Rishikesh a small town located on the banks of Ganges River is the most sought after destination for white river rafting. The town is very small and is marked by lots of hotels and resorts, though all very basic in nature some will give standards but luxury here is ruled out. Option of camping near the river banks is also possible, only you should have booked it before.
Rishikesh Laxman Bridge
Rishikesh is located near Haridwar and is approx 240 kms from Delhi airport, though the nearest airport is Dehradun, I opted Delhi for the sake of convenience. You can further take a cab/taxi (not self driven) to reach the small town. It is the gateway to the Himalayan range.
>Road to Rishikesh
I have visited Rishikesh twice once in my childhood and once again now in 2011. The place has changed a lot and river rafting has come fast as a good option for adventure lovers. Camping near the river is a great fun that I really enjoyed a lot, in my recent trip. Camping cost would be for $ 20-60 per night per person, I took it for $30 and it was really an amazing experience that could really not be overwritten by my memories of other travel destinations. I will definitely return back when my kid grows up.
View of Ganges River banks and camps
White river rafting was the main reason why I had opt for this place, it’s really an amazing experience. I will say just go and do it rather using words to elobrate the fun and experience you have while doing it.
The town has a wildlife sanctuary nearby (approx 17 kms) it where you can spot animals like leopard etc. The Rajaji wildlife sanctuary is one of the largest park in the Himalayan region.
Meditation is also something one can opt for here. There are various ashrams and temples to do the same. There are many yoga classes taken by group and individual instructor. The pleasing environment of the place makes it a favorite destination among the mediators. I took one and it refreshed me not only mentally but also physically. Rishikesh is also known for adopting the use of yoni eggs with its female practitioners of yoga. These polished gemstones are used while mediating and are widely used in India and China. According to Yonieggs.co, people who use them believe they help them get in touch with their tantra.
Ashrams and Temples at the river side
For lodging we preferred the government operated hotel which is on the banks of the Ganges river, a nice basic hotel with one of the best locations.
Garden view from our room
Getting ready for adventure
Featured Photo // Yakynina Anastasia
Overall a nice experience and rate it 3.5 on a scale of 5.
Wow rafting and serine meditation…. That looks like a really fun time. Are there instructors who well help guide people or does one need to have some white water rafting experience?
instructors are there and they are experts in their fields … just visit it once and discover how awesome Rishikesh is. Like Derek did, met in Jaipur 🙂