Even though I've done a bunch of itineraries on the travel section of my blog - both Indian and international, it's almost strange to be doing one for Rishikesh.

If you've been following me on here, you know Rishikesh is second home to me (having lived here on and off for almost two years now) and it's uncanny to think of a special place like Rishikesh in terms of a weekend destination.

Travelers usually come to Rishikesh to seek a spiritual sanctuary, to soak in the succour of Ganga, and of course to learn Yoga being as Rishikesh is the og Yoga Capital of the world.

But unfortunately not everyone can afford to drop the world behind and move to or linger on in Rishikesh as much as it begs to, and despite everything, can just about spend a weekend here. Rishikesh is home to some of the oldest spiritual ashrams, the civilization closest to the origin of Ganga, bears an ancient legacy of having hosted the Beatles in the 70's, and therefore a part of the hippie trail. But today, it's also famous for its hundreds of yoga schools, as many cafes with stunning views, water water rafting, and everything in between. Keeping that in mind I have come up with the perfect 3-day Rishikesh itinerary which will compress the highs in a few days while letting you get a feel of the special energy of the place to be pulled back to it later.

Getting oriented with Rishikesh's geography

While Rishikesh is a small place, it's good to know the layout so you can orient yourself and plan your itinerary in a time-efficient way.

1. Tapovan - The hub of yoga schools, guesthouses, cafes and restaurants and shops (buzzing with activiity but also crowded and hyper-developed.)

2. Laxman Jhula - The side closer to the Ganga, home to amazing ghats and beaches. (A bit hard to get to and less busy than Tapovan.)

3. Rishikesh City - The area for the locals, the admin and markets of Rishikesh which also includes its main bus terminal and the two railway stations.

Day 1

1. Enjoy a lingering lunch at one of the Ganga view cafes

You're likely checking into a hotel or guesthouse in Tapovan and by the time you've settled into your hotel and got ready to go out and about, it's probably already late noon or evening -- perfect time to settle yourself at one of the many river-facing cafes and watch the tranquil waters of the Ganga turn from emerald green to grey and black as the day fades into dusk. I've already made a list of Best cafes in Rishikesh, so take your pick. But my recommendations would be Shambala or Om Shanti Cafe for a truly immersive first impression of Rishikesh.

2. Attend the daily Aarti/impromptu jam at the serene Sai Ghat

The only 'Ghat' or Ganga bank on the Tapovan side is the small Sai Ghat or Bliss Ghat which hosts a Ganga Arti every day at around 6 pm. You'll find many people sat on the steps of the ghat to attend the arti, doing yoga, jamming, playing with the dogs, or simply soaking in the first real brush with the Ganga in Rishikesh, with a stunning view of the imposing Triyambakeshwar temple on the other side.

3. Get dinner at a cosy restaurant with live music or attend a spiritual music gathering

Since at night the views don't matter much, it's a great opportunity to go to a cafe or an event which is nice but sans a view. Some of my suggestions for a family-friendly dinner would be Cafe VJ's by the Ganges, Divine Resort, BeMonk. If you're so inclined, then attending a kirtan (there's one organized by Bhakti Yoga every Wednesday and Saturday) or a classic Indian music concert at the Devi Music Ashram everyday at 6pm would be fitting for a place like Rishikesh where spirituality underscores most of the activities.

Day -2 :

4. Attend a drop-in Yoga class (9-10am)

Are you even in Rishikesh if you didn't participate in its most salient activity -- Yoga? While most travelers today come to Rishikesh to attend a 15-25 day Yoga Teacher training or join classes to go deeper in their practice, it's possible to do yoga even without having signed up for longer-term class. Many yoga shalas and studios offer one-off classes, also known as "drop-in" classes which can be attended by anyone, regardless of your yogic abilities. Even if you are not really an aspiring Yogi, attending a class in Rishikesh is true homage to its legacy of the best of Yoga both in practice and philosophy. Some of the best places to attend a drop-in yoga class is Japam yoga in upper Tapovan (Next to Secret Garden cafe) or the Sant Seva Ashram in the Laxman Jhula side. The classes cost about Rs. 300-500 for 90 minutes including a 15-minute Pranayama session.

5. Prepare to go for Rafting (Start at 1pm)

After yoga, the activity most synonymous with Rishikesh is white water river rafting and for a good reason. The Ganga meanders and flows from the laps of the lower Himalayas in all its crystal clear, frothing white glory through its many curves and rapids, making for a scenic yet thrilling ride. One can choose a 12, 18, or a 25-km rafting ride depending on one's fitness levels and passion for rapids. I'd suggest an 18-km for the perfect middle ground.

 How to book a Rafting trip in Rishikesh?

The entire area from the time you step down from your bus at the city all the way till Tapovan is full of tour operators offering rafting, bungee jumping and other adventure sports.

There's usually no pre-booking needed and one can simply land up at one of those tour operators officers an hour before your desired time, and wait until the minimum required number of people on a raft (usually 9-12) is achieved. 

How much does rafting cost?

The rates of course differ based on time of the year, the operator and his desperation to fill up the raft. But it usually is Rs. 700 for a 12-km, 1500 for 18km, and upwards of Rs. 3000 for the longest one.

What time is the best to start a rafting trip?

Given everything, I'd say starting your trip around 1pm is the best as that allows you to be in the waters during the sunny hours and end right before the sunset.

Where to end your rafting trip?

Instead of getting dropped back at the company's office in Tapovan or Muni ki Reti, it's better to be dropped at one of the Ghats on the Laxman Jhula side so that it saves you an additional boat trip top come to this side later.

6. Climb up the 13-storey Triyambakeshwar temple for sunset (5pm)

The unmissable 13-storey Triyamabakeshwar temple has come to be an icon of Rishikesh due to its striking shape and bright pink colour visible from pretty much everywhere in Tapovan.

The building is home to multiple shrines dedicated to Hindu gods and goddess and chambers for priests to perform small poojas, and is designed in such a way that you circumambulate the shrine of every god on your way to the upper level, with the temple of Shiva on the last floor. The temple's last floor patio also makes for one of the best sunset views in all of Rishikesh from where you can see the twin sides of Laxman Jhula and Tapovan nestled amidst the mighty mountains and that dramatic bend of the Ganga.

7. Chill on the buzzing Freedom Ghat in Laxman Jhula

One of my personal favourite areas in all of Rishikesh is the sprawling Freedom ghat flanked by a series of smaller beaches around the Sant Seva Ashram. The ghats buzzes with life and social activity with people - both locals and the travelers - sat on the steps, reading books, listening to music, doing yoga, jamming or just watching a beautiful golden sunset over the river. Here too there are a couple of low-key Aartis which can be the soothing end to a long day. If crossing over to Tapovan isn't a pressing hurry, enjoy a dinner at one of the many amazing cafes around the ghat - some favourites being Harry's cafe, Freedom Cafe, (after which the ghat is named), Cafe Royale and the German Bakery.

How to cross over to Tapovan from Laxman Jhula and vice versa?      

1. Ram Jhula: Pedestrian only. From Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula is another 2km walk along the Jonk road.                                2. Bajrang Setu: Under construction. Will be ready by 2026.       3. The public boat or the speed boat to cross the river to go back runs 9am-5pm in winters and 9am-6pm in the summers.                4. Janki Setu: The bridge closest to Pramarth Niketan, pedestrian and two-wheelers allowed.
5. Neelkanth Bridge: About 5 kms from Tapovan and as much from Laxman Jhula. Only option to get from Laxman Jhula to Tapovan and vice versa by car.

Day - 3

8. "Chauraasi Kutiya" or the Beatles Ashram

The Beatles Ashram as its colloquially called is where the English band stayed and studied Transcendental Meditation (TM) in the late 60s. The highlight of the sprawling Beatles ashram are the slew of (or 84 exactly and hence the name "Chaurasi") meditation 'pods' - a kind of tiny stone, single-person cottages with a dome on top that were used to meditate inside in the ashram premises. Other than the domes, there are a lot of stunning murals (which came well after the Beatles were done and gone.) and a covered stage area with a life size wall mural featuring the Beatles themselves. Other than the meditation domes, there's also the remnants of the actual housing where the TM participants including the Beatles lived, now under much despair and graffiti, some of which have egg-shaped domes on the roof with stunning murals featuring sadhus and other Indian motifs. All in all, the Beatles Ashram is a stunning, unique, a walk down the nostalgic times of the Beatles' 3 month stint in India and in a way, the birthplace of all that modern Rishikesh is known for.

Pro tip: Get breakfast at Gita Bhawan before doing the following

Either walk or take a shared auto to Ram Jhula or take a bike taxi all the way through Janki setu, get to Gita bhawan, a heritage eatery attached to the Ashram of the same name.                    Being here is like being 20 years back in time with its austere, standing-only setting, and prices also reflecting the same. Grab a "Pattal" (eco-friendly leaf plate) of puri-sabzi at Rs. 25, some sweets and namkeens to go for the long day ahead.

9. Attend the Parmarth Niketan Aarti or Triveni Ghat Aarti

Located on the banks of the Ganga, Parmarth Niketan is one of the oldest and largest ashrams in Rishikesh and perhaps in India. Other than offering accommodation, it also conducts various spiritual and religion-oriented programs, including Yoga TTCs. But arguably, it's most famous for its daily evening Aarti at its ghat which attracts hundreds of people from across India, including, but not limited to celebrities and VIPs. Led by the Parmarth Niketan head Pujya Chidanand Saraswati ji and Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati ji, the program begins with a brief spiritual discourse followed by a Ganga arti, and ends with a private Satsang inside the ashram premises by Sadhvi ji.

Triveni Ghat Aarti

Even though there are multiple public Aartis conducted at the many different ghats across Rishikesh, the most visually breathtaking one is at the Triveni Ghat in the city side. Performed by a group of priests dressed in festive traditional maroon garb and stood on pedestals, the rows of Aarti plates and their multi-level flames look hypnotic against the flowing Ganga. The aarti is followed by a kirtan and communal kirtan dance if you're up for it.

Day 4- Squeeze this one last thing before your time in Rishikesh ends

10. Sunrise hike to Kunjapuri Temple

Even though waking up in the wee hours of the morning and trekking to get to a temple for sunrise isn't everyone's cup of tea, it's well rewarding. The Kunjapuri is an ancient temple located at a height of 1500 meters needing a one-hour drive out of Rishikesh and a trek as long to get to the base. Despite the seemingly arduous task to get here, the trip rewards you with stunning panoramic view of Garhwal Himalayan peaks under a blanket of clouds. Many tour operators offer group trips to Kunjapuri temple in a shared car, but the best way to do it is to hire a motorbike to get there and enjoy the ride on the way too.