Haridwar & Rishikesh

Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri, Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi, and the ashrams and ghats of Rishikesh.

Your route

1. 1 Haridwar 2 nights
2. 2 Rishikesh 1 night

1. Day 1 Haridwar

   Arrive, evening Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri.

   Our driver meets you at Haridwar railway station or Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport, about 35 km away, and takes you to your hotel. After freshening up, walk to Har Ki Pauri, the most sacred ghat in Haridwar, where the Ganga leaves the mountains for the plains. Find a spot on the steps early for the evening Ganga Aarti, when hundreds of lamps are raised and leaf boats with diyas float down the river. Take a dip at Brahma Kund if you wish. Overnight in Haridwar.

2. Day 2 Haridwar

   Mansa Devi, Chandi Devi and Daksha Mahadev.

   After breakfast, ride the ropeway up to the Mansa Devi temple on Bilwa hill, the goddess who fulfils wishes, with views over Haridwar and the river. Then take the second ropeway to Chandi Devi temple on Neel Parvat. In the afternoon, visit Kankhal to see the Daksha Mahadev temple, linked to the story of Sati, and the Bharat Mata Mandir, an eight-storey temple to Mother India. Ropeway queues are long on weekends and festivals, so we start early. Overnight in Haridwar.

3. Day 3 Rishikesh

   Ram Jhula, Triveni Ghat and Parmarth aarti.

   Drive to Rishikesh, about 25 km and one hour, the Yoga Capital of the World, set where the Ganga flows out of the Himalayan foothills. Walk across Ram Jhula, the suspension bridge, to the ashrams and temples on the other bank, and visit the Beatles Ashram, where the band stayed in 1968. In the evening, attend the Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat. River rafting and a visit to Neelkanth Mahadev temple can be added at extra cost. Overnight in Rishikesh.

4. Day 4 Rishikesh

   Departure.

   Begin with a quiet morning by the river, perhaps a yoga session at your hotel or a walk along the ghats. After breakfast, check out and shop for rudraksha beads, Ganga jal and Ayurvedic products. Our driver drops you at Dehradun airport, about 20 km away, or Haridwar railway station for your journey home. Please allow time for traffic, which can be heavy on weekends and festival days. Your pilgrimage to Haridwar and Rishikesh ends here, with the blessings of Maa Ganga.

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