- Distance from Katra
- 1 km
- Altitude
- 2,800 ft (about 853 m)
- Route
- Common to all routes
Distance and altitude as published by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Banganga is the gateway to the mountain. Pilgrims without a valid RFID card are turned back here, and cards issued more than six hours earlier are confiscated.
From the Banganga area pilgrims can follow the traditional track via Charan Paduka, or walk the separate Tarakote Marg (opened 2018) to Adhkuwari.
Facilities
- RFID check post
- Medical aid
- Ponies / palkis / pithus
- Refreshments / view point
- Drinking water
- Toilets
- Temple
Getting here
Walk from Katra (about 1.5 km from the main registration counter), or take an auto-rickshaw or taxi towards the start of the track.
Tips
- Keep your RFID card ready for scanning.
- This is a good place to hire a pony, palki or pithu at the displayed rates.
- Decide here whether to follow the old track or Tarakote Marg to Adhkuwari.
Timings, fares, rules and routes can change at short notice. Please confirm time-sensitive details with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board or the relevant authority before you travel. Page last reviewed: 4 October 2026.