Uttarakhand is a place full of exciting places, adventure spots, and hill stations. Also known as Dev Bhoomi or Land Of Gods Uttarakhand has many Promeint holy sites. Haridwar and Rishikesh remain the epicenter of spiritual and adventure tourism.
While the state boasts many other beautiful and exciting places but nothing beats Rishikesh and Haridwar’s combination. From rafting, trekking, ziplines, mountain climbing, evening aarti’s these two places come with a full package. Being close to each other they also ensure that you spend most time enjoying rather than traveling.

While the combination of religion and adventure seems two different things. But here in Uttarakhand, everything is possible. These two completely different topics seem to amalgamate into a unique and exciting category. From holy Ganga ghats in Haridwar to rafting in Rishikesh this little adventure always seems to work. Due to these many variety there are hundreds of places to visit in Rishikesh and Hariddwar.

People from busy cities also love to spend their time here at weekends. This could be your next perfect weekend getaway from Delhi. The roads are fantastic and it is merely a 6-hour ride. Then there are thousands of places to visit in both of these heritage cities.
You even have an option to extend your stay and visit other nearby cities. From beautiful Mussoorie to Dehradun and Tehri the list never ends. With all these options this heritage city getaway seems a perfect choice. Without extending any further let’s see 10 places to visit in Rishikesh and Haridwar.

Places to visit in Rishikesh

Uttarakhand’s city of adventure Rishikesh offers you many places to visit. From temples to adventure sports literally anything can be done here.

Lakshman Jhula

Well I know most of you would already be knowing about Lakshman Jula. The most famous place to visit in Rishikesh. This Iron suspension bridge is here for decades and is a very popular place. Lakshman Jhula connects two parts of the cities.

The bridge offers you a Panoramic view of the river Ganga and also you can see temples around the river. There are many famous temples near Lakshman Jhula. You can visit Ram temple, Trayambakeshwar temple, and many other important holy sites.

Jumpin Heights

You knew that adventure sports were coming. Jumpin height is all about adventure and fun. It is an exciting place for those who love adventure. Jumpin Heights offer you Bungee Jumping from a height of 83m. The platform which is fixed over the river hall is a famous adventure spot.

Also in Jumpin height there is Asia’s Longest flying fox of about 1 km. The Jumpin height team is a very well experienced team from New Zealand. Since Jumpin height has started in Rishikesh the tourism of Rishikesh has boosted a lot. This is one of the top places to visit in Rishikesh and Haridwar as well.

Ganga aarti

Along ghats of Ganga holy Ganga river is worshipped. The Ganga aarti is such an experience that looks surreal. Thousands of visitors chanting the shlokas and bhajan’s make the atmosphere pure and devotional.

While one aarti which I personally felt great was Parmarth Niketan Ganga aarti. The Ganga aarti happens every evening when children of 10 to 12 years of age are chanting devotional songs. While it was also astonishing to see a large chunk of foreigners chanting those bhajans. This whole experience remains with you forever. After talking to a few people there they said because of this aarti they love coming back to Rishikesh.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple

From the banks of river ganga you can see Mahadev temple up on the hills. The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is located 32 km from main Rishikesh. The temple is located at a height of 1330 m. Not only this place is very sacred but also it is very scenic.

The Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The place is very holy and is a top place to visit in Rishikesh. Also, the scenic Nar Narayan mountain range makes this place beautiful. The valley in the morning covered by clouds and it looks like this place is in heaven.

Byasi

Byasi is a small village located along the banks of river Ganga. Now you would be wondering why it is famous. River rafting. River rafting is the biggest adventure sports in Rishikesh and Byasi is popular because of that.

Byasi is not only loved by rafters but camping lovers also love Byasi. The consistent flow of Ganga and favourable geographical location makes it a perfect destination for rafting. Byasi is just 30 km away from Rishikesh and is accessible by road. Due to this river rafting and camping adventure Byasi is one of the top places to visit in Rishikesh and Haridwar as well.

Places to visit in Haridwar

Mansa Devi Temple

Mansa Devi temple is not only famous in Uttarakhand but in the whole of India as well. Mansa Devi temple is dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi.

While the place is very religious but the view is very scenic. The exciting fact is a cable car runs to visit Mansa Devi temple. The Sivalik hills add beauty to this temple.

Ganga aarti

How can someone miss the Ganga aarti when he is in Haridwar. The religious prayer takes every evening on the ghats of Ganga. Devotees from all over the world come here to see this ritual. Every evening small diyas a are lightened up, with that sholaks are being chanted. The place becomes so scenic and beautiful that you will remember it for years.

Interesting fact: Will Smith on his recent India trip went to Haridwar to perform Ganga aarti(2018).

Bara Bazar

The Bara Bazar or Bada Bazar is the main market in Haridwar. The bustling market is perfect for shopping. From wooden items to handicrafts there are various things which you can buy. There are thousands of souvenirs you can buy from here.
Take Rudraksha seeds and malas as it would be a great personal item.

Sapt Rishi Ashram

The Sapt rishi ashram is named because here once Bhardwaj, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagi, Gautam, Vashisht, and Kashyapa meditated. These all are great saints and sages of Indian history. This ashram was established by Guru Goswami Dutt in 1943. Since then it has been a famous place of Haridwar.

Sapt Rishi Ashram is great for meditation and for people seeking spiritual solace. The complex of Ashram is well maintained and there is a residential hostel too for children.

Har Ki Pauri

One of the most sacred ghats Har ki Pauri ghat is visited by devotees all over the world. The ghat of har ki Pauri is considered one of the seven holiest places in the country. The serene environment with Ganga flowing by is absolutely fantastic.

There are many temples around the ghat and people around that chant the mantras. The Ganga aarti in the evening is also a great sight to behold. Due to the spiritual vibe of Har ki Pauri remains one of the top places to visit in Rishikesh and Haridwar.

These were few of many places to visit in Rishikesh and Haridwar. These both heritage cities of Uttarakhand attract thousands of visitors every year.

Also you can check out this great website made on Rishikesh and Haridwar tourism here.

How to reach

Haridwar and Rishikesh are just 23 km apart. The main means of transport between these two cities is land transport. There are many taxis, buses and shared cabs available for going one city to another. While if you are coming from other states this is how you can reach.

By air

The nearest airport for both Haridwar and Rishikesh is the Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun. The aerial distance between Haridwar and Delhi is 170km. Dehradun airport is very well connected to Delhi and a few other state air transport. There are buses and taxis outside the airport for both Rishikesh and Haridwar.

By train

Haridwar has around 18 direct trains with Delhi. There are few other states which are connected to Haridwar. The rail distance is around 253 km and can be completed in around 6 to 7 hours.

Rishikesh has also its own railway station. These 18 direct trains also got to Rishikesh.

By road

The most easy way to reach Haridwar or Rishikesh is by road. The distance via road is only 203 km and can be covered in under 6 hours. There are buses available for both Haridwar and Rishikesh from Kashmiri Gate, Delhi. Also few other states have direct bus to Uttarakhand.

Taxis are also available for these cities but keep in mind they will charge a hefty fees.

Hey if you want to know more about Uttarakhand stay tuned to us. For trekking adventures in Uttarakhand click here.
For hill station in Uttarakhand click here.