Rishikesh
India · South Asia
The yoga town on the upper Ganges in Uttarakhand, with ashrams, the evening aarti and Himalayan wellness retreats.
Why visit
Why visit Rishikesh
Go to practise yoga where it has been taught to visitors for nearly a century. A few days on an ashram timetable of dawn meditation, classes, chanting and simple vegetarian meals is the original form of the retreat; see Practise yoga in an ashram at Rishikesh and our traveller's guide to the town.
Go also for the river. Each evening at dusk lamps are offered to the Ganges with chanting and music, and the stretch upstream is one of India's main white-water rafting runs.
Explore
What to see
The evening aarti. The ceremony at Triveni Ghat is the largest. The one on the steps of Parmarth Niketan is more intimate.
The Beatles Ashram. The compound of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, abandoned in the 1970s, lies within the Rajaji tiger reserve and was opened to visitors in 2015. Its domed stone meditation cells are now covered in murals. Access arrangements have changed over time, so check before going.
Tapovan and Lakshman Jhula. The districts around the two suspension bridges, where most of the yoga schools are found.
Haridwar. The sacred city downstream, where the aarti at Har Ki Pauri draws thousands.
Hotels
Where to stay in Rishikesh
Ananda in the Himalayas occupies a maharaja's estate in the hills above the town and combines yoga with Ayurvedic programmes. Six Senses Vana lies outside Dehradun. In the town itself the ashrams offer plain rooms at small cost.
Experiences
Experiences in Rishikesh
Before you go
Practical information
Best time to visit
February to April and September to November. The International Yoga Festival is held each March. The monsoon runs from July to mid-September, and winter mornings are cold.
Getting around
Dehradun airport lies to the east of Rishikesh, with flights from Delhi; allow under an hour for the road transfer. By road or train from Delhi the journey takes five to six hours.
Practical notes
In the old town and around the ashrams meat and alcohol are generally not sold. Dress is modest. Standards among the yoga schools vary: ask to attend a class before enrolling.
Continue exploring
More from India
IndiaDarjeelingTea estates, a World Heritage mountain railway and views of Kangchenjunga from a ridge in northern Bengal.Explore Darjeeling →
IndiaKeralaBackwaters, the old port of Kochi, the tea hills of Munnar and Ayurveda, on the south-west coast of India.Explore Kerala →
IndiaRajasthanForts, palaces and desert cities in north-west India, with fortress hotels, tiger reserves and the Maharajas' Express.Explore Rajasthan →