Rishikesh is a little heaven, filled with spirituality, greenery and a clean environment. It is well connected by road with nearest cities being Haridwar and Dehradun. Dehradun also has an airport however easiest way to reach is to go via Delhi by taking a bus or cab. Connectivity by direct train is minimal, a better option is to take a train to Haridwar or Dehradun and then take a bus/cab to Rishikesh.
Rishikesh is a weekend gateway for Delhi/Punjab/Haryana people, so expect lots of crowd during weekend and any holidays.
For a comfortable travel, a Volvo bus is an economical option. I would recommend “Uttaranchal State Transport” Volvo buses as these are only buses which go up to Rishikesh city bus stop, all other buses will end journey at “Nepali Farm” and transport is needed from there to reach Rishikesh main city. I generally prefer self drive to Rishikesh and almost always take the “Cheela Dam” route (a detour from main highway after Haridwar), this is a scenic route away from traffic.
Rishikesh has something to offer to everyone. It is a hub for people looking Yoga classes from western countries. A lot of ashrams especially Parmarth Niketan has adapted themselves to welcome western visitors. Whether you are a solo traveler, group traveler, looking for adventure sports or spirituality, Rishikesh is the place to go. I have been to Rishikesh many times and still every time i look forward to my next trip, it just makes people feel comfortable.
2 key landmarks in Rishikesh main city are Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula. Stretch between “Janki Setu” and “Ram Jhula” is where most ashram’s are located including Parmarth Niketan and Geeta Bhawan. If you are looking for some quiet spots then from Janki Setu, don’t go towards Ram Jhula and rather go in opposite direction. Road from Ram Jhula towards Laxman Jhula alongside the river also has some quiet spots is often my preferred place. Laxman Jhula is you will find most Hotels, Hostels, Eating joints and lost of traffic too.
There are several nearby places to visit from Rishikesh. Neelkanth and Kunjapuri temple can be easily covered in half day by car/cab. One can also trek to Neelkanth, although its a moderate difficulty trek due to steepness. Going further from Rishikesh, one can also find Bungee jumping spots. Further ahead form Rishikesh, Mohanchatti also offers few places to stay but i found it very boring. One can also drive down to Tehri, Chamba or even head towards Gangotri/Yamunotri/Kedarnath if one has time.
I have once travelled to Rishikesh without my wallet and had no trouble using UPI even for payments as small as 10 rupees. Its very much a cashless economy now !!
I love eating breakfast at Parmarth Niketan canteen, nice food and well managed. There is also Geeta Bhawan canteen nearby but its often crowded with no seating and most of food is oily/fried 🙁
My affair with Rishikesh will last very long 🙂 ….just my kind of city. Whether i am happy or sad, busy or free it doesn’t matter, a dip in Ganges makes my day even on coldest of days !!