Sacred river

Ganga

Uttarakhand

Main ghat

Har Ki Pauri

Best time to visit

Best visited October–March; summers (April–June) are hot, and the monsoon (July–September) can affect river levels.

The ghats

Where to bathe in Haridwar

  • Har Ki Pauri — the principal ghat, where the Ganga Aarti is held every evening
  • Kushavarta Ghat — associated with Lord Shiva, a quieter alternative nearby
  • Subhash Ghat — popular with families for a calmer bathing experience

Worth knowing

What makes this city different

Haridwar is where the Ganga leaves the Himalayan foothills and reaches the plains — the river here is fast, clear, and considered especially sacred for that reason.

Getting there

How to reach Haridwar

  • Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (~35 km)
  • Well connected by rail — Haridwar Junction is a major station with direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata
  • By road: roughly 220 km / 5 hours from Delhi via NH334
Exact bathing dates for Haridwar on Kumbh Mela Dates → Verified stays near Haridwar on Kumbh Mela Directory →

The other three

Rest of the rotation

Nashik–Trimbakeshwar

Godavari, Maharashtra

Prayagraj

Ganga, Yamuna & the mythical Saraswati, Uttar Pradesh

Ujjain

Shipra, Madhya Pradesh