Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world is my next destination. It’s a very, serene, spiritual place and is located close to the Ganges in the Himalayas. But there is much more to it than it just being a getaway from city life. Check out my travels and adventures for some quick ideas on what you can do there, the best things to do, places where you can eat or stay – even if you aren’t a big fan of yoga. For example, in Rishikesh you can stay in an ashram, take part in a retreat for meditation or yoga, then you can even go white water rafting, trekking or just sit by the side of the Ganges, at any of the cafes out there, but here’s my experience with Famous Places In Rishikesh.
My Experience to the Famous Places In Rishikesh / Yoga Capital of the World
The Bus That Keeps On Going
We began our journey after we left Delhi at about 10 PM and had booked seats on a Volvo bus earlier for three friends and me. The bus ride was kind of boring, but I did manage to do some reading, listen to music and just zone out – and yes, lots of sleep too!!
We only entered Rishikesh at 4 AM; it was a bit early, but since we were more or less refreshed after that long bus trip, four of us decided on soaking up a beautiful morning and taking in the view near the ghat. Of course, sometime later we were back on the bus for another couple of hours. Then we reached the resort and thought about resting for some time after that.
My Tip For You – If you’re taking the bus to Rishikesh, then be prepared to spend a day and a half just traveling. So, if you’d like to be in this city for three days, then add an extra day to travel.
Your Rishikesh Survival Kit
- Sunglasses with cord
- Sunscreen
- Caps
- River shoes or sneakers
- Shorts, swimming costumes and fast-dry clothes
- Waterproof cases for smartphones
- Secure, waterproof bag
- Physical cash for rafting services
Morning Moksh and Coffee
Anyway, the very first thing we did here was exploring the city on Scooty. We only sped around the neighbourhood and visited the local cafes to eat something.
Explore The Famous Nirvana Bistro Cafe
We went to Nirvana Bistro Cafe which is one of the most Famous Places In Rishikesh. What we discovered here was the most sumptuous aloo puris, chole bhature and once we had eaten enough, we order for four glasses of coffee. I don’t think there’s a better way to begin the day.
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Rafting in Rishikesh
The next day, we set for rafting, something we all decided on when while we were having that coffee. It was quite an experience, but we first went on a 2 KM trek in the early morning. I was scared but the guide there was super helpful and gave us tips on how to sit in the raft, rowing, etc. So, you must drive up this road called a rafting point that is easily noticeable by rafters, huge boats, along the sides.
We had to choose from four different rafting levels – the toughest one is the 36 Km raft route from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh and the water rapids are of the 4th grade. The cost varies from Rs. 500 – Rs. 1000 per person, depending on the difficulty level.
The medium route is 16 KM, begins in Shivpuri and can stop at either the Ram or Laxman jhula ghat. The easiest route and the one that we took began at this midpoint only slightly further down from Shivpuri near Rishikesh road. This was also a good place for Maggi at the local stalls and picnics.
So, even on this easy route, the water was very fast but wasn’t rough. Once we reached the endpoint, we got out of the raft, floated in the water for fun and took some selfies – or floaties.
My Tip – If you don’t know how to swim, and have never been on a raft before, choose this Grade 1, on the shorter route.
Ganga Cliff Jumping
Strangely, rafting left us rejuvenated and still we had time left, so we thought about cliff jumping. Luckily for us, the most popular cliffs happen to be near the rapids, and we headed over to the Brahmapuri Stretch, that’s 2 Kms away before the Laxman Jhula. The cliffs are along the rafting route, the guide stops the raft on the banks, and everyone gets out to the cliffs. It’s safe and even non-swimmers can jump in too if they have a life jacket on. Usually, the guide recommends a height of about 25 to 30 feet and comes at no extra cost.
My Tip –If you wish, you can jump from a higher height but keep in mind the river current speeds and water level that’s controlled by the Tehri Dam.
Getting Closer To The Action
We released that Rishikesh had some scenic waterfalls and waterfall treks, but they are further away from the rapids. If we stayed in this hotel, we would end up spending much more on traveling around. So, we checked in this hotel and decided on seeing the Neergarh waterfall. Known as NeerGaddu locally, its located about 7 KM from Lakshman Jhulla, along the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway.
My Tip – If you’re in the NeerGarh in summers, feel free to go swimming in the nearby pool created by these streaming waters.
Rishikesh Recap
This time, we had to stay in the local areas due to time constraints. So, first was dinner; we checked out places in and around Laxman Jhulla and found the Little Buddha Café. This place has endless breakfast, lunch, dinner options that are served fast, are affordable and taste great.
We have experienced almost all Famous Places In Rishikesh. We only had a few hours before our bus arrived the next morning, so we got up early and packed up our bags before heading out for breakfast. Same place, different time for breakfast and then checkout.