Rishikesh is a laid-back riverside town for yoga, meditation and adventure: white-water rafting, bungee, trekking and evening Ganga Aarti. Spring and autumn are best, and rafting runs from September to June.
Good to know
- Ashram stays are simple and affordable; book yoga retreats ahead for peak season.
- Alcohol and meat are restricted in the holy town.
- Rafting stops during monsoon; check dates.
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Morning asana and meditation with certified teachers in a riverside shala.
German bakery, cafes and chai stalls with a view of the river.
Traditional oil massage and shirodhara treatments.
Short forest hike to cascading pools for a cool dip.
Hilltop temple reached through forest with panoramic valley views.
Evening fire ritual with chants and floating lamps on the Ganges.
Rapids on the Ganges ranging from beginner to grade IV with a rafting camp stop.
Iconic suspension bridges across the Ganges, busy with pilgrims.
Graffiti-covered ruins where the Beatles studied meditation in 1968.
India's highest fixed platform bungee, 83 meters above a river gorge.
One of India's holiest cities with an elaborate evening Ganges ritual.
Look for elephants, deer and leopards in the foothill forest.