Rishikesh is a vegetarian-only, alcohol-free city. The sale of meat, fish and eggs has been banned since 1956, and in 2004 the Supreme Court of India upheld the ban on eggs.
Source: Rishikesh
City in Garhwal
Rishikesh
Where the Ganga leaves the hills and the yatra begins
Rishikesh is the town at 340 m where the Ganga leaves the Himalaya, and the start of almost every Garhwal trip. Come for yoga, the evening aarti, rafting from mid-September to June, and the 5 am buses to the Char Dham. Stay two or three nights; October to April is most comfortable.
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · CommonsRishikesh sits where the Ganga breaks out of the Shivalik hills, about 25 km upstream of Haridwar. The river here is fast, green and cold, and the town spreads along both banks: the bus stands, markets and Triveni Ghat on the west side, and the ashrams of Swarg Ashram and the cafes of Tapovan and Lakshman Jhula across the water. It is a vegetarian, alcohol-free city by law; the sale of meat, fish and eggs has been banned since 1956.
The town has been a halt for sadhus and pilgrims for centuries, the last flat ground before the walk to Badrinath and Kedarnath. Its fame abroad came later. In February 1968 the Beatles spent weeks at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram on the east bank, writing much of the White Album, and a stream of Western seekers followed. Since 1999 the International Yoga Festival has run here each March, and the town calls itself the yoga capital of the world.
For travellers, Rishikesh does three jobs. It is the base for rafting, with rapids up to grade IV between Shivpuri and the town. It is a place to slow down for yoga, ayurveda and the river. And it is the yatra hub: UTC and GMOU buses leave before dawn for Uttarkashi, Barkot, Sonprayag and Badrinath, and the official Char Dham registration counters are here. Most of our Garhwal journeys start or end on its ghats.
Say it like a local · HindiJhula
swing; used for the suspension bridges over the Ganga, Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula
What to do in Rishikesh
Ganga aarti at dusk
Two aartis draw the crowds: the Maha Aarti at Triveni Ghat on the west bank, and the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan in Swarg Ashram, with its riverside Shiva statue. Arrive 30–40 minutes early for a step on the ghat and leave shoes at the stands.
The Beatles Ashram
Chaurasi Kutia, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's former academy, lies in forest on the east bank inside Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Abandoned in the 1990s and opened to visitors in December 2015, it has meditation domes, graffiti halls and the stone huts that gave it the name 84 huts.
Rafting from Shivpuri
The 16 km run from Shivpuri to the town is the classic half-day, with rapids such as Roller Coaster and Golf Course. Longer runs start at Marine Drive or Kaudiyala. Rafting is permitted from mid-September to 30 June; check current status before you travel.
Yoga and ayurveda
Dozens of ashrams and schools offer drop-in classes from 6 am, residential courses and ayurvedic treatments. Parmarth Niketan and Sivananda Ashram are the best-known names; smaller studios in Tapovan run teacher trainings. Ask for a teacher's training before you sign up for long courses.
Neer Garh waterfall
A short forest walk off the Badrinath highway, about 5–7 km from Lakshman Jhula, leads to a series of cold green pools. Go early on weekdays; the path is slippery after rain and the pools crowd up by noon in summer.
The Char Dham start line
Rishikesh has the main offline Char Dham registration counters, the UTC bus stand and the GMOU yard for private hill buses. If you plan a saver yatra, spend your first evening sorting registration, bus tickets and cash here.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Rishikesh
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi leased the land for his ashram from the Uttar Pradesh forest department in 1961. After it was abandoned, the site reverted to the forest department in 2003 and was officially opened to the public in December 2015.
Source: Beatles Ashram
Ram Jhula, the suspension bridge between Sivananda Nagar and Swarg Ashram, was built only in 1986. Before it, visitors to the east-bank ashrams crossed by Lakshman Jhula upstream or by a ferry near the present bridge.
Source: Beatles Ashram
Experiences
Three days worth having in Rishikesh
Photo: Bhuvi Uniyal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Rishikesh · 1.5 hours
Evening Ganga aarti at Triveni Ghat
Every evening at sunset, priests at Triveni Ghat swing brass lamps over the Ganga while bells and chants fill the river…
Free; leaf-boat diya ₹20–50
Photo: Guy P Atkinson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Rishikesh · 2–3 hours
Beatles Ashram walk in Rajaji forest
Walk through the overgrown academy where the Beatles studied meditation in 1968. Stone meditation domes, a graffiti-cov…
Forest entry fee, higher for foreign visitors; check at the gate
Photo: Ritikamaheshwari58 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Rishikesh · 3–4 hours
Rafting the Ganga from Shivpuri
The 16 km Shivpuri run is Rishikesh's classic half-day on the river: grade II–III rapids, a cold swim in a calm stretch…
₹800–1,200 per person for 16 km
Real prices
What things cost in Rishikesh
ItemIndicative 2026
Rafting, Shivpuri to Rishikesh (16 km)₹800–1,200 per person
Drop-in yoga class₹300–700
Zostel or hostel dorm bed₹500–1,000 a night
Thali at a dhaba or ashram canteen₹150–300
Shared vikram or e-rickshaw ride in town₹20–50
UTC or GMOU bus, Rishikesh to Sonprayag₹500–800
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Rishikesh
Air
Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport is about 35 km away, 50–60 minutes by taxi (₹1,000–1,500). There are direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and several other cities.
Rail
Haridwar, 25 km south, has the most trains, including the Shatabdi and Vande Bharat from Delhi. Yog Nagari Rishikesh station, opened in 2020, takes a smaller number of through trains. Shared autos and buses link Haridwar and Rishikesh every few minutes.
Bus
Uttarakhand Transport Corporation and private Volvo buses run overnight from Delhi ISBT Kashmere Gate in 6–7 hours. For the hills, UTC buses leave from the ISBT and the private GMOU buses from their yard near it, mostly between 4 am and 7 am.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Rishikesh
Saver: Zostel in Tapovan and other hostels between Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula charge ₹500–1,000 for a dorm bed; ashrams such as Parmarth Niketan rent simple rooms to guests who follow their routine, and GMVN runs tourist complexes at Muni-ki-Reti. Comfort: Aloha on the Ganges in Tapovan has river-facing rooms and a pool. Signature: Taj Rishikesh sits on the river at Singthali, about 30 km upstream, and Ananda in the Himalayas occupies the old Tehri royal estate at Narendra Nagar above the town.
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Budget
Hostel · Rishikesh
Zostel Rishikesh (Tapovan)
A backpacker hostel in Tapovan, between Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula, with dorms, private rooms, a rooftop cafe an…
₹500–1,000 a dorm bed; ₹2,000–4,000 a night for a private d…
Photo: Roliwrites · CC0 · Commons
Mid
Resort · Rishikesh
Aloha on the Ganges
A riverside hotel on the Badrinath road in Tapovan, near Lakshman Jhula, with rooms and apartments facing the Gang…
₹8,000–15,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Sutharsan Shekhar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Resort · Rishikesh
Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa
A Taj resort on 13 acres above the Ganga at Singthali, about 30 km upstream of Rishikesh, with rooms and villas fa…
₹25,000–50,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/peem/ · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Luxury
Resort · Rishikesh
Ananda in the Himalayas
India's first destination spa, opened in 2000 on the 100-acre estate of the Tehri royal palace at Narendra Nagar, …
₹45,000–1,00,000 a night for a double, depending on program…
Trips that stop here
See Rishikesh on a trip
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Garhwal · 8 nights · sleeps to 3,583 m
Kedarnath, Tungnath and Badrinath by car
Private car with driver
From, per person₹54,000May · Oct
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Garhwal · 6 nights · sleeps to 3,100 m
Landour, Harsil apples and Gangotri
Private car with driver
From, per person₹52,000May – Jun · Sep – Oct
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Saver
Garhwal · 4 nights · sleeps to 2,700 m
Deoria Tal, Tungnath and Chandrashila
UTC and GMOU buses, shared jeeps and a shared taxi
From, per person₹11,500Apr – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Saver
Garhwal · 7 nights · sleeps to 3,350 m
Valley of Flowers and Hemkund by bus
UTC and GMOU buses, shared jeeps and walking
From, per person₹18,500Jul – Aug
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Signature
Garhwal · 8 nights · sleeps to 3,583 m
Kedarnath by helicopter, Badrinath and Ananda
Private car with driver and helicopter shuttle
From, per person₹1,60,000May · Oct
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Signature
Garhwal · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,005 m
Shape your own trip
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Taj Rishikesh and Mussoorie in comfort
Private car with driver
From, per person₹1,10,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Questions
Rishikesh, answered
How many days are enough for Rishikesh?
Two full days cover the aarti, a rafting run, the Beatles Ashram, a yoga class and the riverside walk between Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula. Add more if you are doing a yoga course or using Rishikesh as the start of a Char Dham or Valley of Flowers trip.
What is the best time to visit Rishikesh?
October to April is most comfortable, with days of 20–30 °C. March has the International Yoga Festival. May and June are hot, up to 38–40 °C, and crowded with yatra traffic. July and August bring heavy rain, a brown river and no rafting.
Is alcohol and non-vegetarian food available in Rishikesh?
Not legally within the city. Rishikesh is a vegetarian-only, alcohol-free city, and the sale of meat, fish and eggs has been banned since 1956. Some riverside camps outside city limits serve both. Respect the rule in town and around ashrams.
Is Lakshman Jhula open in Rishikesh?
The old Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge was closed to traffic for safety reasons in 2019. A new bridge next to it, Bajrang Setu, with glass walkways, has been built to replace it, and a fee has been announced for the glass section. Check current status before you travel.
Is Rishikesh safe for solo women travellers?
Generally yes. Tapovan and Lakshman Jhula have many solo women on yoga courses. Use registered hostels and well-reviewed ashrams, avoid isolated riverbanks after dark, and be wary of anyone offering unofficial yoga certification or private sessions in remote places.
How do I get from Rishikesh to Kedarnath or Badrinath by bus?
UTC and GMOU buses leave Rishikesh between about 4 am and 7 am. Sonprayag (for Kedarnath) takes 8–10 hours and costs ₹500–800; Badrinath takes 10–11 hours at ₹600–900. Buy tickets the evening before at the counters in yatra season.
Where can I do Char Dham registration in Rishikesh?
Offline registration counters operate in Rishikesh during the yatra season, typically at the transit camp near the ISBT. Online registration on the Uttarakhand tourism portal is quicker. Carry your ID and the QR slip. Locations and dates change each year; check current status before you travel.
Can I see the Ganga aarti every evening?
Yes, at Triveni Ghat and Parmarth Niketan the aarti runs every evening, all year, around sunset. On festival days such as Ganga Dussehra and Kartik Purnima the crowds are much larger, so arrive at least an hour early and keep valuables close.
Is Rishikesh good for families with children?
Yes. The ghats, the aarti, short rafting on the Brahmpuri stretch for older children, Neer Garh waterfall and the nearby Rajaji forest work well. Watch children closely near the river, as currents are strong even where the water looks calm.