Located at the foot of the Himalayas, crossed by the river of Ganges, Rishikesh is an important pilgrimage city. From here the Ganges heads to the Himalayas, and from here pilgrims start their voyage to the holy places in Garhwal Mountains – like we did on our trip “On foot to India“ (originally in German: Zu Fuß nach Indien).
Like in many sacred places in India meat, eggs and alcohol are forbidden in Rishikesh – an absolute dream destination for vegetarians and vegans.
Lakshmana, this lion among men, one of three brothers of Rama, whose deeds are written down in the epic Ramayana, once crossed the Ganges here in Rishikesh by just using a rope made of jute. At this point they built the bridge called Lakshman Jhula.
Not far from this bridge one morning we sat down at the roof top of a temple to eat some delicious fruits while enjoying the beautiful view to the Ganges.
Spontaneously some gray langur joined us for breakfast and we decided to share our food with some more primates.
– – –
We wrote up a big new guide to the best hostels in Rishikesh.
Find the best hostels in India here.
Best Travel Websites we recommend ❤️
(Fresh Update 2023)
Booking Hostels and Discounts 👏👏👏
As a user of Hostelgeeks, you also have access to exclusive hostel discounts. For booking hostels, we use:
- Hostelz.com - hostel price comparison
- Hostelworld
We recommend installing the Hostelworld App. It is very useful!
How to find cheaper Flights ✈️
The first websites we always check are Skyscanner and Google Flights.
Find our step-by-step process in our review about Skyscanner.
Travel Insurance made easy 🤒
We are currently using Safetywing and Hey Mondo. We wrote detailed guides about these insurances:
- Our review of Safetywing, compared to others
- a detailed review of HeyMondo Travel Insurance
Smartest Travel Tools you need to know 🤓
- Onward Ticket - get a proof for onward travel
- iVisa - get your visa online fast
- Get Your Guide - for activities and sightseeing tickets
- Omio.com - for all types of transport
Find all our recommended travel tools and websites here.
Get your Smart Packing List (Free Printable)
Knowing what to pack and what not to pack is key. As an example, you need a one-fits-all padlock.
We put together the ultimate list of smart items to bring.
