Plan your trip · Rishikesh
What's on in Rishikesh
Something happens by the river in Rishikesh every evening, but a few weeks in the year change the town completely. Plan around them, or for them.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Rishikesh right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.
The year in Rishikesh
Rishikesh's calendar runs through most of the year, with the busiest weeks in the clear, comfortable months and a quieter stretch in the heaviest rain. Broadly, Oct – Mar is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.
Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.
Signature to Rishikesh
International Yoga Festival
🗓️ MarchA week of teaching across the ashrams, on the cusp of the pilgrimage season opening.
Planning: The town is dry and vegetarian regardless; rafting season is picking up at the same time.
Across Uttarakhand
Char Dham season
🗓️ late April to October–NovemberThe Himalayan temple circuit opens for the summer and closes before the snow. It sets the rhythm of the whole state.
Planning: Registration is required and the roads are at their busiest in May–June.
Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh at Haridwar
🗓️ every 6 and 12 yearsOne of the largest human gatherings on earth, on the Ganga ghats.
Planning: If it is a Kumbh year, either plan around it or plan for it — there is no middle option.
Nationwide
Diwali
🗓️ October–NovemberThe biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.
Holi
🗓️ MarchColoured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.
Navratri and Dussehra
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.
Eid al-Fitr
🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each yearThe end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.
Makar Sankranti and Pongal
🗓️ mid-JanuaryThe harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Every evening: Ganga aarti
The aarti at Triveni Ghat and the one at Parmarth Niketan take place every day at dusk. Priests wave large brass lamps over the river, bells ring, and people float leaf boats of flowers and a small flame. The times move with the season: roughly 6 pm in summer and earlier in winter. Parmarth's usually starts a little before Triveni's. Arrive half an hour ahead.
March: International Yoga Festival
For about a week in March, Parmarth Niketan hosts the International Yoga Festival, with classes, talks and music from dawn till evening. In 2026 it ran from 9 to 15 March. Participants register in advance, and rooms in Swarg Ashram fill up. Even if you are not taking part, expect the ghats and the aarti to be busier than usual.
Mahashivratri
In February or March, Shiva devotees fill Neelkanth Mahadev and the Shiva temples in town. The road to Neelkanth is slow, and queues are long.
July–August: Shravan and the Kanwar Yatra
In the month of Shravan, Kanwar pilgrims collect Ganga water in Haridwar and carry it on foot to Neelkanth Mahadev. Many wear saffron and walk through Rishikesh day and night. Traffic is diverted, some roads are closed to cars, and hotels near the route fill. This also falls in the monsoon, when rafting is stopped.
Ganga Dussehra
Ganga Dussehra, around May or June, marks the descent of the Ganga to earth. The ghats fill with bathers, and the aarti is larger than usual. Stay out of the water unless you hold a chain.
Diwali and Dev Deepawali
Around Diwali, the ghats and ashrams are lit with lamps, and many Indian families visit over the long weekend.
Haridwar Kumbh, 2027
Haridwar, about 25 km downstream, is preparing to host the Kumbh Mela in 2027. Rishikesh is part of the wider pilgrimage area, so expect heavy traffic, higher prices and security checks on the roads between them.
Planning
Most of these follow the Hindu lunar calendar and move each year. Confirm dates before you book.
Questions
Rishikesh — FAQ
Is the Ganga aarti held every day in Rishikesh?
Yes, every evening at dusk at Triveni Ghat and at Parmarth Niketan. It can be scaled down in very heavy rain or when the river is high.
Do I need to register for the International Yoga Festival?
Yes, to join the classes. You can watch the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan without registering.
Is it a good idea to visit Rishikesh during the Kanwar Yatra?
Only if you want to see it. Roads are diverted, traffic is slow and the Neelkanth road is packed. Other visitors often choose a different month.