You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to Laxman Jhula from where the tour starts. The Laxman Jhula is a suspension bridge that spans the River Ganges. Further downstream is a larger bridge, the Ram Jhula.
Spend the next 5 hours walking through the streets of Rishikesh. Take in the sights of monks in saffron robes sitting at temple entrances or meditating under a tree. Visit the numerous temples that dot the town. Stop by at the shops in the local bazaars and sample some local food. Check out the ashrams (Hindu monasteries) that also offer budget lodgings to the many pilgrims who throng this town every day.
As the afternoon draws to an end, wind your way back to the banks of the River Ganges and wait for the nightly Ganga aarti (prayer ceremony). The evening sky gets lit up by the numerous lamps that are lighted to worship the River Ganges. The whole atmosphere becomes serene as monks and priests chant holy mantras (hymns) and the pilgrims float lamps on the river.
At the end of the
aarti you will be driven back to your hotel.