Introduction
Rishikesh is a city in the Dehradun district. It is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is also known as “the gateway to Garhwal Himalayas”.it is situated 21 km to the North of Haridwar and 24 kk so southeast of Dehradun. Rishikesh, or Hrishikesh, is popularly known as the hub of Yoga training and practice and is also called the ” Yoga capital of the world”. It is well known for pilgrimage and is one of the most sacred places for Hindu spiritualism.
Rishikesh has a rich cultural and religious charge which penetrates your soul and paints your being with the colors of the vibrant culture. It is dotted with age-old temples and is blessed with the sacred Ganga river, flowing with its deep spiritual and religious vigor. Rishikesh is a cherishing experience.
Yoga in Rishikesh
If India is the birthplace of yoga, Rishikesh is the capital of yoga in the world! With the peaceful Ganges in the backdrop, Rishikesh makes the perfect place for yoga practice. Yoga includes several exercises and body postures accompanied by recitation of vocals. Yoga is a meditative and spiritual performance.
There are several places and yoga centers in Rishikesh. Parmarth Niketan is the foremost yoga center in the city and is situated on the banks of the river Ganga. Other yoga ashrams include baba ramdev’s patanjali yogpeeth, anand prakash ashram and yoga niketan. Most of these ashrams offer accommodation too. A popular practice in Rishikesh is to take a dedicated 200-hour teacher training course. There are plenty of schools providing this training which includes food, accommodation, and some other activities.
Accommodation in Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a hub of tourism. There are innumerable tourists from all around India and the world in Rishikesh at any time. To accommodate them, there are a lot of accommodations available in the city. Amongst the category, there are several options to choose from:
Ashrams in Rishikesh
Rishikesh has many Ashrams offering accommodation at a decent price. A lot of Ashrams offer a 7-night stay including daily amenities like food and activities like yoga, meditation, and eating well. You are pretty confined in the ashrams for the whole time which helps in disconnecting from the noisy world for some time.
Visiting Sivananda Ashram is recommended. You must also check out Omkarananda Ashram which is located at the end of Lakshman Jhula bridge. It is very clean and a decent, calm place to be at.
Hotels in Rishikesh
Rishikesh are also abundant with Hotels. There are plenty of options available in a diverse range. There are expensive and luxurious ones and also decent and affordable ones. If you wish to experience the scenic beauty of Rishikesh, there are hotels near the Lakshman Jhula bridge and the river Ganges which are pretty fancy and hygienic. You can book online as well as check them out on-site. There are rooms available for on-spot registration.
Hostels in Rishikesh
Within the list of your accommodation options, there are several hostels too. The hostels offer dorms and private rooms too. The dorms are cheap and the hostels are in good locations too. Some of the good hostels are Live Free Hostel, The Hosteller, and Zostel Rishikesh. A great number of guest houses are not bookable online and are much cheaper! Shiv shakti hostel has received a good review with customers praising it for its good atmosphere, caring staff, social spaces such as Bollywood dance nights, an exclusively free hostel dinner on Thursday, and trips to the bright beach, ghats, and sunrise temple.
Things to do in Rishikesh
1. Visit the Beatles Ashram
It’s a famous tourist spot liked by foreigners and Indians. It is famous because the Beatles lived in the 1960s during their meditation retreat in India. It is said that this is the place they wrote their best material post-meditation.
2. Camping
Rishikesh is a good destination for camping. There are several agencies which arrange it for you and make preparations.
3. Bungee Jumping
Not only for its spiritual and peaceful ambiance Rishikesh is also visited for its adventure sports. India’s first highest platform for Bungee jumping at 83 m is located right outside Rishikesh.
You can also try River rafting, the most adventurous thing you can do, with friends and family.
4. Best cafes in Rishikesh
Rishikesh hosts abundant cafes offering delicious and healthy food. Here are some options you could consider:
- Little Buddha Cafe- known for its Western and Vegan food.
- Tat cafe
- Sambhala
- The Beatles cafe
- Cafe de goa
- The Bakeries
