Blog · India
Haridwar, Rishikesh and Mussoorie in a long weekend
Three very different places, all close together: a pilgrimage town, a yoga capital and a hill station.
Haridwar
Haridwar is about 230 km from Delhi. The evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri is the reason to be here at sunset: arrive early to find a spot. Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples are reached by ropeway.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is about half an hour upstream. Walk across the suspension bridges, visit the ashrams and the Beatles Ashram, and see the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat. River rafting is popular in season.
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is roughly 90 km from Haridwar, up through Dehradun. Kempty Falls, Gun Hill, the Mall Road and Landour's quiet lanes are the highlights. Evenings are cool even in summer.
A 3-night plan
- Delhi to Haridwar; evening Ganga Aarti.
- Rishikesh sightseeing, then up to Mussoorie.
- Mussoorie local sightseeing.
- Mussoorie back to Delhi (roughly 310 km).
When to go
October to June is best. The monsoon brings landslide risk on the hill roads, and Haridwar is extremely crowded during major festivals such as the Kanwar Yatra.
