Time of year visited: October/November Climate: Hot during the day, a bit chilly at night Time spent: 5 days
Overall
Rishikesh is the yoga capital of the world and is a city bordering the Ganges River. If you've never been to India before, I would not recommend to start here as it is true Indian chaos. It's a small city with a very laid back and hippie vibe, but it is also dirty and busy. The rituals on the river are beautiful and it's a great alternative to Varanasi.
Where to stay
Location: Rishikesh, 20min south of where all the action is but on the river Hotel:Ganga Kinare Price: $80/night Breakfast included: yes Free wifi: yes Additional notes: they have free yoga classes at sunrise and sunset, private Lord Shiva ceremonies at night and free shuttle to downtown Recommended? yes if you are okay staying a little outside of town. It's one of the nicest hotels in Rishikesh and the staff is so sweet. They also have an amazing restaurant serving delicious Indian food
Note: We actually extended our stay and moved to the Bonfire Hostel so we could be more central. Do NOT stay there, although the staff was nice and welcoming, it was disgusting!
What to see/do
Ganga Aarti Every night at sunset, everyone gather by the river by what they call "ghat" which are openings into the water. People sing, light candles and throw flowers into the river. It's so special and spiritual, you will not want to miss it!
Cross the Bridges/Walk along the Ganges You can see most of the city on foot. Make sure to cross the 2 bridges: Rham Jula and Laxshman Juhla. You will see tourists, monkeys, scooters, cows, etc. trying to cross all at the same time. They are in the busiest part of town and surrounded by temples, ashrams, markets, guesthouses and restaurants. I'm not sure how they don't collapse... It's also very enjoyable to walk along the water and watch people raft. You can rent bicycles (we had them for free at our hotel) or lay by the "beach."
Laxshman Juhla Bridge
Trayambakeshwar temple
Walking along the Ganges and meeting the locals
Take a Yoga Class There are soooo many ashrams and yoga classes that it is a must to at least try one (even if you've never done yoga before). This is the birth place of yoga and the classes (at least the ones I took) were very intense and disciplined.
Neer Gaddu Waterfall Take a scooter and go on a hike to this beautiful waterfall. On a hot day, getting to the top is so rewarding since you can take a dip in the pool. You will also encounter a bunch of cafes along the river where you can have a snack with your feet in the water. After the hike, we also wondered up the hill on our scooter to get an amazing view of the city from up top.