Holy city where the Ganga leaves the hills, known for Har Ki Pauri and the evening Ganga Aarti.
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Haridwar is one of the main Hindu pilgrimage towns, set where the Ganga enters the plains. People come for a dip at Har Ki Pauri, the evening Ganga Aarti and the hilltop temples of Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi, both reached by ropeway. It suits pilgrims, families and anyone wanting a short trip from Delhi, and it pairs well with Rishikesh, about 20 km away.
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Plan from your city
Photos
Evening aarti at Har Ki PauriAarti at Har Ki PauriShiva statue by the Ganga
Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.
Best time to go
When
What to expect
October to November
Clear and pleasant, about 10 to 30 C. Widely seen as the best time for sightseeing and the ghats.
December to February
Cool days and cold nights, about 5 to 20 C, with fog common in January. Carry woollens for the evening aarti.
March to May
Warming up from about 15 to 35 C and above. March and April are comfortable, May is hot, so keep outdoor visits to mornings and evenings.
June to September
Hot, humid and rainy, with the heaviest rain in July and August. Flooding can disrupt travel, and the Kanwar Mela in July brings very large crowds.
Sights and activities
1
Har Ki Pauri and Ganga Aarti
The main bathing ghat on the Ganga and the place of the daily aarti, when priests offer fire lamps and visitors float flowers and lamps on the river. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for a good spot.
Distance
About 3 km from Haridwar railway station.
Entry
No entry fee found; donations are optional
Timings
Ghat open all day. Aarti in the morning at about 5:30 to 6:30 am and in the evening at about 6 to 7 pm, shifting with the season
Hilltop temple to goddess Mansa Devi on Bilwa Parvat in the Shivalik hills. A ropeway of about 540 m takes a few minutes; on foot it is a steep path of about 1.5 km with several hundred steps (some sources say 3 km).
Distance
About 1 km from Har Ki Pauri; ropeway station about 3 km from the railway station.
Entry
Temple free. Ropeway 460 adult, 235 child (return, with GST)
An 11th century temple counted among the oldest in the city and revered as a Shakti Peeth. It forms a trio with the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi shrines.
Distance
In the town centre, close to the railway station side of Har Ki Pauri.
An 820 sq km tiger reserve on both sides of the Ganga, with elephants, tigers, leopards, deer and over 300 bird species. Jeep safaris start from Chilla.
Distance
Chilla is about 13 km north-east of Haridwar.
Entry
Older published rates: 750 per Indian visitor, jeep 1,500 per safari plus 150 per person. Check current rates
Timings
Safaris 6 to 11 am and 2:30 to 5:30 pm; best visited November to March
Frequent state and private buses run from Delhi (ISBT Kashmiri Gate), about 220 to 235 km and around 5 hours. Buses also come from Chandigarh (about 203 km, under 6 hours) and Lucknow (about 506 km, around 11 hours).
By train
Haridwar Junction (HW) is in the town, about 3 km from Har Ki Pauri. Trains from Delhi take about 4 to 5 hours on the Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi, longer on overnight expresses.
By air
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, about 37 to 40 km away, with daily flights from Delhi. Taxis run from the airport to Haridwar.
Where to base yourself
Stay near Har Ki Pauri or along the road between the railway station and the ghat, so the aarti and the Mansa Devi ropeway are a short ride away.
Getting around
Auto-rickshaws, taxis and local buses cover the town; Agree a price before you ride.
The Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi ropeways cost 460 per adult each, and the operator sells a connecting bus between the two for about 95.
Har Ki Pauri, the bazaars and the Mansa Devi ropeway are close enough to cover on foot.
One travel-cost site puts average visitor spending on local transport at about 440 per person per day.
Often combined with
Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.
Guest houses, dharamshalas and simple hotels near the station and Har Ki Pauri
₹800 to ₹2,000
Mid-range
3-star hotels
₹2,500 to ₹4,000
Luxury
4 and 5-star hotels and riverside properties
₹5,000 to ₹10,000
Food
Food is North Indian and vegetarian, eaten at simple restaurants and street stalls around Har Ki Pauri and the bazaars. Well-known names include Chotiwala Restaurant and Mohan's Fast Food. An average restaurant meal is about 340 per person.
Try these
Chole bhature (spiced chickpeas with fried bread)
Aloo puri (potato curry with fried bread)
Kachori (fried stuffed pastry)
Local sweets from the bazaar shops
The whole town is vegetarian. Non-vegetarian food and alcohol are prohibited.
Daily costs
Budget level
Stay per room
Food per person
Local transport
Budget
₹1,000
₹400
₹150 per person
Mid-range
₹3,000
₹850
₹450 per person
Luxury
₹7,000
₹1,500
₹2,000 per vehicle
Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.
Permits and documents
No permit requirement was found for Indian visitors to the town, ghats or temples. Rajaji National Park needs a paid entry and safari booking.
Safety
By day
A busy pilgrim town. The ghats get very crowded, above all during the Kanwar Mela in July and on festival days, so keep valuables close.
At night
The area around Har Ki Pauri stays busy through the evening aarti.
Roads
Good highway from Delhi, about 4 to 5 hours by car. Monsoon rain and flooding can disrupt travel from July to September.
The town is flat and the ropeways save the steep climbs to Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi; the operator says they are meant to help elderly visitors. Ghat steps are wet and crowded.
Children
Easy for children; the ropeway child ticket is 235. Hold on to them at the ghats, where the river is fast and crowds are heavy.
Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.
Culture and responsible travel
Meat and alcohol are prohibited in the town.
Do not take photographs inside temple sanctums.
Reach the aarti 30 to 45 minutes early and expect large crowds.
Kumbh Mela and Kanwar Mela periods bring extreme crowds; avoid them unless you are coming for the event.
What to pack
Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
Clothes in earthy colours, a cap and binoculars for safaris
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and socks for hot stone floors where shoes come off. Some temples do not allow phones or bags, so carry little
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts
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