Rishikesh
Often called the 'Dev Bhoomi' or the
land of the Gods, Rishikesh is cut into
two halfs by the Ganges river. Long
known as a pilgrimage centre with lots
of Temples, Ashrams and abode of
worshipping sadhus, rafting in the white
water of Ganga near Rishikesh has added
another dimension to this holy city.
Rishikesh also serves as a gateway to
religious places like Gangotri,
Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath and
treatment centre for various stress
related ailments with it's Yoga and
herbal remedies.
General Info
Area :11.20 sq. km (City area).
Altitude :56 m (1190 ft).
Weather : Rishikesh is cool in
winter and hot in summer. Nights are
much cooler then the day.
Best Season : It's a round the year
destination
How to reach
Distance : 240km
Road Take the Merrut bypass via
Gaziabad. Carry on to Haridwar passing
Khatauli, Muzaffarnagar and Roorkee on
the way. The road is single carriageway
and quiet crowded. We hope that the
Govt. does something about this higway
as it has done for other ones around
Delhi.
Train Nearest rail head Rishikesh.
Shatabadi Exp. goes till Haridwar.
What to see
Temples Bharat Mandir, the
oldest in Rishikesh, Nilkanth
Mahadev,dedicated to Lord Shiva,
Ragunath and Hanuman Mandir are a must
see.
Jhulas Ram and Laxman
Jhulas named after two legendry brothers
of Ramayana are suspension bridges on
the Ganga and sway gently as one walks
on them to cross the river. The view of
the fast moving Ganga is marvelous from
the centre of the bridges.
Ashrams These ashrams are centre
for spiritual studies and yoga and are
frequented even by many foreigners for
learning this art. Some of the famous
ashrams are Sivanand Ashram, Omkaranand
ashram, Yoga Niketan and Swargashram.
What to do
White water Rafting
Rishikesh has established itself as one
of the places in India for white water
rafting. There are many camps which
start just after Rishikesh and go up to
Kaudiyala and Shivpuri providing both
the accommodation along the white sand
beaches of Ganges and also white water
rafting. Click here for more on rafting
and Camps at Rishikesh.
Trekking Rishikesh can be made as
a base for treks into the Garhwal
Himalayas offering religious, scenic,
botanical to adventure ones. There are
guides available in the city if needed.
Two interesting treks around Rishikesh
are to Neelkanth and Kunjapuri temple.
Rock climbing Places around
Rishikesh like Kaudiyala, Tapovan and
Thekla provide ample opportunities for
rock climbing and rappelling.
Wildlife Chilla Range, Rajaji
National Park is about 8 km from
Rishikesh with a good elephant
population. Other animals include wild
boar, nilgai, sambhar, spotted deer etc.