Where the Ganges Runs Emerald
In Rishikesh, the Ganges is still mountain water — cold, clear, the color of green glass. The Himalayas are close enough to see. You understand immediately why the Beatles came here.
What Are the Top Things to Do in Rishikesh?
I’ll be honest — I came to Rishikesh expecting a tourist trap dressed in yoga pants. What I found was something genuinely different. The Ganges here isn’t the murky brown river you see in Varanasi — it runs emerald-green, cold and fast, straight out of the Himalayan foothills. The mountains frame the valley on three sides, and the air smells like pine and temple incense. Within an hour of arriving, I understood why the Beatles flew halfway around the world to sit here and write songs.
The Beatles Ashram
The Beatles Ashram (officially Chaurasi Kutia, INR 600/$7) is where John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr spent February and March of 1968 studying Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. They wrote most of the White Album in these meditation cells. The ashram closed in 1986 and sat abandoned for decades, slowly being reclaimed by the forest. When it reopened as a heritage site, local and international artists had covered the crumbling walls with psychedelic murals — portraits of the four Beatles, kaleidoscopic mandalas, and trippy landscapes.
Walking through the overgrown compound, peering into the individual meditation domes (shaped like igloos, each with a tiny window), is genuinely surreal. My favourite moment was sitting in the main meditation hall where the acoustics are still perfect — you can hear a whisper from across the room. The ashram is built into a hillside overlooking the Ganges, and the forest path connecting the buildings feels like stepping into a dream someone had in 1968.
White-Water Rafting
White-water rafting on the Ganges is the adventure side of Rishikesh, and it’s world-class. The 16km introductory route (Class II rapids, INR 800/$10) is perfect for beginners and families. The 36km expedition route (Class III-IV rapids, INR 1,500-3,000/$18-36) includes rapids with names like “Roller Coaster,” “Golf Course,” and “The Wall” — and they earn those names. I took the 36km route in late October when the water was still high from monsoon runoff, and the Roller Coaster rapid genuinely threw me from the raft. The water is cold, clean, and that impossible emerald colour. Multi-day rafting trips with overnight beach camping are available and are some of the best adventure experiences in India.
Yoga and Spiritual Life
Yoga is everywhere in Rishikesh — literally on every corner, in every guesthouse, on every rooftop. Drop-in classes start from INR 200 ($2.50) at dozens of studios and ashrams. For something serious, the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training programs (typically 28 days, INR 30,000-80,000/$360-960) draw students from around the world. The International Yoga Festival in the first week of March brings world-class teachers for a week-long program at Parmarth Niketan.
Parmarth Niketan is Rishikesh’s largest and most beautiful ashram — sprawling grounds right on the Ganges with 1,000 rooms, daily yoga classes at 6 AM (INR 200-300), vegetarian dining hall, and peaceful gardens. The evening Ganga Aarti here at sunset is smaller and more intimate than Varanasi’s famous ceremony, but equally moving. Priests perform the fire ritual on the river steps as the Himalayas catch the last light and devotional songs echo off the water. You don’t need to be staying at the ashram to attend — just arrive 30 minutes early and sit near the front.
Adventure Activities
Beyond rafting, Rishikesh has quietly become India’s adventure capital. Bungee jumping at Jumpin Heights in Mohan Chatti (30 minutes from town, INR 3,500/$42) is India’s highest fixed bungee at 83 metres, operated by New Zealand-trained professionals with international safety certification. The giant swing and flying fox zip-line at the same facility are equally thrilling. Cliff jumping into the Ganges at various points along the river is popular but unregulated — only do it with experienced local guides who know water depth and currents.
Roller Coaster Rapid
The Ganges at Rishikesh is a different river — fast, cold, emerald-green, and churning through Himalayan gorges. The Class IV rapids here are as good as anywhere in the world.
The Two Sides of Rishikesh
Rishikesh is connected by two famous pedestrian suspension bridges — Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula — and each side of the river has a different character. The east bank (Tapovan side) is the busier commercial area with most of the cafes, guesthouses, and yoga studios. The west bank is quieter with ashrams and residential areas. Both bridges wobble noticeably when you cross them, which is either terrifying or charming depending on your disposition.
The Tapovan area near Lakshman Jhula has the highest concentration of traveller-friendly cafes — rooftop places with Ganges views serving everything from Israeli shakshuka to South Indian dosas. The area around Ram Jhula and Swarg Ashram is more devotional, with temple bells, chanting, and the smell of camphor drifting through the lanes.
Where Should I Stay in Rishikesh?
- Parmarth Niketan — The most beautiful ashram in Rishikesh, right on the Ganges. Simple rooms, daily yoga, and the evening aarti from your doorstep. This is the authentic experience. From INR 2,000/night ($25)
- Divine Ganga Cottage — Mid-range hotel perched between the two suspension bridges with direct river views from every room. Clean, comfortable, excellent restaurant. From INR 3,500/night ($42)
- Aloha on the Ganges — The upscale option with a pool, spa, and river-facing balconies. Good for those who want comfort without sacrificing the Rishikesh atmosphere. From INR 6,000/night ($72)
- Zostel Rishikesh — Social backpacker hostel with a river-view terrace and communal kitchen. Walking distance to Lakshman Jhula. From INR 500/night ($6)
What Should I Eat in Rishikesh?
Rishikesh is a holy city, so meat and alcohol are officially banned in the central zone. The food scene is vegetarian, organic, health-conscious, and surprisingly international — Israeli food is everywhere thanks to decades of post-army Israeli travellers making Rishikesh a pilgrimage stop.
- Chotiwala — Rishikesh institution since 1958, famous as much for its costumed mascot sitting outside as for its vegetarian thalis. Two branches face each other across the lane near Ram Jhula. The thali with dal, sabzi, raita, chapati, and rice is solid and filling. INR 250/person ($3)
- Little Buddha Cafe — Multi-story cafe overlooking the Ganges near Lakshman Jhula. Israeli shakshuka, hummus plates, and Indian curries with river views. The top-floor terrace at sunset is the best seat in Rishikesh. INR 300/person ($4)
- Freedom Cafe — Organic, vegan, and overlooking the river with a meditation-friendly atmosphere. The smoothie bowls and banana pancakes fuel the yoga crowd every morning. INR 250/person ($3)
- Bistro Nirvana — The best Western-style food in Rishikesh if you need a break from thalis. Wood-fired pizza and pasta that are genuinely good, not just “good for India.” INR 400/person ($5)
- Madras Cafe — South Indian dosas and filter coffee near Ram Jhula. The masala dosa with coconut chutney at 7 AM is the perfect pre-yoga breakfast. INR 100/person ($1.20)
Morning Practice
6 AM yoga on the Ganges banks at Parmarth Niketan — the cold air, the emerald river, the Himalayan peaks catching first light. This is what people mean when they say they came to Rishikesh to find something.
How to Get to Rishikesh
From Delhi, the most comfortable option is the Nanda Devi Express or Shatabdi train to Haridwar (4.5 hours, INR 300-800 depending on class), then a taxi or shared auto-rickshaw to Rishikesh (30 minutes, INR 400/$5). Dehradun Airport (DED) has flights from Delhi (45 minutes, INR 2,000-5,000 on IndiGo or SpiceJet), with taxis to Rishikesh costing INR 800-1,200 ($10-14) for the 35km journey.
Volvo AC buses from Delhi ISBT (Kashmiri Gate terminal) run to Rishikesh directly (6-7 hours, INR 600-900). Book on RedBus or through the UPSRTC window. The road passes through Haridwar, which is worth a stop — its evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri ghat is as spectacular as Varanasi’s.
- Best time to visit: September to November (post-monsoon) is ideal — full river, crystal-clear Himalayan air, perfect temperatures. March brings the International Yoga Festival and Holi. Avoid July-August when the river is dangerously high and roads flood.
- Getting there: Train to Haridwar then taxi to Rishikesh is the most reliable option from Delhi. Flying to Dehradun saves time but the airport taxi adds cost. The Volvo overnight bus works well if you want to save on a night's accommodation.
- Budget tip: Rishikesh is one of India's cheapest destinations. A dorm bed is INR 500 ($6), drop-in yoga is INR 200 ($2.50), meals are INR 150-300 ($2-4), and the aarti is free. You can live well on INR 1,500/day ($18).
- Insider tip: The Beatles Ashram is best visited in the late afternoon when the light filters through the forest canopy and illuminates the murals. Most tour groups come in the morning — go at 3 PM for near-solitude.
- Alcohol and meat: Officially banned in the holy zone. Some restaurants along the highway outside town serve both discreetly. Don't expect nightlife — Rishikesh is in bed by 10 PM.
- Cold nights: October to February temperatures drop to near freezing after dark. Pack a warm fleece even if afternoons are warm and sunny. Many budget guesthouses don't have heating.
- Rafting safety: Book with operators who provide life jackets, helmets, and safety kayakers. Red Chili Adventure and Aquaterra Adventures have strong safety records. Avoid the cheapest operators who cut corners on equipment.
What Remains
Rishikesh gives you the Himalayas, the river, the practice — and leaves you with the question of why you don't live more slowly everywhere else. Some people answer that question by never leaving.