Photo: Saurabh Kumar / UnsplashRishikesh
Uttarakhand, India
Where the Ganga leaves the mountains: white-water rafting, yoga schools, evening aarti on the ghats, and easy hikes into the foothills.
- Backpacker / day
- ₹1,200–2,200
- Mid-range / day
- ₹4,600–9,800
- Best time
- September to November and February to April
- Ideal length
- 3–5 days
Day by day
4-day itinerary
₹4,800–8,800per person on a backpacker budget (estimate), excluding travel to get there
- 1
Day 1: Arrive and evening aarti
Settle in, walk across Ram Jhula, and watch the Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat.
- 2
Day 2: Rafting and cafés
Morning rafting from Shivpuri, afternoon at the riverside cafés in Tapovan.
- 3
Day 3: Yoga and the Beatles Ashram
Morning yoga class, then the murals of Chaurasi Kutia, the Beatles Ashram.
- 4
Day 4: Sunrise hike
Kunjapuri Temple for sunrise over the Himalaya, then Neer Garh waterfall.
When to go
- Jan—
- Feb★ Best
- Mar★ Best
- Apr★ Best
- May—
- Jun—
- Jul—
- Aug—
- Sep★ Best
- Oct★ Best
- Nov★ Best
- Dec—
September to November and February to April.
Money notes
Rafting from Shivpuri (about 16 km) typically costs ₹500–1,000 per person with a licensed operator. Drop-in yoga classes are cheap; multi-week teacher trainings are a separate budget.