BEST Places to Visit in Rishikesh & Things to Do

There are lots of famous tourist destinations in India where adventure lovers can enjoy their quality time with loads of activities. When it comes to choosing a particular place where a plethora of adventure activities are available for Indian and foreign tourists in excess, Rishikesh emerges as the best and top adventure destination for millions of travelers who like to throng to this place for bringing the best out of their weekend adventure packages. Following is an account of some of the topmost adventure activities in Rishikesh that beacon you for feeling relaxed and rejuvenated in the most enticing natural locations in India.

Table of Contents

Riverside Camping

Camping in Rishikesh is a recreational activity of spending a vacation living in a camp, tent, or camper. It simply allows adventure lovers to enjoy the calmness of the Ganga River, the pleasure of nature, and the wilderness of the green jungles. Camping in Rishikesh is a weekend getaway to hear the chirps of birds, view the gushing ripples of the river, and feel a serene and calm environment around. Camping also comes with lots of other adventurous activities at the camp, such as in Rishikesh is a very popular activity that also comes with other popular adventurous activities, including a riverside bonfire, jungle trekking, jungle waterfall, volleyball, and light music. At these camps, visitors are also served local and hygienic food. Rishikesh riverside camping options:

Rishikesh camping in Brahmapuri for students and families in the safest zone
Rishikesh camping in Byasi for enjoying grade IV rafting opportunity
Rishikesh camping in Kaudiyala for facing Grade IV or Grade IV+ rapids
Rishikesh camping in Marine Drive for having private spaces for friends and families
Rishikesh camping in Shivpuri for enjoying jungle camping, rock climbing, and beach volleyball

Generally, river rafting and camping come in a single package. Always look for Rishikesh beach camping packages from Rishikesh travel agents so that you can have the best and untouched views of the mighty Ganga River near you just a stone’s throw away.

White Water Rafting

Without any doubt, rafting is one of the most enthralling and unmatched adventures offered that gives rafters a big reason to pass through gushing rapids in the fast-flowing rivers. Rishikesh white water rafting is world-famous and a beacon for rafting lovers from India and the rest of the world. Rishikesh white water rafting is highly adventurous as it is exercised on the fast-flowing waters of the mighty Ganges. If you are visiting Rishikesh on weekends, make sure you have a camping and rafting package booked by leading and professional Rishikesh travel agents. Following are four common rafting grades that rafters will face when they have a raft in Rishikesh:

GRADE I – Black Money, Sweet Sixteen, Body Surfing, and Good Morning
GRADE II – Club House, Double Trouble, Hilton, Initiation, Shivpuri Rapid, and Terminator
GRADE III – Crossfire, Daniel’s Dip, Golf Course, Return to Sender, Rollercoaster, and Three Blind Mice
GRADE IV – The Great Wall

If you are a traveling enthusiast, simply come to the rafting capital of India Rishikesh, and get ready to have an awe-inspiring rafting experience with any of the following rafting stretches in Rishikesh:

Brahmapuri to Rishikesh: 9 km-long stretches with II-grade of rapids
Beast to Rishikesh: Good for grade IV rafting opportunity.
Kaudiyala to Rishikesh: 36-km long stretch with I, II, III, and IV grade of rapids
Marine Drive to Rishikesh: 27-km long stretch with I, II, and III grade of rapids
Shivpuri to Rishikesh: 16 km-long stretches with II and III-grade of rapids

Jumping Heights

At Mohan Chatti near Rishikesh, Jumpin Heights is a popular destination for Bungee jumping lovers with a fixed platform built over an iron cliff. At this one of the most popular adventure destinations in India, travelers from India and the rest of the world will enjoy the most challenging and thrilling adventures of bungee jumping, flying fox, and giant swing. When you are visiting Rishikesh, make sure that your travel agent offers you a Rishikesh tour package that consists of any one of these three activities along with a rafting session.

Enjoy 83 meter or 273 feet Bungee Jumping session under the jumpmasters from New Zealand. Once the jump is over, experts lower the jumpers to the ground onto a bed in a safe manner.
Another adventure you can enjoy is a Giant Swing from the height of 83m from Jumpin Heights with support from a seat harness. Interestingly, two people can enjoy this activity simultaneously.
Flying Fox is another adventure activity in which a flyer covers at least 1 km distance in the air with a speed of up to 160 km/ph. The height limit for this flying fox activity is 120 m. This activity is done by three persons concurrently.

Body Surfing and Cliff Jumping In River Ganga

Riding on a water wave having no use of a surfboard is a great way to enjoy the adventure activity of body surfing in Rishikesh. Just swim with the wave and water current holding the hand of your friends and family. With this activity, you steer yourself and streamline your body in order to ride the wave. Using a pair of specially-made swim fins, you can enjoy body surfing. Rishikesh has several destinations for enjoying body surfing. Come and try this if you love water. In addition, you can also take part in the activity of cliff jumping in the River Ganga.

Cliff diving or cliff jumping is one of the most popular recreational activities for adventure lovers in Rishikesh. You can also call cliff diving a milder version of base jumping. With a few guidelines adventure lovers can climb up a 30-40 ft or a 70 ft rock to reach the jumping platform. From this platform, you can simply take a huge plunge into the water. Before you jump, you get instructions from cliff-jumping experts who help you enjoy the thrill. Keep in mind that the free fall time for the cliff jumping remains just 3 seconds. Ask your Rishikesh travel agent to add the activity of body surfing and cliff jumping along with a rafting package.

Trekking

Rishikesh is simply a great destination for all who love to go on trekking to remote and unusual places. If you are visiting Rishikesh this time, you better try these places for making a difference.

Water Falls Trekking in Rishikesh: Neer Gaddu waterfall trekking, Garud Chatti waterfall trekking, and Phool Chatti waterfall trekking.

Kunjapuri Temple Trekking in Rishikesh has 290 stairs and is 26 km far from Rishikesh.
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple Trekking can be started 26 km far from Rishikesh.
Jhilmil Gufa Trekking in Rishikesh is a small 4-hour trek near the temple.

Air Safari

Nothing can be more enticing and thrilling than flying over the giant Ganga River, green forests, and the mammoth Himalayas. And it can be made possible when you go for a paragliding or air safari. You can call this activity both an adventure and a discovery to explore Rishikesh around you. This thrilling activity allows you to be a part of a team of highly skilled aviators. There are basically 4 Rishikesh air safari packages that you can enjoy when you are in Rishikesh:

10 to 12 minutes flight air safari package with Kitty Hawk flight for covering 8-10 km distance
18 to 22 minutes flight air safari package with Explorer flight for covering 15-18 km distance
25 to 30-minute flight air safari package with Valley Expedition flight for covering 25-30 km distance
60 to 70 minutes flight air safari package with Rishikesh Expedition flight for covering a 40 + km distance

If you want to go on this safari, you better book this activity online. So, get ready for a fascinating air safari and ask your travel agents in Rishikesh to make proper arrangements.

Goa Beach, Rishikesh

If you want to enjoy the magic of Goa beach, come to Rishikesh and reach a riverside area among the Himalayan foothills, adjacent to the mighty and holy River Ganga. It is simply a nice place to walk in the morning and evening. In addition, you can also take shower as this place is perfect for watching white sand, and shallow water, and seeing the Ganges flowing. This place is simply a well-known picnic spot that exists just 5 km from Rishikesh. The reason why this place is called Goa beach is that its sand resembles the beaches in Goa. This place is popular with foreign tourists who throng to this place for sunbath and to chill out.

It is said that this beach is not open for everyone as local cops do not let Indians go there. Cops say that local Indians try to imitate foreigners and show off their swimming skills which can result in drowning deaths. There are also some instances of drowning death at Goa beach. If you are trying to reach this place, you better take permission from the local police or ask your travel agents to take proper permission so that you can enjoy some quality time at Goa Beach.

Waterfall Rappelling Session

Waterfall rappelling session is another adventurous activity you can exercise in the hilly terrains of the Yoga capital of the world Rishikesh along with your friends and families. This activity becomes more exciting and challenging when you get down from the waterfall after restraining yourself with a rope. The thrill of the activity becomes meaningful when your body strikes against the water and you go down in the waterfall from 80 ft up in the air. You can enjoy this activity at the Neergarh waterfalls. Ask your travel agent in Rishikesh to make proper arrangements for the rappelling session.

Rajaji National Park Wildlife

Chilla National Park or Rajaji National Park is located in the Dehradun, Haridwar, and Pauri Garhwal districts of Uttarakhand. This park renders a wonderful opportunity for nature lovers or weekend travelers from Delhi NCR for enjoying the gorgeous landscape and wildlife with the tiger reserve as a special attraction. In the Chilla and Dhaulkhand ranges of the park, visitors can expect the roaring tiger roaming in its own habitat. With vivid flora and fauna around, this part emerges as one of the top wildlife tourist destinations in India.

The national park authorities arrange Open-Jeep Jungle Safari at the park to have real fun and excitement in the widespread wilderness. This Safari will render you an opportunity to have sight of Asian Elephants, King Cobra, Tigers, Himalayan Black bears, Sambhar, and birds. If you are visiting Rishikesh for an adventure, ask your travel agent in Rishikesh to make proper arrangements for a Toyota jeep safari in the park along with an English-speaking guide.

Waterfalls

There are three waterfalls in Rishikesh that are frequently visited by tourists on their trip to Rishikesh. These waterfalls are good for having some fun in the water. Keep in mind to ask your Rishikesh travel agents to make proper arrangements for bathing in any of these waterfalls:

Neer Gaddu Waterfall: 6 km from Tapovan, the water of this waterfall is very clear and offers all travelers a soothing effect.
Garud Chatti Waterfall: 5 km from Laxman Jhula in Rishikesh, this small waterfall exists at Neelkanth Road and is not visited by many people. That is why you can have a happy and hassle-free bath.
Phool Chatti Waterfall: 3 km from Garud Chatti, this waterfall also exists at Neelkanth Road and it has a slippery path. So, take care and enjoy the waterfall.

If you think your travel to Rishikesh is still not complete, you can also try some yoga sessions in the yoga capital of the world. Moreover, there are Ram Jhula, Lakshman Jhula, and Neelkanth Mahadev as spiritual places that you can also enjoy along with the adventure tour to Rishikesh. There are also various hill stations around Rishikesh where you can take a short break and see a natural beauty around. There are also some unexplored places near Rishikesh that you can enjoy if your travel agent gives you the best and most customized weekend tour package for Rishikesh.

Best Things to Do in Rishikesh 2024