Let’s start this Rishikesh travel guide with some context. Rishikesh is a popular tourist destination in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. As a holy city, it has long been acknowledged for its spiritual significance, even attracting a visit from The Beatles in the 1960s. This really put it on the map with Westerners, and it’s recently become a hotspot for Eat, Pray, Love types doing some soul-searching and a lot of yoga.
Rishikesh is India’s Yoga capital. The place where the Ganges River flows through is more beautiful than you can imagine. A spiritual town made famous by The Beatles in the 1960s and 1970s among foreigners. Rishikesh is unlike any other place in India, and it must be visited by all visitors to India, whether they stay for three days or thirty!
I had an amazing week there, meeting the most amazing group of women, enjoying the sun, the cafes, the river, the yoga classes, and seeing and listening to other like-minded travellers live out their dreams as well.
How to Get to Rishikesh
- Train to Rishikesh
The first thing you should know is that Rishikesh does not have its own train station, but that’s okay because Haridwar train station is a 40-minute car ride and an hour’s tuk-tuk ride from Rishikesh. The train ride from Delhi to Haridwar’s takes about 5 hours, and the tickets are reasonably priced. I was able to purchase a ticket from Haridwar to Delhi for only 140Rs / £1.40! This was in second seating, but it was fine for a few hours. An overnight train runs from Delhi to Haridwar.The taxi or tuk-tuk fare must be added to each side. A tuk tuk ride from Haridwar to Rishikesh costs around 600 rupees. There is also a public bus that runs from Haridwar to Rishikesh, but it stops at Rishikesh Bus Station, which is some distance from the ‘touristy’ part of town.
- Bus to Rishikesh
Manali and Dharamshala are accessible by bus. From Dharamshala to Rishikesh, It took an overnight bus. It is ideal because of the winding roads, beauty of nature, . There is also a bus from Rishikesh to Delhi that eliminates the need for transportation to Haridwar and costs around 700-1000Rs depending on the quality.
- Air travel to Rishikesh
The nearest airport is Dehradun Airport, located 25 kilometers from Rishikesh. There isn’t much point in taking an internal flight from Delhi to Rishikesh, but if you’re coming from somewhere else in India, it’s worth looking at visa because getting visa may be complicated! Check out this Indian E-Visa Online to get visa for India and enjoy your vacations.
Rishikesh Accommodation
If there is one thing you should know about Rishikesh and its accommodations, it is that there are two parts of town separated by the river; tourists generally stay in the northern part of Rishikesh near the Laxman Jhula Bridge. The Eastern Side is the ‘busier side,’ while the Western Side is the ‘Yoga side,’ though both are busy in their own way and both offer yoga.
Both sides have the most accommodation, as well as cafes, restaurants, yoga classes, and so on! It should be noted that during the day, the popular Laxman Jhula Bridge becomes extremely congested, and crossing it can take up to 10-15 minutes due to the large number of people, mopeds, and cows! Also, the eastern side of Rishikesh is not accessible by tuk-tuk, so you will be dropped off on the other side from the bus station or Haridwar and will have to walk over the bridge with your bags.
Hotels and Resorts are abundant in Rishikesh, but one of the best Resort in Rishikesh with affordable price and multi-cuisine services is Ezzenza Mahayana Resort & Spa because I worked from their lovely restaurant balcony overlooking the Ganga River, so if you want somewhere fancier but still at a great price and in a good location, this would be a good choice!
The resplendent resort is nestled in the majestic glory of Rishikesh and enveloped with awe-inspiring views of the hills and the perennial river Heul. With unmatched amenities and breath-taking environs, this is a property that will leave you mesmerized.