One of the most wonderful places to visit in Uttarakhand, India; Rishikesh offers a perfect combination of adventure and serenity. Rishikesh is known as the “Yoga Capital of the World”. Resting on the foothills of the Himalayas, this place is renowned for ashrams, which are known for teaching yoga, spirituality, meditation, and Ayurveda. Particularly spell binding is the ganga aarti every evening on the banks of Ganga. Usually associated with spirituality, Rishikesh also offers various adrenaline pumping activities such as rock climbing, paragliding, rappelling, bungee jumping, river rafting, trekking, and many more.
Rishikesh is the starting point of the famous Char Dham Yatra (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath). There are a number of Ayurveda centers also where you can experience the ancient healing methods for body and mind. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, the city is open to tourists throughout the year. the city gained international fame in 1968 when the famous British Rock band Beatles visited it as part of the search for spiritual well-being. It is known as the pilgrimage town and regarded as one of the holiest places in Hindusm.
Hindu sages and saints have visited Rishikesh since ancient times to meditate in search of higher knowledge. There are numerous places that are famous and can be instantly recognized in the city, such as Laxman Jhula, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, The Beatles Ashram, Swarg Ashram, Parmarth Niketan, lax hammock, Ram Jhula, Triveni Ghat, Paradise Ashram, Narendra Nagar, Jumping Heights, Shivpuri, Kaudiyala, Jping Heights, and Geeta Bhawan. Rishikesh is the staging point to visit the famed Rajaji National Park.
Rishikesh is one of the most attractive places of tourism. Foreign tourists flock to the city in search of spiritual happiness. The city has hosted the annual International Yoga Festival on the first week of March every year since 1989. The city is one of the most famous hill station in India and is open to tourists throughout the year. Due to the religious significance of the place, nonveg food and alcohol are strictly prohibited in Rishikesh. The Ganga river, one of the most sacred rivers to Hinduism flows through Rishikesh. Here it leaves the Shivalik Hills in the Himalayas and flows into the plains of northern India.
Several temples are built along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, such as Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, Lakshman Mandir established by Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughna Temple is near Ram Jhula and Lakshman Mandir is situated near Lakshman Jhula. The city is well connected with all major cities of India by rail, road with air link provided by Dehradun.
There are numerous ashrams, hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and lodges that provide luxurious, mid-range, and budget accommodation to tourists. Restaurants here serve sumptuous veg food. For nature lovers, there are picturesque waterfalls here like Patna fall and Neer Garhi fall, etc. that are perfect to escape into the wilderness of nature. Those interested in shopping can buy From Rishikesh, a variety of items like semi-precious and precious stones, woolens, music CDs, puja items, and adventure gear. Laxman Jhula Market, Shyampur Haat Bazaar, Rishikesh Main Market, Gole Market, Ram Jhula Market. Music For Soul and Garhwal Wool and Craft Shop is a must-visit shop in the city. those looking for spirituality can look for a fortnight or month long visit otherwise Rishikesh is good for a weekend visit
