Rishikesh and Haridwar from Delhi: a 3-day trip guide

Haridwar and Rishikesh sit where the Ganga leaves the Himalaya. Haridwar is one of Hinduism's holiest cities; Rishikesh, an hour upriver, is the world's yoga capital. Together they make an easy, rewarding trip from Delhi.

Getting there

• Delhi to Haridwar: about 5–6 hours by road.
• Haridwar to Rishikesh: about 1 hour.
• Your own car and driver stay with you, so you can stop at Haridwar on the way up and base yourself in Rishikesh.

Day 1: Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh

• Leave Delhi early and reach Haridwar by early afternoon.
• Evening: the Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri. Thousands of lamps are set afloat on the river as priests perform the ceremony — one of the great sights of India. Arrive early for a place on the steps.
• Drive on to Rishikesh for the night.

Day 2: Rishikesh

• Morning yoga by the river — drop-in classes or a session at an ashram.
• The bridges: Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula, and the temples and cafés around them.
• The Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia), where the band stayed in 1968, now covered in murals.
• Evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan — gentler and more intimate than Haridwar's.
• Optional: a morning of white-water rafting, usually from September to June.

Day 3: back to Delhi

A slow morning by the river, then the drive back to Delhi — or continue to Jim Corbett for tiger safaris, Mussoorie (about 3 hours) or Nainital.

When to go

October to April is the most pleasant. The monsoon from July to September makes the river high, rafting stops and mountain roads can be blocked. During festivals such as the Kanwar Yatra in July, Haridwar is extremely crowded — we plan around it.

Practical tips

• Rishikesh and Haridwar are vegetarian, alcohol-free holy towns.
• Dress modestly at temples and ghats, and remove your shoes where asked.

See our Uttarakhand tours, Rishikesh and Haridwar tour, yoga by the Ganga or the Golden Triangle with Rishikesh.