Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday embarked on a yatra to Kedarnath by beginning his 16 km-trek up in the Uttarakhand mountains to pay obeisance at the temple.

Gandhi along with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and state Congress chief Ambika Soni reached the Jolly Grant airport in Gaurikund by a government helicopter around 2 pm, media-in-charge of the Chief Minister, Surendra Kumar said.

The Congress vice president is set to reach the shrine on Friday when its gates will be thrown open for pilgrims. They started on the 10-km long trek to Lincholi where they will halt for the night, Kumar said.

They are scheduled to undertake the last 6 km stretch of Kedarnath trek by on Friday around 6 am, he said.

President of Kedarnath-Badrinath Temple Trust, Ganesh Gadiyal said the idol has reached Kedarnath temple and the doors of the shrine will be thrown open for the pilgrims on Friday at 4.50 am.