A guide to Visiting Rishikesh

September 7, 2021

Rahil Asif

While Rishikesh is known for its popularity in the adventure sports circuit, most of the people, be it locals or tourists forget that this is a holy place for devotees and pilgrims who visit from all around the world. It is a pristine place that has been blessed with such steps. People come and give a visit to the holy river, Ganga for an exquisite dip. You must be thinking how does it help anyway? Well, it helps in washing away all of the bad mental and physical Karma.

In the modern world, where people are choosing more serene destinations and quiet places, away from technology and day-to-day chaos, Rishikesh provides the best. With Ashrams and Ghats dedicated to peacefulness, you will see a lot of devotees preaching and enjoying the serenity. This is what life brings in the vicinities of this beautiful town. As Rishikesh is on the Himalayan Mountains’ foothills, it emerges to be a perfect and picturesque place for ones who are looking for a weekend getaway.

Even though the first few words were dedicated to peacefulness, this town is known to be an adventurer’s destination too. With activities like river rafting, bungee jumping, and trekking in Rishikesh, this proves to be a place for all.

How to Reach Rishikesh?

Bus: One of the busiest routes that are known to be very popular is, Delhi to Rishikesh. There are a lot of buses running from the capital to Haridwar and Rishikesh, and takes 6-8 hours to reach, depending upon the traffic.
Train: The nearest railway station is Haridwar which is around 25 kilometers away. You can either get a taxi from the station or board a local bus that runs in every 5 minutes.
Flight: The closest airport through which you can commute is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. It is around 16 kilometers away from Rishikesh, so in order to commute comfortably, you can either get a local bus that runs regularly, or can hire a taxi for the same.

Places to Visit in Rishikesh

1. Ram Jhula & Laxman Jhula:

Known to be the biggest attractions of Rishikesh, Ram & Laxman Jhula are two swinging bridges over the river Ganga. These bridges throughout the year attract a lot of travelers, and tourists from all around the country and the globe. It is also quite important to know that one each end of every bridge lies several temples that are significant for local pilgrims.

2. Neelkanth Mahadev:

Neelkanth Mahadev is a Shiva Temple, which is tucked 12 kilometers away from Rishikesh. The temple opens the door for all the visitors and preachers with an image of God, made in so many different colors. This beautifully crammed canvas of an image along with the water spring attracts quite a many local tourists and travelers. When you reach this place, you will see a lot of pilgrims taking a dip in the water spring as it is considered a holy act.

3. Triveni Stairway (Ghat):

Known as one of the most jam-packed places in Rishikesh, Triveni Ghat justifies every reason for it. It is the very place where evening Aarti takes place on an everyday basis. You won’t believe that, people from all over the country especially come to Rishikesh just to experience the aura that the Aarti creates in the air and surroundings. You can carry your cameras and tripods with you to record the serene session and add beautiful postcards to your gallery.

4. Beatles Ashram:

This place does not need any introductions or acknowledgments. Why is that so? Because, ‘The Beatles’ once visited this ashram in the year of 1968 to meditate and compose music. This place is situated amidst the green belt of Rishikesh, with Ganga River flowing alongside. After it was left abandoned for so many years, people helped in restoring and reopening this ashram again, and since then, it has been a major point of interest for tourists and travelers.

Adventure Activities in Rishikesh:

1. River Rafting:

Whenever an individual visits Rishikesh, one thing he/she has on the bucket list – River Rafting. This is, hands down the most popular and adventurous activity one can indulge in, and without it your trip to Rishikesh is incomplete. Not only does this divine town offer such an activity, but it also offers the same with a sidekick and some of the professional rafters that make it a safe yet adventurous sport for you to go for. With waves from one another, this will certainly be the best experience for you.

The best time to do river rafting is anytime during the year except for the monsoon months. We all know why! The charges for this activity vary between INR 400 – 1300.

2. Bungee Jumping:

What an experience it would be to jump from a height of eighty meters with nothing but just rope and harness pulling you through. It takes quite a heart to do such an activity. With professional companies at your service, Bungee Jumping is an all-time favorite for tourists and journey junkies.

The minimum age limit for Bungee Jumping is twelve years and the weight requirements lie between 35 – 110 kilograms.

3. Mountain Biking:

While you may know Rishikesh to be the land of Gods and activities like river rafting, trekking and bungee jumping, but you are forgetting the hidden one here. Mountain biking is quite popular in this town and falls under the road that’s less traveled by adventure junkies. With rocky terrains in the region, Rishikesh provides an amazing ground for people who often get adrenaline rushes to do mountain biking.

4. Kunjapuri Temple Trek:

Whenever you hear about crossing temples, waterfalls and villages where yoga and meditation are being performed, what do you think about? Don’t you just get excited? Well, you can experience all of these when you trek to Kunjapuri Temple. The best time to start your trek is before sunset, so that you can spend time sitting on the hill, making your own way, watching the beautiful orange sky taking a dip behind Himalayan mountains. Kanjapuri Temple Trek acts as a perfect getaway for you and your family to appreciate life and what it has to offer.

All the above places have their own mood and aura. So, while you are thinking to unwind and explore this beautiful town of Uttarakhand, make sure you capture all of the above-mentioned places and activities. Without them, Rishikesh is a bit incomplete. Bring your action cameras & their kits and loosen your burden for a while from the commercial world, by meditating and spending some peaceful time.