June for Jwalamukhi, October to March for Kangra town; Navratri brings the biggest crowds |
| Darshan fee | No darshan fee is listed at any of the five; an optional paid sugam darshan pass exists at Chintpurni |
Sources: Chintpurni temple trust: How to reach, Naina Devi temple trust: How to reach, District Kangra: Jawalamukhi Mata Temple, District Kangra: Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Tour Trip Mart: Devi darshan 3 days, Wikipedia: Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir.
The Route in Order
This order suits travellers from Chandigarh or Delhi. Flying into Gaggal, run it in reverse.
| Stop | Temple | From previous stop | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Chandigarh | - | Nearest airport for Naina Devi |
| 1 | Naina Devi, Bilaspur district | About 100 km from Chandigarh | Ropeway, palki or a walk of about half an hour |
| 2 | Chintpurni, Una district | About 115 km | Free darshan needs a parchi from the security guard |
| 3 | Jwalamukhi, Kangra district | About 32 km | Usual first overnight stop |
| 4 | Brajeshwari Devi, Kangra town | About 30 to 35 km | Near Kangra Fort; Gaggal airport about 9 km |
| 5 | Chamunda Devi, near Dharamshala | About 10 to 25 km (sources differ) | On the Dharamshala to Palampur road (SH 17); usual second overnight stop |
The Chintpurni trust also gives Chintpurni to Kangra town as about 70 km, which is the figure to use if you skip Jwalamukhi or drive straight through.
Sources: Chintpurni temple trust: How to reach, Naina Devi temple trust: How to reach, District Kangra: Jawalamukhi Mata Temple, District Kangra: Kangra Pilgrimage, Tour Trip Mart: Devi darshan 3 days, Wikipedia: Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir.
1. Naina Devi, Bilaspur
Shri Naina Devi Ji stands at 1,177 m. On normal days darshan runs from 4:00 am to 10:00 pm. From the Naina Devi bus stand you can walk (about half an hour), take a palki or use the ropeway. The ropeway ride takes about 10 minutes, with cabins about every 15 minutes.
Ropeway hours change by season: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm from March to September, 8:00 am to 6:30 pm in October, 8:15 am to 5:30 pm in November and 9:00 am to 5:30 pm from December to February. It shuts for maintenance on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, so check before you go. The trust lists no paid darshan tier, and rooms book on its online portal in monthly quotas.
Read the full Naina Devi temple guide.
Sources: Naina Devi temple trust: General information, Naina Devi temple trust: How to reach, Naina Devi temple trust: Accommodation booking, NainaDevi Ropeways: Timing, Rupnagar district: Naina Devi Temple.
2. Chintpurni (Chhinnamastika), Una
Mata Shri Chintpurni is the shrine of Chhinnamastika in Una district, about 115 km from Naina Devi. Regular darshan is free, but you must collect a darshan parchi from the security guard before joining the queue, and the trust warns against paying anyone for back-door darshan. The morning snan and aarti is at 6:30 am, darshan pauses for bhog from 12:00 to 12:30 pm, the evening aarti runs 6:30 to 8:00 pm and the goddess retires at 10:00 pm.
A paid sugam darshan pass has been reported at Rs 300 per person, rising to Rs 500 on peak days, with a cap of 500 passes a day and a golf cart to the lift area; confirm the current rate locally. The trust serves free langar three times a day. For a night here, Bharwain has HP Tourism's Hotel Chintpurni Heights, the temple's Yatri Bhawan and an HPPWD rest house.
Dainik Savera Times reported on 29 September 2026 that a Rs 206 crore development project for the temple has been approved, with the foundation stone planned during this Navratri and tenders done for a ropeway proposal. Read the full Chintpurni Chhinnamastika temple guide, and for the goddess herself, our Maa Chinnamasta guide.
Sources: Chintpurni temple trust: Religious activity, Chintpurni temple trust: Do's and Don'ts, Chintpurni temple trust: Facilities to pilgrims, Himachal Tonite: VIP darshan system changes, Dainik Savera Times: Chintpurni makeover.
3. Jwalamukhi (Jwala Ji), Kangra
Jwalamukhi is about 32 km on from Chintpurni and is where tour packages commonly spend the first night. The temple is open from about 6:00 am to 10:00 pm in summer and about 7:00 am to 9:30 pm in winter, with a break from about 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Darshan stops during aarti, which can take nearly two hours. Confirm timings locally.
Darshan is free and the trust serves free langar, lunch from about 12:30 to 2:30 pm and dinner from about 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The temple has a Yatri Niwas (Matri Sadan), and private dharamshalas are close by. The Kangra Temples portal run by the Himachal government offers darshan parchi booking, e-puja and live darshan for Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari and Chamunda. Read the full Jwalamukhi Jwala Ji temple guide for the history and rituals.
Sources: Kangra Temples, Govt of HP: Shri Jawala Mata Mandir, Kangra Temples, Govt of HP: Jawalamukhi e-puja, Tour Trip Mart: Devi darshan 3 days.
4. Brajeshwari Devi, Kangra
Shri Bajreshwari (Brajeshwari) Devi, or Nagarkot Dham, is in Kangra town near Kangra Fort, about 30 to 35 km from Jwalamukhi. It opens at about 5:00 to 6:00 am and closes at about 8:00 to 9:00 pm depending on the season, with a midday break from about 12:00 to 12:30 pm. Entry and darshan are free.
Free langar is served twice a day, from about 12:30 to 2:30 pm and 7:30 to 9:00 pm, a good lunch stop. Gaggal airport is only about 9 km away and Kangra railway station (narrow gauge) about 3 to 11 km (sources differ). Read the full Brajeshwari Devi Kangra temple guide.
Sources: District Kangra: Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Kangra Temples, Govt of HP: Bajreshwari Mata Temple, Incredible India: Brajeshwari Devi Temple, District Kangra: Kangra Pilgrimage.
5. Chamunda Devi, near Dharamshala
Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham stands on the Baner river at village Padar, on the Dharamshala to Palampur road (SH 17). Sources put it anywhere from about 10 to 25 km from Kangra town; Dharamshala is about 15 km away. The temple is generally open from about 6:00 am to 7:00 or 8:00 pm; confirm locally. The district page mentions no darshan fee.
The premises include the Nandikeshwar cave shrine and a sacred kund. Cremation rites are still performed on the river bank near the temple. If you have an extra day between mid-March and mid-November, the hill shrine of Aadi Himani Chamunda (3,185 m) is a separate trek of about 9 to 13 km one way from Jia or Kardiana; it closes in snow.
Sources: District Kangra: Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham, District Kangra: Aadi Himani Chamunda, Kangra Temples, Govt of HP: Shri Chamunda Mata Temple, Wikipedia: Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir.
Suggested Itinerary
This plan follows the common 3 day, 2 night pattern with nights at Jwalamukhi and Chamunda. Official sources give no driving times between temples, so leave slack for hill roads and queues.
Day 1: Chandigarh to Naina Devi, Chintpurni and Jwalamukhi
This is the long day: about 100 km to Naina Devi, about 115 km on to Chintpurni and about 32 km to Jwalamukhi. Leave early: darshan starts at 4:00 am, though the ropeway only opens at 8:00 am from March to October. Aim to reach Chintpurni before the evening aarti at 6:30 pm, then drive to Jwalamukhi for the night.
For a gentler four-day trip, stop the first night at Bharwain near Chintpurni. Coming from Delhi, about 350 km from Naina Devi, you can book a trust room at Naina Devi for the night before.
Day 2: Jwalamukhi to Brajeshwari Devi and Chamunda
Take morning darshan at Jwalamukhi, checking the aarti slot first. Drive about 30 to 35 km to Brajeshwari Devi in Kangra and plan lunch at the temple langar, served from about 12:30 pm. In the afternoon, cover the last 10 to 25 km to Chamunda Devi and stay nearby or in Dharamshala, about 15 km away.
Day 3: Chamunda to Dharamshala, Gaggal or Pathankot
After morning darshan at Chamunda, head out: Gaggal airport is about 25 km away and Pathankot, the broad gauge railhead, about 90 km. If you are flying in rather than out, run Days 1 to 3 in reverse and finish at Naina Devi, about 100 km from Chandigarh.
Adding Vaishno Devi
Many pilgrims extend this circuit to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chintpurni trust lists Jammu, the base for the Vaishno Devi yatra, at about 250 km from Chintpurni. Plan at least one extra night and see our Vaishno Devi pilgrimage guide to plan that part of the trip.
Sources: Tour Trip Mart: Devi darshan 3 days, Chintpurni temple trust: How to reach, NainaDevi Ropeways: Timing, Wikipedia: Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir.
Getting There and Getting Around
| Start point | Distances | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chandigarh | About 100 km to Naina Devi; about 200 km to Chintpurni (about 5 hours by bus) | Starting at Naina Devi; Chandigarh airport is its nearest airport |
| Delhi | About 350 km to Naina Devi; about 430 km to Chintpurni via Chandigarh; about 480 to 500 km (10 to 12 hours) to Jwalamukhi | Road trips; break the journey before Naina Devi |
| Pathankot | About 85 to 90 km to Brajeshwari Devi; about 90 km to Chamunda; about 105 to 140 km to Jwalamukhi | Broad gauge trains at the Kangra end |
| Gaggal (Kangra) airport | About 9 km to Brajeshwari Devi; about 25 km to Chamunda; about 46 to 50 km to Jwalamukhi; about 60 km to Chintpurni | Flying in and doing the route in reverse |
| Dharamshala | About 15 km to Chamunda; about 20 km to Brajeshwari Devi; about 50 to 56 km to Jwalamukhi | A base for the Kangra temples |
By rail, Anandpur Sahib (about 20 km) is the nearest station for Naina Devi, and the Naina Devi trust also lists Nangal (about 36 km). Amb Andaura (about 19 km) and Hoshiarpur (about 42 km) serve Chintpurni. At the Kangra end, the narrow gauge line has stations at Jawalaji Road (Ranital), about 20 km from Jwalamukhi, and at Kangra, while Pathankot is the broad gauge railhead.
A hired car or taxi is the practical way to fit five temples into three days. On a slower trip, state buses reach Naina Devi from Punjab and Himachal cities, Chintpurni has an HRTC bus stand, and buses, taxis and autos run to Chamunda from Dharamshala, Palampur and Kangra. We have no reliable fares to quote, so agree the taxi price for the full route upfront.
Sources: Naina Devi temple trust: How to reach, Chintpurni temple trust: How to reach, District Kangra: Jawalamukhi Mata Temple, HPTDC: The Jawalaji, Jawalamukhi, District Kangra: Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Incredible India: Brajeshwari Devi Temple, Wikipedia: Shri Chamunda Devi Mandir.
When to Go
The temples are open all year, and advice on the best season differs: March to June for Jwalamukhi, October to March for Kangra town, June to October for Chamunda. In September and October, Kangra temperatures range from about 10 to 33 degrees C, so carry a light layer for early starts.
Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to 19 October, with Ashtami and Navami both on 19 October and Vijayadashami on 20 October. During the Navratras, Naina Devi is open for darshan from 2:00 am to 12:00 midnight, according to the temple trust. The Chintpurni Ashwin Navratri mela runs from 11 to 20 October; during the August 2026 mela the temple stayed open round the clock with parchi registration, so similar arrangements are possible, but confirm locally. Jwalamukhi serves three langar meals a day during the Navratras. See our Navratri 2026 Devi temples page.
Other peak periods: Chaitra Navratri (March to April), the Shravan Ashtami melas in August (Amar Ujala reported about 45,000 devotees in one day at Naina Devi in 2026), Makar Sankranti at Brajeshwari and the Chintpurni New Year mela from 28 December to 2 January.
Sources: Naina Devi temple trust: General information, Chintpurni temple trust: Festivals, District Kangra: Kangra Pilgrimage, District Kangra: Bajreshwari Devi Temple, District Kangra: Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham, Punjab Kesari: Chintpurni mela 2026, Amar Ujala: Naina Devi mela, Drik Panchang: Shardiya Navratri 2026, Una.
Practical Tips
- Avoid noon. Chintpurni, Brajeshwari and Jwalamukhi all pause darshan around midday (Jwalamukhi from about 11:30 am). Use that hour for driving or langar.
- Dress modestly. Naina Devi has no formal dress code, but the trust asks visitors to avoid short or revealing clothes.
- Get your parchi at Chintpurni. Collect the free darshan parchi from the security guard and never pay anyone for back-door darshan.
- Watch your belongings. The Chintpurni trust warns of pickpockets and chain snatchers. Donate only in the box or at the office, against a receipt.
- Do not feed the monkeys and avoid polythene; smoking and drinking are not allowed at Chintpurni.
- Elderly visitors. At Naina Devi use the ropeway or a palki instead of the walk.
- Save the helplines. Naina Devi trust: 1800 180 80 69. Chintpurni trust: 01976-255818. Jwalamukhi Temple Officer: 01970-222223.
Sources: Naina Devi temple trust: General information, Chintpurni temple trust: Do's and Don'ts, Chintpurni temple trust: Home, Kangra Temples, Govt of HP: Shri Jawala Mata Mandir, NainaDevi Ropeways: Timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need for the Himachal Devi temples circuit?
Tour operators sell the five temples as a 3 day, 2 night trip, with nights at Jwalamukhi and Chamunda. That makes the first day long, so add a fourth day if you are travelling with elderly family or starting from Delhi.
What is the best order to visit the five Devi temples in Himachal?
From Chandigarh or Delhi, go Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari Devi at Kangra and finally Chamunda Devi near Dharamshala. If you fly into Gaggal or arrive by train at Pathankot, do the same route in reverse.
How far is Chintpurni from Naina Devi?
About 115 km by road, according to the Chintpurni temple trust. It is the longest leg of the circuit. From Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi is about 32 km and Kangra town about 70 km.
Is darshan free, and do I need to book?
None of the five temples lists a fee for regular darshan. At Chintpurni you need a free darshan parchi from the security guard, and a paid sugam darshan pass has been reported at Rs 300, or Rs 500 on peak days. Darshan parchi booking for Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari and Chamunda is offered on the Himachal government's Kangra Temples portal.
What are the timings during Navratri 2026?
Navratri runs from 11 to 19 October 2026, with Vijayadashami on 20 October. Naina Devi is open for darshan from 2:00 am to midnight during the Navratras. The Chintpurni mela runs from 11 to 20 October and the temple may stay open round the clock, as it did in August, so confirm locally. Expect the biggest crowds of the year at all five temples.
Can I combine this trip with Vaishno Devi?
Yes, many pilgrims do. The Chintpurni trust lists Jammu, the base for Vaishno Devi, at about 250 km from Chintpurni. Allow extra days, and see our Vaishno Devi pilgrimage guide for registration and the trek.
Related reading: Navratri 2026 at major Devi temples, 51 Shakti Peethas complete guide, Vaishno Devi pilgrimage guide, Maa Chinnamasta complete guide and all our temple guides.
