Rishikesh Beyond Rafting: A Nature Lover's Guide

Most people arrive in Rishikesh for the rafting and leave after a weekend of cafés and crowded bridges. Stay a couple of days longer, get up early, and a completely different town appears: a jade-green river pouring out of the Himalayan foothills, forest on both banks, and trails that are empty by seven in the morning.

Getting there

• By train: to Haridwar (well connected across India) or Yog Nagari Rishikesh station, then a short cab or auto.
• By air: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun — about 35–45 minutes away.
• By road: roughly 6–7 hours from Delhi, depending on traffic. Overnight Volvo buses are the easy option.

When to go

The river at dawn

Walk along the ghats around Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula at sunrise, before the shops open. The river is loud, the air is cold, and the only people around are sadhus, early swimmers and chai sellers lighting their stoves. It's the best free experience in town.

In the evening, the Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat is worth seeing once — go a bit early to find a spot on the steps.

Waterfalls in the forest

• Neer Garh Waterfall — a short, steep walk from the Badrinath road up to a series of pools and cascades. Best after the monsoon when there's plenty of water; wear shoes with grip.
• Patna Waterfall — a gentler forest walk with a small cave near the start, and far fewer visitors.

Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia)

The ruins of the ashram where the Beatles stayed in 1968 sit inside the Rajaji Tiger Reserve on the east bank. Crumbling meditation huts, domes covered in murals and graffiti, forest slowly taking it all back — photogenic and strangely peaceful. There's an entry fee, and it's a short walk from Ram Jhula.

Sunrise at Kunjapuri

Kunjapuri Devi Temple sits on a hilltop around 25 km from town. Leave before dawn, climb the final stairs, and on a clear morning you'll watch the sun come up over layers of foothills with snow peaks on the horizon. Take a jacket — it's much colder up there than by the river.

Rajaji National Park

Rishikesh sits on the edge of Rajaji, home to elephants, leopards, deer and hundreds of bird species. Jeep safaris run from the Chilla range (usually open mid-November to mid-June). Birders will love the riverside forests in winter.

Riverside camps and beaches

Upstream towards Shivpuri and Byasi, white-sand beaches line the river, and camps run from basic tents to comfortable cottages. Rafting stretches from Shivpuri or Marine Drive are a good first run; from Kaudiyala they're longer with bigger rapids. Choose an operator that's properly licensed, with helmets, life jackets and trained guides.

A slow three-day plan

1. Day 1: Arrive, walk the ghats, Beatles Ashram in the afternoon, Ganga Aarti in the evening.
2. Day 2: Kunjapuri sunrise, back for breakfast, Neer Garh waterfall, café afternoon by the river.
3. Day 3: Rafting in the morning or a Chilla safari, riverside beach camp for the night.

Travelling responsibly

• Rishikesh is a pilgrimage town: it's vegetarian and alcohol-free — respect that.
• Swim only where locals say it's safe. The Ganga's current is far stronger than it looks, even near the ghats.
• Carry a steel bottle; plastic litter is a real problem along the river.
• Buy from local shops and dhabas rather than chains.

Rishikesh is on my travel map. If mountains are more your thing, the Himachal beginner treks are an overnight bus away.