Most of the 12 Jyotirlingas are reached by flying to a nearby city and finishing the trip by road. Varanasi, Indore, Nashik, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Deoghar, Diu, Jamnagar, Madurai, Hyderabad and Dehradun are the usual airports. Distances range from about 25 km at Kashi Vishwanath to over 200 km at Kedarnath and Srisailam, so plan the road leg too.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
The twelve Jyotirlingas are spread across seven or more states, from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand to Andhra Pradesh. Here is the nearest airport with commercial flights for each, with approximate road distances.
Which are the 12 Jyotirlingas and where are they?
The standard list is Somnath (Veraval area, Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh), Omkareshwar (near Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh), Baidyanath (Deoghar, Jharkhand), Bhimashankar (Pune district, Maharashtra), Ramanathaswamy (Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu), Nageshwar (Dwarka region, Gujarat), Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Nashik district, Maharashtra), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Grishneshwar (near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra).
A small caution: the location of Nageshwar is debated. Some traditions point to Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra or Jageshwar in Uttarakhand, but the Dwarka-region temple in Gujarat is the one most pilgrims visit and the one used here.
What is the nearest airport for each Jyotirlinga?
Distances below are approximate road distances. Published figures differ by a few kilometres depending on the starting point and route, so treat them as planning estimates and check a map before you book a taxi.
| Jyotirlinga (state) | Usual nearest airport | Approximate distance |
|---|---|---|
| Somnath (Gujarat) | Diu (the small Keshod airstrip is nearer but has little service) | Roughly 60 to 80 km |
| Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh) | Hyderabad | Over 200 km |
| Mahakaleshwar (Madhya Pradesh) | Indore | About 55 km |
| Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh) | Indore | About 77 km |
| Baidyanath (Jharkhand) | Deoghar | Airport is in Deoghar itself |
| Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) | Pune | Roughly 105 to 110 km |
| Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) | Madurai | Roughly 150 to 180 km |
| Nageshwar (Gujarat) | Jamnagar or Porbandar | Roughly 95 to 145 km to Dwarka town depending on airport and source, plus about 18 km to the temple |
| Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar Pradesh) | Varanasi | About 25 km |
| Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra) | Nashik (Ozar) | Roughly 40 to 50 km |
| Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) | Dehradun (Jolly Grant) | About 238 km, plus a trek |
| Grishneshwar (Maharashtra) | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Roughly 30 to 35 km |
Flight availability changes with the season and with airline schedules, especially at smaller airports such as Diu, Nashik and Deoghar. Check which airlines currently serve the airport before you build an itinerary around it.
Which temples are easiest and hardest to reach by air?
Kashi Vishwanath is the simplest: Varanasi airport is only about 25 km away, though city traffic can stretch the transfer. Grishneshwar, Trimbakeshwar and Mahakaleshwar are also short transfers from their nearest airports. Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar share Indore as their airport, which makes them an easy pair to combine in one trip.
The longest transfers are Kedarnath and Srisailam. Jolly Grant at Dehradun is roughly 238 km from Kedarnath by road, and the road ends at Gaurikund, from where the walk to the temple is commonly quoted as about 14 to 16 km depending on the source. Srisailam is a long road journey from Hyderabad, so allow a full day each way if you are travelling with elders.
For Rameswaram, Madurai is the usual airport. Sources put the drive at several hours, so allow plenty of time on arrival day.
How do you plan a multi-temple trip by air?
Group temples by region rather than by number. Three clusters work well: Madhya Pradesh (Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar via Indore), Maharashtra (Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar and Bhimashankar via Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune) and Gujarat (Somnath and Nageshwar, which are far apart and need separate road legs).
- Book open-jaw tickets where it saves backtracking, for example arriving at Indore and leaving from Nashik.
- Keep a buffer day around Kedarnath, since weather in the hills can disrupt road and trek plans.
- Carry ID and, if you need help at the airport, ask your airline for assistance before the day of travel.
Did you know? Deoghar’s airport was inaugurated only in July 2022, so a pilgrimage to Baidyanath that once meant a long road or rail journey can now start with a flight.
When is the best time to fly for darshan?
Festival days such as Mahashivratri and the month of Shravan draw large crowds at many Jyotirlingas, and fares and hotel rooms in the temple towns tend to tighten around them. Weekday travel outside festival periods is usually calmer. For Kedarnath, confirm the current season and opening dates with the temple authorities before you fix flights.
Common Questions
Which Jyotirlinga has the closest airport?
Baidyanath at Deoghar has an airport in the same town, which opened in July 2022. Kashi Vishwanath is also close, with Varanasi airport about 25 km away.
Which Jyotirlinga is hardest to reach?
Kedarnath, because the nearest airport is roughly 238 km away and the final stretch from Gaurikund is on foot.
Can I fly directly to Dwarka for Nageshwar?
Dwarka has no commercial airport. Sources name Jamnagar and Porbandar as the closest, and Porbandar is nearer on the map, though both have limited flights. Plan a road transfer from either one and check current schedules.
Which airport serves both Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar?
Indore. It is about 55 km from Ujjain and about 77 km from Omkareshwar.
Is Pune the right airport for Bhimashankar?
Pune is the airport usually recommended, at roughly 105 to 110 km by road.
Do all 12 have commercial flights nearby?
Each has a commercial airport within a day’s road journey, but frequency varies. Check current airline schedules for the smaller airports.
Planning a pilgrimage? Search and compare flights on HappyFares with zero convenience fee on domestic bookings, set a price alert for your dates, or ask Meera, our AI assistant, to help you find the right airport.
Distances are approximate and airline schedules, rules and fees change. Verify current details with the airline, the airport or the temple authorities before you travel.
