Haridwar is situated at an altitude of 294 m and one of the seven holy cities of Hindus. The name Haridwar means the Dwar of Hari or the Door of Lord Vishnu. In Haridwar, the Vishnu’s footprint are placed on the banks of the holy river giving it its sanctity. Haridwar is situated at the base of the Shiwalik hills and on the west banks of the river Ganga. The River Ganga passes through its last gorge and begins a 2,000 km journey across the plains of UP, Bihar and W Bengal to the Bay of Bengal. The River Ganga irrigates its vast expanses of land with the help of canals and wells. Haridwar is a very old town that belongs to 1400 AD and was mentioned by the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang. The wealth of Haridwar attracted the attention of Timur who sacked it in 1399 during his bloodthirsty foray into North India. Various episodes from the Mahabharata were set here.

Tourist Attractions in Haridwar
 

Har-ki-Pauri

Har-ki-Pauri is the place where Lord Vishnu is believed to have left his footprints. Some part of the Ganga has been diverted here and this later becomes the canal. Bathing here is believed to cleanse all sins. There is a modern clocktower and some temples which surround the steps. Further down along the waterfront are more bathing ghats. There are five bridges across the river and it is pleasant to go over the other side, which is much quieter.

 Mansa Devi Temple

The Mansa Devi Temple is worth visiting for the view of the city of Haridwar. This temple is set on the southernmost hill of the Siwaliks and can be reached by chairlift. Kankhal Kankhal is situated about 3 km from Haridwar. Kankhal is the place where the Sati, the Lord Shiva's wife is believed to have burnt herself to death because her father Daksha’s failed to invite Siva to a yagna. Sati, in anger, burnt herself to death. When Siva learned that Sati had killed herself, he took up her body and danced in grief, troubling the world with his dance and his tears until the gods cut the corpse into pieces. When the yoni fell, Siva took the form of a linga, and peace was re-established in the universe. There is the temple of Daksehwara in the Kankhal.

Rishikesh
    

Rishikesh means the place of sages. Rishikesh is situated about 25 kms. from Haridwar. Rishikesh is situated around the Ganga river as it swiftly runs through the last hills of the Himalaya. Today, there are various ashrams in Rishikesh. The Maharishi Yogi also had his ashram here and was fortunate to capture the imagination and attention of the Beatles in the early sixties. Rishikesh is also the base for travel to the hill regions of Garhwal and the four holy shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and also the Sikh Shrine at Hemkund Sahib.
 

The holy city of Rishikesh has a number of temples, ashrams and spa resorts. One just needs the energy to explore the town. At Rishikesh one can take pleasure in the untamed ferocity of nature as well as its tranquil and picturesque beauty. Though Rishikesh is generally known to be a pilgrimage place for most but these days it’s also getting famous as an adventure sports center

Rishikesh is a small town situated 532 m (1,745 ft) above sea level in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. Located about 42 Km from the state capital Dehradun and 25 Km from Haridwar, Rishikesh is an important destination since it acts as an entry point for pilgrimage to the four most holy Hindu pilgrimages in India commonly known as the ‘Char Dham’. It is here that holy river Ganga meets river Chandrabhaga.

Adventure Sports in Rishikesh

Topography of Rishikesh is blessed with turbulent rivers, getting their energy from various rivulets and tributaries from the glaciers above. These rivers and their nearby areas make excellent spots for adventure sports like White Water Rafting, Canoeing, Trekking, Rock-Climbing / Mountaineering, Camping and Skiing (especially in winters).

Laxman Jhula
The Laxman Jhula is supposedly one of the principal tourist attractions in Rishikesh. Mythologically it is stated that Laxman (of Ramayana) had traveled across the Ganges River in this place with the help of jute ropes. Now though, a 1939 suspended iron bridge continues to be present here.

Bharat Mandir
It is said that Adiguru Shankaracharya, an ancient Hindu saint, constructed this temple in 12th Century. It is the oldest temple in Rishikesh and is located on the bank of Ganga in the older part of the town of Rishikesh.

Neelkanth Mahadev
According to Hindu mythology, when the ancient deep-sea was being agitated for ‘amrita’ (immortality nectar) by the gods and demons, the life extinguishing poison came out of it. Lord Shiva generously (and purportedly) consumed it here and that event inspired the name for this place.

Rishi Kund
According to legends, Goddess Yamuna (the river goddess) was so delighted with Saint Kubz that she filled the tank with the celestial water.

Triveni Ghat
Located on the banks of River Ganga, thousands of people come together here every day to take a holy dip in the sacred river. People sit on the river bank to observe the spiritual gatherings called "Aarti" performed during evening every day.

Swargashram
This is basically a temple complex with one main and few smaller temples inside it. All the temples are exceptionally stunning and certainly worth a visit, even just once.