Places to visit in Haridwar
Two hilltop goddesses, the old town of Kankhal, a riverside ashram belt — and Rishikesh up the road.
Start here
Haridwar is more than one ghat
Most visitors come for Har Ki Pauri and leave the same day. Stay a little longer and the city opens up: two hilltop goddesses, the old town of Kankhal to the south, a riverside ashram belt to the north, and Rishikesh just up the road.
| Area | Highlights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Centre & hills | Har Ki Pauri, Mansa Devi, Chandi Devi, Maya Devi | A full day |
| Kankhal (south) | Daksha Mahadev, Sati Kund, Anandamayi Ma Ashram | Half day |
| North (ashram belt) | Bharat Mata Mandir, Saptrishi, Shantikunj | Half day |
| Day trips | Rishikesh, Rajaji, Devprayag | A day each |
Centre & hills
The old city and its two hilltops
Har Ki Pauri
Centre · The ghat itself
Start here. Visit once in the calm of early morning to bathe, and come back at sunset for the Ganga Aarti. Our Har Ki Pauri guide covers where to stand for the aarti and what's around the ghat.
Mansa Devi Temple
Bilwa Parvat · Ropeway from the town centre
A hilltop shrine to Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti, above the western edge of the old city. Devotees tie threads to a tree in the temple compound when they make a wish and return to untie them when it is fulfilled. The Udankhatola ropeway (about 540 m) makes the climb a few minutes; the footpath takes much longer. Go early — the ropeway queue grows through the day.
Chandi Devi Temple
Neel Parvat · ~4 km from Har Ki Pauri, across the river
On the eastern summit across the Ganga. The present temple was built in 1929 by the king of Kashmir, Suchat Singh; tradition says its main image was installed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. Its own ropeway rises about 208 m to the hilltop, and a 3 km stepped trail goes up for those on foot. The view back over Haridwar and the Ganga's channels is the best in the city.
Maya Devi Temple
Mayapur · Short walk south of the centre
Among the oldest temples in Haridwar, dedicated to the city's presiding goddess. With Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi it forms the trio of Siddh Peeths many pilgrims visit together.
Kankhal
South to Kankhal — Haridwar's older twin
Daksha Mahadev Temple
Kankhal · ~4–5 km south
The main temple of Kankhal, built by Queen Dhankaur in 1810 and rebuilt in 1962, at the spot tied to the story of Daksha's sacrifice. Daksha Ghat on the Ganga is right beside it.
Sati Kund
Kankhal · Near Daksha Mahadev
The site where, in tradition, Sati gave up her life — the story at the root of the Shakti Peeths across India.
Anandamayi Ma Ashram
Kankhal · Near Daksha Mahadev
The ashram of the 20th-century saint Anandamayi Ma, with her samadhi shrine and a small museum. Quiet, well kept and worth a slow visit.
Gurukul Kangri
Towards Jwalapur · ~5–6 km south
The university founded in 1902 on the gurukul model, with a museum of archaeology and local history on its campus.
The north
North along the river — ashrams and viewpoints
Bharat Mata Mandir
Saptrishi road · ~5 km north
An eight-storey temple opened in 1983 and dedicated to Mother India, with each floor given to a theme — freedom fighters, women saints, the country's many faiths. A lift goes up; the view from the top takes in the Ganga's braided channels.
Saptrishi Ashram & Sapt Sarovar
North, on the Ganga · ~5 km
The stretch where tradition says the Ganga split into seven streams so as not to disturb seven meditating sages. Ashrams line the riverbank; it is one of the calmest places to sit by the river.
Shantikunj
Haridwar–Rishikesh road · ~6 km north
The headquarters of the All World Gayatri Pariwar, open to visitors, with a large campus of ashram buildings and daily programmes.
Bhimgoda Kund
Near the barrage · ~1 km north of Har Ki Pauri
A small sacred tank tied to Bhima of the Mahabharata, next to the barrage that splits the Ganga's flow.
Day trips
Worth the drive from Haridwar
| Place | From Haridwar | What it is | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishikesh | ~25 km | Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula footbridges, riverside ashrams and the evening aarti at Triveni Ghat | Half to full day |
| Rajaji National Park (Chilla) | ~10 km | Forest reserve at the city's edge; jeep safaris in season | Half day |
| Neelkanth Mahadev | ~55 km via Rishikesh | Forest temple of Shiva in the hills above Rishikesh | Full day |
| Dehradun & Mussoorie | ~55 km / ~90 km | Valley city and hill station above it | Full day or overnight |
| Devprayag | ~95 km | The confluence where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi join to become the Ganga | Long day |
Approximate road distances.
A simple plan
Suggested order for three days
Day 1 — Centre
Dawn bath at Har Ki Pauri, Mansa Devi by ropeway, Maya Devi on foot; back to the ghat for the evening aarti.
Day 2 — Across & south
Chandi Devi early for the view, then Kankhal: Daksha Mahadev, Sati Kund and Anandamayi Ma Ashram.
Day 3 — North & Rishikesh
Bharat Mata Mandir and Saptrishi in the morning; Rishikesh in the afternoon for the jhulas and Triveni Ghat aarti.
Worth knowing
Combined ropeway tickets
The Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi ropeways are run together, and combined tickets for both temples are usually available — handy if you plan to do both on the same day.
Keep exploring
Continue exploring
Haridwar overview
The city's layout, areas and climate.
Ghats of Haridwar
Every bathing ghat in the city.
Places to visit in Nashik
The same guide for Nashik–Trimbakeshwar.
Questions
Frequently asked
Har Ki Pauri, Mansa Devi, Chandi Devi and Maya Devi in the centre; Daksha Mahadev and Sati Kund in Kankhal; and Bharat Mata Mandir to the north.
Two days covers the main sights; three lets you add Rishikesh.
By ropeway or on foot. Mansa Devi's ropeway starts in the town centre; Chandi Devi's is across the river at the foot of Neel Parvat.
Kankhal is tied to the story of Daksha's sacrifice and Sati; the Daksha Mahadev temple and Sati Kund mark the site.
About 25 km upstream; buses, shared autos and cabs run all day.
At Devprayag, about 95 km from Haridwar, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet and become the Ganga.