Rishikesh Reviews

Overview of the destination
Rishikesh has been our annual destination for the past twenty three years. Until recently we always drove on the NH passing through or bypassing Modinagar, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee and Haridwar. It was only on 29th May 2008 that we were forced to take a detour near Kahtauli. We chanced upon a uniquely picturesque road running along Ganga canal. This beautiful metal road, though narrow, is dotted with trees on the Eastern side as the canal runs along the West. The road terminals join at Muradnagar near Gaziabad and Haridwar at the other end. The road made for KANWARIYAS for their long march has smooth surface. The throttle crazy drivers of Sumos, Qualises and the likes are a nusance but their presence is inevitable elsewhere too.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
A bird's eye view from Narendra Nagar is breathtaking. Food is available aplenty in many of the restaurants. Chotiwala is famous.

Activities & things to do
Trekking, rafting and a look at Ganga Arti at the riverbank at Ganga Ghat.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
As said above. In addition to that, a canal road from Haridwar to Rishikesh via Chilla is less travelled but most scenic. One has to pay about Rs 100 to get to travel on this road of approximately 18 km. Money paid is worthwhile for it may save you long traffic holdups on the main road. DO NOT TAKE this road if is raining heavily because you will almost invariably get stranded just past Chilla and by the time you react, you may be singularly lucky to retrace your tracks to Rishikesh. The other bottleneck on the way back would almost invariably be also flooded by that time. I have landed myself in trouble several times in my life and my submission here is PLEASE DO NOT TREAD here in rains.