Famous Places to Visit in Rishikesh | Complete Guide

Laxman Jhula is the most photographed spot in Rishikesh and the heart of the town's backpacker and spiritual culture. The 450-foot iron suspension bridge swings gently over the Ganges, connecting Tapovan on the west bank with Jonk village on the east. Legend holds that Lord Lakshmana crossed the river here on a jute rope during his exile — the iron bridge built in 1929 replaced a traditional rope crossing.

In 2024, the original bridge was temporarily closed for restoration and a new concrete-cable structure was completed and opened. The character of the crossing is somewhat changed from the original swing and sway of the old structure — but the views of the river, the ghats, the ashrams stacked up the hillside, and the Himalayas beyond remain extraordinary. The neighbourhood around Laxman Jhula — cafes, yoga studios, bead shops, guest houses — is the social centre of modern Rishikesh.

Ram Jhula is longer than Laxman Jhula at 450 feet, built in 1986, and generally less crowded. It connects Swargashram on the east bank (where Parmarth Niketan ashram is located) with Shivananda Nagar on the west. The crossing offers similar river views to Laxman Jhula and is the better choice for those who want to walk across the Ganga without fighting through the tourist-vendor gauntlet of the more famous bridge.

Ram Jhula's calm surroundings make it ideal for morning walks and sunset photography. Several prominent ashrams — including Divine Life Society's Sivananda Ashram — are accessible directly from the Ram Jhula crossing. The ghat beneath the bridge is one of the better spots in Rishikesh for quiet river sitting.

Triveni Ghat is where three rivers meet mythologically — the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the invisible Saraswati — making it one of the most sacred bathing ghats in Rishikesh. Pilgrims come at dawn for the holy dip. But the experience that most travellers remember longest happens at sunset: the Ganga Aarti ceremony, where priests perform an elaborate ritual of fire, sound, and prayer that fills the ghat with flickering lamp-light and the smell of incense.

The aarti happens every evening without exception — rain, cold, peak season, off-season. The ceremony at Parmarth Niketan (slightly larger and more elaborate) and Triveni Ghat (more atmospheric, closer to the town centre) are both excellent. Arrive 20–30 minutes before sunset to secure a sitting position. In 2026, Triveni Ghat has added improved eco-lamps alongside the traditional diyas, reducing river pollution while maintaining the visual spectacle.

In February 1968, the Beatles arrived at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Chaurasi Kutia ashram in Rishikesh for a transcendental meditation retreat that would directly inspire songs on the White Album, Abbey Road, and the Let It Be album. They stayed for weeks. The ashram fell into disuse in the 1990s. When it reopened to the public, what the Archaeological Survey of India and local artists found was a space transformed by years of global artistic pilgrimage — every dome, corridor, and meditation chamber covered in murals, portraits, and graffiti that represents some of the most sustained open-air art in India.

The ashram is now one of Rishikesh's most compelling physical spaces regardless of your relationship to the Beatles' music. The meditation domes — circular stone structures where the band wrote some of the 20th century's most famous songs — are evocative even in decay. Yoga classes are held on the grounds on some mornings. The 10-minute walk from Laxman Jhula through the forest adds to the sense of arrival.

Parmarth Niketan is the largest ashram in Rishikesh and one of the most active spiritual institutions in India. Its Parmarth Ghat hosts the most elaborate Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh — a ceremony with 1,000+ lamps, chanting volunteers, and a riverside atmosphere that draws both devout pilgrims and secular travellers. Free yoga sessions are held each morning for visitors; meditation classes are offered throughout the day.

The ashram is open to non-resident visitors for the aarti — arrive via Ram Jhula, which deposits you almost directly at the ashram gate. Accommodation within the ashram (for retreat-goers undertaking structured programmes) starts from ₹2,000/night and includes meals and programme participation. For day visitors, the ashram complex — its gardens, its statues, its river frontage — is worth an hour of unhurried walking even outside of the aarti schedule.

Neelkanth Mahadev temple sits at 1,675m altitude, 22 km from Rishikesh, at the point where Lord Shiva is believed to have consumed the poison (kaalakuta) that emerged during the cosmic churning of the ocean. The blue mark on Shiva's throat — neela = blue, kanth = throat — gives the temple its name. The site is one of Uttarakhand's most visited pilgrimage destinations, and the forest road from Rishikesh passes through some of the most dramatic Himalayan foothills scenery in the region.

Access: by road (₹800 return taxi, 45 minutes), by the 14 km pilgrim trek from Swarg Ashram, or a combination (trek one way, taxi return). The temple itself is free to enter. The inner sanctum can have significant queues during Shivratri and peak pilgrimage seasons — early morning arrivals (before 8 AM) avoid the longest waits.

Neer Garh is a three-tier waterfall located approximately 6 km from Laxman Jhula, accessible via a 1.5–3 km forest trail that passes through dense deciduous forest, small wooden bridges over streams, and rocky terrain. The first tier is visible within 200m of the trailhead; the full upper tier requires 45–60 minutes of walking and is significantly less crowded. The natural pools at each cascade are clear and cold — best for swimming between October and May when the water temperature is manageable and the pools are safe.

The waterfall is at its most spectacular in October–November, immediately after the monsoon when the volume is highest and the surrounding forest is intensely green. Entry fee of approximately ₹100 (payable at the trailhead) covers forest conservation. A complete Neer Garh Waterfall guide covers the trek in detail, what to carry, and the best photography spots.

Kunjapuri temple at 1,645m is Rishikesh's best-kept sunrise secret — or was, until word got out. On clear winter mornings (October–February), the temple summit offers a 270-degree panorama of the Garhwal Himalayan range from Gangotri to Kedarnath, the entire snowline lit rose-gold by a sunrise that happens above the cloud layer filling the valley below. The 35 km drive from Rishikesh at 4 AM and the 1.5-hour pre-dawn climb are worth every minute of disrupted sleep.