It’s a long weekend. Definitively you must have plans for it and all set to rock over the weekend. But if you don’t have any plans, then no need to worry as I am here to help you out with an option. For this place, you don’t have to do planning or book advance tickets. Just carry your backpack and enjoy the vacation. This city is located at the foothills of Himalaya and is famous for river rafting and is known as yoga capital of the world. It’s a perfect long weekend destination for a backpack trip.
Let’s start the journey of 72 hours in Rishikesh.
How To Reach.
Start your day with a beautiful drive to Rishikesh, which is 236 km from New Delhi. A car journey may take 5-6 hours depending on the traffic. Bus and train facility is also available, but travellers prefer personal car or cab. I would prefer to take an early drive so that sunrise can be enjoyed with empty roads and chilling weather as it’s almost the end of November.
Once you enter Rishikesh, do not miss to have a chai at the bus terminal to keep you warm and fresh. Best time to visit Rishikesh is late September-October to November, and from early March-April to the first week of May.
Where To Stay:
Stay is not an issue for travellers at Rishikesh. Plenty of options available near Bazaar Area and Tapovan beyond Ram and Lakshman Jhoolas. I would not suggest staying near bazaar or main town area due to honking, temple bells and yelling of vendors.
Prefer any place near Tapavon to enjoy the peace and some private space. Premium resorts such as the Grand Shiva Resorts & Spa, Ananda in the Himalayas, Amayaah in Himalayas and many more are available. The cost of such resorts varies from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per night.
Backpackers and first-timers need not worry about accommodation as they can find decent lodgings anywhere around Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 a night. Establish a rapport with the owner/receptionist and smile as the price goes down to Rs 500 the next time you arrive. Also, Tapovan is extremely backpacker-friendly. I’ve stayed in rooms costing Rs 150 per night. Go figure it out guys.
Till the time you settle down, it’s almost afternoon. So, I will suggest you roam around and do an inquiry related to adventure sports, book tickets, visit temple, watch evening aarti at around 5:00 PM and end your day at the ghat. You can also go out to Ganga beach for camping. That is your choice.
48 Hours in Rishikesh – Adventure Day:
I would suggest that you start your day a little early. Prefer to wake up at 5:00 or 6:00 AM maximum. Try out some yoga at any ghat or if you want to sit with peace, then don’t miss to watch foreigners doing yoga. Come back to the place where you stay, get ready, have some breakfast and start your adventure day.
Hire a bike or you can ask your hotel staff to arrange for one. Head towards Badrinath Road and there are plenty of adventure shops offering trekking, rafting, kayaking and bungee-jumping.
You must try adventure sports. But prioritise your choice and time. I would suggest you start with river rafting, which starts at around 11:00 AM and ends around 3:00 PM. There are different types of river rafting depends on the distance. It starts with 9 km and goes till 35 km and cost you in the range of Rs 600 to Rs 2,000 per person. India’s highest bungee with a height of around 83 metres, a most extreme giant swing of 83 metres and Full details with price and timing are available on Asia’s longest flying fox with length and speed of 140-160 kmph is only in Rishikesh.
A full day of adventure should end up with some delicious foods. One should not miss Little Buddha Cafe for its Navratan Korma and Malai Kofta. Plenty of food options available near Triveni Ghat and Lakhman Jhoolas.
Last 24 hours in Rishikesh:
I know after spending almost 48 hours in the city, you must have fallen in love with it, but now you are left with only 24 hours including drive time to home. Let’s keep this day as simple and relaxing. One can explore Rajaji National Park, which houses several rare species of flora and fauna, including the likes of Asian elephants, Bengal Tigers, etc. Visit Ram Jhoolas, Gita Bhavan, The Beatles Ashram, Parmarth Niketan, and if you missed camping, then you can go to Ganga Beach.
How can you miss shopping? You can explore a few options like wall paintings, wooden furniture, colorful beads and trinkets. Lakshman Jhoola is one of the best areas for the shopping. There are many shops for clothes, jewelry, precious stones, books, spiritual things and lots of other things. This market is costly than Rishikesh main market. It is near Triveni Ghat area and famous for clothes and daily needs. This market is inexpensive than Lakshman Jhoola Market and Ram Jhoola Market.
Important Alerts: Do Not Miss:
Carry winter clothes, thermal inner wear (upper and lower), extra sports shoes and socks, woolen socks and raincoat. Other things like water bottle, camera, lotions, medicines (if required), scarf and things as per your requirement.
PS: Travel safe, careful during adventure sports, enjoy and have fun. to North Goa and then Taj seems the best option. It is located at Candolim beach. Taj is the first luxury hotel in Goa.
