How to reach Rishikesh from Delhi by road
Rishikesh is about 240 km from Delhi, usually 5 to 6 hours via the Delhi–Meerut Expressway, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee and Haridwar. With RutzIndia.com a sedan costs Rs 8,640 Pay Now to Reserve one way and an Innova Crysta Rs 13,680 Pay Now to Reserve, before 5% GST. Highway tolls and parking are billed at actual cost. See the full route fares on our Delhi to Rishikesh taxi page.
Rishikesh sits exactly where the Ganga leaves the Himalayan foothills and spreads onto the plains, a narrow town squeezed between forested hills and a river that runs jade green for most of the year. For centuries it has been a place of pilgrimage and retreat, the starting point for the old foot routes to Badrinath and Kedarnath. In the 1960s it became world famous when the Beatles spent time at an ashram here, and today it is equally known for yoga schools, riverside cafés and white-water rafting.
It is also one of the most rewarding drives from Delhi. The road is flat and fast for most of the way, the last hour passes through Haridwar and the edge of the Rajaji forest, and you arrive in time for an evening aarti on the ghats. A chauffeur-driven car means no parking stress in Rishikesh's tight lanes and a driver who can take you on to Neelkanth, Kunjapuri, Dehradun airport or the Char Dham when you are ready.
Why go to Rishikesh
- Ganga aarti. The evening ceremony at Triveni Ghat and the riverside aarti at Parmarth Niketan are the town's most moving experiences: lamps, bells, chanting and a river turning gold at dusk.
- Ram Jhula and the suspension bridges. Ram Jhula links the two banks for pedestrians and two-wheelers. The older Laxman Jhula has been closed to use for safety reasons since 2019, and a new crossing nearby has been under construction; your driver will drop you at the right side of the river for where you are going.
- Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia). The former Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ashram, now within the Rajaji Tiger Reserve's care, with meditation domes covered in murals. There is an entry fee; details are on the Rajaji Tiger Reserve website.
- Rafting on the Ganga. Stretches from Shivpuri, Marine Drive and Kaudiyala down to Rishikesh offer rapids for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. Choose operators registered with the state tourism authorities and follow the guides' safety briefings.
- Neelkanth Mahadev. A much-visited Shiva temple in the hills about 32 km by road from Rishikesh, especially crowded during the monsoon month of Shravan.
- Kunjapuri Devi. A hilltop temple near Narendra Nagar, famous for sunrise over the snow peaks on clear winter mornings.
- Yoga and ashrams. From drop-in classes to month-long teacher trainings, Rishikesh has hundreds of schools. The International Yoga Festival, usually held in early March, fills the town.
- Food. Rishikesh is a vegetarian town, and alcohol is not sold within the holy areas. Expect excellent thalis, chaat, South Indian breakfasts, and a café scene serving everything from sourdough to Israeli breakfasts.
The drive from Delhi
Stage 1: Delhi to Meerut (about 60 km)
The Delhi–Meerut Expressway gets you out of the city quickly from Akshardham or Sarai Kale Khan. Before 7 am the run is easy; after 9 am the Delhi end can be slow.
Stage 2: Meerut to Roorkee (about 115 km)
The highway continues north through Modinagar-bypass country, Muzaffarnagar and Purkazi. This is the classic food stretch: large highway restaurants around Khatauli and Muzaffarnagar make the obvious breakfast stop. Several toll plazas on the route are charged at actual cost.
Stage 3: Roorkee to Rishikesh via Haridwar (about 65 km)
After Roorkee you pass Bahadrabad and enter Haridwar, where traffic slows around Har Ki Pauri and the bypasses, especially on weekends and festival days. From Haridwar the road runs about 25 km along the edge of the Rajaji forest to Rishikesh. Some drivers use the Chilla or Raiwala sides depending on the destination in town.
As sections of the new Delhi–Dehradun expressway corridor open, your chauffeur may use them to save time; we bill actual tolls whichever route is taken. For a Haridwar stop on the way, see our Haridwar by road guide.
By air: Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport is only about 20 km from Rishikesh, the easiest arrival for most visitors. We track your flight and wait with a name board, free for 60 minutes after international arrivals and 30 minutes after domestic ones, with the hourly rate after that. Details for local hire and airport runs are on our Rishikesh taxi service page.
Best time to visit Rishikesh
- September to November: after the monsoon the river clears, rafting resumes and the air is fresh. Diwali brings lamps along the ghats.
- December to February: cool, sometimes foggy mornings on the Delhi highway, but sunny days in Rishikesh. Kunjapuri sunrises are at their clearest.
- March and April: warm and bright, with the International Yoga Festival and Holi. Rafting is in full swing.
- May and June: hot, and the start of the Char Dham season brings heavy pilgrim traffic through town.
- July and August: monsoon. Rafting generally stops, the Ganga runs high and brown, and landslides affect hill roads beyond Rishikesh.
Kanwar Yatra warning: during the Shravan month (usually July to August), millions of Kanwariyas walk and ride from Delhi, Haryana and UP to collect Ganga water at Haridwar and Neelkanth. The Delhi–Haridwar highway is heavily regulated, with diversions and restrictions on vehicles for about two weeks. If your dates overlap, talk to us before booking; we will suggest timings or routes, or recommend a different week.
For state tourism information, rafting rules and seasonal notices, Uttarakhand Tourism is the official source.
RutzIndia.com services for Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a hub in itself, so we offer everything from a simple drop to a full pilgrimage circuit. Every car is within four model years of age, and our drivers know the town's no-entry zones and the Char Dham roads beyond.
- One-way drop from Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon or IGI airport to your Rishikesh hotel or ashram.
- Weekend round trips with the car staying on for Neelkanth, Kunjapuri and rafting pickups, billed on the higher of actual kilometres or 250 km per calendar day.
- Jolly Grant airport transfers at Rishikesh's local rate.
- Char Dham and Do Dham yatras starting in Rishikesh, including mandatory registration support; see our Char Dham yatra by car page and the Kedarnath by road guide.
- Groups, yoga retreats and school trips in 12 to 26 seat vehicles from our Haridwar Tempo Traveller fleet.
| Vehicle | Delhi to Rishikesh one way (240 km) | 2-day round trip (500 km billed) | Jolly Grant airport to Rishikesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dzire sedan | Rs 8,640 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 18,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 3,840 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Honda City / Verna | Rs 11,520 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 24,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 5,760 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Innova Crysta | Rs 13,680 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 28,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,720 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Tempo Traveller | Rs 18,720 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 39,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 10,420 Pay Now to Reserve |
How we calculate these: one-way fares are distance multiplied by the per-km rate for the vehicle. A two-day round trip from Delhi runs about 480 km, so the 500 km two-day minimum applies. Airport transfers use Rishikesh's local airport rate. The driver's night allowance is Rs 1,500 per night on multi-day trips. GST at 5% is extra; tolls, parking and any state entry charges are billed at actual cost. Book online and pay by card or UPI; corporate retreats receive a GST invoice.
Should you need to cancel, the cancellation policy is clear: nothing to pay if you cancel more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours and the full fare within 24 hours or for a no-show.
Two-day Rishikesh itinerary by car
Day 1: Delhi to Rishikesh (about 240 km). Leave Delhi by 6 am, breakfast near Khatauli, a quick darshan in Haridwar if you like, and reach Rishikesh by early afternoon. Check in, walk across Ram Jhula, visit the Beatles Ashram, and end the day at the Parmarth Niketan or Triveni Ghat aarti.
Day 2: Rafting, Neelkanth and back to Delhi (about 300 km). A morning rafting run from Shivpuri or Marine Drive, collected by your chauffeur at the take-out, or a drive up to Neelkanth Mahadev instead. Lunch in town, then back to Delhi, arriving by late evening.
Three days? Add Kunjapuri for sunrise and a day trip to Dehradun or Mussoorie, about 75 km away. For a slower spiritual trip, pair Rishikesh with Haridwar's evening aarti on the way home.
Travelling with elders? Ask for an Innova Crysta with captain seats, plan the drive for early morning to avoid afternoon heat, and let your chauffeur drop the family right at the ghat approach before parking. Wheelchair access at the ghats is limited, so tell us in advance and we will suggest the easiest viewing points for the aarti.
Practical tips for Rishikesh
- Parking and no-entry zones: cars cannot cross the jhulas, and the lanes around Tapovan and Swarg Ashram are narrow and congested. Your chauffeur will drop you at the nearest point and wait in public parking.
- Local taxi rules: Rishikesh has local taxi and jeep unions for some routes such as rafting shuttles. Your RutzIndia.com car stays at your disposal, but on certain stretches you may be asked to use a local shuttle; your driver will guide you.
- Dress and conduct: modest clothing near temples and ghats, no alcohol or meat in the holy areas, and respect for aarti ceremonies.
- River safety: the Ganga is cold and fast even where it looks calm. Swim only at designated spots, never alone, and never after dark.
- Heat and dust: May and June are hot; carry water and plan outdoor time for mornings and evenings.
- Entry fees: Beatles Ashram, rafting and some ashram programmes charge fees that change periodically; check the official or operator sites before you go.
