Rishikesh is a vibrant city located on the foothills of spectacular Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand! The city is famous with lots of names such as; "World's Yoga Capital", "Devbhoomi", "Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas", "Adventure City of Uttarakhand" and so on. It is certainly a paradise for tourists and travelers all around the globe. The alarming scenic beauty of the place has an immense power to attract tourists from all background. Even foreigners too get attracted to Rishikesh. The peaceful lifestyle, unique culture, spiritual aspects, rich history and the pure natural beauty of the place make the city occupied by tourists throughout the year. Apart from this, the adventure sports of Rishikesh are also drawing the attention of tourists and local people in a large number. The city is blessed by the power of Maa Ganga and several accredited Shrines. Rishikesh has also been preferred by the yoga junkies as it the best place to learn and gain the profound knowledge of Yoga & Meditation.
Here are some of the places of Rishikesh depicting the beauty and spirituality of the place:
Spiritual Attractions
Rishikesh is certainly a magnet for spiritual seekers! The sacred river Ganga and bustling temples attract thousands of pilgrims or devotees to the heart of Uttarakhand, "Rishikesh" every year! At the main city of Rishikesh, one can visit the sacred bathing ghat of the place, "Triveni Ghat" with lots of belief. It is to be said that taking a holy dip in the water of the River Ganga at Triveni Ghat makes the soul pure and further liberate you with all the sins. The main attraction of the ghat is Evening Maa Ganga Aarti, performed by "Ganga Sabha". Just at the few steps away from the ghat, there are many shrines where you can visit and take the blessings. Some of them are
- Bharat Mandir
- Madhuban Ashram
- Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib
Just 15 minutes away from the heart of Triveni Ghat; you will visit Ramjhula and Lakshmanjhula where you will be amazed by the clear and blue water of Ganges, beautifully maintained temples & ashrams, orange-clad Sadhus (monks) chanting the mantras and thousands of pilgrims witnessing the spiritual beauty of the place.
The bridge of Ramjhula & Laxmanjhula attracts people in a large number, besides this, there are some of the famous shrines namely,
- Parmath Niketan Temple
- Bhootnath Temple
- Geeta Bhawan
- Trimbakeshwar Mahadev
- Swarg Ashram
The Evening Ganga Aarti of Parmarth Niketan is famous all over the world and every evening a large number of devotees gather to offer their prayers to Maa Ganga.
At a distance of few kilometres from Rishikesh; you can get to see some more temples namely,
- Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
- Kunjapuri Temple
Both the temples show a different perspective of Lord Shiva!
There are much more than this to witness the spirituality of the Rishikesh.
Scenic Natural Beauty
Rishikesh is a beautiful city which a large number of scenic options. The city is full of beautiful nature, waterfalls, river and streams. While travelling to Rishikesh, one can witness the true natural beauty! The fast flowing river Ganges surrounded by the splendid Garhwal Himalayas and dense forest is certainly best to mind expansion and meditation practice. While walking through the ghats of Rishikesh in the evening time, you will be refreshed by the breeze blows down the valley.
There are many attractions in Rishikesh covered by the magical pure nature. Some of them are:
- Vanprastha Ashram
- Swarg Ashram
- Beatles Ashram
- Ghats of Rishikesh
All these places are blessed by the true heavenly nature! The tranquility and the calmness of these destinations will surely leave you awe-struck and make you fall in love with them. Moreover, the activity options like Camping & Trekking will give you the chance to explore such an aesthetic beauty of the place.
The temple of Kunjapuri located few kilometres away from Rishikesh is best to witness the wondrous views of Sunrise & Sunset. Apart from this, the beautiful Himalayan Peaks such as Swarga Rohini, Banderpunch, Chaukhamba and Gangotri can be witnessed from the temple.
Rishikesh is a city of Uttarakhand rich in flora & fauna. The Raja Ji National Park in Rishikesh is famous for its picturesque landscape and rich biodiversity. This is a famous and large Tiger Reserve in the state of Uttarakhand covering the three major districts of it namely, Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal.
Cool Water Splash
The city of Rishikesh has always been something special in its bucket-list for tourists and local people. One can travel to this wonderful place at any season. If you love to play with water, then certainly Rishikesh is the place you should definitely visit. Besides the cool and calm water of Ganges; there are many waterfalls too where you can get relief from the hot temperature.
The famous waterfalls in the city are:
- Neer Gaddu Waterfall
- Patna Waterfall
Neer Gaddu Waterfall, also known as Neer Garh Waterfall is a perfect trekking gateway. The eternal captivating beauty of the waterfall makes you feel, you are at the right place. The waterfall consisting of the two pools; one at the distance of 200 m from the road and other at the further distance of 1.2 km from it. While trekking through the adventurous yet exciting trek to this stupendous waterfall, you will witness the unmatching beauty of the nearby jungle. When you finally reached to the main pool; you'll surely not able to control yourself to go hurriedly into the pool! Just one cool dip into the water make you completely refreshed.
Covered with lush greenery, Patna Waterfall is a beautiful & spectacular waterfall located just 13 km from the main city of Rishikesh. The steep trek of 1.5 km through the "Patna Village" takes you to this beautiful waterfall. Besides the cool splash and aesthetic beauty, the Patna Waterfall is also famous for the "Limestone Caves" located just next to the waterfall. The stunning little shower falling from the waterfall make you fall in love with the place. Patna Waterfall contains not much water but the incredible beauty and scenic views of the place lure you to visit here again & again.
Silent Point
Rishikesh has a lot of places where you can sit silently and get the ultimate peace. This is the reason that this peaceful city is considered best for the practice of yoga and meditation. The most beautiful thing about the city is that it is far away from the violent crimes. Your search for peace will end here in Rishikesh! Not just one or two; there are lots of destination that allow you to sit silently away from the horde of the city. Forget about any particular destination, the ghats of Rishikesh also offer the peace that will certainly the best.
Few kilometres away from the main city of Rishikesh; "Vashishta Gufa" is located on the banks of the Ganges. The peaceful silent point is covered by the splendid Garhwal Himalayas and unmatchable greenery. The pristine location of the cave is located along the tress of Gular. In the ancient times, Sage Vashishta and his wife Arundhati choose the same place to perform a deep penance.
The Beatles Ashram (earlier known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram) is also the best point to perform yoga and meditation. The destination becomes famed after the visit of the famous band group "Beatles" to the ashram. The Ashram is covered by the forests and is also the preferred location for photography!
Soothe the Hunger of Adventure
Rishikesh is a spiritual city with a wide range of adventure activities. From the adrenaline thrill of White Water River Rafting to the Camping in the lap of nature, from the sky-scraping trekking to the heart-pumping Bungee Jumping; there are lots of adventure in the thrilling bucket-list of Rishikesh. Blessed with the magical waves of the Ganges and the Shivalik range of the Himalayas; the city of Rishikesh will give you goosebumps while enjoying each and every adventure.
If you are planning to visit on an adventurous holiday, then certainly Rishikesh is the best option!
River Rafting in Rishikesh offers 4 major stretches of the minimum distance of 9 km to the maximum distance of 36 km to enjoy and explore the White Water of the Ganges.
Shivpuri, Byasi and other nature-connected destinations of Rishikesh offers the perfect Camping opportunity to adventure junkies. Rishikesh Camping is simply a way to connect with the beautiful nature of the place.
Trekking in Rishikesh lets you to explore the mighty Himalayas of the place with lots of enthusiasm and excitement.
Jumping Height in Rishikesh offers you the perfect chance to fly high in the sky with the thrilling activities like Bungee Jumping, Flying Fox & Giant Swing.