On the bank of River Ganges at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges lies the holy ancient city of Haridwar. Famous for its temples and ashrams it is also called the ‘Gateway to the Gods’. The city is the entry point to Dev Bhoomi and Char Dham, the four main centers of pilgrimage in Uttarakhand. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri the most sought after destinations. But before moving up the hills here is how to enjoy in Haridwar & Rishikesh for 2 days.
How to reach Haridwar
Haridwar is reachable from every part of the country by train and from New Delhi there are many options. Vande Bharat and Shatabdi are the preferred ones if your timings match. Else there are many more trains including Jan Shatabdi and overnight trains. Most trains after Haridwar head to Dehradun, the gateway to Uttarakhand and a city you must include in your plans.
In case you prefer a flight, Dehradun is the closest airport and very well connected through direct flights to all metro and tier-one cities of India. Our recommendation is to enjoy 2 days visiting the top 8 landmarks of Dehradun and the magical old city either before or after your Haridwar & Rishikesh visit.
Best Haridwar Hotels on Travelwisesr Holidays
Where to stay in Haridwar?
Haridwar is a small city and is best experienced on foot. There are some hotels facing the Ganges in Har Ki Paudi but we quite didn’t like the cramped up feeling there. Staying right in the heart of the city is a great way to experience the nights of Haridwar.
Being a very safe city you can take a late night walk to the riverfront through the narrow lanes enjoying the local delicacies like lassi, malai, rabri and the best of sweets. Or you could check out the restaurants on the main street leading to the railway station. We chose this lovely heritage property Govind Bhawan on Valmili Chowk and it’s the best location to stay while in Haridwar. And how wonderful our stay turned out to be.
Govind Bhawan
A touch of heritage
Spacious single, double & family rooms
The Restaurant
Govind Bhawan by night
Great veg food
Awesome location
500 meters from Haridwar Railway Station
700 meters from Maa Mansa Devi Mandir
1 km from Har Ki Pauri Ghat
To book rooms in Govind Bhawan connect directly with the hotel on +91 78278 59347
Fun times in Haridwar
Ropeway to Maa Mansa Devi Mandir
Maa Mansa Devi Mandir is the holy abode of Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti and is located atop the ‘Bilwa Parvat’ on the Sivalik hills. It is one of the oldest and most famous Siddhpeeth and is one of the Panch Tirth ( Five Pilgrimages) within Haridwar.
The ropeway named ‘Udan Khatola’ has been operational since 1981 and takes the pilgrims directly to the Chandi Devi temple and Mansa Devi temple. Book your tickets directly for Udan Khatola on their website here in advance and avoid long queues which can stretch up to 2 hours or more. Tickets for a return journey to both the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples are priced at Rs 350.00 per person.
The journey up
The Galis of Haridwar
When you are visiting the ancient city of Haridwar or Benaras and Ayodhya, the most exciting part of these journeys are the opportunities to soak in the age old local flavor of the place as you walk through the narrow lanes. Explore the new and then shop, eat, drink and make merry. And for the Bongs of the world who love to travel, there is always a ‘Dada Boudi’ shop around for bengali meals. Let’s walk a bit before we reach Har Ki Pauri ghat and river Ganges.
Also while you are in the northern part of India don’t miss out on the lassi, rabri, malai and pedas to take back home. And when in Haridwar there is none better than Tyagi Ji Dugdh Wale, Nitin Dugdh Bhandar.
Magical ‘Har Ki Pauri’
Har Ki Pauri meaning ‘Footstep of God Vishnu’ is the most prominent amongst all ghats (riverbanks) and the center of attraction in Haridwar. And Haridwar is where river Ganges enters the plains from the mountains. Lord Vishnu it is believed had visited this spot in the Vedic times.
Hari means Vishnu & Dwar the gateway and hence the name Haridwar. Also because it is from here that pilgrims start their journey to the temple of Lord Vishnu in Badrinath. Close to one lakh pilgrims are present every evening to witness the ‘Ganga Aarti” in Har Ki Pauri. Enjoy this magical evening with us till you are there yourself to experience in person.
Going around exploring
Har Ki Pauri evenings
And Ganga Aarti
A lovely evening
The feel of Har Ki Pauri
Rishikesh
Rishikesh means lord of senses and is another name of Lord Vishnu. Known for its temples and ashrams, it along with Haridwar are national twin heritage cities. Rishikesh has been given the title of “the Yoga capital of the world” as students from all over the globe converge here to learn and practice the ancient wisdom of Yoga.
Rishikesh is also considered as the adventure capital of Uttarakhand with river rafting being the most popular amongst the travelers across ages above 14 years. A 16 kms rafting experience which takes around 2 hours would cost Rs 1000.00 per person including transfer, safety gear, briefing and inflating raft.
Landmarks of Rishikesh
Rishikesh is synonumous with Lakshman Jhula, the suspension bridge that was built way back in 1939. Since then two other bridges have been built across the river Ganges. Janki Jhula & Ram Jhula were completed in 1986. And they both are equally great destinations to head to and spend quality time with your loved ones.
Lakshman Jhula
Janki Jhula
Signifying victory of good over evil
Ram Jhula
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