Rishikesh Travel Guide – Easing your worry!
Rishikesh is a beautiful city in the Northern state of Uttarakhand, located in the Himalayan foothills; this is a popular pilgrimage site, mainly because of the Ganges River, and also an adventure site because of the various activities this place offers. The Ganges River is considered to be a holy river and is also known as the center for Yoga and Meditation. Rishikesh Travel Guide, tells you all about this wonderful place, where to go, what to do here. Read on to know more about this lovely place and how to plan a trip.
The Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh, which is the confluence of three rivers, is a popular spiritual spot here. Thousands of pilgrims visit Rishikesh to attend the Ganga Aarti, performed at the bank of the river every night; it’s a spiritual experience like no other. Other important sites here include the Laxman jhula and the Ram jhula, which lead the pedestrians, to the banks of the river around Swarg Ashram, which is a popular meditation and yoga retreat here. Rishikesh travel guide also tells you about the adventure activities that are offered here, like Trekking tours in the mountains, kayaking, and whitewater rafting trips.
Why should you choose Rishikesh as your next travel destination?
The picturesque location of Rishikesh with the Ganga River flowing around, blissful yoga and meditation retreats, holy temples, and sacred rituals blending with the thrill and adventure this place provides, makes it an amazing travel destination. Witnessing the magical sunsets while sitting on the banks of a river, is definitely going to make you fall in love with this place. This small town with fresh air and breathtaking mountain sceneries is going to give you a delightful experience and memories worth a lifetime. It also gives you an opportunity to explore the thrill side of you, you can choose to go for any exciting mountain or water sports this place offers and we are sure your experience is going to be exhilarating. Rishikesh Travel Guide has details about all the adventurous activities that you can be a part of from Kayaking, trekking, rappelling, rock climbing, surfing, cliff jumping, bungee jumping, flying fox to bike riding and cycling, every adventure is covered here. This is the perfect getaway from your hectic and tiring schedules and brings back the energy and thrill in your life. A holiday in Rishikesh is a good choice for someone who is looking for adventure or even someone who wants some peace and seeking some wonderful time and a lovely getaway. This place known as the ‘Yoga Capital of the world’ is an amazing blend of divine culture and natural beauty along with adventure.
Best places to visit in Rishikesh?
There are numerous attractions that one shouldn’t miss out on while in Rishikesh, the most prominent is the Triveni Ghat, which is right in the center of the city, where pilgrims usually visit early in the morning to take bath in the holy river. An aarti takes place during the evening, with lights, chants, and drum sound taking over the divine atmosphere.
Along with that, there are numerous temples that one shouldn’t miss, there is the Laxman Jhula which is known to be a historical religious bridge and it connects people to the various sacred temples around the Ghat. There is a similar bridge called the Ram Jhula, located in the outskirts of the city. Along with that, there are other temples like Bharat Mandir, Trimbakeshwar temple, Tera Manzil, and Neelkanth Mahadev temple. Along with these best places to visit in Rishikesh Travel Guide, let us know about what are the best activities to do.
Rishikesh Travel Guide: What are the top things to do in Rishikesh?
1) Attend the International Yoga Festival
This festival happens in the first week of March; yoga masters around the world fly to Rishikesh and provide people with training sessions and lectures. This festival mostly takes place at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram, so if your trip is around that time, you should definitely indulge in this peaceful experience.
2) River Rafting
Rishikesh is located in the Himalayan ranges with the Ganga river flowing it makes for a really amazing place for rafting. Rafting activities are quite popular here and it gives you all the adrenaline rush. You definitely join in any of the rafting tours that are easily available here and enjoy this adventure.
3) Bungee Jumping
Rishikesh is known to have India’s highest bungee jump, which is 84 metres, this thrilling activity includes jumping off an edge with a harness, but it does require a basic level of fitness, and it’s not for the weak hearted.
4) Flying Fox
This is another adventurous activity to not miss out here; it is similar to zip lining. This activity is conducted over the Ganges, and it involves going from one point to another over a horizontal drop, and there are many tour operators that provide these adventures at a reasonable rate. You should definitely try this and it will be an experience worth remembering
5) Trekking
Rishikesh is a picturesque location and it has beautiful flora and fauna and it is the perfect place for trekking. You can trek to the base of the Himalayas or trek near the holy places of Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. It’s going to be a beautiful experience and you will definitely get lost in the beauty of nature here. If you are planning a trek, then you should do it in the summers because winters can be really chilly here.
6) Camping And Bonfire
When the rapid pace of city life takes away the peace there are serene hideouts to get yourself together, camping in Rishikesh being one of those. As the Ganges flow right beside you, and stars start to twinkle above you, you can grab your guitar and hum a tune you love. The flicker of bonfire will further keep you company.
Best time for camping in Rishikesh: The best time is from February to May and September to November
Best camps in Rishikesh: Camp WildHawk
7) Cliff Jumping
As Rishikesh falls in Shivalik region there are cliffs with varied heights, cliffs that are embraced by holy Ganges, this geographical phenomenon led to the introduction of cliff jumping in Rishikesh. Like many other adventure sports in Rishikesh, this too can be done by beginners as well as experts as they like. But all in all, you’ll find that it is actually one of the most adventurous things to do in Rishikesh.
Average height of cliffs: 20 feet (10 feet if the water level rises)
Where to do cliff jumping in Rishikesh: 2 km before Lakshman Jhula from Brahmapuri
8) Rappelling And Rock Climbing
Yet another delight for all the adventure junkies, rappelling and rock climbing in Rishikesh is surely something that shouldn’t be missed. It’ll be a true test of your strength and will power unlike other activities in Rishikesh. And to top it all up, it can be done by beginners as well. Both of these activities can be considered amongst the most amazing things to do in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
Rishikesh Travel Guide: Best restaurants to try in Rishikesh
There are plenty of hotels, resorts, shops, and restaurants that we’ll talk about on the Rishikesh Travel guide, most restaurants serve vegetarian dishes. Here are the top picks for you.
1) Chotiwala Restaurant
It is one of the oldest restaurants in Rishikesh, located at the banks of River Ganga and serves traditional Garhwali food, which is delicious. This restaurant is often bustling with tourists.
2) Kautilya Restaurant
This restaurant is located on the Dehradun Road, and it serves Indian, Chinese and continental delicacies, it’s open in the afternoon until 3 pm and in the evening around 8 pm to 11 pm.
3) Little Buddha Cafe
This cafe is a tree-house style restaurant which has lounge top, you can dine while overlooking the Ganges and enjoy amazing international cuisines here. You must try the Pizzas and the mixed veg platter here.
4) Chatsang Cafe
This is a beautifully decorated cafe and the best part about this place is that it offers an original menu, with twists in Indian and International dishes. The specialties being several varieties of khichdi, burrito bowls, and olive-jalapeno thin crust pizzas.
5) Revive Cafe
This is another cafe situated looking over the Ganges, It’s more of a bohemian setting, people come here to spend some leisure time, play music and lounge about. Israeli and Italian cuisines are popular here and they even serve desserts and antioxidant smoothies.
Best places to Shop in Rishikesh?
Along with being a well-known pilgrimage and adventurous site, Rishikesh has great shopping places too; Here are top picks from Rishikesh Travel Guide, where you can shop to your heart’s content.
1) Laxman Jhula Market
This market is the best place to begin your Rishikesh shopping spree. There are many local stores here, where you will find pooja essentials and religious items and beautiful idols of Indian gods and you can even get authentic rudraksha. You will find jewelry and wood items here.
2) Shyampur Haat Bazaar
This is another local market in Rishikesh where you get local fruits, vegetables, and local spices, you should definitely check out the local spices which are fresh, and maybe you can take some of them back home.
3) Gole Market
This is an evening market, and the local people often visit here to shop for clothes and accessories. This place is bustling during the weekend, and it is a great place for you to buy some traditional clothes.
4) Garhwal wool and Craft Shop
This store in Rishikesh offers you the finest woolen clothes and a huge variety of winter clothes which is made using local Garhwali wool and it’s a must-visit for buying authentic woolen clothes.
5) Rishikesh Main Market
Last but not least, this place is also a must visit for local shopping for tourist. It’s the major market with a lot of shops to choose from where you can buy everything from clothes to spices to perfumes, etc
Rishikesh travel guide offers you a complete insight into this beautiful location, you can spend an amazing time here indulging in various activities and having a blissful time amidst nature. This place makes for a perfect meditation and yoga retreat and also serves the adventurous side of you and even provides a divine and spiritual experience. Hence, you shouldn’t miss out on visiting this lovely destination.