Rishikesh's most iconic landmark is this 13-storey wedding cake of a temple, which dominates the east bank of Lakshman Jhula. There are dozens of shrines to Hindu deities on each level.
Getty Images/Universal Images Group
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.56 MILES
Just south of Swarg Ashram is what’s left of the original Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, where the Beatles stayed and wrote much of the White Album (and a…
15.17 MILES
Har-ki-Pairi (The Footstep of God) is where Vishnu is said to have dropped some divine nectar and left behind a footprint. Every evening, hundreds of…
28.99 MILES
Only 3km northwest of town, this scenic outlying region of Mussoorie is famous as the site where the Dalai Lama and fellow exiles arrived in 1959, after…
27.01 MILES
Sitting beneath Landour's clock tower is this impressive heritage centre that's set up by dedicated local historian, Surbhi Agarwal. She'll take you…
21.99 MILES
The region around Dehra Dun is home to a thriving Tibetan Buddhist community, mainly focused on this attractive monastery, about 10km south of the centre…
26.62 MILES
Part museum, part art gallery, Soham Heritage & Art Centre focuses largely on the culture of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. You'll get guided through the…
26.2 MILES
Dedicated efforts have been taking place since 2015 to transform this sizeable tract of privately owned land into a nature reserve, home to abundant…
12.82 MILES
This unspoilt park, covering over 1000 sq km in the forested foothills near Haridwar, is one of India's newest tiger reserves (as of 2017 there were 34…
Nearby Rishikesh attractions
1.17 MILES
A lovely multitiered waterfall at the end of a 20-minute hike that starts 2km north of Lakshman Jhula. However it's blighted by its touristy setup,…
1.49 MILES
Follow the dedicated pilgrims who take water from the Ganges to offer at this temple, a 7km, three-hour walk along a forest path from Swarg Ashram…
3. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram
1.56 MILES
Just south of Swarg Ashram is what’s left of the original Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, where the Beatles stayed and wrote much of the White Album (and a…
12.82 MILES
This unspoilt park, covering over 1000 sq km in the forested foothills near Haridwar, is one of India's newest tiger reserves (as of 2017 there were 34…
14.9 MILES
This monumental Shiva statue is a Haridwar landmark that stands majestically on an island viewed from Har-ki-Pairi Ghat.
15.17 MILES
Har-ki-Pairi (The Footstep of God) is where Vishnu is said to have dropped some divine nectar and left behind a footprint. Every evening, hundreds of…
15.32 MILES
Take the cable car to this crowded hilltop temple dedicated to a wish-fulfilling goddess. You can walk up (a steep 1.5km), but beware of monkeys…
16.07 MILES
Chandi Devi Temple was built by Raja Suchet Singh of Kashmir in 1929, and sits on a hilltop just southeast of Haridwar.